Full volume

 

Table of contents
Editorial and International Advisory Board

Title	PUBLICITY (TRANSPARENCY) OF CROSS-BORDER INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-1
Author	Cristina Bancu
Abstract	The article insists on the legal solutions of the transparency of the cross-border insolvency. In this study, there were researched issues regarding the existing regulatory framework of the conditions of the cross-border insolvency publicity in the Republic of Moldova and the most important analysis being focused on the provisions of the European and international regulatory framework, which demonstrates a tendency to publish the information on the insolvency procedure, in particular those with international character. The convention of the Nordic states also includes provisions regarding the publicity of bankruptcy proceedings in the contracting states where the debtor owns assets, the disposition of insurance measures, legal assistance and the recognition of judgments between the contracting states. The publicity of the procedures in a sensitive matter subject to the internal legal framework, however at the international level this subject is not a very widespread since it involves additional time and additional costs as well as confidential issues of the parties (foreigners). The author finally comes with conclusions that can be implemented in both international and national regulations regarding transparency and publicity of the procedures in the insolvency process which comes out to be difficult and involved international issues and problems.
Keywords	publicity; insolvency procedures; cross-border insolvency; jurisdiction; European case-law; harmonisation; cross-border business relations
JEL Codes	K33

Title	ANALYSIS OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN ROMANIA FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PREPARING THE HOSPITAL MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE COVID-19 CRISIS
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-2
Author	Claudia Boghicevici
Abstract	One of the most critical factors for the development and well-being of society is represented by the healthcare system, which has recently become a huge sector. The budget allocated by each country for healthcare expenditure varies according to their level of development, it covers a significant part of the total budget. The health system and its infrastructure are under enormous pressure due to the rising costs of providing healthcare, increasing demand for health services, demographic changes and social inequalities, but healthcare is a vital public service. The main task of modern healthcare is to improve lifestyle and quality of life by providing current medical services at affordable prices. The objective of this paper is to analyze the healthcare system from the perspective of preparing the hospital medical infrastructure and human resources for the Covid-19 crisis based on specific external public audit methods. The Covid-19 crisis has dealt a shock to health systems, testing the adaptability and resilience of their key features. Detailed projections of resource and funding requirements can contribute to better long-term planning and sustainability of healthcare systems. Indicating that although destabilized, a health system can absorb the impact of shocks, recover, adapt, and learn from this experience.
Keywords	public health; Covid-19 crisis; health infrastructure; economy
JEL Codes	I15, H5

Title	THIRD PARTY LITIGATION FUNDING: PURCHASING A CONTENTIOUS CLAIM AS A FORM OF INVESTMENT
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-3
Author	Marius Brănici
Abstract	This paper analyzes the institution of third party litigation funding, which is virtually unknown in Romanian law but is constantly evolving and frequently used in other states. This institution refers to cases in which a specialized funding company provides funds to a party that pursues a financial claim against another party in a national or cross-border litigation or arbitration case so that upon the successful conclusion of the case the funder gets a share of the damages awarded to the funded party. The issue of litigation funding is not a new one. However, using third parties to fund the pursuit of financial claims is a relatively new phenomenon, increasingly common in the world of litigation. This fast-paced growth – from a procedure specific only to certain areas of practice and certain jurisdictions to a phenomenon that has become a part of everyday activities – has motivated us to analyze and explore the way in which third party litigation funding works, focusing on elements related to the contentious claim as a financial asset and its purchasing by the professional funder as a form of investment, on the stages leading to the formation of the parties’ – the funder and the beneficiary – binding decision, as well as on the actual content of the funding agreement. Among the issues debated in relation to this institution there stand out the recent European Parliament resolution of 13 September 2022 with recommendations to the Commission on Responsible private funding of litigation, as well as the draft Directive annexed to the Resolution, which could lead to a considerable increase in the use of third party litigation funding in Europe.
Keywords	investment; litigation; finance
JEL Codes	G0, G24, K0

Title	OPERATIONALISING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES IN BUSINESS – A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-4
Author	Alexandru Constantin Ciobanu, Gabriela Meșniță
Abstract	Historically, technology was always a key differentiator and an enabler for business or societal developments. With the rapid advancements in technology, businesses have been able to increase their efficiency, productivity, or profitability through automation and digitization. The European Union elaborated clear strategies that aims overall economic development trough digital transformation, one of the core technology components being Artificial Intelligence (AI). While the added value of AI technologies, in terms of optimization, efficiency, automation is clear and undeniable, there are different challenges related to the ethical aspect of AI use. Hence, the AI ethics discussions are currently very present in the public space. A collection of different AI ethical frameworks was redacted either by the researchers or by governments or by the tech industry, but developing consistent AI ethical system is still a grey area. Some of the main challenges revealed by different researchers are related to the practical implementation of ethical principles in AI technologies during its lifecycle. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for operationalizing AI ethical principles in business contexts. The framework is based on a comprehensive literature review of existing AI ethical frameworks, which highlights the current gaps in their implementation. The proposed framework addresses these gaps by providing a step-by-step approach that can be easily integrated into existing business processes. It covers various stages of AI development, including problem formulation, data collection and preprocessing, model training, model evaluation, and deployment. The practical validation of the framework will be conducted in future work. The results suggest that the proposed framework can provide a systematic approach to operationalizing AI ethical principles in business contexts, thereby contributing to the development of responsible AI systems.
Keywords	artificial intelligence; ethics; framework; practice; business
JEL Codes	M15

