Fulltext search in archive

The aspiration of Serbia to join the European Union requires the transformation of the educational system of the country to adapt EU mechanisms. Such endeavours are reflected in the Law on Higher Education modificated in July 2013 and Law on Adult Education, wich is published in 2014. These may infer social and economic consequences on a wide scale. Our intention was to present the structure of the Serbian education system and the distribution of the educational level of the population applying secondary data analysis in our study. Furthermore, our goal was to shed light on a particular section of the Law on Higher Education which regulates the recognition of foreign degree (diploma); in addition, we intended to touch upon the issue of trainings in non-formal education controlled by the Law on Adult Education. Lastly, we addressed changes in the unemployment rate and levels of qualification of those without a job. Our work is applied from the perspectives of knowledge and knowledge transfer; since local economic development depends highly on the accumulated pieces of information acquired by experts.

Based on a representative sociological survey with a sample size of 5.000 respondents carried out in 2014, this study investigates the social well-being of people living in the nine largest Hungarian cities and their metropolitan regions, in comparison with survey results from 2005. In the analysis, particular attention has been paid to the Stiglitz Report's recommendations, to the multi-dimensional nature of social well-being, as well as to the simultaneous consideration of its objective and subjective factors. In the case of the Hungarian metropolitan regions, the eight dimensions of social well-being identified in the Stiglitz Report are explored: (1) material living standards (income, consumption and wealth), (2) health, (3) education, (4) personal activities including work, (5) political voice and governance, (6) social connections and relationships, (7) environment (present and future conditions), and (8) insecurity (of an economic as well as a physical nature). The empirical analysis revealed that the former core-periphery downward slope of metropolitan regions has clearly changed over the past ten years; whereas city centres are still in a favourable position, and the urban outskirts are getting more and more fragmented, suburban zones have undergone significant restructuring. As a result, developed and underdeveloped suburbs have seen an equalisation in terms of social well-being since 2005.

The development of industrial parks began in the 1960s with the transformation of previous production systems and the technological change. Initially, the first industrial areas were developed spontaneously when positive externalities rose from the close spatial proximity of companies. Therefore, the producing plants started to build common infrastructure and a variety of special facilities within the industrial areas which resulted in the concentration of production and creating the first industrial parks. The industrial spatial structure has changed and taking the positive benefits of proximity in mind, the creation of industrial parks has become conscious.
This trend has reached the Central and Eastern European countries later, consequentially the first initiatives were realized at the beginning of the 1990s after the collapse of the soviet bloc. The post-socialist countries have tried to take over the methods and strategies used in Western European countries but due to the different economic, political, social backgrounds in these states diverse development dimensions can be observed in the case of industrial parks. In the present study, the authors will introduce a historical overview of industrial parks' development, the characterization of parks and the characteristics of certain park types. Moreover, the paper will review the main terminological information related to the parks. The parks will be examined in three Central and Eastern European countries (Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria), looking for similarities and differences between industrial parks in the listed states.

In recent years we can more and more often hear and read about the climate change and global warming. However, the global warming has already occured many times in Earth's history - think of the alternation of ice ages and warmer periods - but the pace of the global warming which can cause for concern. British and American researchers say that even the carbon dioxide emissions quotas can not slow down the process moreover to full stopping of emissions could not to reverse the global warming. What will actually happen, we don't know yet exactly, scientists are trying to set up different scenarios with the help of climate modeling.
As the 5th of IPCC report says, people are responsible for the climate change at least 95 percent. Due to the fact the climate change has become a global phenomenon so the need for intervention is not an issue anymore thus only the extensive international cooperation can correct reply for global challanges.
Beside the environmental and physiological effects, there are economic effects of climate change which costs may be 5-20% of GDP if we don't intervene in processes while prevention costs of the most serious consequences are not expected to reach 1% of GDP.
However, do not forget that the social and enterprise-level acceptance is the foundation of every step which counterbalance the global warming process. A part of the society is still sceptical about the impacts of climate change, in this case the development of appropriate communication is the solution. Among the companies the acceptance is wider as today the use of an environmentally friendly technology is a competitive advantage so these technologies have become a main factor of the long-term survival.

