TEN THESES ON THE FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Autor analizira pravce razvoja Europske unije nakon konferencije u Nici. Kako bi se stvorio prikladan i transparentan kompetencijski poredak Europske unije, u današnjoj su raspravi u prvome planu modeli koji su pozajmljeni iz ustava različitih saveznih država. Prvi model je tzv. dual federalism koji je razvijen u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama. Ovaj model nastoji striktno razdvojiti europske kompetencije i kompetencije država članica. Drugu mogućnost daje njemački Temeljni zakon. Po ovom bi modelu Europskoj uniji bile pripisane kompetencije prema sistematici isključivoga, konkurentskog i okvirnog zakonodavstva. Autor smatra da bi to dovelo do formalne transparentnosti, ali ne bi posve spriječilo preklapanje nadležnosti Unije, država članica i drugih teritorijalnih jedinica. U tekstu se posebna pažnja poklanja transparentnosti i učinkovitosti reformskog procesa te naglašava da bi valjalo međusobno smisleno usuglasiti vodoravne i okomite reforme kompetencijskog poretka. Što se tiče demokracije, autor smatra da nije potreban novi model demokracije, nego sustavna revizija postojećega sustava odlučivanja u Europskoj uniji. Povrh toga, prava demokratizacija ne bi ciljala samo na reformu institucijskih reguliranja, nego i na jačanje instancija posredovanja. To bi značilo bolji odnos javnosti i parlamenata nacionalnih država te federalnih jedinica u europskim pitanjima. Uz to i pojačano širenje europskih stranačkih organizacija te djelotvornije “europeiziranje” središnjih udruga i ustanova za zastupanje interesa. Na kraju autor raspravlja i o tradicionalnim granicama javnog i privatnog. Javni bi sektor preuzeo od privatnoga gospodarstva iskušane postupke ili bi mu u potpunosti prepustio neke zadatake. S time u vezi trebali bi postojati i jasni kriteriji. Pritom je kao jamstvo inovacija, ekonomičnosti i zaštite od zloporabe nužna učinkovita kontrola od strane parlamenta i vladinih tijela. Ovo bi moglo pomoći da se Europa učini mjestom zajedništva i kooperativnog ponašanja.The author analyses the direction that the European Union has taken after the Nice conference. In order to create an appropriate and transparent competency system for the European Union, the priority on today’s agenda are the models borrowed from the constitutions of different federal states. The first model is the socalled dual federalism that evolved in the United States. This model aspires to strictly separate the European competency and the member countries’ competency. The second option has been provided by the German Fundamental Law (Constitution). According to this model, the European Union would be accorded competences in line with the systematics of the exclusive, competitive and comprehensive legislation. The author is of the opinion that this would lead to a sort of formal transparency but would not completely prevent the overlapping of the competences of the Union, its member countries and other territorial units. A special focus is given to the transparency and efficacy of the reform process. Also, it is emphasized that a coherent coordination of the horizontal and vertical reform of the competency system is called for. Regarding democracy, the author thinks there is no need for a new model of democracy, but a systematic revision of the existing system of decision-making in the European Union. Besides, a genuine democratization would not set its sights solely on reforming institutional regulation, but also on strengthening the mediation bodies. This would improve the relations between the public and the parliaments of the nation-states and the federal units concerning European issues. This would go hand in hand with an expansion of European party organizations and a more efficient “Europeization” of central associations and institutions for interestpromotion. And finally, the author looks into the traditional boundaries between the private and the public. The public sector would take over from private economy some established procedures or would completely hand over certain tasks. This would require well-defined criteria. Also, an efficient control by parliaments and government bodies is necessary as a guarantee of innovation and cost-effectiveness and as a protection against abuse. This might help to turn Europe into a place of unity and cooperative behaviour

The cross-sectional GRAS sample: A comprehensive phenotypical data collection of schizophrenic patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Schizophrenia is the collective term for an exclusively clinically diagnosed, heterogeneous group of mental disorders with still obscure biological roots. Based on the assumption that valuable information about relevant genetic and environmental disease mechanisms can be obtained by association studies on patient cohorts of ≥ 1000 patients, if performed on detailed clinical datasets and quantifiable biological readouts, we generated a new schizophrenia data base, the GRAS (Göttingen Research Association for Schizophrenia) data collection. GRAS is the necessary ground to study genetic causes of the schizophrenic phenotype in a 'phenotype-based genetic association study' (PGAS). This approach is different from and complementary to the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on schizophrenia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>For this purpose, 1085 patients were recruited between 2005 and 2010 by an invariable team of traveling investigators in a cross-sectional field study that comprised 23 German psychiatric hospitals. Additionally, chart records and discharge letters of all patients were collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The corresponding dataset extracted and presented in form of an overview here, comprises biographic information, disease history, medication including side effects, and results of comprehensive cross-sectional psychopathological, neuropsychological, and neurological examinations. With >3000 data points per schizophrenic subject, this data base of living patients, who are also accessible for follow-up studies, provides a wide-ranging and standardized phenotype characterization of as yet unprecedented detail.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The GRAS data base will serve as prerequisite for PGAS, a novel approach to better understanding 'the schizophrenias' through exploring the contribution of genetic variation to the schizophrenic phenotypes.</p

Erneuerung der Politik von unten?: Stadtpolitik u. kommunale Selbstverwaltung im Umbruch

SIGLEAvailable from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel C 140775 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Oekonomischer Strukturwandel und Regionalpolitik im internationalen Vergleich

SIGLEAvailable from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel C 156583 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman