Technology & Infrastructure

Interviews & Discussions

The US export restrictions on AI chips: Implications for Poland

Interview conducted by Jakub Skowron . Introduction Technological superiority has always been a defining factor in a country's strength. Whether we look back to ancient times, when armies with more durable weapons held the upper hand on the battlefield, or to the modern era, where the race to develop nuclear…

Blue Europe2025-03-10

Short Analysis

Belarus: a strategic point for China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Aliaksei Patonia – Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Aliaksei (Alex) Patonia is a Research Fellow at the Energy Transition Research Initiative of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES). Before moving to the UK, Alex was based in Southeast Asia where he conducted research on the development of energy and…

Guest Author2024-08-09

Short Analysis

Battle for critical and rare materials: dependency, politics and business interests

Originally published on the Macedonian Academic Blog "Respublica" on December 29, 2023. Disclaimer: Due to personal political standpoints, the author avoids to use the prefix “North” in reference to the country officially known as The Republic of North Macedonia after the 2018 Prespa Agreement (Final Agreement for the settlement of…

Sonja Stojadinovic2024-06-21

Short Analysis

The Belt and Road Initiative and its Impact on Serbia: A Delicate Balance

This contribution is part of the book “The Dragon at the Gates of Europe: Chinese presence in the Balkans and Central-Eastern Europe” (more info here) and has been selected for open access publication on Blue Europe website for a wider reach. Citation: Trivić, Slobodan, The Belt and Road Initiative and its Impact on…

Slobodan Trivić2024-03-29

Short Analysis

Interconnector Bulgaria-Serbia: closer ties with Azerbaijan and resilient European energy markets

The Serbo-Bulgarian Gas Connector, formally known as the Interconnector Bulgaria-Serbia (IBS), represents a critical infrastructural and geopolitical development in the energy sector of Southeast Europe. The inauguration of the construction works on the Bulgarian section of this gas interconnector was a significant milestone, underscoring its importance as an EU Project…

B.F.G. Fabrègue2024-03-15

Short Analysis

Political and financial conditions for infrastructure investments of China and EU in the Western Balkan countries

This contribution is part of the book “The Dragon at the Gates of Europe: Chinese presence in the Balkans and Central-Eastern Europe” (more info here) and has been selected for open access publication on Blue Europe website for a wider reach. Citation: Stojadinovic, Sonja, Political and financial conditions for infrastructure investments of China and…

Sonja Stojadinovic2024-02-22

Short Analysis

Estonia leads the Baltic twin transition: strategic cooperation with Finland

You can read our article on Tallin Smart City here. Climate change, sustainable development, and environmental awareness have increasingly dominated global discourse. Innovations in technology and novel business models are seen as pivotal means to address these issues. Understanding the multifaceted challenges and opportunities of green entrepreneurship is essential in…

Léo Portal2024-02-09

Peer Reviewed

Review of “A Smart City Is a Safe City: Analysis and Evaluation of the State of Crime and Safety in Polish Cities”

This paper, written by Magdalena Tutak and Jarosław Brodny, was published in Smart Cities in November 2023. It investigates the link between smart city concepts and public safety, focusing on crime and safety in 16 Polish provincial cities from 2013 to 2022. The study's central thesis is that the smart…

Andrea Bogoni2024-01-24

Short Analysis

Prague Smart City: Czech hub for regional development

Smart cities represent a burgeoning global trend, focusing on enhancing city dwellers' daily lives through improved infrastructure, innovation, technology, and services. In the Czech Republic, various elements of this concept are being implemented. This article aims to shed light on these initiatives, evaluate their success, and draw comparisons with international…

Andrea Bogoni2023-11-03

Short Analysis

Romania and internet connectivity: success factors

Romanian internet population data Romania's internet penetration rate is one of the highest in Europe, surpassing even some of the continent's wealthiest countries like France, Belgium, Finland, and Austria. In January 2023, Romania had 17.82 million internet users, indicating an 88.9% internet penetration rate of the total population. This represents…

Léo Portal2023-10-20

Short Analysis

Tallin Smart City: Estonia’s flagship of innovation

It goes without saying that a nation's capital is almost always the best representation of its heart. So, it comes as no surprise that Estonia's capital, Tallinn, is a renown smart city. The term 'smart city' may seem a bit of a challenge, and not because it is supposedly controversial:…

Andrea Bogoni2023-09-22

Short Analysis

The concept of industry 4.0 and its challenges

Main principles of the industry 4.0 As mentioned in previous articles – also centred on the Polish Industrie 4.0, Industry 4.0 is based on the inter-connectivity of an enterprise's machines thanks to digitalisation. This concept relies on four principles: agility, data analysis, automation and interconnexion. Agility The connectivity of the…

Pawel Morisson de la Bassetière2023-05-26

Technology & Infrastructure

The US export restrictions on AI chips: Implications for Poland

Belarus: a strategic point for China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Battle for critical and rare materials: dependency, politics and business interests

The Belt and Road Initiative and its Impact on Serbia: A Delicate Balance

Interconnector Bulgaria-Serbia: closer ties with Azerbaijan and resilient European energy markets

Political and financial conditions for infrastructure investments of China and EU in the Western Balkan countries

Estonia leads the Baltic twin transition: strategic cooperation with Finland

Review of “A Smart City Is a Safe City: Analysis and Evaluation of the State of Crime and Safety in Polish Cities”

Prague Smart City: Czech hub for regional development

Romania and internet connectivity: success factors

Tallin Smart City: Estonia’s flagship of innovation

The concept of industry 4.0 and its challenges

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