The Paris Agreement on climate change enters into force

On 4th November 2016, the Paris Agreement entered into force. This is the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal in the history. The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to keep a global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
More information on Paris Agreement: http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php

Commentary by young IRMO researches on regional policy

„What does the Strategy for the Regional Development of Republic of Croatia by the end of 2020 bring“ is the seventh analitical commentary by Ivana Keser and Nikica Vukelić, prepared under the POLO-Cro28 project. The commentary analyses the process of creating a basic planning document on regional development policy, examines the methodology utilized during its preparation, and provides an analysis of  challenges that lie ahead in the Strategy implementation by 2020.

“The European dimension of the employment policy in Croatia – how to decrease youth unemployment?” –  the round table  within the POLO-Cro28 – Policy Observatory in Croatia Jean Monnet support to institutions project held in Osijek

Osijek: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek

28th October 2016, 10.00 – 13.00

A round table “The European dimension of the employment policy in Croatia – how to decrease youth unemployment?” was held on 28^th October 2016 in the hall of the Rectorate of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in the Republic of Croatia and Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek. The round table was organised within the Jean Monnet support to institutions project ‘POLO-Cro28 – Policy Observatory in Croatia’ financed by the Erasmus+ program and implemented by Institute for Development and International Relations – IRMO. The event was officially opened by Mrs Višnja Samardžija, the coordinator of the project from IRMO and moderator of the event, Mr Mario Vinković, Vice-Rector for teaching and students from University of Osijek and Mr. Denis Redžepagić, representative of the European Commission Representation in the Republic of Croatia (on behalf of the European Commission). The event proceeded with the panel, discussing trends and initiatives of the employment policies in the EU and Croatia, notably the effectiveness of the Youth Guarantee initiative, launched by the EU, and its implementation in Croatia. Furthermore, the panel discussed harmonisation of the education system with the labour market needs and transition paths from the education to work as well as the importance and the role of the informal education and volunteering engagement of the youth in the society. The distinguished speakers of the panel were: Mr Denis Redžepagić, the European Commission Representation in the Republic of Croatia; Mrs Dubravka Matić, Ministry of labour and pension system of the Republic of Croatia; Mr. Teo Matković, the Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb; Mr. Mario Vinković, the Faculty of Law of the University of Osijek; Mr. Bernard Jakelić, Croatian Emloyers’ Association and Mrs Lejla Šehić Relić, Volunteer center Osijek. The panel was concluded with a Q&A sessions between the speakers and the audience.

Young IRMO researcher Ivana Skazlić participated in the PONT career skills training, taking place in Brussels, 17-21 October 2016. A 5-day intensive training was organized by TEPSA in the framework of the Professional Training on EU Affairs – PONT project, co-funded by the ERASMUS+/Jean Monnet Programme Support to Institutions. The training enabeld 15 recent graduates, PhD students and young researches to identify, acquire and improve important professional skills such as communication and presentation, policy advice and networking. Interactive sessions with high level professionals from think-thanks, academia and EU institutions provided participants with first-hand insights into different professional fields and introduced them to Brussels arena.

More information: “PONT – Professional Training on EU Affairs”

Croatia moderately improved its position in global competitiveness ranking

The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) presented the results of the 2016-2017 Global Competitiveness Report on September 28, 2016 in Zagreb. According to the results, Croatia is in 74th place out of 138 world economies. With an average score of 4,15, this ranking is an improvement of three places from its position in 2015. The president of the NCC, Ivica Mudrinic, has highlighted the fact that Croatia made progress in several key areas, including the macroeconomic pillar thanks to the decrease in public debt and deficit and there are signs of improvements in the labour market, commodity markets and increase in exports. However, there are also worrying trends of continuous decline in innovations, technological readiness and financial market development. Hence, besides the need of implementing reforms, Croatia also needs a clear vision of its future. Of the countries with which Croatia compares itself, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria and Serbia recorded improvements, while FRYOM, Romania, Greece, Hungary and Montenegro registered a decline in the rankings.

More information: http://www.konkurentnost.hr/Default.aspx?art=598&sec=2

‘Water management challenges in Croatia and Slovakia in the period 2014-2020‘ is the sixth commentary within the project POLO-Cro28, written by Martina Funduk, senior research assistant at IRMO. This commentary analyses experiences of Croatia and Slovakia in implementation of EU water management legislation and identifies main challenges in the forthcoming period. The paper provides an overview of the conditions of water resources in these two EU member states and envisaged investment in their water management systems by 2020.

Every year in September, the President of the European Commission delivers his State of the Union speech before the European Parliament, taking stock of achievements of the past year and presenting priorities for the year ahead. Among other important EU topics and priorities, the President Juncker has also emphasised several policy areas being monitored and analysed in the framework of the POLO-Cro28 project. This includes his remarks on youth unemployment, stressing the need of greater EU support in investing in its youth by the EU Youth Guarantee and Erasmus/Erasmus+ programmes. As regards to the environmental and climate protection, Juncker has reminded that Europeans are the world leaders on climate action and called all Member States to ratify the Paris agreement as soon as possible. Also, Juncker commented on Stability and Growth Pact by pointing out the need to implement this mechanism responsibly and with flexibility in order to support and not punish ongoing reform efforts.
More information: http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/state-union-2016_en

‘Strategy for smart specialisation as a fremework for strategic investment‘ is the fifth commentary within the project POLO-Cro28, written by Martina Basarac Sertić, research associate at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts – CASA. This commentary analyses the goal, the purpose and the content of strategies for smart specialisation and provides a parallel overview of thematic priority areas in Croatia and selected new EU Member States (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia). Furthermore, the commentary explains the origin and sequences of establishing these strategies as well as their importance in the context of EU Cohesion policy. The main aim is to assist in better understanding of strategies for smart specialisation – a new concept of industrial policy in order to develop innovative economy and achieve economic growth and prosperity of the EU Member States. Having an insight into the backbone of these strategies it can be concluded that smart specialisation is an opportunity to shift from the low levels of balance and to increase the overall competitiveness in the EU as well as for the reduction of mutual differences among the Member States.

The full text si available on the following link (Croatia only) :

http://polocro28.irmo.hr/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/POLO-osvrt-Smart-specialisation.pdf

The organization Business Europe which represents employers at the EU level on the 24^th of August 2016 has published its contribution to debate about the European Pillar of Social Rights, launched in March of this year. Through the European Pillar of Social Rights the EU attempts to supplement the social acquis, in order to guide the Euro zone members, and other EU members on the voluntary bases, in the fields essential for well-functioning of the labour markets and welfare systems. The position of BusinessEurope towards this initiative is fairly reserved because the organisation fears that the EU could address the gaps in the EU social legislation according to ‛common high level standards’, which could have negative economic consequences. They underline that Europe’s social problems are not due to a deficit of social policy but to lack of competitiveness and that social problems could be overcome only through economic growth and increased employment. However, BusinessEurope welcomes the announced development of benchmarks within the European Pillar of Social Rights, since they could support implementation of reforms and linkages with the European Semester.

More information:

https://be-extranet-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/publications/2016-08-25_pillar_social_rights.pdf

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0127