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The paper raises and considers the problem of social, economic and political development, cultural changes, the new tendencies of technological progress and environmental protection, closely associated with the cohesion processes and the processes of initiation and activation of various forms of uniqueness, taking place under the conditions of globalization, knowledge based society creation and of European integration and European Union development and enlargement processes. It is shown that the cohesion processes and the processes of initiation and activation of uniqueness determine the basic changes in contemporary society and its life in the common social and economic space in the European Union. The paper describes the variety of the cohesion processes, identifying new trends of cohesion in the context of globalization and internationalization, knowledge based society and knowledge economy creation processes. The main attention is paid to the interregional cohesion and to the regional uniqueness in the context of European integration and European Union development and enlargement processes. It is shown that the processes of cohesion are very complicated and versatile. Cohesion and its processes are based on some particular principles and regularities, which reflect the objective nature of cohesion, allowing that the cohesion processes may be perceived and considered as a specific cognition and research object. It is clear that general cognition logic may be used in the investigation of cohesion and the related issues. The main general principles of cohesion, including the principles of the communicating vessels, multiplication of quality standards, innovation and qualitative changes, diversity harmonization, the reduction to common denominator and assimilation, may be defined. The main regularities of cohesion are described in the article : the regularities of cohesion characterize the main trajectories of cohesion processes, allowing to determine the dominant cohesion features. It is clear that regularities of cohesion refer to various cohesion phenomena, including those, reflecting the variety of the cohesion aims and interests of various subjects involved in the cohesion processes, the complexity and inconsistency of these processes, as well as risks, threats and uncertainties, associated with various conditions, in which the cohesion processes take place. In general, regularities of cohesion reflect the processes, associated with application and realization of the cohesion principles: any regularities of cohesion may be perceived and treated as a description of a particular 'cause and effect' relationship associated with application and realization of the cohesion principles. This approach allows for identification of several most significant general regularities of cohesion: • the increasing diversity of the interested subjects and their interests, reflecting the trend of increasing the variety of subjects, seeking to realize more diverse interests in the process of cohesion, • stronger orientation of cohesion to a larger scope of activities and a higher rate of transformation, reflecting the trend of the cohesion processes to enlarge the areas, where they are taking place and to increase the rate of their proceeding, • the complexity, difficulties and contradictions of the cohesion processes, reflecting their diversity and the need for seeking their harmony, • the cyclic character of the cohesion processes, reflecting the fact that cohesion develops in some particular cycles, which begin with raising the requirement of convergence, interaction and integration of various systems, spaces and elements and ending with the creation of a particular new system characterized by the internal harmony, • the orientation of cohesion processes to expansion and renewal, reflecting the multiplication of the particular norms, standards, models, traditions and rules, which means that two types of cohesion effects become evident at the same time. In the first case, the renewal is taking place in the systems, spaces and elements, where new norms, standards, models, traditions and rules have been established. In the second case, the expansion of the activities of the subjects who purposefully promote and realize the multiplication of these norms, standards, models, traditions and rules, takes place. Various aspects of interregional cohesion and of the initiation and activation of the regional uniqueness in the context of European integration and European Union development and enlargement processes are described and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of small distributed generators close to consumers is one of important features of the power systems development in many countries. This paper describes the current status of distributed generation generation in the EU countries, the advantages and disadvantages of small generators as well as the problems of their connection to a distribution network. The most important factors stimulating the development of distributed generation in many European countries are the following: the growing contribution into electricity production balance of power plants using renewable energy sources which are originally decentralised; development of small (with capacity less than 50 MW) combined heat and power production (cogeneration) power plants; implementation of energy policy directed to promotion of renewable energy sources and cogeneration. The paper focuses on a comparative analysis of distributed generation in the EU countries and its role in the balance of electricity generation. An analysis of the legal and economic environment, as well as principles of regulation of distributed generation and barriers for its penetration is presented. The analysis is based on the methodology of the European research project SOLID-DER financed by the 6th Framework Programme; 17 research institutions, universities and companies are involved into the preparation of this project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the process of organizational leadership in Central and