Author: Boglárka Koller

In: Európai Tükör 2025/1.

DOI: 10.32559/et.2025.1.1

Abstract

War affects most seriously both personal and collective attachments. The ongoing Russian–Ukrainian war poses a direct security threat to the European Union and its citizens, and also has a significant impact on the EU’s economy, politics and society. The ongoing challenges to peace and stability in Europe are prompting a re evaluation of national, regional, and European identities among EU citizens. The study focuses on the Visegrád countries – Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Chech Republic – where historical heritage, experiences as EU Member States over the past twenty years, and proximity to conflict have shaped distinct identity dynamics. Utilising a comparative approach informed by public opinion survey data, we are tracking the transformation of collective identities in the period 2022–2025, capturing long term trends and the effects of the war in Ukraine. What can we learn about the collective identity of EU citizens in the region? Has the war brought citizens closer to, or further away from the European Union? This study aims to present this dual dynamic and highlight the constantly changing interaction between national and European identity in a region that is geographically close to the war and located at the crossroads of historical memory and contemporary geopolitical turbulence.

A Koller, B.: The Collective Identities of Central Europeans in the Shadow of War, 2022–2025 bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: John Szabo

In: Publications Europa (ed.): European Union encyclopedia and directory 2026. London: Routledge, 2025. pp. 209-213.

ISSN: 9781003632382

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003632382

Abstract

Confronted with mounting issues, including a worsening climate crisis, trade wars and escalating military conflicts, European policymakers are being forced to design energy policy tools that ensure access to fossil fuels and enable the emergence of a system dominated by renewable energy. Action on the latter is especially pressing, as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts has indicated that June 2025 is likely to rank among the top five warmest Junes on record, and the World Meteorological Organization confirmed in January that 2024 was the warmest year on record. In parallel, there is a rising consensus that while fossil fuels are indispensable in the short to medium term, the quicker the European Union (EU) can pivot to renewables and, possibly, nuclear power, the quicker it will be able to ensure energy security for consumers. The EU has taken action to facilitate the energy transition, but it has balanced this with measures aimed at short-term objectives that ensure access to fossil fuels. This essay provides an overview of the EU’s energy policy between mid-2024 and mid-2025, highlighting the challenges that have emerged.

A Szabo, J.: European Union Energy Policy at a Time of Crisis bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Gergely Buda

In: Sustainable Futures, Volume 11, 2026

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2026.101720

Abstract

Sustainable industrialization has become a priority for many African nations, yet practical pathways for achieving it, particularly through circular economy (CE) strategies, remain insufficiently understood. Although industrial symbiosis (IS) is widely recognized as a promising CE approach for enhancing resource efficiency and reducing environmental burdens, limited empirical evidence exists on how these principles can be implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa, where industrial systems are still formative and characterized by infrastructural and regulatory constraints. This gap is especially pronounced in rapidly developing industrial parks such as the Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP) in Uganda. Therefore, this study examines the potential and challenges of integrating CE principles, specifically IS, within KIBP, aiming to contextualize and adapt CE/IS frameworks to an early-stage industrial ecosystem. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 42 firms and consultations with park management, the research analyses existing waste and resource flows, perceptions of CE/IS, and factors shaping adoption. The paper contributes by extending CE and IS theory to the Sub-Saharan context and providing practical entry points for policymakers, industrial park managers, and businesses. Findings reveal that IS holds significant potential to optimize waste management, enable waste valorisation, enhance resource efficiency, and reduce environmental impacts within the park. However, implementation is hindered by weak infrastructure, limited awareness among firms, and insufficient policy enforcement. Key opportunities for enabling IS include establishing centralized waste collection and sorting facilities, fostering collaborative waste-exchange networks including informal actors, promoting technological innovation, and introducing incentive-based regulatory mechanisms.

A Buda, G.: Industrial symbiosis potential in Uganda’s Kampala Industrial and Business Park. Sustainability challenges and opportunities bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Authors: Csaba Lakócai, Luigi Capoani,

In: Regional Statistics, Vol. 16. No. 1. 2026

DOI: 10.15196/RS160104  

Abstract

Building upon the traditional concept of the “Blue Banana” as Europe’s economic core area, this study examines the multifaceted impacts and underlying causes of régiónál competitiveness disparities across Europe. In particular, it delves into Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), along with the Mediterranean territories of the European Union (EU), analysing the ongoing economic and urban transformations within these areas while also assessing similar patterns in Western and Northern Europe. Leveraging the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics 2 (NUTS 2) regional breakdown and data sourced from the EU’s latest regional competitiveness index (RCI) report, this study conducts a comprehensive analysis of spatial concentrations within the EU. The findings suggest that although some regions of the Blue Banana maintain their relative dominance in regional competitiveness, significant recent developments in other European regions indicate that the concept may be losing relevance. In particular, the CEE regions – especially their capital regions – converged toward the standards set by the Blue Banana. The results of the spatial regression model on the RCI in 2022 substantiate the conclusion that the Blue Banana is no longer a significant territorial concentration. Moreover, the results of the spatial regression model on the changes in RCI scores between 2016 and 2022 indicate that the less affluent CEE and Mediterranean regions have greater development potential than the wealthier western and northern egions, further challenging the traditional notion of the Blue Banana.

