The Programme aims to strengthen links with the research and practitioner communities in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. The ESRC has allocated 4 million to this programme, which lasts until December 2002. Programme covers political , economic , social and security developments across Europe. Thus many projects deal with central and eastern Europe and the challenges of transformation , while others examine the dynamics of change in western Europe . Most projects are comparative and look at several different countries, as you can check by clicking on the country buttons.
Some projects deal with the links to globalisation.
All projects pay some attention to the ways in which transnational European regimes influence these developments, or are shaped by them. These regimes include those managed within the framework and institutions of the European Union , but also look at the changing role of NATO , as well as some of the activities of the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe . In addition several projects address more local or informal relationships between neighbours . Some of the projects deal with established areas of European co-operation, such as economic and monetary union . Other projects deal with newer policy initiatives, such as those in justice and home affairs , or European defence autonomy , or the Lisbon strategy to promote the open method of coordination .