East Europe (CEE). It is challenging to perform such investigation, as the leadership as a phenomena is traditionally analysed using the anglo-saxon approach. This approach determines the criterion that describes the efficiency of leadership, which is based on objective performances, whereas social and cultural context of leadership is latent. Traditionally, the presentation of leaderships is measured by the managers' trait, organizational values, relationship with stakeholders and other indicators that depict business efficiency. It should be noted that studies involving the use of these indicators reveals highly negative performances of leadership in CEE. When considering the cost-effectiveness of the management, these indicators are uniquely valuable and usable for performance measurement. However, leadership effectiveness is not identical to the economic performance; it is not an element of efficiency, but rather the expression of perceptions. Leadership is a process in which the leader gets the trust and becomes recognized. Accordingly, this article critically reviews the studies on organizational leadership in CEE and evaluates the main trends of leadership development during last two decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homeopathy is a non-traditional medical treatment which came to Europe a few hundred years ago and is presently attributed to the complementary and alternative medicine. Although the assessment of evidence on effectiveness of homeopathic medicinal products has been very contradictory, homeopathy in practice is the only form of alternative medicine that has received certain legal recognition. The paper focuses on the study of the legal regulation of homeopathy in the European Union and in national law. The author analyses the contents of the concept of 'homeopathic medicinal product' and the EU legal norms on harmonisation of procedures for registry of homeopathic medicinal products in the Member States. It is concluded that the market of homeopathic medicinal products in the EU still lacks coherence and unity. Registry procedures under the EU law on this category of medicinal products do not apply to some of the homeopathic products, and the Member States are provided with discretion of adopting a special registry procedure, i.e. providing requirements on their discretion with regard to pre-clinical and clinical research on homeopathic medicinal products. The introduction of mandatory simplified registry procedure for homeopathic medicinal products in all EU Member States is a positive step. The author observes that the simplified procedure in principle ensures only the safety of homeopathic medicinal products on the market, because evidence of effectiveness are not required if homeopathic medicinal products are placed on the market without therapeutic indications. In the author's opinion, the lack of credibility of the effectiveness criterion in theory allows questioning of the status of homeopathic preparations as 'medicinal products.' The article also aims at analysing the legal regulation of registration, labelling and advertising of homeopathic medicinal products in Lithuania. Apparently, homeopathic medicinal products are registered in Lithuania under three types of procedures: the simplified, special, and standard procedure. The special procedure for registering homeopathic medicinal products in Lithuania was established in 2010. It provides for a possibility to register homeopathic medicinal products with certain confirmed indications, without providing all the data that is usually required to claim the right to market a medicinal product. The main features of preparation that need to be proven are: the rationality of the preparation's composition, acceptable safety and effectiveness, and the experience of legal use in a state of the European Economic Area or in the Member States. The requirements on labelling and advertising of homeopathic medicinal products are harmonised with the EU law. The analysis of regulation of homeopathic practice in national law shows that in Lithuania homeopathy is considered as a narrow specialisation of medical practice and included in the list of licensed ambulatory health care services. Only persons with a doctor's education may legally practice homeopathy in Lithuania. The services of homeopath and homeopathic medicinal products are not compensated from the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the period between classicism and modernism. At that time romanticism and historicism predominated. The art trends in the parks of western and eastern Europe at the end of the 18th and 19th care analysed. Spatial, planning structure, compositional elements and trends are compared. The author tried to find common features between Lithuanian and European parks created in the period of romanticism and historicism in the 18th and 19th c. Geopolitical, economic and cultural features of development, which predetermined and influenced the trend of park art development until the beginning of a new era of modernism, are shortly described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the development and tendencies of classicism-style park art at the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 19th c in Europe and Lithuania. Major attention is paid to general reasons of the appearance of classicism style, its special features and changes which were visible after contradictorily estimated epoch of baroque. On the basis of general features and planned and spatial structure of park ensembles in classicism of that time in such European countries as France, England, Germany, Russia and Poland, the author attempts to find correlations and special features in Lithuanian parks. The author reviews theoretical and practical works of European specialists in landscape and natural sciences, which were important in developing parks of a new style. Also, attention is drawn to some terms in Lithuanian literature which describe parks in classicism style and which are used unprecisely. A short summary of the most important created and replanned classicism-style parks in Lithuania