Local development has been always considered an important instrument in the renewal of the rural economy, society and settlements, but recent changes of rural areas led to the conceptual expansion of the term. Besides locality-based development, the significance of the novel concept of place-based development has also been recognised. Place-based development not only takes the local characteristics into account, but tries to harmonise the development processes of the different sectors and territorial levels. The core of place-based approach is the well-coordinated, multilateral and continuous communication between the actors and institutes from different territorial levels and different sectors. Our paper provides an overview of the concepts of locality-based and place based development, and investigates their applicability to the development of the Hungarian rural areas. The presented results of a survey which involved the experts in the Hungarian National Rural Network provide additional information about the Hungarian rural development and the necessity of place-based approach.

The thesis of the research: The apparition and operation of regional economic partnerships is a precondition of regional cooperation.
In the society of our age it is of major importance to strengthen the communities' values, which represent belonging, standing and last but not least financial security. This supposition can be taken as a general statement, but it is essential from the point of view of Szekely people's picture about future, and has its part in finding ourselves. Building a community does not only mean sharing the same values and thoughts, but can also mean a common resource management in case the participants would like a joint utilization of values. A condition for this is cooperation, depending on the attitude of people with different behavior and value system.
The topic has been dealt with by several researchers in the last few years, thus substantially contributing to the development of communities by highlighting those problematic areas, which supposingly influence contribution in each community.
To get to know these areas I have conducted a study in the region of Udvarhely, from the results of this I have stated real conclusions, which are preconditions of the appearance of the cooperation and operation of economical cooperation in Szekelyland.

In a city's development a river and riverbank played important role, however in recent decades the functions of them have changed, transformed, especially in major cities in the more developed countries, so the city administration was faced with a new phenomenon and geographical space: the changing riverbanks, and the utilization, development, revitalization of them has become a key issue. The various real processes showed the direction that these areas should be provided to the people, and the recreation service will be important for the local residents and tourists. Overall, the urban waterfront development is an increasingly important researched topic and policy. The question is: can we realize it in Budapest also nowadays? In recent years, those processes took place in Budapest, which resulted in an increasing utilization of the Danube and its banks for recreational functions. On the one hand, local social and economic processes have led to the waterfront sites released, on the other hand the needs of the residential population and tourists using the river and the riverside for recreational purposes have increased, and thirdly, the new city administration decided to renew the banks of the Danube, mainly to create new recreational areas. In this paper, we analyze these three factors, focusing on a past short period, because there is an exceptional cohesion between the processes, the needs and the new development goals. Two case studies are in the paper also: the Margaret Island as the oldest traditional recreational area in Budapest, and the Kopaszi-dam, as the newest and successful recreational area of Budapest. The analysis of the processes is based on data and literature, the analysis of the needs is based on a survey, and the analysis of the goals is based on the different development documents.

We carried out this research focussing on the importance and local role of entrepreneurs in order to find out how "Balaton identity" can be developed and enhanced and which factors influence its existence. We are also interested in the way the political marketing for regionalisation can help the local inhabitants achieve higher living standards and form a bond with the region through small enterprises. The stronger and finer the bond is, the more active the local communities in the examined region are and they perform better in environmental, economic and social tasks. The potentials in "Balaton identity" may play an important role in future regional development.
Health literacy, which promotes the cooperation between health care employees and the people, has become a new, important concept for the European Commission. If health literacy is integrated into the European Union Health Strategy that emphasises the increasing role of citizens, the efficiency of the health care system may improve and the burdens may decrease.
The results are determined by the quality and the direct/indirect impacts of the working environment that affect our health condition in several ways. Consequently, one of the most important scenes for health promotion and health protection is the workplace. Workplace health promotion is clearly a profitable activity, since the employer, the employee and the social system all have interest in the benefits. Healthy, qualified and motivated workers increase the innovative potential and the productivity of the enterprise. Correct workplace health promotion also improves the company's image among the clients and on the labour market.