Title	ONLINE PLATFORMS – SUBJECTS OF THE E-CONTRACTS OR INTERMEDIARIES?
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-5
Author	Violeta Cojocaru, Aliona Cara-Rusnac
Abstract	This paper analyzes the institution of third-party litigation funding, which is virtually unknown in Romanian law but is constantly evolving and frequently used in other states. This institution refers to cases in which a specialized funding company provides The article will analyse the legal framework and trends of online platforms. There will be presented new directions of online platforms that have the role to connect and to facilitate the dialog between the sellers and consumers. The importance and usage of the platforms have accelerated at an unprecedented rate since the global pandemic started. Online platforms are gates to the new business stage for young companies. Taking into account the fact that online platforms include engines, social media, online financial services and more their status is still unclear, whether they are considered partners/subjects in e-contracts or intermediaries. Additionally, online platforms include specific risks and issues to the users as: dissemination of illegal content, products and service online, such as incitement to terrorism, infringements of IP rights, manipulation of platform’s system to amplify certain violence or self-harm messages, unfair business conditions for business users, unfair commercial practices, consumer protection rules ill-suited to digital world, tax avoidance, ineffective supervision of services, thus he Platform-to-Business Regulation, the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act aim to address some of these gaps and form three key legislative initiatives in the field of online platform regulation. Finally, the authors will compare the trends of the online platforms and will come up with solutions of the legal status of online platforms.
Keywords	online platforms; online intermediaries; digital contract; legal status; DSA; DMA
JEL Codes	P37

Title	THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING IN PUBLIC HOSPITAL UNITS IN ROMANIA
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-6
Author	Daniela Diac (Hutu), Marinela Carmen Cumpat, Maria Ana Cumpat
Abstract	The national and global economy, as well as the health status of the population, are influenced and in turn influence hospital units. Thus, managers of public hospital units in Romania must manage the most efficient use of available resources, with beneficial effects on society. Aspects such as high quality of care at the lowest and most competitive cost, a high degree of performance, medical services similar to hospitals abroad, with the constraint of often insufficient material resources, the involvement of the political factor, uncertainties in the economic field, as well as an arsenal of rules and regulations that determine lengthy procedures, organizational culture, are factors that put pressure on managerial decision making. The interest in addressing this topic was generated by the importance of cultural elements and how they can influence the effectiveness of employees and thus the institution. We believe that the performance of hospital activity is influenced by the way the manager makes decisions as well as by the organizational culture. Therefore, considering the need to emphasize the importance of organizational culture in public hospital units in Romania that can provide the basis for the development of a theory of orientation of managerial decision-making towards performance, this article aims to: (1) review the literature in this field, (2) highlight the link between organizational culture and performance, and (3) develop the factors that influence managerial decision-making.
Keywords	economy; organizational culture; managerial decision making; health; health system
JEL Codes	A10, I15, I18, M12

Title	GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE. EVIDENCE FROM EU COUNTRIES
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-7
Author	Adina Dornean, Ada-Iuliana Popescu, Dumitru-Cristian Oanea
Abstract	During the last few years, environmental protection has become a much-debated topic at international, continental, and national level. The necessity of a green recovery is justified because such as COVID-19 virus had spread across borders, in the same way, the impact of climate change will be felt across the world. Thus, a green recovery is much needed based on policies that will simultaneously support economic recovery and environmental protection through investments in green projects. In this context, in December 2019, European Union (EU) launched the European Green Deal (EGD). In accordance with the EU’s environmental policies, one of the EGD goals is for Europe to become the world’s first ‘climate-neutral’ region, with net zero GHG emissions by 2050. As a result, every EU member state has to make efforts to first accomplish this objective at national level. In this article, we want to investigate if, at this time, the EU member states and their governments allocate more funds and spend more money for environmental protection. Furthermore, we will investigate if there is a correlation between the government expenditure on environmental protection and environmental performance, measured according to the environmental performance index (EPI). For this purpose, we will apply the sigma-convergence approach to highlight the evolution over time of the cross-national dispersion in environmental spending for the period 2012-2021. Also, we want to identify if there is correlation between governmental expenditure and EPI. The results show that countries with higher government expenditure on environmental protection recorded a higher environmental performance index (EPI).
Keywords	government expenditure on environmental protection; environmental protection; environmental performance index; sustainable development
JEL Codes	H50, N50, Q58

