On account of the geographical closeness, relations between Poland and Sweden have abounded over centuries with significant events not only in the area of politics but also in economy and culture. The near vicinity also contributed to the outbreak of a military conflict between the states in the 17th century. The wars from a long gone past have little impact on the present-day relations between Poland and its northern neighbour. In Sweden hardly anyone remembers about them. This publication analyses the impact of the membership of Poland and Sweden in the same integrating grouping – the European Union – on their bilateral relations. To prove the thesis and research questions it was necessary to analyse the whole range of relations between the two states over a long time horizon. Thus, the post-war Polish-Swedish relations were divided into three stages. The first one covers the period when the two analysed states were out of the European integrating structures. The second stage covers the years of 1995-2004, when Sweden already was a member of the European Union and Poland aspired to be one. The last stage is the initial period of common membership in the EU.

This book for children (roughly 9 to 12 years old) gives an overview of Europe and explains briefly what the European Union is and how it works.--Publisher's description.

The history of Sweden in the seventeenth century is perhaps one of the most remarkable political success stories of early modern Europe. Little more than a century after achieving independence from Denmark, Sweden - an impoverished and sparsely-populated state - had defeated all of its most fearsome enemies and was ranked amongst the great powers of Europe. In this book, which incorporates the latest research on the subject, Paul Douglas Lockhart: - Surveys the political, diplomatic, economic, social and cultural history of the country, from the beginnings of its career as an empire to its decline at the end of the seventeenth century - Examines the mechanisms that helped Sweden to achieve the status of a great power, and the reasons for its eventual downfall - Emphasises the interplay between social structure, constitutional development, and military necessity Clear and well-written, Lockhart's text is essential reading for all those with an interest in the fascinating history of early modern Sweden.

In 2008, the introduction of the EU's Framework Decision - the principle of mutual recognition of judgments in criminal matters, imposing custodial sentences or measures involving deprivation of liberty for the purpose of their enforcement - sparked discussions as to whether the practical operation of the instrument would be compatible with its very objective, being the enhancement of detained persons' social rehabilitation prospects. Transferring detained people back to their respective Member State of residence and/or nationality within the mutual recognition framework is somewhat precarious in light of the variety of Member States' legal and prison systems. In this context, and following a call for tender by the European Commission, the authors of this book conducted the largest study to date on Member States' material detention conditions, early/conditional release provisions, and sentence execution modalities. In addition to exploring the diversity of legal frameworks, the study also assessed practitioners' views on the cross-border execution of custodial sentences in the EU. This book contains EU-level legal and practitioners' analyses, as well as the high level final report to the study, confirming preliminary concerns that flanking measures are urgently needed for a proper operation of the Framework Decision. It will be essential reading for policy makers, judicial and law enforcement authorities, and defense lawyers. Additionally, it will be an asset to everyone who is involved in or taking an interest in detention issues and cross-border execution of judgements involving deprivation of liberty in the EU. (Series: Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy [IRCP] - Vol. 40)

An updated and expanded second edition covering Polish history from medieval times to the present day.