The EU’s competences : The ‘vertical’ perspective on the multilevel system

From the outset, European integration was about the transfer of powers from the national to the European level, which evolved as explicit bargaining among governments or as an incremental drift. This process was reframed with the competence issue entering the agenda of constitutional policy. It now concerns the shape of the European multilevel polity as a whole, in particular the way in which powers are allocated, delimited and linked between the different levels. This Living Review article summarises research on the relations between the EU and the national and sub-national levels of the member states, in particular on the evolution and division of competences in a multilevel political system. It provides an overview on normative reasonings on an appropriate allocation of competences, empirical theories explaining effective structures of powers and empirical research. The article is structured as follows: First, normative theories of a European federation are discussed. Section 2 deals with legal and political concepts of federalism and presents approaches of the economic theory of federalism in the context of the European polity. These normative considerations conclude with a discussion of the subsidiarity principle and the constitutional allocation of competences in the European Treaties. Section 3 covers the empirical issue of how to explain the actual allocation of competences (scope and type) between levels. Integration theories are presented here in so far as they explain the transfer of competence from the national to the European level or the limits of this centralistic dynamics. Normative and empirical theories indeed provide some general guidelines for evaluation and explanations of the evolution of competences in the EU, but they both contradict the assumption of a separation of power. The article therefore concludes that politics and policy-making in the EU have to be regarded as multilevel governance (Section 4). The main theoretical approaches and results from empirical research on European multilevel governance are summarised before we sketch suggestions for further discussion and research in the field (Section 5)

Mehr-Ebenen-Verflechtung: Politische Prozesse in verbundenen Entscheidungsarenen

Trotz ihrer hohen Leistungsfähigkeit bei der Analyse interdependenter Entscheidungen gilt die Spieltheorie weithin als empirisch unanwendbar, weil ihre informationellen Anforderungen anscheinend weder von realen "Spielern" noch von der empirischen Forschung erfüllt werden können. Der Aufsatz versucht diese Bedenken zu entkräften. Bei Ungewißheit über die Optionen und Präferenzen der Partner konnten Spieler sich entweder auf risikominimierende Strategien beschränken, oder sie konnten die Voraussetzungen für glaubhafte Kommunikationen in einem (iterierten und vernetzten) "Wahrheitsspiel" endogenisieren. Darüber hinaus können sowohl die Spieler als auch die empirische Forschung sich an standardisierten Erwartungen orientieren, die durch Institutionen und soziale Normen begrlindet werden. Wenn diese Moglichkei ten vorausgesetzt und genutzt werden, vermindern sich die Informationskosten spieltheoretischer Analysen so weit, daß empirische Anwendungen möglich und aussichtsreich werden.Game theory is a powerful tool for the disciplined analysis of interacting choices. Nevertheless, its use in empirical research is considered questionable since the standard assumptions of mathematical game theory seem to place exceedingly high information costs on real-life actors as well as on researchers. The paper tries to show that these misgivings are largely unjustified. If players were in fact ignorant about each other's strategies and payoffs, they could either resort to generalized caution, or they could endogenously create preconditions for trustworthy communication in an iterated "truth game" that is embedded in ongoing interactions. Furthermore, actors and researchers alike are able to use standardized expectations derived from institutional rules and social norms for their orientation. As a consequence, the information costs of interactions are sufficiently reduced for players as well as for researchers to make game-theoretical explanations a feasible and promising proposition

Governance

Governance steht als Oberbegriff für die Gesamtheit der Formen, mit denen das kollektive und interdependente Handeln von Akteuren und Organisationen koordiniert werden kann. Der Governance-Begriff macht auf ein Doppeltes aufmerksam: Kollektives Handeln zur Erfüllung öffentlicher Aufgaben ist heutzutage in komplexe Strukturen eingebettet und erfolgt über die Kombination unterschiedlicher Steuerungsmodi. Räume und Regionen sind soziale Konstrukte in dem Sinne, als dass sie erst über das soziale Handeln von Akteuren konstituiert werden

Politischer Leistungswettbewerb zwischen Regionen - Voraussetzungen, Chancen und Grenzen