Title	BEYOND THE NUMBERS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF NON-FINANCIAL INFORMATION PRACTICES
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-8
Author	Stephan Filser, Matthias Schmuck
Abstract	Companies whose core business contributes to social grievances or impacts the environment, put their reputation, bottom line, and stock market value at risk, and in extreme cases even threaten their very existence. Studies have shown that environmental and social issues are now significant “non-financial” aspects with an impact on a company value. Dialogue with stakeholders to achieve or improve sustainability performance is an increasingly important factor affecting the risk-opportunity constellation and influencing access to capital and the cost of capital. Therefore, transparency on sustainability factors is increasingly emerging as a success factor in corporate finance. There are different terms around corporate responsibility: Corporate Sustainability (CS), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSR-D), Corporate Citizenship (CC), Environment Social and Governance (ESG), Corporate Social Initiatives (CSI), or simply non-financial (NF). In the absence of internationally uniform definitions, there are even more interpretations of what they entail. A directive of the European Union from June 2022 regarding corporate sustainability reporting obligations might lead to a more standardized way of non-financial reporting methods internationally. This study explores the question of what the above-mentioned concepts mean in terms of content, how they differ and where the respective focal points lie. The aim is therefore to identify the scientific literature indexed in Scopus with the help of a bibliometric analysis as well as to analyze it to identify the most important topics and their weighting on economic sustainability. Another objective is to understand the conceptual structure of the different concepts and to identify the knowledge base for their use in core economic business, i.e., to determine how they are currently used. The originality of this research is that our approach is unique now and the assimilation of the above concepts is a very clear sign of manifestation for sustainable business.
Keywords	sustainability; corporate social responsibility
JEL Codes	M41

Title	ANALYSIS OF REPORTING TRANSPARENCY IN FINANCIAL AUDIT THROUGH KAM AND GENDER DIFFERENCES
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-9
Author	Maria Grosu, Camelia Cătălina Mihalciuc, Ciprian Apostol
Abstract	One of the dimensions of quality reporting in financial auditing is the transparency of information presented in audit reports by financial auditors. In recent years, in order to improve transparency in financial auditing, and thus increase the quality of audit reports, regulators have established that a separate section of the audit report is reserved for key audit matters (KAMs). KAMs are those matters which, based on the auditor’s professional judgement, are of most importance to the audit of the financial statements for a period and are selected from among the matters discussed with those charged with governance. The quality of audit reporting, as measured by ensuring transparency, may also be influenced by the characteristics that women may have in comparison to men of being prudent, careful, rigorous and more analytical. This study investigates the relationship between gender differences and transparency in audit reporting by presenting Key Audit Matters that support the audit opinion. The sample consists of companies listed on the regulated market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange from 2016-2021, and the results show that there is an influence of gender differences on financial audit transparency, in that female auditors tend to present information that is more transparent and follows the accounting principle of prudence when detailing Key Audit Matters.
Keywords	gender differences; audit report; transparency in audit reporting; key audit matters (KAM); conservatism; audit opinion
JEL Codes	C12, M41, M42, M48

Title	CORPORATE INCOME TAX VS MICRO-ENTERPRISES REVENUES TAX: EVIDENCE FROM ROMANIA
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-10
Author	Costel Istrate
Abstract	Corporate income tax tends to become more complex and expensive, especially for small businesses. Also, for these companies, the probability of reporting a tax loss is quite high, in Romania. In these circumstances, the tax authorities created a micro-enterprise revenue tax (MERT), applicable since 2001 to companies with revenues below 100,000 euros and which still meet other eligibility conditions. After more than 10 years in which the number of companies subject to this tax was quite small (somewhere around 10% of the total number of taxpayers), the lowering of the threshold to EUR 65,000 and the introduction of the mandatory character of MERT led to a massive increase in the share of companies that owed this tax. On this occasion, businessmen discovered the advantages of such taxation: lower compliance costs, controllable tax burden, relatively low taxes paid, especially after the increase of the threshold to 1,000,000 euro. However, the MERT brought to the budget only insignificant amounts in relation to what is collected from the corporate income tax, which is why the authorities decided to lower the threshold from EUR 1.000.0000 to EUR 500,000, which was not necessarily to the liking of the entrepreneurs. Looking for other examples of income taxation, I found similar situations, with many differences, however, in other states. In Europe, we have at least Latvia and Portugal that also simplify the taxation of small businesses, but also a lot of other countries where simplification of taxation is done in different ways than MERT. In France, the revenues of large digital firms are already taxed, and Latin America offers many examples of complementary taxation of firms’ revenues, instead of taxation of profits.
Keywords	micro-enterprises revenues tax; tax simplification; tax compliance costs; corporate income tax
JEL Codes	H25, M40

Title	A BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE PROXIES USED TO MEASURE THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX AVOIDANCE
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-11
Author	Costel Istrate
Abstract	In developed countries, corporate income tax (CIT) represents an important source of revenues to public budgets: in 2020, CIT brought to the budgets about 2.4% reported to the GDP. CIT was and still is one of the most appropriate taxes in terms of the possibilities to reduce the amounts paid, to report figures that say nothing to the less initiated in sophisticated financial reporting techniques. Otherwise, we would not see a series of international, regional and national regulations trying to limit the proportion of the tax avoidance (TA) or of the tax evasion (TE). The definition of TA/TE is not achieved uniformly in regulations or literature. Following Hanlon & Heitzman (2010), I aim to identify in the literature definitions of TA, its forms, as well as indicators by which it can be measured. In the study, I will address the definition and characterization of corporate income tax avoidance, then I will focus on the variables used in literature to measure or estimate corporate income tax avoidance, on the financial or non-financial, microeconomic or macroeconomic indicators that influence TA, but also on those on which TA has effects.
Keywords	corporate income tax; tax avoidance/tax evasion; book-tax differences; effective tax rate
JEL Codes	H26, M41