A variety of motivations are needed to make people move house but, an even more profound determination is necessary to leave one's home country. It is not simple to replant an old walnut tree but, sometimes, owing to the fertile soil and the new, favourable environment, replanting can bring richer harvest. True, in the 21st century the continuously changing and, at times, revolting Europe is opening up for new migrants. Yet, a modern-age adventure-seeking Ulysses has to face many challenges; the Great Unknown might hide good and bad as well, meaning, that the migrants' knowledge and experience is often not enough: they often need much luck to succeed, too.
In a globalized European Union migration processes are organic parts of life but, due to the intensifying nature of the trend a sensitive question needs to be asked from time to time. Is migration a chance or a danger? In consumer societies interpersonal relationships transform lifestyle, as well as people's opinion concerning social mobility. Thus original social roots are being torn off, traditional relationships are fading and this is how a phenomenon called chameleon migration is established. As a result of the formerly mentioned processes temporary migration of work force is replaced by a new type of migration, aimed at uniting families. Thus the question inevitably arises: who stays at home and how do they cope?

The past two decades have brought basic changes in the whole Balkan Peninsula, where spatial structures and settlement network were not devoid of changes either. Due to the change of the economic, political and social regime and the new borders spatial structures became differentiated along new factors. Cooperation programs of the Euro-Atlantic integration hold many new challenges and opportunities. Historical and political literature studying the single countries' transformation is large and far reaching, however, a settlement network and spatial structure focused overview has been, so far, missing from the range of researches. The aim of this study is to examine the urban features and the spatial transition of the Balkan states.

The Russian-Ukrainian crisis is one of the most important issues of the beginning of the 21st century, from regional and global aspects as well. This paper analyses the crisis from geopolitical aspects, and tries to concentrate on the reasons behind the events and the global perspectives.
The study reveals why the Ukrainian question is in the focus of Russian interest, and what led to the crisis. Concerning geopolitics, starting from the point of view of Sir Halford John Mackinder, placing the theory of the Heartland to the 21st century, the study gives a complete picture about the situation of the Eurasian chessboard in terms of Ukraine and Russia. The authors attempt to provide comprehensive analysis of the crisis, keeping in mind the spheres of interests of Russia, Ukraine, the U.S. and the European Union.

In Hungary, geothermal energy has proved to be an economical source of energy for direct use. It highlights the pros and cons of including renewable energy in the power generation mix of Hungary, and the pros and cons of local application. This paper looks at the operation of Szigetvár Spa from both economic and social aspects. In this study, qualitative analysis is used for the basic economic and social introduction of the Spa, and then real options, based on quantitative methods, are described to identify the long-term financial consequences of the project.
In 1966, thermal water was found in Szigetvár. In 1997, this thermal water was certified as medicinal water. The wellhead temperature of Szigetvár thermal water is 62°C in the 790 metres deep thermal well. It is used as so-called domestic hot water in the Szent István housing estate and in Szigetvár Spa. One of the problems with the project is that it is based on single stage thermal water utilization, another problem is that the waste water is too hot. This can be solved by exploiting the heat energy of thermal water more intensively. This way, maximum benefits can be gained from geothermal energy with minimum use of energy. Static and dynamic investment analyses were carried out to examine the spa from a financial aspect. The methods used include static payback period, average rate of return, levelized cost of electricity, net present value, profitability index, dynamic payback period, internal rate of return and real options.
By pricing geothermal technology, it is possible to identify the strategic value of flexibility, to quantify what was previously left unquantified, and thus to show that geothermal investments are profitable not only from a social but also from a financial aspect as well.