A Caponi, L., Lakócai Cs.: Spatial dynamics of competitiveness: a comparative analysis of the Blue Banana and emerging EU regions bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Authors: Gergely Buda, Veronika Czina, Magdolna Sass

In: Külügyi Szemle, 2025/4

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47707/Kulugyi_Szemle.2025.4.5

Abstract

Since the turn of the millennium, the number of NGOs working in the Global South has increased significantly in Central and Eastern Europe. However, their activities, funding sources, policy environment, and challenges have received little academic attention. In particular, the exploration of the connections between research and the practical work of NGOs is lacking. The aim of this study is to promote knowledge gathering and analysis in this regard, with primary attention to Hungarian NGOs working in the Global South. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with representatives of these organizations between March and May 2024. Based on the qualitative and quantitative data collected in this way, we examined the organizations’ activities, project preparation, and implementation practices. During our research, we considered it particularly important to combine academic analysis and practical experience. Our study pursues three main objectives. Firstly, to make civic responsibility and activity visible – we present the commitment to the Global South in Hungary. Secondly, we examine the role of research – we analyze how scientific research influences the success of NGO projects, both in terms of preparation and ex-post evaluation. Through this, we identify best practices and development opportunities. Thirdly, we formulate policy recommendations – we explore the needs of organizations and the possibilities of research-based action to support their more effective operation. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between Hungarian NGOs and the Global South, and facilitate research-based decision-making in this area.

A Buda, G., Czina, V., Sass, M.: A Few Giants and Many Dwarfs. Hungarian NGOs in the Global South: the Role of Research in Increasing Effectiveness bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Authors: John Szabo, Csaba Weiner, András Deák

In: Post-Communist Economies, 2026, 1–28.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14631377.2025.2607994

Abstract

The European Commission proposed to accelerate the EU’s energy transition and phase out Russian gas in response to Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, prompting different reactions from Central and Eastern European Member States. This paper explores the responses from these countries by tracing the institution-altering effects of politicisation and securitisation. It proposes a taxonomy based on state actions: ‘accelerationists’ align with the Commission’s ambition to hasten the green transition and reduce the role of Russian natural gas; ‘pivoters’ acknowledge the security threat and have eliminated Russian imports but seek to retain natural gas as a transition fuel by turning to alternative suppliers; and ‘the unwavering’ do not securitise the issue and thus resist change. The paper draws on the comparison of original National Energy and Climate Plans published in 2019 and their post-invasion updates to explore how the energy transition interacts with external shocks.

A Szabo, J., Weiner, C., Deák, A.: Split between accelerationists, pivoters, and the unwavering: CEE energy policy responses to Russia’s 2022 invasion bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Navigating Sovereignty, Dependence, and Economic Development

István Benczes: ‘Defining Economic Governance Through Critical Junctures and Learning by Doing ‘

Krisztina Arató, Boglárka Koller and Anita Pelle: ‘Why Does Hungary Not Use the Euro? The Reasons and Context Behind Staying Out’

Andrea Éltető: ‘Hungarian Industrial Policy in an EU Framework’

Download the book HERE

A The Path of Hungary’s EU Membership. Navigating Sovereignty, Dependence, and Economic Development bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Authors: Magdolna Sass, Andrea Sáfrányné Gubik, Gábor Túry

In: Vezetéstudomány Budapest Management Review, 56(12), 18–27.

DOI: doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2025.12.02

A Sass, M., S. Gubik, A., Túry, G.: Three years later – The integration and continuity of digital solutions at subsidiaries in Hungary after the COVID-19 pandemic bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Author: Csaba Lakócai

In: Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series. Online. 2 December 2025. No. 70, pp. 125-135.

DOI 10.12775/bgss-2025-0043

Abstract

The latest pandemic had disparate impacts on the quality of life of individuals around the world. The primary hypothesis guiding this research is that the impacts on quality of life during the pandemic years are associated with the pre-pandemic social and environmental conditions. However, the effects varied across certain groups of countries and regions, as well as across different years. In order to substantiate this assumption, an analysis will be conducted on the 27 member states of the European Union at the national and NUTS2 regional levels. The regression analysis demonstrates that life expectancy in 2021 decreased more where it was lower before the pandemic. In 2020 and 2022, there were no significant differences in terms of life expectancy changes across the countries. However, we get a more nuanced picture at the regional level. In terms of life satisfaction, a convergence between the EU countries is observed by 2022.

A Lakócai Cs.: Quality of life in the EU countries and regions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic years bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Trade

Authors: Tamás Csontos, Andrea Éltető, Magdolna Sass

In: Európai Tükör 2024/4

DOI: 10.32599/et.2024.4.1

Abstract

Despite the prevalence of discourse surrounding the concept of competitiveness, recent reports on the European Single Market and competitiveness frequently neglect to underscore the pivotal role of foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign trade. The present study aspires to address this gap by undertaking a comprehensive analysis of FDI and foreign trade trends within the European Union (EU) from 2005 to 2023. This analysis will be conducted by comparing these trends with those observed in the United States and China, in addition to examining the EU’s internal economic dynamics. The statistical analysis reveals a multifaceted relationship between FDI, foreign trade, and the EU’s competitiveness. Significant variations in the EU’s FDI structure are identified: inward and outward investments exhibit different growth rates, and certain member states function as intermediaries, which can result in resource allocation challenges. In the context of foreign trade, the EU confronts mounting competition from China, persistent internal trade imbalances, and a continued reliance on substantial foreign value-added content. While the EU performs well in service exports and medium-tech manufacturing, it lags behind in high-tech and primary product exports. The study concludes that the development of a comprehensive competitiveness strategy is essential to address these challenges and enhance economic resilience.

A Csontos, T., Éltető, A., Sass, M.: The Dilemmas of EU Competitiveness. Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Trade. bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.