Title	DETECT THE TENTATIVE BEFORE BECOMING REAL: A MACHINE LEARNING APPROACH FOR PHISHING EMAIL DETECTION IN ROMANIAN HEALTHCARE
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-12
Author	George-Bogdan Mertoiu, Gabriela Meșniță
Abstract	Phishing attacks pose a significant threat to individuals and organizations, and their accurate and effective detection is crucial to preventing data breaches and financial losses. With the increasing use of email as a communication channel, phishing attacks have become more widespread and sophisticated. Our study addresses the use of machine learning-based models to detect phishing emails by analyzing the text of the message. A characteristic of the study is given by the fact that it uses a dataset composed of private emails in Romanian, obtained from public institutions in the field of health. Since the models were applied to the text, natural language processing techniques specific to the Romanian language were used to extract the features. The results obtained highlighted that some models outperform others in terms of accuracy, underlining the importance of choosing a machine learning approach for phishing detection in a given language. The conclusions of this study can support research for the development of effective phishing detection tools for Romanian-speaking users and organizations.
Keywords	phishing detection; machine learning; healthcare; Romania
JEL Codes	O310

Title	HARNESSING AI TO OPTIMIZE INTERFACE DESIGN: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TASK COMPLETION TIME ACROSS INTERFACE TYPES
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-13
Author	Sabina-Cristiana Necula
Abstract	This article investigates the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in optimizing interface design to enhance task completion time across various types of interfaces. By examining the characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of each interface type and the potential integration of AI, we aim to provide insights into how AI can be leveraged to improve user experience and task efficiency. We will discuss the influence of AI on Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), Command Line Interfaces (CLIs), Voice User Interfaces (VUIs), Gesture-based Interfaces, Haptic Interfaces, and Mixed Reality Interfaces (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality). Through a review of existing research and case studies, we explore the current state of AI integration in interface design and future opportunities for enhancing task completion time and overall system usability.
Keywords	artificial intelligence; interface design; task completion time; user experience
JEL Codes	O33, M15

Title	FISCAL RISK ANALYSIS – REASON FOR DANGER OR OPPORTUNITY FOR SAFEGUARDING?
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-14
Author	Cristina Oneț
Abstract	This paper aims to provide an x-ray of the fiscal legislation regarding fiscal risk and the risk analysis that becomes the main (only) criterion for the development of the fiscal inspection program carried out by the fiscal bodies of the state. Thus, the work includes an analysis of concepts such as: taxpayer’s fiscal behavior, fiscal risk, risk criteria, risk classes and subclasses, all intended to provide tools for carrying out a risk analysis based on special procedures. The fiscal legislation adopted up to this moment allows us to understand the goal pursued by the national legislator starting from the recent regulations adopted at the European level. It is about the efficiency of tax debt collection activities, about the efficiency of the exchange of information in fiscal matters between the fiscal authorities of the member states, as well as about the profound and essential change in the fiscal behavior of taxpayers. At the same time, this analysis highlights the shortcomings of this new taxpayer evaluation system, its transparency, as well as the means and instruments of defense in the face of pressures that may be exerted by the fiscal body, or even in the face of possible abuses that could directly and majorly affect some taxpayers. Therefore, this paper presents all the relevant information in this matter, but also includes a critical analysis of the national regulations that were recently adopted in the context of the European regulations of recent years. These are intended to limit or even eliminate the erosion of tax bases in the effort to combat tax evasion or even tax fraud, that which affects national public budgets, but also that which directly or indirectly affect the budget of the European Union.
Keywords	fiscal behavior; fiscal risk; evaluation criteria; risk classes; risk analysis; fiscal inspection
JEL Codes	K34, H26

Title	TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: BENEFITS, CHALLENGES, AND BEST PRACTICES
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-15
Author	Vasile-Daniel Păvăloaia
Abstract	Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a rising technology with immense potential in bringing significant benefits to the public sector, worldwide. Although RPA implementations in the public sector are still in early stages, several European countries have already made significant progress in this domain. The manuscript aims to explore the benefits and challenges associated with RPA implementations, such as improving efficiency and reducing costs while ensuring that job loss avoidance. Further, the manuscript outlines future paths regarding the implementation of RPA in the public sector, with an emphasise on the European countries.
Keywords	Robotic Process Automation; Public Process Automatization; IT for public sector; RPA case studies
JEL Codes	G19, M15, H75