Nowadays an important question is how to use the limited resources available in the most efficient and sustainable way. The assessment of development policy interventions and the question of successful absorption of development funds shifted clearly towards stronger enforcement of the aspects efficiency and effectiveness. There is clearly a need for an integrated approach to deliver an effective and sustainable response. The question is how the new territorial development tools - established by the new cohesion policy regulation for the coming programming period - can fit in these conditions, how can they help to achieve the common goals and response to the integrated approach. Cooperation and in-depth knowledge is required for stakeholders to make use of the new tools in an integrated manner.

Tourism destination management (TDM) is a popular catchword of current tourism research. A research, co-financed by the European Union through the Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme, within the project 'Health &Rural Tourism DM Model' (project no.: HUHR/1101/2.1.3/0006), was carried out in 2013 to analyse the specialities of TDM in health tourism destinations, the physical and human resources of such destinations, aspects of sustainability and competitiveness, the main factors of success. Primary data were collected by surveys and interviews carried out in six spa towns of Western Hungary. The main findings indicated, that the major natural natural endowment is medicinal water in the research area, tourism infrastructure and superstructure are sufficient, although the range of services, and marketing of health tourism services should be improved. Destination management organisations perform least efficiently in attracting investors. The attitudes of stakeholders of the tourism sector towards the idea of TDM differ, while in less successful destinations they are more inclined to cooperate this way, they are rather reluctant to do so in successful destinations. Assessing the traits of tourism service providers, the natural assets, the local community and the targeted tourist segments a general model of health tourism destinations is outlined by the four componenets of the well-known VICE model.

Cities today play strategic roles in modernization processes as well as in the organization and operation of global economy. Big cities are the places where the conditions of modernisation, economic and social development, the operating conditions of global economy, the educated and qualified middle-class, members of the economic, political and cultural elite are concentrated. Meanwhile modern urban spaces are rather controversial. A variety of social problems, the traditional and new structures of local social inequalities, the historical and present day poverty, traditional and modern crime, environmental problems are all present.
Various urban problems were also present in the historically changing stages of urban development. Taking the actual historical and social conditions into account, theories, criticisms, and various scientific approaches offered differentiated solutions - mainly based on spatial principals - to manage urban tensions. As urban conflicts keep reproducing and new tensions keep appearing these tools do not seem to succeed in managing these tensions, which is probably due to the one-dimensional aims of intervention. Management proposals regarding particular urbanisation stages were mainly based on spatial principals, they were one-dimensional, and they were not accompanied with schemes targeting structural effects.
The aims of this study to present the various urban problems connected to the different urbanisation stages, as well as the proposals based on spatial principles which were aspiring to solve these problems and to evaluate these proposals. A further aim is to describe a complex structural management theory, which is very promising from the aspect of structural effects but lack the spatial approach. Finally this study aims to present a research whose aspiration is to connect the two different approaches empirically.

In Hungary health consciousness relates to people's will and their financial and social circumstances. At present the health care system offers consumers the opportunity for recovery and prevention both in private and public health facilities. Due to financing problems there is a great difference between the two types; health care professionals do their best to overcome difficulties, but in many cases mere expertise is not enough. Long waiting times and services unsubsidised by health funds try the patience of both the taxpayers and the medical personnel. Stress, the accelerated lifestyle and the economic situation can equally be blamed for the development of endemic diseases. However, it is more important to find out what the people behind the numbers want; what they do to maintain their health or to get better regardless of/depending on their financial conditions and what patients and doctors expect from the health care system. We have carried out a residents' survey on health consciousness in Nagykanizsa and analysed the demand and supply relations in order to demonstrate how much satisfied the consumers and health workers are with the health care system. The research included 500 local residents and 21 health service employees. The sample represents the respondents by age and sex. The questions covered the area of health maintenance, health service, eating habits and the efficiency of information.