is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to analyze and compare social guarantees for public servants in several European countries. Three groups of countries had been chosen for the comparison: 1) Germany and Belgium as an example of career model civil service, 2) United Kingdom and Denmark as a case illustrating post model, 3) Estonia and Lithuania as an example of new democracies. The comparison was based on three dimensions: the scope of social guarantees, the legal regulation and functions and place of those guarantees in general motivation system. Author concludes that there is no universally accepted definition of social guaranties, but the analysis of states' legislation provides the framework for the clarification of the concept. Often social guarantees compound of certain social rights, various holidays and leaves, medical insurance, a range of benefits, compensation and other supportive means for civil servants Different centralization / decentralization tendencies, some practises used in the private sector are observed in the above mentioned countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently in the European Union (EU) approximately 30 million people suffer from rare diseases. A European policy on rare disorders was put into action with the Regulation (EC) 141/2000 adopted on December 16, 1999, setting out a Community procedure for the designation of medicinal products and providing incentives for research, development and marketing of orphan medicinal products in the EU. The legislation on orphan medicinal products is a part of a broader Community policy to identify rare diseases as a priority area for action in the field of public health, which constitutes the area of common competence of EU and Member States. The paper deals with the problem of accessibility of orphan medicinal products in the light of the right to health care. The aim of this article is to analyse historical, theoretical and practical aspects of this problem. There are no studies or researches done in this field in Lithuania so far. In order to achieve the aim of this article the following tasks are set: to single out the most important stages of the development of a policy on orphan medicinal products in the EU; to clarify the link between the concept of access to orphan drugs and the right to health care, to review the legal framework of access to approved and not approved therapies for rare diseases in Lithuania, and to discuss some legislation gaps. The problem of orphan drugs accessibility correlates with the patient's right to health care. Two main factors outline this link: extent of national constitutional obligations in the sphere of health care and limits of national health insurance budget to reimburse very expensive therapies. The incentives provided at the Community level stimulate the development of orphan medicinal products, in order to facilitate the accessibility of such products on the market. Consequently, the objective of the Regulation (EC) No 141/2000 can be qualified as a contribution to the attainment of an effective protection of the right to health care in the EU countries. By the same token it could be refered to the Article 5 of the Directive No 2001/83/EC and Article 83 of Regulation (EC) No 726/2004, which lay down the possibility of using an unauthorised medicinal product for compassionate use on a named patient basis and to cohorts of patients respectively. National legal framework and administrative procedures can provide us with useful indications on the accessibility of orphan drugs in the country. In Lithuania, the administrative provisions concerning the reimbursement of approved therapies in some cases can be treated as inappropriately restrictive, since the decision-making powers of the special commission at the State Patients' Fund lack clear and transparent procedures. At the same time it should be noted that not all legal possibilities of access to orphan medicinal products are implemented, eg. compassionate use programs. Therefore the situation of orphan patients in terms of protection of patient right to access to quality health care can be assessed as insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper deals with the impact of alternative investment funds on economy and possibilities of improving regulation of their activity. The recent years have seen a rapid development of alternative investment funds, namely hedge funds and private equity funds. Due to relatively low interest rates and excess liquidity in financial markets, these funds reached such a scale that they could influence real economies. Although the activities of the alternative investment funds may influence liquidity and efficiency of the markets in a positive way, they could not be valuated unequivocally, since they often have negative consequences. Contradictory objectives of the alternative investment funds and the Lisbon Strategy or at least their different time horizons determine the negative impacts of these funds on the long-term economic growth and employment in the labour market. Furthermore, these funds have different impacts (and most often negative ones) on the behaviour of the companies and financial markets. The lack of transparency and regulation, employment reduction, overindebtedness of the companies, tax avoidance and other corporate governance problems distort competition and endanger economic stability. The present article aims at searching for adequate regulation of the activities of alternative investment funds. The methodology of the research comprises statistical methods and a comparative analysis of the regulation norms. In order to neutralise the negative impacts of hedge and private equity funds, it is recommended to develop the regulation of the considered norms in the following directions: 1) to encourage long-term investments in the following ways: weighting of the voting rights according to the duration of property, higher tax rates for short-term investments; 2) to prevent tax avoidance providing the following: collection of taxes according to the country of the contract subject or fund manager (not to the