CEEOL – Central and Eastern European Online Library

Article 21 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) introduces a novel regulatory framework for out-of-court dispute settlement (ODS) in the European Union’s digital ecosystem, positioning itself as a key instrument for enhancing platform accountability and safeguarding users’ fundamental rights. This paper examines the early implementation of Article 21, with particular attention to its institutional design, emerging challenges, and potential for regulatory refinement. As the DSA transitions from legislative ambition to operational practice, understanding how its dispute resolution mechanisms function in practice is critical for assessing their effectiveness and long-term viability. Methodologically, the analysis adopts a qualitative and doctrinal approach, combining legal interpretation of Article 21 DSA with early empirical observations from the first certified ODS bodies and comparative insights drawn from Directive 2013/11/EU on consumer alternative dispute resolution. Although the limited duration of implementation constrains the availability of systematic quantitative data, preliminary evidence provides sufficient grounding to identify structural patterns, risks, and areas requiring further development. The findings indicate that Article 21 DSA establishes a hybrid governance model that balances centralised European oversight with decentralised operational autonomy. Certified ODS bodies are entrusted with resolving disputes between users and online platforms – particularly Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) – in a manner that promotes procedural fairness, transparency, and accessibility. Early implementation suggests that users value the availability of such mechanisms, particularly as an alternative to formal judicial proceedings, which may not de facto be capable of ensuring effective access to justice for disputes involving digital platforms. At the same time, the coordination of multiple independent actors within a unified regulatory framework introduces significant institutional and procedural complexity. A central concern identified in this study is the risk of replicating structural shortcomings observed in earlier EU dispute resolution frameworks, notably those under Directive 2013/11/EU. In particular, persistent power asymmetries between users and service providers, combined with the relatively low economic value of many disputes, may limit user engagement and undermine the perceived effectiveness of the system. These challenges are further compounded by the non-binding nature of ODS decisions, which raises questions regarding enforceability and platform compliance. Without adequate safeguards, such limitations may erode user trust and reduce participation, especially among individuals who perceive the process as burdensome or unlikely to yield meaningful outcomes. The analysis also highlights the importance of procedural coherence and user experience in determining the legitimacy of the ODS framework. Variations in procedural rules across different certified bodies risk producing inconsistent outcomes and fragmented user experiences. Moreover, early user feedback underscores the significance of accessibility factors, including clarity of information, ease of submission, and transparency throughout the dispute resolution process. Barriers such as complex interfaces, limited guidance, and insufficient language support may disproportionately affect vulnerable users, thereby challenging the inclusiveness of the system. In response to these findings, the paper proposes several avenues for regulatory refinement. First, the development of common procedural standards is essential to ensure consistency, interoperability, and predictability across ODS bodies, while preserving space for innovation through digital tools and user-centred design. Second, improving accessibility and user engagement should be prioritised through simplified interfaces, multilingual support, and enhanced guidance mechanisms. Third, addressing structural power imbalances requires the introduction of stronger incentive structures to encourage platform compliance, including transparency measures and reputational mechanisms. Finally, the establishment of robust monitoring and reporting systems, based on the collection of anonymised data on dispute outcomes and user satisfaction, is crucial for enabling evidence-based policy development and continuous improvement. In conclusion, the early implementation of Article 21 DSA demonstrates both the promise and the complexity of EU-regulated digital dispute settlement. While significant challenges remain, particularly in relation to enforceability, procedural fragmentation, and user engagement, the regulatory framework provides a solid foundation for future development. With targeted refinements and sustained oversight, Article 21 has the potential to evolve into a credible, accessible, and effective mechanism for resolving platform-user disputes, thereby contributing to a broader model of digital accountability within the European Union.

This article examines how India’s draft Digital Competition Bill (DCB), read alongside India’s investment treaty landscape, can create a fresh layer of regulatory uncertainty for large technology investors. It explains why the DCB is being positioned as a distinct instrument, rather than a subset of the proposed Digital India Act or the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and identifies an early friction point: an ex-ante competition design, built around data portability and continuing access, can sit uneasily with a consent-based privacy framework. The analysis then places the DCB within the policy arc that followed the Standing Committee of Finance report and the Committee on Digital Competition Law deliberations. It asks whether India’s ersatz adaptation of the European’s framework employing the spaghetti bowl effect as a framing device. The article maps the most plausible investment treaty claim pathways if the DCB comes into force, including FET arguments tied to legitimate expectations and transparency, and indirect expropriation concerns linked to operational control over data and platform conduct, as well as, Section 38 and its exemption power, and its implications on equal treatment debates and carve out risks. The article concludes that The DCB’s objectives and boundaries need sharper articulation, and the more durable response lies in clearer right to regulate language and disciplined carve outs.

