Will Baltic Agriculture Survive After EU Accession?

International Relations/Trade,

Comparing measures of competitiveness

In their Europe Agreements with the EU, the Central and Eastern European countries stated their intention of joining the Union. To ease the process of accession these countries must adjust their economies already prior to becoming an EU-member. Agriculture requires special attention, because it still represents a large share of the total economy in these countries. A better understanding of the competitiveness of agricultural products at domestic and EU markets is essential for providing the necessary economic framework to make the process of joining the EU as smooth as possible.Competitiveness can be analyzed at various levels of the economy: at the enterprise level, the sector level, or the level of the entire economy. Several measures exist for each of these levels. This paper focuses on those used for sector analysis. Since the measures commonly employed for this purpose do not deliver the same results, a better understanding of the underlying causes is necessary. This paper discusses the differences between the various indicators. It identifies the factors leading to disagreement in the results obtained. -- G E R M A N V E R S I O N: In den Assoziierungsabkommen mit der EU haben die mittel- und osteuropäischen Länder ihr Interesse an einer EU-Mitgliedschaft bekundet. Um den Integrationsprozeß zu erleichtern, müssen diese Länder ihre Wirtschaft anpassen. Die Landwirtschaft verdient dabei besondere Aufmerksamkeit, da sie einen nicht geringen Anteil an der gesamten wirtschaftlichen Leistung erbringt. Kenntnis über die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit landwirtschaftlicher Produkte dieser Länder ermöglicht es, die ökonomischen Voraussetzungen für einen möglichst reibungslosen Übergang in die EU zu erreichen. Wettbewerbsfähigkeit läßt sich auf verschiedenen Stufen der Wirtschaft messen; auf betrieblicher Ebene, für einen Sektor oder für die gesamte Volkswirtschaft. Auf jeder dieser Stufen gibt es verschiedene Indikatoren. In diesem Diskussionspapier werden solche Indikatoren beschrieben, die zur Messung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit auf sektoraler Ebene herangezogen werden können. Da sich die Meßzahlen unterscheiden und auch nicht zwingend die gleichen Ergebnisse liefern, ist die Kenntnis der Gründe für diese Abweichungen in den Ergebnissen sehr wichtig. Dieses Papier untersucht und beschreibt die Faktoren, die zu derartigen Unterschieden führen.

Intensity distribution of non-linear scattering states

We investigate the interplay between coherent effects characteristic of the propagation of linear waves, the non-linear effects due to interactions, and the quantum manifestations of classical chaos due to geometrical confinement, as they arise in the context of the transport of Bose-Einstein condensates. We specifically show that, extending standard methods for non-interacting systems, the body of the statistical distribution of intensities for scattering states solving the Gross-Pitaevskii equation is very well described by a local Gaussian ansatz with a position-dependent variance. We propose a semiclassical approach based on interfering classical paths to fix the single parameter describing the universal deviations from a global Gaussian distribution. Being tail effects, rare events like rogue waves characteristic of non-linear field equations do not affect our results.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Proceedings MARIBOR 201

INDUCTION OF A HEMOLYSIN RESPONSE IN VITRO : INTERACTION OF CELLS OF BONE MARROW ORIGIN AND THYMIC ORIGIN

The immune response to foreign erythrocytes was studied in vitro. Two subpopulations of cells were prepared. One was a population of bone marrow-derived spleen cells, taken from thymectomized, irradiated, and bone marrow-reconstituted mice; there was evidence that most of the precursors of the PFC had been present in this cell population, but few PFC developed in cultures of these cells alone in the presence of immunogenic erythrocytes. Another cell suspension was made from spleens of mice which had been irradiated and injected with thymus cells and erythrocytes; these cells were called educated T cells. The two cell suspensions together allow the formation of PFC in the presence of the erythrocytes which were used to educate the T cells, but not in the presence of noncross-reacting erythrocytes. If bone marrow-derived cells and T cells were kept in culture together with two different species of erythrocytes, and if one of the erythrocytes had been used to educate the T cells, then PFC against each of the erythrocytes could be detected

INDUCTION OF A HEMOLYSIN RESPONSE IN VITRO : II. INFLUENCE OF THE THYMUS-DERIVED CELLS DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANTIBODY-PRODUCING CELLS

Spleen cells of bone marrow chimeras (B cells) and of irradiated mice injected with thymus cells and heterologous erythrocytes (educated T cells) were mixed and cultured together (17). The number of PFC developing in these cultures was dependent both on the concentration of the B cells and of the educated T cells. In excess of T cells the number of developing PFC is linearly dependent on the number of B cells. At high concentrations of T cells more PFC developed; the increase in the number of PFC was greatest between the 3rd and 4th day of culture. Increased numbers of educated T cells also assisted the development of PFC directed against the erythrocytes. It is concluded that the T cells not only play a role during the triggering of the precursor cells but also during the time of proliferation of the B cells; close contact between B and T cells seems to be needed to allow the positive activity of the T cells

Der Weg zum KIT : von der jahrzehntelangen Zusammenarbeit des Forschungszentrums Karlsruhe mit der Universität Karlsruhe (TH) zur Gründung des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie. Eine Darstellung nach den Aussagen von Zeitzeugen

Die Entstehung des Karlsruher Instituts für Technolgie (KIT) wird als Prozess beschrieben, der auf jahrzehntelanger Annäherung der 2009 zum KIT vereinigten Partner beruhte. Bei der Gründung des Kernforschungszentrums Karlsruhe begann 1956 eine Zusammenarbeit mit der Technischen Hochschule Karlsruhe, die über gemeinsame Berufungen und Institutsgründungen hin zu einer strategischen Partnerschaft und schließlich zur Fusionsidee im Rahmen des Exzellenzwettbewerbs des Bundes und der Länder führte

