Structural Changes and Global Trends in European Union Trade

The article aims at researching and presenting structural changes and global trends in distributive trade of European Union, resulted from liberalization of economic activities within the EU. During the last decades, EU trade went through deep transformation and structural changes. Traditional distributive trade has been replaced by organized and concentrated distribution. Even though, there are many developing trends which unify the EU trade, still there are some differences specific for particular countries. Level of development, structure of trade network, as well as structure of retail forms, differ from one country to another. Developing patterns of retail forms differ from one country to another. For instance, hypermarkets have reached mature stage in France, Germany and Belgium, just have started developing in Italy and are in developing stage in Spain. “Hard” discount shops are already one mature concept in Germany and Netherlands, while in France, they have just started developing. Regardless of differences between particular national and regional markets within EU, almost all countries participate in increased trend of internationalization, concentration and dislocation of traditional retail towards modern sale forms, which have more subsidiaries. However, degree of concentration in some countries is still quite different. While just a few companies control the markets in Scandinavia, France, Great Britain and Germany; in Italy there is not a company with similar comparable size or market strength. Trend of business globalization have emphasized the area of international retail as an important topic. With process of retail internationalization – retail has turned into a global industry quite fast.trade, retail, globalization, internationalization, concentration

Marginal abatement costs for reducing leaching of nitrates in Croatian agriculture

The aim of this paper is to estimate marginal abatement costs (MAC) of N-fertiliser tax policies which aim to prevent NO3 levels from rising. Estimates of MAC provide information on how large reductions in Nfertilisation rates should be before other measures are considered. Based on N-response experiments from Croatian field trials with maize, N-response curves were estimated and profit maximising N-doses were derived. Values of NO3-N concentration in lysimeter water from the same treatments were used to estimate an NO3-leaching function. A sample of 20 Croatian family farms was used to obtain records of producer and input prices as well as actual N-doses. Abatement costs and MAC for an N-tax, a product tax and an Nquota were estimated. The MAC for all the instruments are non-constant and increase at an accelerating rate. The MAC for N-taxes are positive for N-taxes lower than 60%, indicating a net return to society. Reduction rates in fertilisation up to this level should be achieved before considering governmental support for other measures. The N-tax has the lowest abatement cost and the lowest MAC for a particular level of reduction while the N-quota has a lower MAC than the product tax when total reduction levels are below 20 mg NO3 l-1

INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT TEHNOLOGICAL PROCESSES DURING FERMENTATION ON WINE QUALITY OF SYRAH

Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) je kultivar toplijih područja. U vinogorju Kutjevo uzgaja se unazad nekoliko godina iako klimatski uvjeti u pravilu nisu idealni za ovaj kultivar. Cilj rada je bio prikazati kako različitim tehnološkim postupcima tijekom vinifikacije i proizvodnjom različitih stilova vina možemo postići optimalnu kakvoću vina. Istraživanje je provedeno na tri različita uzorka ovisno o trajanju i tipu maceracije. Prvi uzorak dobiven je nakon maceracije od 24 sata, pri čemu je odvojen samotok, a ostatak masulja je ostavljen na maceraciji narednih 15 dana, kod trećeg uzorka maceracija je trajala 15 dana bez odvajanja samotoka.Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivar warmer areas. In Kutjevo vineyards are grown in the last few years, although climatic conditions are usually not ideal for this cultivar. The aim was to show how different technological processes during vinification and production of various styles of wine we can achieve optimum quality wines. The study was conducted on three different samples depending on the duration and type of maceration. The first sample was obtained after maceration of 24 hours, wherein the separate dripping, and the rest of the mash is left for maceration for the next 15 days, a third sample maceration lasted 15 days without separation of the honeycomb

MARGINAL ABATEMENT COSTS FOR REDUCING LEACHING OF NITRATES IN CROATIAN FARMING SYSTEMS

The aim of this paper is to identify optional ways of preventing NO3-levels from rising within Croatian farming systems, and the implications from the viewpoint of the manager. More specifically, the purpose is to 1) Determine whether Croatian farmers exceed profit maximising levels of N-fertilizer use in maize cultivation, and its possible influence on NO3 N-levels. 2) To estimate the marginal abatement cost (MAC), at the farm level, of reducing NO3 N leaching through the following instruments: a tax on optimal N-doses, a product tax and an N-fertiliser quota and a requirement for all instruments to correspond to the same abatement level. Based on. N-response experiment from feld trial for maize N-response curves were estimated. A sample of 20 family farms was used for calculating intensity, nutrient content in manure, and the prices paid for N and obtained for maize. Profit maximising doses from the field trials were compared with the use of nutrients on farms. An effluent production function was estimated based on experiments with NO3 N contents in lysimeter water for the same treatment levels as those in the N-response experiments. The results indicate that farmers use higher than optimal levels of N-fertilisers, if the manure is fully accounted for. In this case the estimated NO3 N/1 level in groundwater is 162-192% higher than the critical level stipulated by the Nitrate Directive. Neglecting the N-content in manure shows close to profit maximising nutrient levels. At this fertilising level the estimated NO3/1 is approximately 62 mg NO3/1 or clearly higher that the critical level stipulated by the nitrate directive (50 mg NO3/1). Through any of the three instruments a 76% NO3-leaching reduction could be obtained. It was concluded, however, that the quota has the lowest MAC (0.92 euro/mg NO3/1) followed by the N-fertiliser tax (3.65 euro/mg NO3/1), and the product tax comes in third place (9.32 euro/mg NO3/1). Management practices that may increase yield levels, and correspondingly NO3-leaching in the short and long run, were also identified. One way to achieve a quick improvement might be a system of cross compliance, stipulating a code of good agricultural practices.Marginal abatement cost, N-response, Nitrate Directive, Taxes, Effluent production function, Croatia., Environmental Economics and Policy, Q12, Q25,

