Distortions in a multi-level co-financing system: the case of the agri-environmental programme of Saxony-Anhalt

In this paper we analyse the impact of the EU multi-level cofinancing system on regional policy-making and priority setting taking the case of the agri-environmental programme of Saxony-Anhalt. The implications of several co-financing scenarios are analysed and compared to respective lump-sum transfers using an interactive linear programming approach. The results reveal how regional choices on agri-environmental measures are influenced by the co-financing system leading to distortions. The extent of these distortions depends on the specific regional preferences and restrictions.agri-environmental programmes, co-financing, federalism, interactive programming, policy-making, Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Distortions in a Multi-Level Co-Financing System: The Case of the Agri-Environmental Program of Saxony-Anhalt

In this paper we analyze the impact of the EU multi-level co-financing system on regional policy-making and priority setting taking the case of the agri-environmental program of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany. The implications of several co-financing scenarios are analyzed and compared to respective lump-sum transfers using an interactive linear programming approach. The results reveal that regional choices on agri-environmental measures are strongly influenced by the co-financing system leading to distortions. The extent of these distortions depends on the specific regional preferences and restrictions to be considered in the policy-making process.Agri-environmental programs, co-financing, federalism, interactive programming, policy-making, Environmental Economics and Policy, Financial Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, C61, H72, Q18,

Structure of Polymer Brushes in Cylindrical Tubes: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Molecular Dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained bead-spring model of flexible macromolecules tethered with one end to the surface of a cylindrical pore are presented. Chain length $N$ and grafting density $\sigma$ are varied over a wide range and the crossover from ``mushroom'' to ``brush'' behavior is studied for three pore diameters. The monomer density profile and the distribution of the free chain ends are computed and compared to the corresponding model of polymer brushes at flat substrates. It is found that there exists a regime of $N$ and $\sigma$ for large enough pore diameter where the brush height in the pore exceeds the brush height on the flat substrate, while for large enough $N$ and $\sigma$ (and small enough pore diameters) the opposite behavior occurs, i.e. the brush is compressed by confinement. These findings are used to discuss the corresponding theories on polymer brushes at concave substrates.Comment: 11 figure

Programming rural development funds – An interactive linear programming approach applied to the EAFRD program in Saxony-Anhalt

Policies for rural areas have become an important but complex policy field in the European Union`s Common Agricultural Policy. The purpose of this paper is to report on a methodological approach pursued to model the allocation of EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development) funds in Saxony-Anhalt. We show how an interactive programming approach can be developed and used to support our partner Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment. So far, various key elements of the modeling approach have been specified: the definition of all relevant policy measures and funding options, the assessment of impacts on the regional objectives pursued, the definition of relevant lower and upper bounds, and the formulation of co-financing requirements and possibilities. Some first results reveal potentials for policy adjustment. After some more refinements and specifications, the model is to be used interactively with Ministry representatives for scenario calculations to support policy-making and strategy development for rural development in Saxony-Anhalt.rural development, interactive programming, EAFRD, multi-level co-financing, Saxony-Anhalt, Agricultural and Food Policy, Agricultural Finance, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Public Economics,

Hauptstadtrolle Berlins: wirtschaftlich ein Gewinn, fiskalisch ein Verlust

Berlin hat durch die Übernahme der Hauptstadtfunktion spürbare wirtschaftliche Impulse erhalten. Sie ergeben sich ausder Präsenz und der laufenden Arbeit der hauptstadtbezogenen Bundeseinrichtungen sowie aus der in ihrem Umfeld angesiedelten Botschaften, Interessenvertretungen und Medienbüros. Darüber hinaus ist Berlin durch seine neue Rolleattraktiver für Besucher und Investoren geworden. Die insgesamt daraus resultierenden Effekte für die Wirtschaft Berlinssind für sich genommen zwar beträchtlich (Bruttowertschöpfung: +2,4 %, Zahl der Arbeitsplätze: +34 000); dies ändert allerdings nichts an dem immer noch großen wirtschaftlichen Rückstand Berlins gegenüber anderen deutschen Metropolen. In fiskalischer Hinsicht ist die Hauptstadtrolle für Berlin eher ein "Verlustgeschäft". Nach Berücksichtigung der Umverteilungen im Länderfinanzausgleich und der Kosten im Zusammenhang mit den hauptstadtbedingten Einwohnerzuwanderungen verbleiben Berlin jährliche Mehreinnahmen von lediglich 15 Mill. Euro. Dem stehen aber beträchtliche hauptstadtbedingte Aufwendungen - z. B. im Bereich der öffentlichen Sicherheit - gegenüber, die bisher nur teilweise durch Zahlungen des Bundes ausgeglichen werden.

Using a dual plasma process to produce cobalt--polypyrrole catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells -- part II: analysing the chemical structure of the films

The chemical structure of cobalt--polypyrrole -- produced by a dual plasma process -- is analysed by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), near edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX) and extended x-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS).It is shown that only nanoparticles of a size of 3\,nm with the low temperature crystal structure of cobalt are present within the compound. Besides that, cobalt--nitrogen and carbon--oxygen structures are observed. Furthermore, more and more cobalt--nitrogen structures are produced when increasing the magnetron power. Linking the information on the chemical structure to the results about the catalytic activity of the films -- which are presented in part I of this contribution -- it is concluded that the cobalt--nitrogen structures are the probable catalytically active sites. The cobalt--nitrogen bond length is calculated as 2.09\,\AA\ and the carbon--nitrogen bond length as 1.38\,\AA