Konsequenzen der Integration im Agrar- und Ernährungssektor zwischen Beitrittsländern und EU-15

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Konsequenzen der Integration im Agrar- und Ernäh-rungssektor zwischen den mittel- und osteuropäischen Anrainerstaaten und der EU. Die Analyse weist auf erhebliche strukturelle Probleme in vielen der zehn mitteleuropäischen Beitrittsländer (MEL) im Agrarbereich hin. So hat der Transformationsprozess in den meisten der MEL zu einer zum Teil bedeutenden Fragmentierung der Agrarstruktur geführt. Hier-durch wird die effiziente Nutzung der gegebenen Produktionsfaktoren zumindest mittel- und langfristig erschwert. Darüber hinaus wird die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Land- sowie der Er-nährungswirtschaft durch das niedrige Investitionsniveau behindert. Weitere Probleme erge-ben sich im nachgelagerten Sektor als Folge erheblicher Überkapazitäten und Mängel in den Bereichen Produkt- sowie Prozeßqualität. Verzögerungen bzw. Unterlassungen in der Gestal-tung und Entwicklung von Institutionen haben in der Vergangenheit zu einer Verstärkung der genannten Unzulänglichkeiten geführt bzw. sind ein Grund, warum die aufgezeigten Defizite ein erhebliches Beharrungsvermögen aufweisen. Ein bedeutender Produktionsanstieg in der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft der MEL ist als Folge eines EU-Beitritts nicht zu erwarten. Dies bestätigen auch die hier vorgestellten Simulationsrechnungen. Die Modellanalysen zeigen darüber hinaus, daß durch die Übernahme der EU-Agrarpolitik mit finanziellen Auswirkungen sowohl für die Landwirtschaft als auch die Verbraucher in den MEL zu rech-nen ist. Die Einnahmen der Landwirtschaft inklusive der Bodeneigentümer nehmen in einer Größenordnung von 6,8 Mrd. Euro p. a. zu. Die Verbraucher erleiden dagegen Wohlfahrts-verluste von etwa 0,4 Mrd. Euro. Die Marktordnungskosten, die aus dem EU-Haushalt finan-ziert werden, betragen knapp 7,5 Mrd. Euro. In den Beitrittsländern sind noch erhebliche Anstrengungen notwendig, um die Landwirt-schaft und besonders die Verarbeitungsindustrie in ihrer Wettbewerbskraft zu stärken, damit sie gegen die erhöhte Konkurrenz in einer erweiterten EU bestehen können. Zwei Bereiche kommen hierfür insbesondere in Frage; die Auflösung des Reformstaus bei der Gestaltung und Entwicklung von Institutionen sowie die Implementierung effizienter agrar- und regio-nalpolitische Maßnahmen. -- E N G L I S H V E R S I O N: The consequences of integration of the agricultural and food sectors between the Central and Eastern European candidate countries and the EU are investigated in this paper. The analysis indicates substantial structural problems in the agricultural sector of most Central European countries (CECs). In most of these countries, the transition process resulted in a highly frag-mented farm structure. This impedes the efficient use of the given production factors, at least in the medium and long term. Furthermore, the competitiveness of both sectors is hampered by low investments. Additional problems in the downstream sector are the result of signifi-cant excess capacities and insufficient product and process qualities. Delays and failures in creating and developing institutions has led to a reinforcement of these problems and is an important reason why these deficits are very persistent. EU-accession of the CECs will not result in a significant increase in production of agriculture and the food processing industry. This is confirmed by simulation results presented in this paper. Moreover, the analysis shows that farmers including land owners in CECs are likely to benefit from the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU at about 6,8 billion Euro per annum. In contrast, consumers may suffer a relatively small annual welfare loss of about 0,4 billion Euro. The CAP expenditures financed by the EU-budget amount up to 7,5 billion Euro per year. In the acceding countries, great efforts are still required to strengthen the competitiveness of agriculture and food processors so that they are able to stand up to the strong competition prevailing in the EU. For this, two aspects are particularly important; to make much stronger progress in creating new and adjusting existing institutions as well as to implement efficient agricultural and regional policies.

VISUALIZATION METHODS FOR EVALUATION OF FEASIBLE SEPARATIONS OF AZEOTROPIC MIXTURES

In this study the visualization system AVS (Application Visualization System) is applied. This tool is provided with a module library for userfriendly modelling of systems under study. Three data viewers are implemented: Image Viewer, Graph Viewer and Geometry Viewer allowing the graphical representation of multidimensional data fields as the boiling and dew temperatures as a function of the composition. By using special modules the graphical representations can be characterized by colours, brightness and other effects; by the zoom module the scale can be varied; there are also possibilities for the animation of the objects under study, the representation of isolines, for example of temperature or driving forces, as well as the calculation and representation of vector fields. The last option makes it possible to construct representation combining information about the residue curve map and the temperature surface

Environmental management as situated practice

We propose an analysis of environmental management (EM) as work and as practical activity. This approach enables empirical studies of the diverse ways in which professionals, scientists, NGO staffers, and activists achieve the partial manageability of specific “environments”. In this introduction, we sketch the debates in Human Geography, Management Studies, Science and Technology Studies to which this special issue contributes. We identify the limits of understanding EM though the framework of ecological modernization, and show how political ecology and work- place studies provide important departures towards a more critical approach. Developing these further, into a cosmopolitical direction, we propose studying EM as sets of socially and materially situated practices. This enables a shift away from established approaches which treat EM either as a toolbox whose efficiency has to be assessed, or as simply the implementation of dominant projects and the materialisation of hegemonic discourse. Such a shift renders EM as always messy practices of engagement, critique and improvisation. We conclude that studying the distributed and situated managing agencies, actors and their practices allows to imagine new forms of critical interventions