Title	EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF IMPLEMENTING A GOVERNMENTAL CLOUD IN ROMANIA
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-16
Author	Vasile-Daniel Păvăloaia, Valerică Greavu-Șerban
Abstract	Although it brings numerous opportunities for the government and its citizens, the implementation of a governmental cloud is a complex and tedious process that involves a wide range of technical, operational, and political challenges. The manuscript aims to explore some of the most significant challenges together with the measures to counteract them as well as the opportunities of implementing a governmental cloud. Further, the article compares the particularities of Romania with other European countries that went throughout the process of implementing similar projects on Governmental Cloud.
Keywords	governmental cloud; public sector digitalization; IT for public sector
JEL Codes	M15, G19, H75

Title	REDUCING FOOD WASTE: A DOCUMENT ANALYSIS OF EUROPEAN REGULATIONS
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-17
Author	Mădălina-Ioana Petrea, Larisa-Nicoleta Gafencu
Abstract	This article provides a comprehensive document analysis of European regulations aimed at reducing food waste. The study examines various policy documents, guidelines, and legal frameworks related to food waste reduction in the European Union (EU) and its member states. The analysis reveals that the EU has taken significant steps to address the issue of food waste, with a range of policies and initiatives aimed at reducing the amount of food that is wasted throughout the food supply chain. The study identifies several key themes that emerge from the analysis, including the need for better measurement and monitoring of food waste, the importance of collaboration and partnerships between stakeholders, and the potential for regulatory frameworks to incentivize more sustainable food practices. Overall, the study suggests that European regulations have an important role to play in reducing food waste, but that a more integrated and holistic approach is needed to address the root causes of the problem. The findings of this research are relevant to policymakers, food industry actors, and other stakeholders interested in promoting more sustainable and efficient food systems.
Keywords	food waste; European Union; sustainability
JEL Codes	Q18, Q56, Q58

Title	NOTARY DEED IN ELECTRONIC FORMATAND REMOTE NOTARY DEED IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: DREAM OR UTOPIA?
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-18
Author	Vitalii Pistriuga
Abstract	In our days, the development of the state and society is seen indispensably by the integration of information’s technologies. Being one of the basic pillars, which ensures the security of the civil circuit of goods, qualified notarial assistance has long been waiting for the adjustment of the legal framework and the introduction of the electronic notarial deed. By the Disposition of the Minister of Justice, a working group was formed in order to develop a draft law with the necessary amendments along. In addition to the ordinary process of drafting the legislative act, a project was recently initiated to modernize the legal framework as an emergency, targeting several areas, including the introduction of digital notary. The content of this research will reflect the history of development of the e-notary in the Republic of Moldova up to the current stage. The research will also contain an analysis of the legislation of other states, where electronic notarial deeds are already implemented, and those where the introduction of electronic notarial deed has failed. The author will differentiate between the electronic notarial deed and the remote notarial deed, as well as will try to identify the prerequisites for their implementation. Failure to adjust the project may have negative consequences, which will block the implementation of the electronic notarial deed in the Republic of Moldova, thus the research will identify some threats that may affect the appearance of the electronic notarial deed as a result of the adoption of the draft law presented to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and will intervene with some proposals to improve it. Additionally, will be examined the results (impact) of introducing of a new legal framework on the civil circuit security, which will deprive the notary by the necessary tools and by the clear regulation of the notarial procedure.
Keywords	notarial deed; e-notarial deed; e-notarial document; remotely notarial deed; legal act
JEL Codes	K15

Title	THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC TIMES ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-19
Author	Olesea Plotnic, Valeria Praporșcic
Abstract	Although some time has passed since the start of the pandemic, its consequences are still being felt, not only at the national level, but also at the EU level, and an immediate consequence is the beginning of a new global crisis. The devastating economic effects that Covid-19 had on human rights and contractual relationships have particularly affected the entire world, given that businesses experienced supply interruptions, and many contracts could no longer be executed or were executed improperly, indirectly being affected fundamental consumer right. The exact number and scope of companies that suffered losses leading to bankruptcy and permanent market exit is not clear, but according to a survey conducted by the World Bank’s Enterprise Analysis Unit, different approaches have been developed to measure the virus’s impact on the private sector and individuals. In this context, not only entrepreneurs suffered significant losses, but also consumers of products and services, who were automatically transferred for online purchase with risk of non-conformity and delays. The aim of this paper is to discuss a series of progressive steps that must be followed after pandemic times for the protection of human rights and business enforcement with a detailed analysis on the importance of special internal regulation for the for overcoming situations of force majeure. Even though we are currently in a post-pandemic period where everything seems to have returned to normal, we still believe that the consequences of the pandemic are still being felt, as the pandemic has not disappeared, but we have learned to live with it.
Keywords	force majeure; contractual relationships; business enforcement; human rights; consumer interest
JEL Codes	A11, D5, K10, K12