The medical branch and institutional infrastructure as well as medical education have to face the inherited deficiencis of the previous system. Due to the fact that regionalization programs support headcount reduction, the newly graduates and former students are often searching for years to find themselves a job. This is a proof that there isn't any convergence between the existing educational system and the labor market. Our educational system does not track the changes that are taking place on the market, nor the necessary competences suggested by the employers. The North Voivodina region the medical high schools (in Senta, Subotica) and employers (medical and social service providers, medical institutions and private practices) should mutually develop an educational network. This way they could relieve the labor organizations representing the unemployed. A competent workforce is of high importance for the employers. However it can be provided only by the schools with the latest educational programs which are adapting to the changing needs of the marketplace.

The existence of market (so the labour market) forms the natural systematic environment that ensures improving economic effectiveness. Over developing market economy the number of employees has been decreasing in every former socialist country, as a natural consequence. With the ceasing of the former socio-economic order - which ignored economic rationality, capital accumulation, productivity and national/international competitiveness - many unreasonable jobs have disappeared. The market is effectively sanctioning the phenomenon of latent unemployment, making it to serve profit earning. Transition to market economy is painful, causing huge transitional costs and requires waiver from the inhabitants.
Employment and unemployment (together with its current economic and social consequences) are indicators of the process, dynamics and quality of transition. Transitional countries on the Balkans first experienced the emerging decrease of production at the beginning of the 1990's. National income per capita automatically reordered the ranking of these countries. The number of employees in private companies (especially in micro companies) is constantly increasing, while the number of those in state-owned economic subjects is slowly but continuously decreasing. Flexible forms of employment (part-time job, self-employment etc.) are essentially not present in Serbian labour market.
The phenomenon of emigration and black economy are the following processes in these transformations. The past twenty years can be characterized by intensive emigration of the population mainly towards welfare states (temporarily employed abroad, brain drain, brain flight) due to problems of unemployment, low wages, and economic and political crisis. According to estimates there are 2.5 million (others say four million) Serbians or people with Serbian origins who live outside of Serbia. This can be explained either by development level of the region, its regional identity or autonomy. Maybe the biggest challenge for employment policy in transition countries is the problem of black economy. According to the World Bank's report from 2006 43% of all employees are in the non-official sector, and 26.7% of people are illegally employed at employers.
One example of inequality in Serbia is discrimination in the world of work based on gender. It can be also found ethnic-based inequalities at the labour market of Serbia. There is also inequality based on the place of origin (village or town) concerning willingness for further training, and in employment. Refugees have worsened the problem of unequal opportunities since their official number reached 303,769 in 2007, while 27.9% of them were unemployed.
In an European comparison the employment rate of active population in Serbia (51%) is low, otherwise the unemployment rate is very high in region of neighboring countries (16%). Focus on the group of unemployed, there is a huge proportion of people with secondary school qualifications and young people. About 50% of all unemployed are form the active population younger than 34. In 2009 loss of employment was the most drastic in the following business sectors: processing industry 23%, trade 23%, education 15%, real estate 9%, construction 6%, transport and catering industry 4-4%.
Examples from the European

In my paper I analyse the development differences of Hungarian rural districts. The theoretical basis of the analysis is given by the theory of endogenous development and its indicators respectively. Recently, endogenous development has gained emphasis, and it has many approaches on which specific indicators may provide the fundamental basis of territorial development. The application of common elements may help to configure a framework which is suitable for carrying out measurements.
After reviewing the literature regarding the topic, I aim at measuring the quantitative elements of endogenous development to which the reintroduction of districts serve as a novel framework. With the help of method of principal analysis I created two principals. First one, called private fixed capital, shows a strong territorial concentration of highly developed areas, and we can recognize easily the lagging districts too. The second principal component, called human capital, demonstrates the demographical possibilities of rural territories. It reveals a very various picture and we can face two contradictory processes at the same time.

