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Violeta Blazheva
The Bulgarian Agrarian Sector in the Context
of the “Updated” Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union
Summary:
The political agreement reached between the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers of the European Union and the European Commission is expected to lead to significant changes that mark the starting point of the European policy designed to address the challenges of the security of food supplies, climate change, growth and employment in rural regions. In this aspect, this paper focuses on the reform that is being carried out by CAP in 2013 in the context of the new pro¬gramming period 2014-2020. Priority is given to forthcoming changes in the Bulgarian agricultural sector regarding the implementation of the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union. It has been proposed to group changes in CAP, which would facilitate the inclusion of the adjusted measures in designing agrarian policy in Bulgaria. The upcoming reform is aimed at achieving a more equitable distribution of resources. It is expected that each member state of the Com-munity should not receive less than 75% of the (average) funds provided by the European Union. The new rules will come into force from January 2014.
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Nikolay Ninov
Long-term Care – the New Social Risk in Europe
Summary:
The ageing of population, changes in the family model, and increased number of women-players on the labour market, as well as changing values and attitudes towards informal delivery of services are the new variables which are becoming a major challenge to the adequacy of European social systems. Until recently, the question as to whose responsibility it is to take care of dependent elderly persons has had a straightforward answer – the family; therefore the problem was not in the focus of attention of politicians or governments. The current situation is totally different and due to the trends towards an increase in the number of people in need of care, the reduced number of available caretakers, and the ever growing public and private expenditure on social services, the issue has now turned from private into a public one to all EU member states. Therefore, long-term care of elderly people has been labeled as ‘a new social risk’.
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Yulia Nedelcheva
ECONOMIC ASPECTS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE
INEQUALITY IN THE NEW REALITY
Summary:
The aim of article is to present the contemporary development of society and related economic inequality. Emphasis is placed on age inequality due to its economic aspects and characteristics. The main focus of the article is on the new reality of economic slowdown and its adverse effect on another contemporary trend – the growing number of retired persons.
The results of the study identified a trend which is similar across most EU member states - population aging and inequality of the retired people. Unlike the other member states, old-age inequality in Bulgaria is affected by additional factors, such as the ongoing economic transition, social reforms, and European integration processes.
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Momchil Antov
THE NEW EUROPEAN CUSTOMS REFORM – OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Summary:
The customs system of the EU serves as a guardian of the single market, but in recent years, it has been subjected to increased stress due to the rapid growth in trade volume, challenges posed by e-commerce, and the growing number of standards regarding goods that need to be tracked at the borders. As a result, in early May 2023, the European Commission proposed a reform project aimed at simplifying the customs procedures by reducing bureaucracy and increasing transparency while simultaneously strengthening the protection of the EU's financial and non-financial interests. The changes can be described as revolutionary or even too ambitious, but if successful, the reform would mark the beginning of a new approach to customs control without parallel on a global scale. Every change brings new opportunities, but it can also give rise to a range of problems. In this regard, it is important to be well-prepared to maximize the benefits of the former and adequately respond to and even prevent the latter.
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Ana Borisova Ivanova
THE HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM IN BULGARIA –FINANCING MODELS AND STATUS EVALUATION
Summary:
The article presents a research on the specific characteristics of the existing models for healthcare financing worldwide. It also presents a brief overview of the specific characteristics of Bulgaria’s healthcare system and a survey on the need for healthcare reform in hospital care which identifies the bottlenecks in financing medical services for the population. The main problems resulting from the permanent shortage of financial resources and determined by financing methods that prioritize the quantity rather than the quality of the provided medical services are outlined. The degree of effectiveness of clinical pathways as a tool for hospital funding is assessed.
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Tanya Gorcheva
Reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy and Benefits to Bulgaria
Summary:
The paper deals with issues related to the evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union (CAP) and the process of reforms the policy has been undergoing. It also provides a retrospective analysis in order to outline both favourable and adverse aspects of the impact which CAP has had on the development of the agricultural sector in Europe in general and in Bulgaria in particular. It is thus possible to highlight the benefits which our country could gain from those reforms by taking into consideration changes in existing regulations and the implementation of related policy instruments. The paper also reviews what was achieved in our country in the 2007-2013 programme period in result of implementing the CAP. Finally, it outlines expectations related to Bulgarian agriculture for the next programme period in terms of the changes introduced into that policy by the European Commission.
