The Double Voluntarism in EU Social Dialogue and Employment Policy

In this article, we analyse the development of new modes of governance in EU employment and social policy over the past two decades. In this field, a number of innovations can be observed. First, with the Maastricht Treaty, the right to draw up legislation was given to European social partners. Second, with the European Employment Strategy and the Open Method of Coordination, new instruments of coordinating national policies were introduced to EU policy-making. Recently, the latter instrument was incorporated into the social dialogue. Hence, we contend that a double voluntarism takes places that not only delegates responsibility for social policy to the social partners but also relies on soft rather than on hard law

Comparison of performance and fitness traits in German Angler, Swedish Red and Swedish Polled with Holstein dairy cattle breeds under organic production

Although the use of local breeds is recommended by organic regulations, breed comparisons performed under organic production conditions with similar production intensities are scarce. Therefore, we compared data of local and widely used Holstein dairy cattle breeds from 2011 to 2015 regarding production, fertility and health from German and Swedish organic farms with similar management intensities within country. In Germany, the energy-corrected total milk yield tended to be lower in the local breed Original Angler Cattle (AAZ, 5193 kg) compared to the modern German Holstein Friesian breed (HO, 5620 kg), but AAZ showed higher milk fat and protein contents (AAZ v. HO: 5.09% v. 4.18% and 3.61% v. 3.31%, respectively). In Sweden, the widely used modern Swedish Holstein (SH) breed had the highest milk yield (9209 kg, fat: 4.10%, protein: 3.31%), while the local Swedish Polled (SKB) showed highest milk yield, fat and protein contents (6169 kg, 4.47%, 3.50%, respectively), followed by the local breed Swedish Red (SRB, 8283 kg, 4.33%, 3.46%, respectively). With regard to fertility characteristics, the German breeds showed no differences, but AAZ tended to have less days open compared to HO (−17 days). In Sweden, breeds did not differ with regard to calving interval, but both local breeds showed a lower number of days open (−10.4 in SRB and −24.1 in SKB compared to SH), and SKB needed fewer inseminations until conception (−0.5 inseminations) compared to SH. Proportion of test day records with a somatic cell count content of ≥100 000 cells per ml milk did not reveal breed differences in any of the two countries. German breeds did not differ regarding the proportion of cows with veterinary treatments. In Sweden, SRB showed the lowest proportion of cows with general veterinary treatment as well as specific treatment due to udder problems (22.8 ± 6.42 and 8.05 ± 2.18, respectively), but the local breed SKB did not differ from SH in either of the two traits. In Sweden, we found no breed differences regarding veterinary treatments due to fertility problems or diagnosis of claw or leg problems during claw trimming. Our results indicate a stronger expression of the antagonism between production and functional traits with increasing production intensity. Future breed comparisons, therefore, need to consider different production intensities within organic farming in order to derive practical recommendations as to how to implement European organic regulations with regard to a suitable choice of breeds

Der doppelte Voluntarismus in der EU-Sozial- und Beschäftigungspolitik

This article analyzes the emergence of new modes of Governance in EU social and employment policy since the beginning of the 1990s. Developments in two directions are shown: As far as negative integration is concerned, supranational centralization has gained importance. In contrast, positive integration is increasingly characterized by "soft", co-operative modes of governance. If governments fail to reach a consensus on the transfer of competences to the European level, they increasingly resort to non-binding instruments. In particular with regard to Social Dialog a "twofold voluntarism" – on the level of procedures and contents – emerges. Taking both developments into account, we neither find evidence that hierarchy as a relevant mode of EU governance vanishes, nor do we detect a convergence of governance modes in different policy fields

Technical design and commissioning of the KATRIN large-volume air coil system

The KATRIN experiment is a next-generation direct neutrino mass experiment with a sensitivity of 0.2 eV (90% C.L.) to the effective mass of the electron neutrino. It measures the tritium $\beta$-decay spectrum close to its endpoint with a spectrometer based on the MAC-E filter technique. The $\beta$-decay electrons are guided by a magnetic field that operates in the mT range in the central spectrometer volume; it is fine-tuned by a large-volume air coil system surrounding the spectrometer vessel. The purpose of the system is to provide optimal transmission properties for signal electrons and to achieve efficient magnetic shielding against background. In this paper we describe the technical design of the air coil system, including its mechanical and electrical properties. We outline the importance of its versatile operation modes in background investigation and suppression techniques. We compare magnetic field measurements in the inner spectrometer volume during system commissioning with corresponding simulations, which allows to verify the system's functionality in fine-tuning the magnetic field configuration. This is of major importance for a successful neutrino mass measurement at KATRIN.Comment: 32 pages, 16 figure

MRI and venographic aspects of pelvic venous insufficiency.