In my study I investigate the spatial characteristics of applications received during a five year period between 2007-2011 by National Cultural Fund's Public Education College.
In the recent study, within my research topic I deal especially with the tendering activity and effectiveness of settlements populated by Hungarians beyond the border, mainly based on quantitative data.
Considering the five-year period - according to my hypothesis - the tendering activity has become one method of "staying alive" to the cultural institutions and organizations. However, the proposal writing potential and innovative capacity, which is necessary for efficient resource acquisition, is not necessarily accessible everywhere, especially in small communities and from several aspects disadvantaged regions.
Regarding Serbia, exploring these experiences may help calling in EU funds.

The intensity of the cooperation beyond borders in Central-Europe and South-East-Europe is lower than in Western-Europe because the nationalizing of the states and the homogenization processes are barriers in front of the developing of the border regions. European territorial cooperation is not possible without decentralisation. The European Union has established a new legal instrument, a new form of cooperation of the European territorial cooperation, namely European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (2007-13; Objective 3, Regulation 1082/2006/EC). It substantially contributes to European integration and to implementation of cross-border strategies. Furthermore, it brings EU policies closer to people; it means European, political, institutional and socio-cultural added value. Successfully strengthened territorial cooperation needs an appropriate legislative framework in terms of local governance, local administrative reforms and capacity building. To overcome obstacles and barriers created by borders due to national law and the different administrative structures and competences is the willingness of local and regional authorities.
Vojvodina has a special location among the regions of Carpathian Basin. Due to its historical, ethnic, cultural and economic heritage, Vojvodina is one of the most valuable towards European Union, so called "gate" of Serbia. The aim of the study is to present the position and possibilities of Vojvodina in the European territorial cooperation from two aspects:
* the new modes of governance, especially the territorial governance, during the core competences of different administrative levels of the European territorial cohesion, taking into account the perspectives of Europeanization (decentralisation and regionalisation) in a heterogenic Union.
* the institutionalisation and the future of the DKMT Euroregion and the Banat-Triplex Confinium EGTC from the aspect Vojvodina, because these co-operations are significant component of the European integration process.
In terms of institutional development the cross-border co-operation calls for partnership and high level of cooperation on behalf of participants and stakeholders that stems from the acceptance and practical adaptation of the principles of multi-level governance and good local governance. EGTCs are generally established to bring together authorities from different administrative levels, including regions, communities or municipalities to act together as one. Through the creation of this legal framework, partners from different countries and different administrative levels can have one common voice in regional, national or international settings and take joint decisions. The conditions of the multi-level governing are primarily determined by the states thus these conditions should be provided by the countries for the local and regional governments to make them possible to join to the European integration and decision-making processes. The conditions of the multi-level governing are primarily determined by the states thus these conditions should be provided by the countries for the local and regional governments to make them possible to join to the European integration and decision-making processes.

Developing the cross-border regions is a preferential area of the European Union's regional policy, and it has so far provided several sources for this purpose (PHARE, Interreg, Cross-border Co-operation Programmes).
In our present research, we examine how the people polled think the forms of cross-border co-operation - especially in the fields of environmental protection, tourism, local economy and commerce - contribute to the success of a region made up of a Hungarian, an Austrian and a Slovenian small region. The main areas of development are environmental protection and tourism which are supported in the period of 2007-2013, and - as experience shows - these are the two sectors where the most spectacular results can be reached in the shortest term possible.
We have examined the success and achievements of the region from the point of view of economic system, culture of innovation, regional availability, and preparedness of labour force, decision centres, social structure and cohesion.
During the empirical research, we questioned three small regions' municipal representatives as decision makers and representatives of local authority. The research sample involved municipal representatives of the minorities' (Slovenian, German, Roma), as well as the non-governmental organizations related to the fields examined.
The results of the research point out the accentuated role of the factors of connection that they play in the process of organising and realising trans-border co-operations, as well as in that of building a prospective trans-border region.

For more than six decades researchers, scholars and agricultural advisors have tried to implement modeling and information systems in the farming sector through out the world. Until today however, their success has been rather limited. Thereby, Germany is no exception. This is true, allthough a sophisticated farm management is more important for German farmers than ever before. The fast changing envitronment, including difficult market conditions and a high exposure to financial risks are major reasons. Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) appear to be a powerful tool to deal with the new conditions. However, farmers still rely more on their intuition than on proper management tools, when it comes to running a farm business. The objective of this paper is to give an brief overview why modeling has not had its breakthrough in the farming sector so far. Secondly, it aims on demonstrating how a FMIS should be implemented and what farmers or agriculture advisors have to consider during its implementation. Therefore, a medium-size diversified farm in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) was selected as a research subject for a descriptive case-study. This approach supports a treatment of various potential problems when it comes to the implementation of a FMIS.

The study summarizes the different definitions of migration, their explanations, and it surveys numerous theories concerning the topic. As some theories state, migration is more characteristic for young generations, since their psychical burdens are fewer in number, and the expected added value is higher. In our research we projected these theories on graduate students at J Selye University and examined their validity. We carried out a questionnaire survey to see how graduate students imagine their future, what opportunities they see on the labor market and to what extent they are willing to work abroad. We also examined which countries they would prefer to go to and for how long they were planning to stay abroad. Differences in migration intentions according to sex, qualification and place of residence were also pointed out and explained.
In the framework of our research we presumed the following about graduate students at the two biggest faculties of J Selye University:
* The majority of graduate students would like to work abroad at some point in the future.
* The neighbouring countries and English speaking countries would be popular destinations to find employment, the latter ones being popular for the reason of learning the language.
* Graduate students intend to have a long-term stay abroad, with the majority planning to stay abroad for more than five years.
* Graduate students would like to get a job in their own field in order to gain experience.
* Respondents would claim that there are few opportunities to succeed on the labour market at the place of their residence.

The objective of the present research was to identify the role of health tourism in the competitiveness of three Hungarian counties (Baranya, Somogy and Zala) of the Croatian-Hungarian border area. The key factors of success and criteria for sustainability were to be found in order to help the local decision-makers in their attempts to create a strategy for the development of health tourism. As a part of a large research project the current paper describes the results of a qualitative survey of 21 interviews with mayors, spa managers, and hotel managers, to represent general tourism supply to identify the impacts of health tourism developments on the settlement, the economic and social effects on the local population.
The selection of interviewees was done to ensure, that successful, average, and not really successful spa towns were represented among the locations. Among the possible locations in counties Zala, Somogy and Baranya the interviews were finally conducted in Hévíz, Zalaszentgrót, Nagyatád, Marcali, Harkány and Szigetvár, and, to include a location where planned spa development was not implemented, in the village Somogysámson. Besides, the president of the Hungarian Baths' Association was interviewed, who used to be the director of the Szent András Rheumatic Hospital in Hévíz for a long time. Due to some of the interviewees' non-availability two additional locations, Letenye and Kehidakustány, were also included to complete the list of interviews. An interview was conducted with the mayor of Somogysámson about an unimplemented spa development plan.
The main findings of the research underlined that the number of domestic tourists, and within this wellness tourists, is very low compared to the opportunities. For this reason the further development of domestic tourism is of crucial importance. The reasons for that are partly the prevailing habits, the lack of tourism culture, the lack of recreation culture, and financial difficulties.
The successful, progressive spas are those that have continued their development activities relying on their natural endowments, and responding with their innovations to the current expectations of the market and the environment. They have improved their medical treatments, introduced new machinery and technology, built new sight and fun components in the spa. Financial efficiency was achieved by those who were able to attract a sustainable number of visitors. According to the international literature an attraction with a visitor-centre like establishment (a museum, a fun park, a spa, etc.) will be very profitable after it reached 1 million visitors a year in terms of services sold.
A small spa may be financially viable, if the capacities are well designed and the construction responds to the services demanded, as the example of Nagyatád shows.
An adequate spa town image would definitely be needed for the further development of spas. Balatonfüred and Héviz are the only spas that have started to establish a real spa image in Hungary.
The other important component should be the complete documentation for the patients and the treatments in spas and spa hotels, and the same is valid for wellness and fitness. The client should be informed about the impacts of the treatment on the patient's condition.
The spas that are

