The Kyoto Protocol as the Framework Convention on Climate Change is a milestone in the formation and development of the climate change regime that is aimed at controlling global warming by the international community. But besides that this international agreement also became a factor that created new circumstances and opportunities for international cooperation. These circumstances were created for all the participants of the regime: the states, the non-governmental organizations on behalf of the societies and the business organizations as well as the corporations. The Kyoto Protocol became a catalyst for international cooperation between these international relations’ actors at all stages of its existence: the negotiation process, the ratifi cation of it and its implementation, leading to the establishment of new political, social and especially economic ties.

Artykuł jest studium przypadku, przedstawiającym współpracę międzynarodową Olecka, które jest stolicą Mazur Garbatych, jako jednej z ponad sześciuset istniejących w Polsce gmin miejsko- -wiejskich. Ukazano w nim sięgające czasów komunistycznej Polski początki tej współpracy, wyrażającej się kooperacją z francuską gminą Marly. Główna część tekstu stanowi omówienie ewolucji i ocenę współczesnej współpracy międzynarodowej Olecka, na którą składają się relacje z partnerami białoruskimi (Szczuczyn), litewskimi (Wilkowyszki, Kozłowa Ruda), ukraińskimi (Drohobycz), rosyjskimi (Gusiew), austriackimi (Guessing) i estońskimi (Johvi). Cechą charakterystyczną aktywności międzynarodowej Olecka jest ścisłe powiązanie z jego położeniem geograficznym i pochodzeniem olecczan. To one determinują w przeważającym stopniu, z kim i na jakich zasadach miasto współpracuje, w bardzo znaczącym stopniu wykorzystując fundusze Unii Europejskiej. Ta aktywność stolicy Mazur Garbatych została dostrzeżona na arenie międzynarodowej. W roku 2014 Olecko zostało uhonorowane prestiżową nagrodą i tytułem Europejskiego Miasta Sportu.

The aim of the article is to present, in a short and a synthetic form, self-governments as new actors on the international arena. Discussed are the genesis and the development of this new international activities being undertaken by local residential areas such as the “twinning movement” and the programme for establishing “sister cities”. Briefly described are the key international organizations focused on the local self-governance. Discussed is also, in a relative detail, is the cooperation of the Polish self-governance entities with local self-governance partners within the international sphere. The author concludes by attempting to define the scope and importance of the international cooperation of local self-governance entities in general and its impact on the individual participating partners.

The article presents the Baltic-Black Sea region in the military-political dimension, as well as explores the potential benefits of this cooperation for European security. The study offers some important insights into the historical preconditions for the formation of the Union according to the Baltic-Black Sea Arc. This paper attempts to show the importance of international political and security potential of Ukraine and its influence on the formation of the Baltic-Black Sea Union. The Baltic-Black Sea Union is seen as an effective counterweight to Russia’s expansion into the West, whereby Ukraine could serve as a guarantor of European stability. The article analyzes opinions of international experts on the implementation of the Baltic-Black Sea Union, as well as compares the military power of potential members of the union with the military forces of advanced countries. This study provides an important opportunity to advance the understanding of the benefits for Union members and European countries and how the United States can help implement the idea of project. The analysis emphasizes the functions of the Baltic-Black Sea Union, potential NATO assistance and how the Union will ensure the stability of its forces in Europe. It is summarized why the countries of the Baltic-Black Sea arc can act as a guarantor of protection against Russian aggression.

Osiągnięcie wysokiego poziomu bezpieczeństwa wewnętrznego jest jednym z priorytetów Unii Europejskiej. Politykę bezpieczeństwa wewnętrznego UE realizuje, dbając o przestrzeń wolności, bezpieczeństwa i sprawiedliwości. Wobec kryzysu migracyjnego, który trwa już od wielu lat, a obecnie ma nowe oblicze, przed UE pojawiają się nowe wyzwania. UE musi zacieśnić współpracę na wielu poziomach tak, by zapewnić jak najwyższy poziom bezpieczeństwa. Agencje UE wspomagające współpracę w bezpieczeństwie wewnętrznym angażują się w walkę z efektami kryzysu migracyjnego i wspierają siły państwowe przy ochronie granic. Rolę jednej z nich –Europolu – oraz działającego w jego ramach Europejskiego Centrum Zwalczania Przemytu Migrantów – EMSC warto poruszyć w aspekcie rozważań nad współpracą w bezpieczeństwie wewnętrznym. Odpowiedź na kryzys migracyjny musi być bardziej kompleksowa i brać pod uwagę potrzeby zarówno migrantów, jak i państw przyjmujących czy tranzytowych.

Fight against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in South-East Europe by SELEC

Human trafficking is one of the modern forms of slavery and the most dangerous crime against freedom and human dignity. This practice is often associated with the phenomenon of illegal migration and smuggling of migrants, which are particularly intensified in the period of various types of conflicts (armed, ethnic, etc.). The international scale of the problem forces the cooperation of authorities and services responsible for security and public order in many countries. The article presents activities undertaken by the SELEC organization in combating this type of international organized crime in South-Eastern Europe. The source of the data are annual reports on the organization’s activities, published on its official website.

Legal Grounds for Establishing and Conducting International Cooperation by Local Government Units in Poland

Reactiving the local government in Poland gave an opportunity to increase the activity of local communities in the international area. The adoption of legal solutions guaranteed the international activity of local government untis through standardized procedures, defined goals and directions of action. A specific suplement are signed international agreements and agreements on cross-border and international cooperation, which are anchored in international treaties. The legal basis for international cooperation of local government units was defined in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of April 2, 1997. The main aim of the article was to define the possibilities of international cooperation of local government units in Poland. European documents supporting international cooperation of territorial units were identified. In addition, Polish legal conditions were identified in the scope of concluding cooperation agreements and belonging to international associations.

Assistance of Polish cities with county rights provided to Ukrainian international cooperation partners during the period of Russian aggression. The example of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship

The aim of the research is to verify the admissibility of granting financial and material aid to territorial units from Ukraine by Polish cities with poviat rights. Consideration was also given to the state and scale of cooperation between cities with county rights (i.e. Bydgoszcz, Toruń and Włocławek) from the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship and their partners from Ukraine during the period of Russian aggression. The paper uses the method of content analysis, in addition, own research was carried out involving local governments from the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and the results are presented. The results of the research in this paper proved that there is a legal possibility on the basis of the Act on local self-government (at the same time bearing in mind the provisions of the Act on public finances) to provide financial support from one’s own budget in the form of financial aid and in-kind support in the form of aid in kind to “local and regional communities” in Ukraine, including during the period of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In addition, the article found that all surveyed Polish local governments implemented international cooperation focused on humanitarian aid to Ukrainian partners. The article is original in nature and was devoted entirely to the issue of international cooperation during the period of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The present text with minor alterations was presented during my stay in El Camino College, California, USA, where I visited from October 4th to October 31st 2006 within the frameworks of the Fullbright Institutional Partnership Grant. It presents areas and ways of the realisation of and benefits resulting from participation in the international Socrates/Erasmus program realised by two educational institutions –Polish and French. It is illustrated with authentic examples from my experience gained over a number of years, when I held the function of the program coordinator. When presented to the French students and lecturers this text was supplemented with a multi-media presentation – photographs of a number of international projects carried out in Cieszyn and Cambrai. It commanded great interest of the American students and lecturers, which found prompt expression in establishing new contacts between the lecturers of El Camino College, USA and the Centre de Formation Pédagogique, France.