Why EU asylum standards exceed the lowest common denominator: the role of regulatory expertise in EU decision-making

While scholars traditionally expected EU policy-making in the area of asylum to produce lowest common denominator standards, recent studies on the first phase of the Common European Asylum System have observed higher asylum standards in some instances. This article aims at explaining this divergence. Drawing on concepts of regulatory expertise and ‘misfit’, it argues that the observed variation in policy output can be explained by the dominance of a few (Northern) member states which were highly successful in inserting their positions in the core EU directives. Government effectiveness and exposure to the phenomenon entailing regulatory expertise provide a powerful explanation for member states being effective policy-shapers. Characterized by low levels of government effectiveness and exposure in the asylum area, Southern European countries were, on the contrary, rather passive during the negotiations and barely left any mark on the EU directives

Planer och Budget 2016

Budget; Economy; Public finance; Organisation and administratio

Arctic - Changing Realities

The Conference "Arctic - Changing Realities" held in Copenhangen on May 26, 2010 was an attempt to bring together international key stake holders with relevance for the Arctic to discuss ideas and solutions for the challenges facing the Arctic. In this conference report you can find discussions on governance, resources and culture

Kreative erhverv i Norden

Architecture; Computer games; Design; Film and TV; Journalism; Art and Culture; Literature; Media; Music; Museums and cultural heritage; Performing arts; Visual arts; Business; Creative industries; Information Technolog

Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) Assessment Framework

This assessment framework for the South-East Asia Primary Learning Metric (SEA-PLM) assessment program outlines an approach to assessing mathematical literacy (Chapter 2), reading literacy (Chapter 3) and writing literacy (Chapter 4). It also puts forward a conceptual framework for the context questionnaires (Chapter 5). The orientation implied by these labels is intended to emphasise that the curriculum arrangements in participating countries, which are necessarily at the centre of a regional assessment program, have as a major purpose the preparation of young people to participate effectively as members of society in such a way that they can use what they have learned at school – their reading, writing and mathematics skills, and their citizenship – to deal with the many challenges they will meet in their life beyond school. The purpose of this assessment framework is to articulate the basic structure of the SEA-PLM. It provides a description of the constructs to be measured. It also outlines the design and content of the measurement instruments and describes how measures generated by those instruments relate to the constructs

Does Europe Matter? A Comparative Study of Young People’s Identifications with Europe at a State School and a European School in England.

This article explores the extent to which young people in predominantly middle-class environments identify with Europe and considers the influence of European education policy, school ethos and curricula. We compare data drawn from individual and focus group interviews with students aged 15–17 at a state school and a European School in England. The empirical analysis was informed by post-structuralism and found that young people at both schools developed multidimensional, multifaceted identities. Students at the European School, which has an ethos of developing both national and European identities, identified themselves more as European than their peers at the state school, which integrated students on the basis of a common British citizenship. The findings suggest that the policy on the European dimension in education contributes towards developing students’ identification with Europe and to their knowledge of Europe, though not at the expense of their ethnic and national identities, which were stronger than their European identities. Lack of a European dimension in education (both in and out of school) seems to result in a lack of identification with and knowledge about Europe

Low cadmium (LCD), a novel gene related to cadmium tolerance and accumulation in rice

The contamination of food crops by cadmium (Cd) is a major concern in food production because it can reduce crop yields and threaten human health. In this study, knockout rice plants (Oryza sativa) tagged with the gene trap vector pGA2707 were screened for Cd tolerance, and the tolerant line lcd was obtained. The lcd mutant showed tolerance to Cd on agar plates and in hydroponic culture during early plant development. Metal concentration measurements in hydroponically grown plants revealed significantly less Cd in the shoots of lcd plants compared with wild-type (WT) shoots. When cultured in the field in soil artificially contaminated with low levels of Cd, lcd showed no significant difference in the Cd content of its leaf blades; however, the Cd concentration in the grains was 55% lower in 2009 and 43% lower in 2010. There were no significant differences in plant dry weight or seed yield between lcd and wild-type plants. LCD, a novel gene, is not homologous to any other known gene. LCD localized to the cytoplasm and nucleus, and was expressed mainly in the vascular tissues in the roots and phloem companion cells in the leaves. These data indicate that lcd may be useful for understanding Cd transport mechanisms and is a promising candidate rice line for use in combating the threat of Cd to human health

Dietary intake and nutritional status in a Scandinavian adult cystic fibrosis-population compared with recommendations

Malnutrition is a well-known complication in cystic fibrosis (CF). There is good evidence that maintaining a normal body-weight correlates well with improved survival in CF. Energy intake in excess of 120% of the estimated average requirement (EAR) has been advised since 1980s.To investigate the nutritional intake and status in the adult Scandinavian CF-population.A cross-sectional multi-centre study was used to investigate the nutritional status of 456 adult CF-patients (2003 2006). Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) and z-scores were calculated. Pulmonary function was examined by dynamic spirometry. A 7-day pre-coded food record (FR) obtained energy and nutrient intake data in 180 patients.The mean energy intake was 114 (SD 30.0)% of EAR and thus significantly lower than the target of 120% EAR (p< 0.001) for patients with pancreatic insufficiency (PI) (n=136). Mean BMI was 22.0 (SD 2.9), the prevalence of BMI <18 was 13% and the prevalence of BMI ≥25 was 15% (n = 136). Mean BMI was 20.8 (SD 2.4) in PI-patients with FEV1 <70% and 23.2% (SD 3.0), in PI-patients with FEV1 ≥70%, mean difference 2.4, (95% CI: 1.5, 3.3) (p<0.001), but there was no difference in energy intake. BMI ≥18.5 and a reported energy intake <120% were revealed in 54% of the PI-patients.The energy intake did not reach the recommended 120% EAR, but the prevalence of underweight was lower than reported in other studies. The recommendation may exceed the requirement for a number of CF-patients. The nutritional status must still be closely monitored and nutritional advice and intervention should be individualised and adjusted to actual needs