Politische Leistungswettbewerbe werden zur kompetitiven Förderung von Regionen zunehmend eingesetzt. Regionale Leistungswettbewerbe funktionieren jedoch nicht von selbst, sondern nur unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen. Der Beitrag analysiert zunächst anknüpfend an theoretische Erkenntnisse Funktionsweise und spezifische Funktionsbedingungen regionaler Leistungswettbewerbe. Daran anschließend werden auf der Basis einer empirischen Untersuchung des Regionen-Wettbewerbs "Idee.Natur" Möglichkeiten und Grenzen dieses Instruments regionalpolitischer Governance erörtert. Es soll gezeigt werden, dass die erforderlichen Voraussetzungen in der Praxis zu verwirklichen sind, ohne dabei jedoch die Grenzen dieses Instruments zu vernachlässigen. Ziel des Beitrags ist es, die für die Praxis wichtigen Bedingungen zu identifizieren, unter denen Leistungswettbewerbe die in sie gesetzten Erwartungen erfüllen.Policy competitions are being increasingly used for the competitive promotion of regions. Regional competitions do not, however, function automatically but require specific conditions. This paper first analyses the functioning and specific conditions necessary for the operation of regional competitions, linking discussion to theoretical findings. Next an empirical investigation of the regional competition “Idee.Natur” (“Idea.Nature”) provides the basis for discussion of the possibilities and limitations of this instrument of regional policy governance. It should become clear that it is possible to effectively implement the necessary conditions, without neglecting the limitations of this instrument. The aim of the paper is to identify the conditions important for practice under which the competitions can fulfil the expectations invested in them

Spatial development policy in the European Constitutional Treaty: position paper from the ARL, Hanover

As the implementation of the European single market has continued, it has become increasingly clear that a more closely integrated Europe cannot simply have an exclusively economic dimension. For a harmonious overall development, a large number of other policy areas clearly have to be included. One of these is spatial policy (spatial development policy), which aims to contribute to a more balanced spatial development. In the view of the ARL, the time has now come to initiate the institutional steps which have thus far emerged from the Europe-wide debate. The "territorial cohesion" of the Union cannot be achieved until we have clear legal foundations and definitions, which must also apply to spatial development policy in Europe. For that reason, the constitutional aspects of a European spatial development policy must form part of the agenda of the European Constitutional Convention.Mit der fortschreitenden Verwirklichung des Europäischen Binnenmarktes ist im Laufe der Zeit immer deutlicher geworden, dass das zusammenwachsende Europa nicht lediglich eine ökonomische Dimension haben kann, sondern dass für eine harmonische Gesamtentwicklung zahlreiche weitere Politikfelder einbezogen werden müssen. Dazu gehört auch die Raumpolitik (Raumentwicklungspolitik) mit dem Ziel einer ausgewogenen räumlichen Entwicklung. Nach Auffassung der Akademie ist es an der Zeit, aus dem bisherigen europaweiten Diskussionsstand endlich institutionelle Konsequenzen zu ziehen. Der "territoriale Zusammenhalt" der Union kann nicht gesichert werden, solange es keine klaren rechtlichen Grundlagen und Abgrenzungen auch für die Raumentwicklungspolitik in Europa gibt. Deshalb gehören die konstitutionellen Fragen einer europäischen Raumentwicklungspolitik auf die Agenda des Europäischen Verfassungskonvents.L'achèvement progressif du Grand marché intérieur de l'Union européenne a fait ressortir de plus en plus clairement au fil du temps que l'Europe, en s'intégrant, ne doit pas se limiter à la seule dimension économique. Son évolution harmonieuse globale requiert plutôt une approche qui englobe de nombreux autres champs politiques comme par exemple la politique spatiale (politique de développement de l'espace) envisageant un développement spatial équilibré. De l'avis de l'ARL, il est temps de tirer enfin des conclusions d'ordre institutionnel de l'état d'avancement des discussions en Europe. Il ne sera pas possible d'assurer la "cohésion territoriale" de l'Union européenne sans avoir créé des bases et des délimitations juridiques claires pour la politique du développement de l'espace européen. C'est pourquoi il appartient à la Convention européenne de traiter les questions constitutionnelles relatives à la politique européenne de développement de l'espace

Characterisation of archaeological waterlogged wood by pyrolytic and mass spectrometric techniques

1) Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, via Risorgimento 35. 56126 Pisa, Italy ; 2) IRNAS-CSIC, Seville, Spain; E-mail address: [email protected] combination of two techniques based on analytical pyrolysis and mass spectrometry, including direct exposure-MS (DE-MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), was used to study the chemical composition of waterlogged archaeological wood. In particular, the two techniques were used to chemically characterise samples of archaeological wood from the excavation of the Site of the Ancient Ships of Pisa San Rossore in Pisa (Italy). The data were compared to those of native sound wood of the same species. The results highlight that DE-MS is a valuable technique for the characterisation of archaeological wood. DE-MS allows us to use a minimal sample size and to perform the analysis in a few minutes, thus avoiding the long wet-chemical procedures that are commonly used to characterise wood. The results also confirm the importance of Py-GC/MS as a tool for shedding light on the chemical modifications of wood in archaeological objects. The analyses demonstrated that waterlogged wood from the site of Pisa San Rossore have undergone an extensive loss of polysaccharides together with partial demethylation of lignin units, both guaiacyl and syringyl monomers. In fact, catechols and methoxy catechols were identified among the pyrolysis products of the waterlogged wood samples.The authors wish to thank Dott.ssa G. Giachi (Restoration Laboratories of the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany, Florence, Italy) for providing archaeological wood samples and for her valuable support and collaboration. Funding was provided by the Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany and by the Italian MIUR (PRIN Cofin05).Peer reviewe

Instances and connectors : issues for a second generation process language

This work is supported by UK EPSRC grants GR/L34433 and GR/L32699Over the past decade a variety of process languages have been defined, used and evaluated. It is now possible to consider second generation languages based on this experience. Rather than develop a second generation wish list this position paper explores two issues: instances and connectors. Instances relate to the relationship between a process model as a description and the, possibly multiple, enacting instances which are created from it. Connectors refers to the issue of concurrency control and achieving a higher level of abstraction in how parts of a model interact. We believe that these issues are key to developing systems which can effectively support business processes, and that they have not received sufficient attention within the process modelling community. Through exploring these issues we also illustrate our approach to designing a second generation process language.Postprin

Farewell, welfare state – hello, welfare regions? Chances and constraints of welfare management in the German federal system

The German welfare state is in crisis. Alarming long-term demographic trends, the still not fully digested consequences of German unification and the current economic downturn in much of the Eurozone have combined to create an urgent need for welfare reform. Yet the constitutional arrangements which govern the German political system, and well-entrenched political practice, mean that any such reform process is a daunting challenge. Thus, the welfare crisis is also a crisis of German-style co-operative federalism. Current empirical evidence makes for uncomfortable reading, and triggers debate on the nature of the German federation: have the two constitutional principles of federalism and establishing equal living conditions throughout the federation become mutually exclusive? However, as much of the welfare state is centred on the best utilisation of scarce financial resources, it is debatable to what extent alterations in the functional distribution of welfare responsibilities among the territorial levels of government can be regarded as a solution for the current problems. The article concludes that in the search for long-term sustainability of the welfare state the territorial dimension is likely to remain a secondary issue

Genomic, Pathway Network, and Immunologic Features Distinguishing Squamous Carcinomas

This integrated, multiplatform PanCancer Atlas study co-mapped and identified distinguishing molecular features of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) from five sites associated with smokin

Pan-Cancer Analysis of lncRNA Regulation Supports Their Targeting of Cancer Genes in Each Tumor Context

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are commonly dys-regulated in tumors, but only a handful are known toplay pathophysiological roles in cancer. We inferredlncRNAs that dysregulate cancer pathways, onco-genes, and tumor suppressors (cancer genes) bymodeling their effects on the activity of transcriptionfactors, RNA-binding proteins, and microRNAs in5,185 TCGA tumors and 1,019 ENCODE assays.Our predictions included hundreds of candidateonco- and tumor-suppressor lncRNAs (cancerlncRNAs) whose somatic alterations account for thedysregulation of dozens of cancer genes and path-ways in each of 14 tumor contexts. To demonstrateproof of concept, we showed that perturbations tar-geting OIP5-AS1 (an inferred tumor suppressor) andTUG1 and WT1-AS (inferred onco-lncRNAs) dysre-gulated cancer genes and altered proliferation ofbreast and gynecologic cancer cells. Our analysis in-dicates that, although most lncRNAs are dysregu-lated in a tumor-specific manner, some, includingOIP5-AS1, TUG1, NEAT1, MEG3, and TSIX, synergis-tically dysregulate cancer pathways in multiple tumorcontexts