country of fund registration because most of them are registered in so-called "tax heavens"), tax discrimination of the offshore funds, as well as limited interest exclusion from the taxable profit; 3) to ensure greater transparency of the markets and to strengthen economic stability by the following means: minimum financial reporting standards, a new European directive introducing minimum standards for information disclosure, and minimum capital requirements for companies; 4) to enhance investor and employee protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article will be considered genesis of evidentiary procedure in continental law system: origins in Roman law, fundamental concepts, ideas and principles, stated by Roman law of judicial procedure, its reception in Western Europe and expression in modern civil procedure. For the comparative analysis have been elected Lithuanias and Swedens law, because of relatively recent reforme of civile procedure these two countries have undergone. In the first part of this paper will be analised balance of power of judge and the parties in evidentiary procedure. In the early Roman legis actio and per formulas judicial procedure prevailed the principle of parties competition, which meant, that it lay upon the parties to look after evidence, while the judge could influence evidentiary procedure just indirectly, for instance, through the refusing decision under the ground of lack of evidence. Later on, in cognitio procedure the judge is much more activ, has more power, whereas the role of judge of postclassic procedure is near inquisitory, the judge investigate circumstances of the case himself. Under evaluation of evidence is the judge of the legis actio and per formulas procedures unrestricted by any restrictions, but in the cognitio and even more in postclassic procedures prevails the formal theory of evidence. The main objective of evidentiary procedure in early ordinary procedures as well as in extraordinary and postclassic procedures is to reach the substantial truth. Under evidence is recognized every material, that could help explicate the truth in the case. In the two early procedures are not applied any rules of admissibility, while in the extraordinary there appears rules, which inhibitors the presentation of evidence to the court. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching and learning languages has a long history from learning grammatical structures, translating texts to the research of foreign languages teaching and learning strategies. The aim of the paper is to overview the history of methodologies of teaching and learning foreign languages and to discuss the opportunities to apply them teaching Lithuanian as a foreign language. One of the strengths of European countries is their multilingual nature. That was stressed by the European Council during different international projects. Every citizen of Europe should be given the opportunity to learn languages life long, as languages open new perspectives in the modern world. Besides, learning languages brings tolerance and understanding to people from different cultures. The article presents the idea, based on the experience of foreign language teaching, that communicative method in learning languages should be applied also to Lithuanian as a foreign language teaching. According to international SOCRATES exchange programme, every year a lot of students and teachers from abroad come to Lithuanian Higher Schools (VGTU included). They should also be provided with opportunities to gain the best language learning, cultural and educational experience. Most of the students that came to VGTU pointed out Lithuanian language learning being one of the subjects to be chosen. That leads to the organizing interesting and useful short-lasting Lithuanian language courses. The survey carried in VGTU and the analysis of the materials gathered leads to the conclusion that the communicative approach in language teaching is the best to cater the needs and interests of the learners to master the survival Lithuanian. There should be more emphasis on teaching functional language. Lithuanian language teachers faced with the lack of modern course books for foreign students that would cater the needs of those students, teaching functional language and introducing to socio cultural issues. Therefore there is strong demand to compile and publish a new updated and modern textbook for Lithuanian language learners. Modern language teaching is the way to socio cultural awareness and teaching cultural values. Teaching culture is one of the most important aspects of Lithuanian language teaching in modern and open society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast runout of fossil fuel recourses and continuous growth of wastes formed during anthropogenic activity press to search for the ways how to use combustible wastes for energy production and thus save fossil fuel recourses. Technologies to produce secondary solid fuel from sorted non-hazardous waste have been known for several decades. However, the production and trade of such fuel are limited because of doubts about the reliable establishment of fuel quality, negative impact on the environment and equipment. Therefore, it was necessary to prepare a package of technical specifications to regulate the production of such fuel, its properties and methods of determination. Information about the activities of the Technical Committee CEN/TC 343 Solid Recovered Fuels of the European Committee for Standardization is presented in the paper together with on technical and draft CEN technical specifications and their status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercialisation of research results is very important in the world now. The situation of this problem in Europe is analysed in the paper. The possibility to use 4-6 Framework programme projects for commercialisation of research results is discussed at large. The situation of the results commercialisation using international projects in Lithuania as an example of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) is surveyed. The analysis of international