The Redistributive Effects Of The EU Budget: An Analysis And A Proposal Reform

This paper analyzes the redistributive effects of the EU budget during the period 1986-98, explores the implications of the Berlin budget agreement and advances a proposal for setting member countries' budgetary balances in a manner consistent with a simple equity criterion based on relative income per capita. Using an extension of a standard methodology, we find that the redistributive impact of the EU budget has been considerable in view of its small size, that it has tended to increase over time, and that it is mostly due to the effects of structural programmes. We also find that, in spite of the relative loss of weight of structural transfers, the expenditure side of the Berlin budget agreement represents a noticeable (but small) improvement over the previous financial perspectives in terms of both its redistributive impact and its horizontal equity properties. Our proposed allocation criterion involves the correction of horizontal inequities while preserving the current degree of redistribution. This would involve a sizable reallocation of net contributions across rich countries and only a modest reduction in north-south fiscal flows.This paper was written as part of a research project cofinanced by the European Fund for Regional Development and Fundación Caixa Galicia. Additional financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture under grants SEC99-1189 and SEC99-0820

Energy Input-Output Analyses of Major Field Vegetable Crops Production in Punjab

The energy consumption pattern in Indian agriculture has changed with a marked shift from human and animal power to electrical and mechanical sources of energy (tractors, diesel engines, self-propelled machines). The rising cost of production and depleting energy sources are paramount concerns for the maximization of productivity with minimum input of energy and cost. A study was performed for determining the energy productivity of five major vegetable crops (potato, tomato, muskmelon, garden pea, cauliflower) production systems. Significantly higher (p<0.05) energy consumption was observed for potato cultivation (53,412 ± 2,388 MJ.ha-1), followed by tomato (47,489 ± 1,183 MJ.ha-1), cauliflower (39,367 ± 1,127 MJ.ha-1), muskmelon (37,827 ± 856 MJ.ha-1), and garden pea (24,625 ± 497 MJ.ha-1). Irrigation was observed to be the major energy-consuming farm operation, followed by transportation of farmyard manure (FYM)/fertilisers and produce. Based on the significant contribution of non-renewable and commercial energy in the production of major vegetable crops, the agricultural system was observed to be vulnerable to increase in energy prices through petroleum as well as fertiliser prices. There is a need to include more energy- and cost-effective farm mechanisation and irrigation systems