This article addresses the limited integration of disability-related topics into management research, with a focus on inclusive career development. While diversity and inclusion are frequently emphasized in strategic organizational goals, disability remains an underexplored dimension. The aim of this study is to identify research trends, conceptual gaps, and emerging directions in academic literature on disability in the context of management and career studies. Using bibliometric analysis of 1325 articles from the “Web of Science” database, this research distinguishes dominant themes, author networks, and temporal shifts in focus. The findings reveal that most studies approach disability from a health or policy angle, with weak integration into strategic human resource or talent management discourse. The study high- lights the need for a paradigmatic shift from a deficit-oriented to an empowerment-based approach and proposes directions for future inquiry in inclusive talent and career management.

The purpose is to assess the scope and dynamics of financial services consumed from credit institutions and their role in economic growth, based on theoretical frameworks and empirical analysis, using the cases of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Methodology: The research methods employed in this article include analysis of scientific literature, methods of comparison and generalization, correlation analysis, pairwise regression analysis, and multivariate regression analysis. Findings: The role, changes and extent of financial services consumed by individuals and households can be analysed from different theoretical perspectives. Findings indicate that in Lithuania and Latvia, the greatest increases in GDP are associated with the number of individuals using the internet for internet banking, whereas in Estonia, the most significant driver of GDP growth is household lending for house purchase. Originality: after highlighting the theoretical approaches, financial services consumed by individuals and households, focused on indicators of loans, financial leasing, use of pay- ment cards, internet banking, and deposits, and regression analysis with GDP of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

Remiantis Katalikų Bažnyčios mokymu, teisiniais ir moksliniais šaltiniais bei 2018– 2025 m. atliktais Lietuvos gyventojų nuomonės tyrimais, straipsnyje gvildenama šeimos sampratos visuomenėje kaita. Katalikų Bažnyčios dokumentų ir Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymų apžvalga atskleidė glaudžias sąsajas tarp juose įtvirtintos prigimtinės šeimos sampratos: ji kildinama iš vyro ir moters skirtingumo ir papildomumo; grindžiama santuokos, kraujo giminystės, tėvystės, motinystės, vaikystės ar įvaikinimo ryšiais; suvokiama kaip valstybės ir visuomenės pagrindas; saugoma ir globojama valstybės. Vis dėlto šiandienos sociokultūrinių pokyčių kontekste galima įžvelgti dėl šeimos sampratos transformacijos kylančias grėsmes: visuomenės mentaliteto lyties ir šeimos sampratos klausimais dekonstravimą remiantis socialinio konstruktyvizmo nuostatomis, įpareigojimą visuotinai šia samprata vadovautis, pvz., diegiant nepilnamečių lytiškumo ir seksualumo ugdymą mokyklose. Tiriant visuomenės poziciją, buvo atlikta reprezentatyvių tyrimų, atskleidžiančių Lietuvos gyventojų požiūrį, lyginamoji analizė pagal šeimos sampratos identifikavimo kriterijus (laikyseną prigimtinės ar įvairove grindžiamos šeimos sampratos klausimu; požiūrį į tos pačios lyties asmenų porų santykių teisinį reguliavimą; poziciją jų normalizavimo klausimu). Analizuojant duomenis nustatyta, kad, nepaisant pastangų dekonstruoti vyro ir moters skirtingumu ir papildomumu grindžiamą prigimtinės šeimos sampratą, Lietuvos gyventojų parama jai išlieka stabili: nepritariama šeimos sampratos keitimui, neigiamai vertinamas tiek šeimos sampratą plečiantis Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucinio Teismo nutarimas dėl lyčiai neutralios partnerystės instituto, tiek įpareigojimas Seimui šiame nutarime nurodytu būdu sureguliuoti skirtingų lyčių ir tos pačios lyties asmenų porų santykius, pasisakoma prieš tos pačios lyties asmenų porų santykių normalizavimą. Ryškėja tendencija, kad, intensyvėjant siekiams plėsti šeimos sampratą, visuomenės palankumas prigimtinei šeimai auga, o neturinčiųjų šiuo klausimu aiškios pozicijos dalis mažėja, nebe taip palankiai vertinama lyčiai neutrali šeima ir partnerystė.