Farm level cost of reducing nitrate leaching by economic instruments in Croatian farming systems

Croatian farming systems have become more intensive in recent years. There is some evidence of rising NO3-N-levels in ground water. The aim of the paper is to find pos-sible ways of preventing NO3-levels to rise in Croatian farming systems and their im-plications from the viewpoint of the manager. More specifically the purpose is to 1. Determine whether Croatian farmers exceed profit maximising levels of N-fertiliser use in maize cultivation and possible influence on NO3-N-levels. 2. To estimate the marginal abatement cost (MAC) at farm level of reducing NO3-N leaching through following economic instruments: a tax on optimal N-doses, a product tax and a N-fertiliser quota, all instruments corresponding to the same abatement level. Based on N-response experiments from field trials for maize N-response curves were derived. A sample of 20 family farms was used to calculate intensity, nutrient content in manure and the prices paid for N and obtained for maize. Profit maximising doses from the field trials were compared with nutrient use on farms. An effluent production function was estimated based on experiments with NO3-N contents in lysimeter water for the same treatments as in the N-response experiments. The results indicate that farmers use higher than optimal levels of N-fertilisers, if the technology and conditions of experimental fields could be applied on the farms and if manure is accounted for. Neglecting the N-content of the manure shows close to optimal nutrient levels. At profit maximising levels the NO3-N level is approximately 14 mg NO3-N/l (62 mg NO3/l) or clearly higher that the critical level stipulated by the nitrate directive (11.3 mg NO3-N/l or 50 mg NO3/l). If the N-content in the manure is taken into account the esti-mated NO3-N/l level in groundwater is about twice higher than the critical level stipulated by the Nitrate Directive. Through any of the three instruments a 76% NO3-leaching reduction could be obtained. However, it was concluded the quota has the lowest MAC (4.08 /mg NO3-N/l or 0.92 /mg NO3/l), followed by the N-fertiliser tax (16.16 /mg NO3-N/l or 3.65 /mg NO3/l) and the product tax in third place (41.25 /mg NO3-N/l or 9.32 /mg NO3/l). Management practices that may increase yield level and correspondingly NO3-leaching in the short and long run were identified. One way to achieve a quick improvement would be a system of cross compliance stipulating a code of good agricultural practices.Farm Management,

Statistical Mechanics and Schramm-Loewner Evolution with Applications to Crack Propagation Processes

Schramm-Loewner Evolution (SLE) has both mathematical and physical roots that extend as far back as the early 20th century. We present the progression of these humble roots from the Ideal Gas Law, all the way to the renormalization group and conformal field theory, to better understand the impact SLE has had on modern statistical mechanics. We then explore the potential application of the percolation exploration process to crack propagation processes, illustrating the interplay between mathematics and physics

Fracture mechanisms of polycrystalline advanced ceramics

Polycrystalline advanced ceramics are synthetic products produced by sintering together selected ceramics grains in a metal matrix serving as a binder. In order to be able to propose their optimisation, achieving high performance cutting and leading to reduced operating costs and improved working environment, relevant fracture mechanisms involved in their failure need to be determined. In this work, experimental results of plane strain fracture toughness obtained earlier on single-edge-V-notched-beam specimens were supported with microscopy analysis. These findings establish a clear connection between the fracture toughness results and the fracture mechanisms visible on and beneath the fracture surfaces, revealing adiabatic conditions that occur at the crack tip during fracture

Spatial Variability of Penetration Resistance on Pseudogley

Usually large numbers of measurements are required to describe spatial variability of soil resistance but GIS technology with interpolations methods make it possible to estimate data from unsampled locations. In this paper cone index (CI) measurements were made in two occasions in 2.88 ha field in central Croatia to present soil condition. A commonly used tillage operation consists of ploughing (about 30 cm depth) and disc harrowing (12 - 15 cm), and they are practiced on annual basis. Measurements (240) were taken according sample grid in 48 different 24 x 25 m2 fields. Cone index (CI) data were interpolated using geostatistical techniques (ordinary kriging) to produce the maps of soil resistance. These maps combined with expert knowledge can provide good direction for applying appropriate soil management. Our results demonstrate that the investigated layers had variable spatial structures in terms of their linear trends. This suggests that each layer has a unique spatial structure possibly as consequence of pedogenetic processes, tillage operations and changes influenced by drainage and leveling operations. The results presented here describe spatial variability of soil resistance of a drained Pseudogley of Central Croatia, measured as CI in a field conditions. Tillage practices caused the formation of a plow pan at a depth 30 – 40 cm where the maximum CI values were obtained. According to the values of penetration resistance the tillage practices should be changed if we consider improved conditions for plant roots development