The economic differences across the EU-15 became moderate in the long term; the performance of less developed countries and regions levelled up to the EU average. The enlargements in 2004 and 2007 although increased the development imbalance, from 1.7 times in 2000 to 4.1 times in 2007; while the development gap between least and best developed regions increased to 9 times from 4.4 times. The poorest regions of the EU are found in the central-eastern countries. In 2000 only Bulgarian, Romanian and Polish regions belonged to the poorest 15 regions of the EU, in 2007 Northern Great Plain and Northern Hungary appeared on this list, too. Each of the least developed regions is situated in the CEEC countries and along the eastern border of the EU.
The study examines and compares the development of regions in European Union and Central-Eastern Europe. In the latter country group case's, it presents the development of regions inside single countries, so inside special economic places.
The EU-wide studies show, that the four least-developped EU-countries (Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland) had lower per capita GDP in 1960 than EU-15 average: Portugal 40, Greece 43, Spain 57, Ireland 61 per cent level reached. By 2000 Portugal and Greece 68, Spain 82, Ireland 115 per cent level reached.
If we ignore Luxemburg, because of its small size, the developmental differences is 3,1 fold in 1960, and 1,7 fold in 2000, between the most- and least-advanced EU-15 countries. The developmental defferences beetwen EU-15 countries has moderated in the longer term, so performance of the less developed countries has approached the EU average.
On 1 Maj, 2004 was the most important enlargement of Euroepan Union. The developmental differences between the most- and least-advanced countries increased (calculated 134% in Ireland and 43% in Latvia) from 1,7- to 3,1 fold, because of accession of Cyprus and Malta, 2000 per year by 2004.
The developmental differences further increased in 2007 because of accession of Bulgaria and Romania. Per capita GDP of Bulgaria and Romania was 38 or 40% of average of EU-25 in the year of accession, so the developmental differences between the most- and least advanced countries increased (calculated 148% in Ireland and 38% in Bulgaria) from 3,1- to 4,1 fold, 2004 per year by 2007.
The differences in territorial development are even greater in all of EU regions. The developmental differences measured by GDP was 5,2 fold between the most-advanced Inner London and the least-advanced Iperios in 2000.
This difference increased to 8,4 fold at expansion of the EU-25, and to 13 fold at expansion of the EU-27 (calculated Inner London 334 and North-West Bulgaria 26%).
Spatial policy also pay a particular attention to the exploration of regional differences within single countries. The performance of the most advanced region was twice as big as the least advanced ones in 2000 and 2007, meanwhile this difference increased from 2 to 2,5 fold in the recently joined Central-Eastern European countries.
Considoring the second most advanced and the least developed region, it may be concluded, that the regional differences are less in the Central-Eastern Europe. The regions are more homogeneous, so the level of development is closer together than in Western Europe.

In the last decades, in the course of the deindustrialisation, a huge quantity of brownfields have been arisen all over Europe. Those problems were aggravated in Western and Eastern Europe as well by the evacuation and abandonment of hundreds of military and railway sites (which were in most cases sorely contaminated). Brownfields have negative effect on their environment, on communities, and their effective reuse is fairly difficult. Their rehabilitation could enlarge investment possibilities, ameliorate urban life quality and urban competitiveness, decrease urban sprawl. In our study we examine the reasons and conditions of brownfields' development and we design their main types to understand, how we could promote their effective reuse.