The increasing volume of container trade poses formidable security challenges. As a result of terrorist attacks, a variety of compulsory and voluntary security measures have been introduced to enhance and secure maritime container trade. The United States (US) Container Security Initiative (CSI) was claimed to impose serious problems in European Union (EU) ports, and in particular it was claimed to affect EU container port competitiveness due to compliance cost and operational inefficiency. This research aimed to analyse the impact of the CSI on EU container seaport competition. Following an abductive approach, a conceptual model was developed based on the literature review. This directed the design of a Delphi study, which was used to test the opinions of academic, industrial and administrative experts. The Delphi results showed the necessity of implementing maritime security measures integrated into the entire supply chain. The negativity effects of additional costs and operational obstructions are insignificant compared to the overall benefits from a secure supply chain. The CSI is a successful and appropriate maritime security measure. With regard to its effects on the EU container seaport competition, the CSI has not distorted port competition and small ports have not lost market share. It helps the member ports to create new revenue streams and attract more container traffic, hence enhancing their competitiveness. Moreover, it facilitates global trade by reducing total transit time. A model which contains four factors was built to interpret the results of the Delphi research. This model helps to analyse how a maritime security policy will affect the EU port industry. This research also reveals two major issues under the current supply chain security framework, which are the substantial liability problem and unbalanced bilateral relations. A proposal for developing a comprehensive multilateral regime that is fully integrated into the entire supply chain is recommended as a sustainable solution.

logiky vhodnosti. Abstract Presented diploma thesis aims to answer a question whether the European Union can be perceived as a relevant actor of international security relations in the context of human rights protection and international security threat regulation. For the purpose of achieving the main goal of the thesis a definition of the EU actorness is used which presumes that the EU could be perceived as an actor of a policy provided it is being perceived as an actor acknowledged by other actors of international security and is able to influence their behavior at the same time. Both are proved by analysis of the antiterrorist sanction régimes, and more specifically a related the Court of Justice case Kadi. By means of the case, the EU pushed for institutional changes within the UN Security Council strengthening human rights protection. Within the EU, regarding the Member States, the EU can be perceived as actor if it succeeds in spread its own normative patterns among them. By the analysis of the Kadi case as well as of the Court's human rights doctrine development I try to prove that an EU institution (in this case the Court of Justice) succeeds in convincing the Member States that they should support the Court of Justice doctrine even though it might diminish their own power and influence. Normative...

Santykiai tarp Europos ir Rusijos labai stipriai veikia pasaulio stabilumą. Magistrinio darbo tikslas yra išsiaiškinti, kokia Rusijos įtaka Europos saugumui, pateikti išsamią Europos ir Rusijos santykių kovos su organizuotu nusikalstamumu srityje analizę. Darbe nagrinėjami ES kovos su organizuotu nusikalstamumu politika, ES ir Rusijos teisės aktai, susitarimai, jų vykdoma politika. Taip pat siekiama atskleisti Lietuvos ir Rusijos bendradarbiavimo santykius kovoje su šiuo reiškiniu bei formuojamą politiką. Tuo tikslu buvo vykdoma ekspertų, politikų, mokslininkų apklausa, kad išsiaiškintume, ar, jų nuomone, Rusijos organizuotas nusikalstamumas kelia grėsmę Europos saugumui, kuo ši grėsmė pasireiškia, ar nekyla bendradarbiavimo sunkumų tarp Lietuvos ir Rusijos teisėsaugos institucijų bei kitus su tuo susijusius klausimus. Magistriniame darbe keliama hipotezė, kad Rusija kelia grėsmę Europos saugumui, nes Rusijos kova su organizuotu nusikalstamumu neatitinka ES ir tarptautinių standartų. / Relations between EU and Russia have a huge impact on global stability. This Master’s Thesis aims to define the impact of Russia on European security and to provide a detailed analysis of relations between EU and Russia in the field of detection of organized crime. The Thesis also aims to provide an analysis of the EU policy on the field of organized crime detection, of European and Russian legislation, agreements and the policy the countries are implementing. Another aim of the Thesis is to cast a light on the relations of cooperation between Lithuania and Russia in this field, and to describe the national policies. Experts, politicians and scientists have been interviewed in order to find out, whether, in their opinion, Russian organized crime is threatening European security, in which ways the threat is expressed, whether there are any difficulties in cooperation between Lithuanian and Russian law enforcement institutions, and other related matters. The hypothesis of this Thesis is that Russia causes threat to European security, as Russian’s measures of detection of organized crime are not up to EU and international standards.

The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which the end of the Cold War led to Europeanisation in European Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The analysis takes into consideration previous studies on Europeanisation and its impact on the transformation of national security and defence, and attempts to account for the development of Europeanisation and related mechanisms. These mechanisms, which were described by Radaelli as framing mechanisms and negative integration, incorporate all major relevant factors identified in the thesis (i.e., a common strategic culture, new security identity, domestic political decision-making, industrial base and defence spending decline) which contribute to the realisation of the CSDP. The relevance of these factors for CSDP Europeanisation is examined through historical and empirical analysis. Furthermore, the relationship between CSDP and NATO is also explored. This approach facilitates the analysis of the debate concerning the emergence of CSDP and throws light on the political shift that led EU leaders to support CSDP. Another aspect of this study is the empirical analysis of the dynamics and limitations of the European defence sector. The changes which took place in the European defence sector facilitated the emergence of CSDP. Hence, these changes are analysed in view of globalisation issues, economies of scale, economic crises, military autonomy, new security strategy and R&D impact.