Title	SOURCES AND RESOURCES FOR FUNDING SPORT IN EUROPE
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-20
Author	Septimiu-Ioan Puț
Abstract	Direct or indirect public funding of sports activities is a reality in all European countries, except that political and legal funding models differ according to culture and civilisation, sports tradition and sports practitioners, mentalities and financial power. Private funding of sport or self-financing of sport is complementary to public funding and must ensure, in particular through revenue from games, betting and lotteries, revenue from the exploitation of property rights in sporting events and competitions, revenue from intellectual property rights, revenue from the issue and sale of securities, revenue from sponsorship, revenue from the transfer of professional athletes, adequate and sufficient funding for the development and support of sporting competitions and participation in sporting competitions. Contemporary sport is a complex machine that is constantly fed with considerable amounts of money in order to function and produce competitive performance. Without funding, sport cannot be competitive, it cannot achieve its specific goals in a world where the profit motive is irresistible.
Keywords	public funding; private funding; revenue; sport; sport competitions
JEL Codes	Z23, K30

Title	EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES OF AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN SOFTWARE AND NON-SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-21
Author	Laura-Diana Radu, Daniela Popescul
Abstract	Agile project management (APM) has become increasingly popular among organizations due to the benefits it offers through the application of agile practices, principles, and values. These approaches are no longer limited to software project development. They are being applied in various fields such as education, human resources, research, healthcare, public relations, and production. By using an empirical approach, APM provides a significant level of adaptability that makes it suitable for a wide range of projects. Although agile values and practices are beneficial, their successful implementation depends on adapting them to the specific needs of the company, team, and project. In many cases, a hybrid project management framework that combines different approaches is preferred to create adaptive methods that cater to the specific needs of the project and project team. Nevertheless, the complexity and scale of projects can create more challenges to implementing agile practices. When selecting an agile framework, whether hybrid or not, it is essential to conduct a rigorous analysis that identifies the necessary adaptations and estimates the potential impact of those changes. This analysis is critical to ensure successful implementation and effective project management, aiming to complete projects within the established timeline and cost constraints while ensuring successful implementation and usage. The benefits of agile methodologies have been significant, particularly in software project development and other fields that require flexibility and adaptation. This study aims to enhance understanding of the challenges involved in APM, both in software development and non-software contexts.
Keywords	agile project management; challenge; software development; non-software context
JEL Codes	O22, M15, O3

Title	THE EFFECTS OF SUBSEQUENT EXTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROL
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-22
Author	Dragoș Lucian Rădulescu
Abstract	Being a component of economic control, financial control is based on a better knowledge of the ways of managing material or financial means by public institutions, as a means of preventing deficiencies, analyzing legality and finally restoring it when was violated. In another sense, the ways of respecting the application of the legislation in the matter, and strengthening the discipline related to the organization of public units, in order to obtain more efficient results, are considered. The article analyzes the validity and legality of some contrary control reports issued at the level of the county audit chamber, given that the respective public unit was subjected to periodic external controls that aimed at the same legal objectives.
Keywords	control; thoroughness; legality; institution; public
JEL Codes	K34

Title	MARKETING FACTORS ENCOURAGING GIRLS TO BE MORE ENGAGED IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-23
Author	Tal Aloni Rozen
Abstract	This paper aims to gain deeper insight of the marketing factors that impact the frequency of physical activity among girls aged 6-12 in Israel. It is based on the understanding that regular engagement in physical activity is essential for both mental and physical health, and that starting at a young age is recommended. The research instrument is a semistructured interview, designed to explore marketing factors that can encourage greater involvement of Israeli girls and young female adolescents in physical activity. The interviews have been conducted between July 2021 and March 2022 with a diverse range of individuals. The participants are girls involved in competitive sports, parents of competitive girls, women who have previously been active players, and decision-makers in academia and sports management positions. The research findings indicate three main themes obtained from the interviews regarding marketing. These themes highlight the importance of: Branding physical activity as a culture of routine; 2. Promoting physical activity as a local culture; 3. Branding physical activity as a health promoter. It is widely acknowledged that sports play a crucial role in promoting a healthy lifestyle, especially when introduced to children at an early age for the purpose of cultivating lifelong healthy habits. This paper aims to provide insights into effective marketing techniques that can be applied on the state and local levels to promote an overall healthy lifestyle.
Keywords	frequency of physical activity of girls; girls’ sports; marketing and advertising; behavioral change; Athena project in Israel
JEL Codes	Z20, Z200, Z220

Title	INFLUENCE OF FINANCIAL-BANKING STABILITY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-24
Author	Adelina-Andreea Siriteanu, Erika-Maria Doacă, Alin Vasile Străchinariu
Abstract	From an economic point of view, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe show a similar level of prevention, perception but also response to more or less anticipated situations, which have characterized these last decades. It is true that some of these are also part of the Schengen Area (Hungary, respectively Slovakia) not only of the European Union (Romania, respectively Bulgaria). However, the manifestation of socio-political phenomena, fueled by the crisis, the pandemic, demonstrated that all these countries are equally affected, and the decisions taken led, on the one hand, to mitigating and even limiting the negative effects, and on the other hand, to economic growth, starting from 2021, which is around the European Union average. Thus, the study proposes, based on multivariate regression, to analyze both the influence of macroeconomic indicators on the economic environment, as well as the influence of financial stability on sustainable development at country and regional level. The reference period includes the years: 2001-2021, with an annual data frequency.
Keywords	economic development; macroeconomic indicators; financial stability; multivariate regression
JEL Codes	C33, E44, E60