Pelvic venous insufficiency is a frequent pathology in multiparous women. Diagnosis can be made by chance or suspected in the case of symptoms suggesting pelvic congestion syndrome or atypical lower limb varicosity fed by pelvic leaks. After ultrasound confirmation, dynamic venography is the reference pretherapeutic imaging technique, searching for pelvic varicosity and possible leaks to the lower limbs. MRI is less invasive and allows a three-dimensional study of the varicosity and, with dynamic angiography, it can assess ovarian reflux. It also helps to plan or even sometimes avoid diagnostic venography

Was tun im Niedriglohnbereich? Eine kritische Auseinandersetzung mit einem neueren Kombilohnkonzept

Das von einer Forschergruppe um Prof. Dr. Peter Bofinger entwickelte Kombilohnmodell bessert die Situation auf dem Arbeitsmarkt kaum. Würde es umgesetzt, entstünden nur wenige neue Arbeitsplätze, während viele Geringverdiener Einbußen erleiden würden. Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt eine Analyse des Instituts für Makroökonomie und Konjunkturforschung (IMK) und des Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Instituts (WSI). Die beiden Forschungsinstitute in der Hans-Böckler-Stiftung unterstützen aber den Bofinger-Ansatz, die Subventionen für Minijobs abzuschaffen, weil so die Verdrängung regulärer Beschäftigung gestoppt werden könne. Zudem empfehlen IMK und WSI einen existenzsichernden Mindestlohn und auf begrenzte Zielgruppen zugeschnittene Lohnzuschüsse als sinnvolle Komponenten für eine Reform des Niedriglohnsektors.In Germany the discussion about wage subsidies continues. Most recently it has concentrated on a model developed by a research team of Professor Bofinger and other economists, who suggest that the employee's share of the social security contributions should be subsidised via a negative income tax for low-paid employees, whose weekly working time exceeds a defined minimum. This is combined with a minimum wage of 4.50 euros. If this concept were applied, it would create only a limited number of new jobs, while the income of a large number of low-paid employees would decline. This is the result of an analysis by the Institute of Social and Economic Research (WSI) and the Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK). However, both research institutes of the Hans-Boeckler-Foundation support Professor Bofinger's proposal to abolish subsidies for marginal employment (so-called "Minijobs" of up to 400 euros per month). At the same time the WSI and the IMK recommend the introduction of a minimum wage that ensures a decent living. This should be much higher than the proposed 4.50 euros. For limited time periods and special target groups wage subsidies might make sense as an additional measure

Raufutter als Alleinfutter für Kaninchen – Auswirkungen auf das Fettsäurenmuster des Fleisches

Four groups of eight New Zealand hybrid rabbits were fed ryegrass meal only, alfalfa meal only, ryegrass and oats 1:1, or alfalfa and oats 1:1. Diets were offered ad libitum in pelleted form from 5-30 weeks of age, when they were slaughtered. Intramuscular fatty acid profiles were determined in the Musculus quadriceps of the left hindleg. Feed intake was not statistically different between the four groups, nor was carcass weight. The main effect of the forage-only diets on the fatty acid profiles was a decrease of monounsaturated and an increase of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) proportions. Within PUFA, the n-3 fatty acids more than doubled with forage-only compared to forage-oats diets, while the n-6 fatty acids slightly decreased. In general, the proportion of n-3 fatty acids in intramuscular fat of forage-only fed rabbits was extraordinarily high compared to any other meat of agricultural origin. The results demonstrate a specific advantage of roughage-based diets in the nutrition of productive herbivores, which is also known for ruminants