THE IMPACT OF TECHNICAL BARRIERS ON US-EU AGRO-FOOD TRADE

Controversial aspects exist in the current debate on the application of Non Tariff Measures (NTMs) on agro-food trade. This study intends to offer an evaluation of the trade impact of both non-technical and technical NTMs on the US-EU bilateral trade, the two major players in WTO negotiations. The results show two main structural differences between the EU and US borders: technical NTMs are preferred in the US, while in the EU the opposite is true; agro-food imports in the US face a number of NTMs more than double that of the EU. Gravity model estimates confirm the negative impact of NTMs on trade. However, safety technical requirements seem to have a positive effect on trade, probably as a consequence of lower transaction, monitoring and enforcing costs.International Relations/Trade,

THE IMPACT OF EU AND US AGRO-FOOD NON TARIFF MEASURES ON EXPORTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Aim of the paper is to appraise the impact of EU and US non tariff measures on agro-food exports from African, Asian and South-American developing countries. After an inventory description of these measures, a gravity model is estimated. The results offer a measure of the impact of the different type of technical (i.e. labeling and standard requirement for both safety and non safety matters) and non-technical (i.e. import licensing and authorization requirements) provisions and of the different degree of application of the same measures, on the agro-food export from developing countries.International Relations/Trade,

The NAFTA Agreement and Market Integration Among Canada, US and Mexico: The Role of Non-Tariff Measures

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of non-tariff measures (NTM) on NAFTA agro-food trade comparing the measures implemented at the borders of participating countries, Canada, United States and Mexico, and evaluating the impact of those NTM still implemented within the NAFTA area on agro-food market integration by estimating different gravity models for the agro-food industry as a whole and for particularly relevant product categories. The overall results from the gravity model offer a measure of the impact of the different types of technical provisions and of the different degree of application of the same measure, on the agro-food trade in the NAFTA area. The picture emerging from the estimates is quite complex: overall, a net trade creation effect seems to prevail, even though the results cannot be unambigously generalized, because they are conditional to product groups and country-specific measures.International Relations/Trade,

5g and Iot digital era: the transformation of mobile network operators into end-to-end solution providers

The forthcoming 5G and IoT large-scale implementation reveals new business opportunities in completely new sectors that mobile network operators should seize. This survey paper wants to identify the necessary transformations such operators must undergo to build a sustainable competitive advantage in the future industry. A qualitative research composed of semi-structured interviews incumbents’stronger intent of diversification and creates the base for strategic recommendations.A sample of recent actions carried out by mobile network operators to improve their position in the 5G and IoT environments is shown at the end of the work

Price efficiency and speculative trading in cocoa futures markets

In recent years a number of market participants called into question the efficiency of the price discovery mechanism in commodity futures markets. They believe that speculators move commodity futures markets away from their fundamentals by distorting prices and exacerbating volatility. The smoking gun of these allegations is the empirical observation that speculative buying (selling) precedes movements in the cocoa futures markets. Among soft commodities, the cocoa futures market represents an interesting case study. In the last decades, speculators open interest is increased by nearly 4 times, fuelling the apprehension of practitioners and market analysts. This paper evaluates the efficiency of the price discovery mechanism in cocoa futures markets. Results show that the price discovery mechanism in both LIFFE and NYBOT cocoa futures markets is efficient. In addition, they rule out the existence of any casual relationship between speculative activity and cocoa prices (i.e. level and volatility) at the least for the NYBOT. This evidence supports the hypothesis that successful speculators are reacting quicker than any other market participant to new information emerging from the market. That is why profitable speculative buying (selling) occurs just before the market makes a move.futures markets, efficient market hypothesis, speculation, Marketing,