Straipsnyje gvildenami nepilnamečių vertybinio-dorovinio ugdymo probleminiai aspektai Gyvenimo įgūdžių bendrosios programos (GĮBP) lytiškumo ugdymo dalyje. Jos analizė grindžiama išeities pozicija, kad lytiškumo ugdymas neatsiejamas nuo pasaulėžiūrinės prieigos, sąlygojančios programos plėto-jimo paradigmą, turinį ir kryptį. Nors GĮBP rengėjai pripažįsta vertybinį-pasaulėžiūrinį programos pobūdį, gretindami ją su dorinio ir visuomeninio ugdymo programomis, tyrimas atskleidė takoskyrą tarp programoje plėtojamo lytiškumo ugdymo turinio ir krikščioniškąja antropologija grindžiamų vertybinio-dorovinio ugdy-mo principų. GĮBP priskirta privalomam formaliajam ugdymui, jai nesuteikiama pasirinkimo alternatyvų, re-miamasi išskirtinai lytinio švietimo nuostatomis, tad ši programa labiau vadintina seksualumo, o ne lytiškumo ugdymu. Programos įgyvendinimui rekomenduojami šaltiniai dažnai neatitinka nepilnamečių amžiaus tarps-nio, jų psichosocialinės raidos laikotarpio, eliminuoja unikalią asmens brandos situaciją. GĮBP į nepilnamečių vertybinį-pasaulėžiūrinį ugdymą įneša kertinį paradigminį virsmą: atmetama prigimtinė šeimos samprata, įvedama nuasmeninta, lyčiai neutrali kalba, neformuojama pagarba žmogaus gyvybei, šeimos ir santuokos institutui, diegiama įvairove grindžiama lyties samprata. Programoje neigiamai pristatomos lytiškumo ugdy-mui svarbios savybės, pvz., drovumas, skaistumas, susivaldymas, taip pat formuojamos lyčiai neutralių lytinių santykių nuostatos, siejant juos su egocentriniu malonumo siekiu, fiziniu ir socialiniu saugumu, o ne gilumi-niu, atviru prokreacijai vyro ir moters Aš–Tu susitikimu. GĮBP grindžiama ne dorybes ir atsakomybę ugdan-čia valios pedagogika, o į egocentrines ir kintančias jausenas orientuotu emotyvizmu.

The article assesses the legal possibilities of protecting teachers from violence in Lithuanian educational institutions. It analyses how the legal framework ensures the right of teachers to protection from violence at work and to assistance. It is concluded that the concept of violence against teachers is not clearly defined in legislation, the legal framework does not sufficiently protect teachers from violence and is more oriented towards the protection of pupils.

Purpose: By comparative analysis of international cultural projects, identify strategies and methods that ensure project team cohesion and its effectiveness. To substantiate directions and approaches that, in the context of the complexity of managing international cultural projects, can form effective strategies for overcoming the negative impacts of cultural diversity and communication barriers, and for realizing the expectations of stakeholders. Methods: The study uses both a qualitative approach based on research from various fields, in particular based on the use of Cross-Case Synthesis, inductive coding, cross-case comparison, and a quantitative approach, in particular based on сorrelation analysis, involved constructing a Pearson correlation matrix and a multimodal approach for a balanced combination of structured and semi-structured data. It also integrates insights from project management frameworks and cultural intelligence models to analyze the role of leadership, adaptability, and technology in international project environments. Findings: The study identifies key strategies for mitigating conflicts, leveraging cultural intelligence, and enhancing project outcomes in multicultural settings. It highlights the importance of digital tools and virtual collaboration in managing culturally diverse teams, as well as the impact of cultural awareness on project efficiency, innovation, and stakeholder engagement. Originality: This research contributes to the growing field of international project management by offering actionable strategies for professionals working in culturally diverse environments. By understanding cultural dynamics, project managers can implement inclusive strategies that foster collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and ensure the sustainable success of international cultural initiatives.

Straipsnyje pristatomas reikšmingumo suvokimo (reikšmijautos) konstruktas, kuriuo vertinamas individų pojūtis, kad jie ir jų darbas yra svarbūs ir reikšmingi. Pristatoma teorinė reikšmijautos analizė ir žvalgomasis empirinis tyrimas, nagrinėjantis reikšmijautos panašumus ir skirtumus bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų pedagogų populiacijoje pagal sociodemo­ grafinius faktorius. Nustatyti reikšmijautos skirtumai pagal mokytojų amžių, lytį ir poziciją. Pateikiamos tyrimo išvados, apribojimai ir rekomendacijos.

Following the 1772 partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, John Lind, Simon Linguet, and Louis-Antoine de Caraccioli took up the pen to defend its cause. By appealing to the reason and feelings of their readers in the face of the tragic events that had befallen the Republic, these essayists helped to sensitise European public opinion to its fate. The aim of our study is to define how the stupor caused by this first division contributed to the emergence of a common European consciousness. In this way, we hope to contribute to a better knowledge of the reception given by 18th-century public opinion to the dismemberment of the Polish-Lithuanian Republic.