Title	EXPLORING EUROPEAN INTEROPERABILITY REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE (EIRA)
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-25
Author	Cătălin Strîmbei
Abstract	EIRA stands for European Interoperability Reference Architecture and represents a European Union Commission initiative concerning public services integration. In fact, the European Commission (DG Informatics) started the ISA² Programme (Interoperability Solutions for Public Administrations, Businesses, and Citizens). In this context, the new European Interoperability Framework was first elaborated and stated several directing principles or recommendations. There are twelve underlying principles of the EIF such as subsidiarity and proportionality, openness, transparency, reusability, technological neutrality and data portability, user-centricity, inclusion and accessibility, security and privacy, multilingualism, administrative simplification, preservation of information, and assessment of effectiveness and efficiency. Subsequently, EIF was implemented by the EIRA. This reference architecture represents a metamodel defining the architectural building blocks (ABBs) to build interoperable eGovernment systems. EIRA is aligned with the principles of TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) and follows a technology and product-neutral, and service-oriented architecture (SOA) style. Consequently, to implement public and government services, the EU offers a computing-oriented definition of such an architecture as an extension of the open sourced ArchiMate® model. The specific viewpoints formalized by ArchiMate model refer for example to the Interoperability Privacy viewpoint, Interoperability Governance viewpoint, Interoperable European Solution viewpoint, and Interoperability Security viewpoint. EIRA should support the following activities: (1) designing, (2) assessing, (3) communicating and sharing, and (4) discovering and reusing of eGovernment solutions. The specialists targeted are Enterprise Architects as well as Solution Architects, Business Analysts, and Portfolio Managers.
Keywords	EIRA; Public Services; eGovernment; Software Interoperability; Application Integration; SOA
JEL Codes	L86, C88, M15

Title	POSSIBILITIES OF IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-26
Author	Alina Suslenco
Abstract	The present paper represents a complex theoretical-practical approach, focused on elucidating the possibilities of implementing sustainability management in higher education institutions and in the public health system. Just as sustainability represents a fundamental premise in the creation of the green economy, a valence of the EU-2030 Agenda, we believe that public institutions must, in turn, align their policies, action plans, with the approach of achieving sustainability. The purpose of the research is to highlight the possibilities of implementing sustainability management in higher education institutions and those in the public health system. The objectives of the research are: researching of conceptual approaches regarding sustainability management; elucidating the methods of achieving sustainability in public institutions; highlighting the specifics of sustainability management in institutions in the public system; highlighting the challenges of implementing sustainability management in public institutions. The general hypothesis of the research is Ho: sustainability management is the fundamental factor for increasing the competitiveness of higher education institutions and public institutions. The epicenter of the research was based on the theoretical research of the main aspects of sustainability management, complemented by the empirical one, focused on the research of the main challenges in the implementation of sustainability management in public institutions. As a research method, we used content analysis, analyzing the official reports of public institutions, which allowed us to evaluate the possibilities of implementing sustainability management in public institutions. In the conclusions, we can reiterate that sustainability management is the fundamental pillar of ensuring the competitiveness of the economy, basic premises in the creation of the green economy. Thus, as a result, we believe that institutions in the public system must urgently implement sustainability management, which will help them become competitive, credible, attractive on the national market, as well as on the international one. Aligning policies, activities, public institutions with the approach of achieving sustainability, will help public institutions to increase their strategic competitiveness, notoriety, as well as to increase consumer trust in the services offered.
Keywords	sustainability management; higher education institution; sustainability assessment; public health
JEL Codes	Q01, Q56, I23

Title	THEORETICAL AND JURISPRUDENTIAL ASPECTS IN THE MATTER OF INSURANCE MEASURES IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS – ECHR PRACTICE
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-27
Author	Angela Tatu
Abstract	The taking of protective measures in the criminal process is allowed in order to repair the damage caused by the crime, in order to special confiscation and to guarantee the execution of the fine, as well as to guarantee the execution of judicial expenses. Most of the crimes committed are resulting crimes, that is, crimes that generate material or moral damages. According to the legal provisions in the matter, reparation of the damage is done in kind (restitution of things, restoration of the situation prior to the commission of the crime, etc.) or by paying monetary compensation, if reparation in kind is not possible. The Romanian legislator explicitly regulates the conditions for obtaining, maintaining, revoking and replacing them, but in the internal practice of judicial bodies we have reported violations of internal legal provisions, as well as a non-compliance with those pronounced by the European Court of Human Rights in the matter. Through this study, we aim to show jurists, but also legal practitioners, those concrete situations in which either the prosecutor or the court failed to comply with the legal provisions, thus violating the rights established by law for the suspect or defendant, the civilly responsible party or other persons. In this sense, we will present aspects of internal practice, but also ECHR practice.
Keywords	insurance measures; criminal process; reparation of damages; crime; European Court of Human Rights
JEL Codes	K31