projects results for ten last years in the VGTU using research reports and archive data of the VGTU is performed. Proposals for developing the international projects and the way to intensify the research results of commercialisation in Lithuania are presented in conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the challenges faced by the state of Lithuania in the sphere of social security in the 1920s. It was sought to resolve the key problems that emerged in the aftermath of World War I, to handle the situation and to adjust to the modernizing forms of social security as well as to ensure social welfare for citizens. It is revealed how the Lithuanian Government, public figures and politicians understood social issues, what major social problems were identified and what solutions were applied. The article also discusses the scope of social support, the fields and priorities of support as well as the formation of social policy guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the cooperation between Lithuania's railroaders and their foreign partners with the aim to organize international transportation and improve its management. The period under the investigation starts in 1919, when Lithuania's railroad government was formed and negotiations with foreign transport institutions started, and continues till 1939-1940, when Vilnius region transport system was integrated into international transportation system. The analyzed archival and published sources allow to claim that Lithuania's railroad system was integrated into the projects of Western European transit freight services on the basis of the experience accumulated in 1923 when railroad communications with Germany and the then Soviet Union were established. The regulations of Berne convention were also taken into consideration. The direct railroad system Paris-Vladivostok (through Siberia) started in 1926; to implement this system, it was necessary to combine elements of direct and transit communications. International freight services were operated in close cooperation with other Baltic countries' colleagues because the general communication strategy influenced the flow of passengers and goods as well as profits. Lithuania's and other Baltic states' international transportation possibilities expanded in 1939 when Lithuania took over Vilnius with its railway section. Lithuania's international railway communication system had considerable influence on the country's economy; in addition to other benefits, it connected Klaipėda's seaport with international overland transport system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the material and results of the re- search of the Scalvian society in the second half of the 4th century and the second half of the 5th century, namely of the cemetery of Vėluikiai. The research focused on the reflection of society's spiritual culture on burial customs as well as investigated the heritage of manufacture activities in the spheres of the production of weapons, tools, household articles and ornaments. The author emphasizes the autochthonic origin of the finds such as weapons, riding gear, household articles and ornaments. The article also presents a more detailed boundary of the Scalvian ethnos - now it is fixed in the district of Skaudvilė, next to the hill-fort of Ivangėnai Karšuva. On the basis of the research conducted by the anthropologist R. Jankauskas (he investigated the remains of two men and one woman), the conclusions are drawn concerning certain aspects of the society's social life, its relationship with the Baltic world and the rest of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the characteristic features of society of the Balts in the early Middle Ages; it also defines the period when the phenomena and concepts of dukes military leaders, and warrior elite appeared in society of the Balts. The issue of ethnicity is also raised in the article, and the relationships among the ethnic groups such as the Goths, Huns, Avars and the Balts at the dawn of Europe's political emergence are disclosed. Conclusions are drawn that in the period of the 5th-6th centuries the Balts had connection with Middle Europe; consequently, they might have participated in the military expeditions to the regions of the Danube. The burial monuments (finds) prove that the military elite played an important part in social lives of the following tribes: Prussians, Yotvingians, Scalvians, Samogitians, Upland Lithuanians, Curonians, Semigallians and Lithuanians. The warrior elite had been formed in the Baltic regions at least in the second half of the 5th century; this period could be characterised by the term "the period of warrior elite" which suggests the readiness of societies of the Western Balts to obtain their statehood. V. I. Kulakov's and V. Šimėnas' raised ideas about multi- ethnic societies in the Baltic territory and a search for Germanic roots here seems to be biased and subjective. A search for a society's ethnicity or multi-ethnicity should not be based on burial inventory only, as proposed by V. I. Kulakov; on the contrary, typical work tools or weapons, which are closely connected with burial rituals, should be taken into consideration. Therefore, it does not seem plausible that some rich burial places, taken out of the general context of burial tradition of the Balts, are considered as burials of `new-comers'; similarly, one or several finds should not become an evidence of the Gothic, Celtic, etc. influence. The Middle European inhabitants migration scheme, proposed by V. Šimėnas and reiterated by M. Bertašius, does not conform to other archaeological evidence of the same period. It is quite probable that the Balts and only the Balts themselves initiated certain changes in their cultural development because they were direct observers of and participants in the cultural development of other tribes. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the Prussian culture of the Sambia's peninsular because quite a lot of commonalities can be revealed between this culture and that of the Western Balts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]