The role of Erasmus+ programme in fostering European identity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Dissertação de mestrado em Relações InternacionaisOver the last decades, ERASMUS Programme has been often described as one of the symbols of the construction of European identity. With this in mind, many studies (Sigalas, 2010; Oborune, 2015; Van Mol, 2018; Tsoulakas, 2019) have dedicated their attention to the relationship that can be established between Erasmus mobility and European identity formation. Despite this effort, scholarship remains largely divided on the contribution of Erasmus to strengthen students’ European identity (Van Mol, 2009a and 2009b; Sigalas, 2006, 2009 and 2010; Mitchell, 2015). Against this backdrop, COVID-19 pandemic is challenging that possibility even further. Hence, drawing on a transactionalist approach (Deutsch, 1953; Fligstein, 2008) and applying a process tracing method (George and Bennet, 2005; Beach and Pedersen, 2010; Beach, 2019) supported by the qualitative testimony of 18 Portuguese EEG Erasmus participants in pandemic times, this research shows that the contribution of Erasmus+ programme to European identity formation can only be assessed by means of two intertwined factors: first, by considering the level of European identity felt by each student before Erasmus mobility and second, by looking at the impact on the impact of socialization processes - taking place both in university and nonuniversity environments – on that previous level of European identity, thus contributing to enhance, maintain or constrain it. In addition to this, this research also demonstrates that COVID-19 pandemic has indeed affected the ability of students to socialize, thus limiting social interaction leading to European identity formation. In sum, the findings of this research show that the Erasmus mobility predominantly contributes to enhance (average value of 61%) a prior sense of European identity via socialization, although it also leads to a null impact (average value of 39%). Having said that, it should be noted that in this research no constraining effect has been identified, yet this possibility should not be discarded as unpleasant socialization experiences may generate this outcome. Nevertheless, despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemic, the Erasmus programme has contributed to reinforce a sense of European identity in 61% of the students as socialization processes have predominantly occurred in non-university environments (with an average value of 3.75 out of 5), namely in dormitories (scaled 4 out of 5). In this respect, it is interesting to note that Erasmus+ students in pandemic times have socialized the most with Erasmus+ students (with an average value of 4 out of 5) and lived the most with Erasmus students (67 %). Ultimately, we could conclude that the Erasmus+ programme has been selffulfilling in the sense that it has contributed to reinforce a sense of European identity irrespectively of the restrictions imposed to socialization. Overall, with this research, we were able to solve the many contradictions found in previous research. In similar vein, we were able to explain how COVID-19 has affected the ability of students to socialize and why Erasmus students have still predominantly reinforced or maintained their previous sense of European identity.Ao longo das últimas décadas, o Programa ERASMUS tem sido frequentemente apresentado como um dos símbolos da construção da identidade europeia. Com base nesse pressuposto, muitos estudos (Sigalas, 2010; Oborune, 2015; Van Mol, 2018; Tsoulakas, 2019) têm procurado perceber o contributo do programa Erasmus para o reforço da identidade europeia. Apesar desse esforço, os resultados destes estudos são bastante inconclusivos e até contraditórios (Van Mol, 2009a e 2009b; Sigalas, 2006, 2009 e 2010; Mitchell, 2015). Nesse contexto particular, a pandemia COVID-19 parece ter vindo acicatar este desafio intelectual, já de si complexo e de difícil resolução. Assim, atendendo às lacunas teóricas identificadas na literatura e à pouca atenção prestada ao impacto do pandemia no funcionamento do Programa Erasmus, o contributo desta investigação é simultaneamente teórico e empírico: em primeiro lugar, este estudo oferece um mecanismo causal que permite melhorar a explicação teórica para o contributo da mobilidade Erasmus no reforço da identidade europeia; em segundo lugar, este estudo irá identificar o impacto da pandemia COVID-19 nesse mecanismo causal. Assim, partindo de uma abordagem transacional (Deutsch, 1953; Fligstein, 2008) e utilizando ‘o process tracing’ como escolha metodológica (George e Bennet, 2005; Beach and Pedersen, 2010; Beach, 2019), apoiada no testemunho qualitativo de 18 participantes Erasmus da Escola de Economia e Gestão (EEG) em tempos de pandemia, esta investigação mostra que o contributo do programa Erasmus+ para a formação da identidade europeia só poderá ser avaliada mediante a avaliação de dois fatores essenciais: primeiro, atendendo ao nível de identidade europeia sentido por cada aluno antes de realizar a mobilidade e, segundo, atendendo ao impacto que o processo de socialização - ocorridos em ambientes universitários e não universitários – exerce sobre esse sentimento de pertença anterior, contribuindo assim para aumentar, manter ou restringir este último. Em suma, os resultados desta investigação comprovam que a mobilidade Erasmus contribui para aumentar o sentimento de pertença europeia na grande maioria dos alunos, em 61%, embora 39% tenham mantido o seu nível de pertença europeia. Por outro lado, esta investigação permitiu-nos demonstrar que a pandemia COVID-19 afetou a capacidade dos alunos socializarem, limitando, portanto, a possibilidade de desenvolverem um sentimento de pertença europeia. Mesmo assim, pesa embora as restrições impostas à socialização pela situação pandémica, o programa Erasmus contribuiu para fortalecer um sentimento de pertença europeia na grande maioria dos alunos, uma vez que os processos de socialização ocorreram predominantemente em ambientes não universitários (com um valor médio de 3,75 em 5), nomeadamente em apartamentos privados/dormitórios privados (com um valor médio de 4 em 5). De igual modo, foi-nos possível verificar que os alunos Erasmus + socializaram mais com os alunos Erasmus + (com um valor médio de 4,25 em 5) e viveram mais com os alunos Erasmus (67%), pelo que o programa Erasmus + sustentou-se a si próprio, na medida em que a socialização dos alunos Erasmus com alunos Erasmus permitiu assegurar o reforço ou manutenção da pertença identitária nos alunos Erasmus, especialmente em tempos de pandemia. Em jeito de conclusão, poderemos afirmar que esta investigação ajudou-nos a resolver as múltiplas contradições presentes em investigações anteriores. De igual modo, este estudo permitiu-nos explicar como é que a pandemia COVID-19 afetou a possibilidade dos alunos socializarem entre si e sustenta, com clareza, como é que a socialização, mesmo limitada, resultou no reforço ou manutenção do sentimento de pertença europeia nos alunos que realizaram o período de mobilidade Erasmus em tempos de pandemia