Title	THE ACCOUNTING JOB – END OR A NEW BEGINNING?
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-28
Author	Dragoș-Ovidiu Tofan
Abstract	The World Economic Forum launched on May 3, 2023, the “Future of Jobs Report” which, based on a study applied to 803 representative companies from 45 economies, brings to analysis some shocking data regarding the evolution of the job market at global level. Thus, a simple arithmetic shows that the volume of 69 million new jobs predicted to be created in the next five years is dwarfed by the loss of 83 million positions, thus resulting in a disappearance of 14 million jobs. Motivated by the fact that Accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll clerks are among the most affected fields, the article analyzes the current position of this field of activity in relation to the new digital transformations and seeks to identify survival niches. In this sense, the needs of professional training are identified as well as how the process automations generated by digitization and AI can lead to the total or partial reinvention of the accounting profession.
Keywords	Artificial Intelligence; data analysis; digitalization
JEL Codes	M1, M2, M4, O3

Title	THE SILVER ECONOMY AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO SOCIETY
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-29
Author	Mihaela Tomaziu-Tudosia, Felicia-Cătălina Apetroi (Răcoare), Iuliana-Claudia Mihalache
Abstract	Based on the need for a prosperous economy and society, the medical system is one of the important factors in maintaining the health of the population, which is essential to the economy. The modern organization of society, aimed at increasing productivity, intensity, and quality of work, leads to early wear and aging of the human body, an increase in the frequency of illnesses, and thus, most of the time, early retirement from the labour field. In this sense, the ways of financing the health sector are important for the expansion of the network of medical services, the creation of medical, social, and professional recovery systems, the continuous improvement of the health sector, and the activation of people for a longer period of time in their work fields. By developing this article, the authors propose to trace the formation of the silver economy concept, the evolution of retirement, active aging that has a significant contribution to the economy, as well as their repercussions on the economy. It is obvious that active aging took shape from the need for a balance in the economy regarding retirement cases. The evolution of relations related to the labour market against the background of economic and social development is necessary to lead to an increase in interest in ensuring an optimal standard of working and living conditions for the population in order to reduce the repercussions of a low standard of living on the economy, by reducing the force of work.
Keywords	economy; silver economy; active aging; health
JEL Codes	A12, B26, H51, I15

Title	SELF-RATED HEALTH AND HEALTH INDEX – A REVIEW
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-30
Author	Paula Viziteu
Abstract	Self-rated health as a statistical variable commonly occurs in medical field research. Hence observing the health measures that have been featured in studies over the past few years is essential for future research. Having an overview of Self-Rated Health (SRH) is a great way to provide further solution for new approaches. This Systematic Review contributes to the literature related to health measures by summarizing the latest relevant papers published between 2018 and 19th April 2023 regarding SRH and other health approaches. Monitoring the health measures used in the relevant articles for past years and observing their frequency helps to find out if there is a need to create a better health measure. 598 open access English papers were found on Scopus by searching the terms „health index” and „self-rated health” from 2018 to 19th April 2023. The steps for this systematic review include the selection of literature, the inclusion/exclusion criteria, the screening of the SRH and other health measures of approaches and the data extraction. The review question is regarding the evaluation of SRH in comparison with other approaches: “Does SRH occur more in this sample than other health approaches?”. The aim of this review is to provide researchers and health policy makers an overview of the SRH used in latest research on Scopus by searching for both subjective and objective measure terms. The main finding was that for the selected articles the SRH is more common than the other health approaches. 77.4% of the examined abstracts include SRH and 22.6% include other health measures or health approaches or both – SRH and a different health measure or approach. A future research directive is to test a health index and compare it with the existing ones.
Keywords	self-rated health; health index; systematic review; health policy making
JEL Codes	I1

Title	CARBON PRICING IS A TOOL TO DECARBONIZE THE ECONOMY
DOI	DOI: 10.47743/eufire-2023-1-31
Author	Natalia Zamfir, Pavel Zamfir
Abstract	This article identifies the modality of putting a price on carbon for helping shift the burden of damage from GHG emissions back to those who are responsible for it and can avoid it. Implementation of carbon pricing instruments can be an effective tool for achieving 2030 more ambitious targets of reducing GHG emissions by 2030 set up in the updated NDC2 Nationally Determined Contribution from 2020 (NDC2). The high vulnerability to both climate and external shocks (dependence on imports for energy) is the biggest economic challenge of the Republic of Moldova. This article aims at providing the approach to the problem of the legislative framework in Moldova is under a transition period from a passive environmental approach to a new modern strategy by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities while taking fairness, solidarity and cost-effectiveness. There are no provisions on climate change mitigation and adaptation in primary legislation and no legal basis which creates concrete impediments in the law-making process and in the implementation of new administrative procedures harmonized with the EU standards, in strengthening clear institution obligations in data management and low data accessibility. The Republic of Moldova should set priorities for implementing legislative measures related to climate change, taking into consideration the on-going debate on the Energy Community Decarbonization Roadmap and based on the process of recent EU candidacy admission of the RM. We underline the necessity of elaborating on the new Climate Change Law, which will consolidate of adopted legal framework to implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by sources and enhancement of removals by sinks at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
Keywords	carbon price; climate change; greenhouse gas emission; decarbonization; climate action law
JEL Codes	K32, K 33, Q52, Q54