The distinction between commercial and non-commercial bus services in Germany: Given by nature?

German public transport services by bus are characterized by a regulatory framework that distinguishes between commercial and non-commercial services. Contrary to the apparent views of legislators, this paper shows that costs and revenues are not the only parameters determining whether or not operators are able to provide services in a commercially viable way.Apart from the local characteristics of the specific service, we show that the classification of services as commercial versus non-commercial is determined in large part by the public transport authorities that set minimum quality standards to be provided by operators. Our analysis shows that the authorities awarding the contracts in some cases affect market organization significantly depending on how they make use of this power. Furthermore, market organization differs substantially with respect to the awarding structure and the contractual relationships, thus creating a challenge for operators and authorities in an embryonic market.     

欧盟在巴以和平进程中的作用分析

欧盟积极参与巴以谈判和巴以冲突危机处理，以经济和财政支持为主要手段、构建区域合作机制，为缓和巴以关系创造条件，提供多层次平台，积极帮助解决巴以冲突问题。然而，由于巴以矛盾的复杂性、欧盟成员国缺乏采取共同行动的政治意愿、加之美国对巴以和平进程的掌控，欧盟的影响力受到限制。在中东变局下，欧盟有必要联合中国和俄罗斯组成平衡美以关系的国际力量，提出新的巴以和平计划，为推动巴以和平进程发挥独特作用。     

Regional Production and Cost Minimization in the Republics of the Former Soviet Union

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the problems encountered early in the reforms made it obvious that understanding the system and structure of the economy during the Soviet period was crucial for predictions and recommendations. The present study analyzes the production of the republics of the former Soviet Union, by grouping them into the regions defined by common geographical and historical conditions, and by estimation of cost functions that represent the two major theories of international trade: the Heckscher-Ohlin and Ricardo-Viner models. The estimated parameters of the cost functions allow us to draw conclusions about the achievement of cost minimization and to calculate the elasticities that represent the comparative statics of both models. As a result of the analysis, it is demonstrated that the achievement of the cost-minimization goal depends on local conditions.     

COMMENT ON THE 2010 WINCOTT LECTURE, ‘EUROPE: HOW CAN THINGS GET BETTER?’

The increasing centralisation of government at European Union level is eroding individual freedom. Greater EU regulation of financial markets, as advocated by Charlie McCreevy, represents a further threat to liberty, while the measures advocated would have been ineffective at preventing the current financial crisis.     

An examination of the equity market price linkage between Australia and the European Union using leveraged bootstrap method

The paper examines the equity market price interaction between Australia and the European Union – represented by the UK, Germany and France – based on the Toda–Yamamoto causality test, which is bootstrapped with leveraged adjustments. A new information criterion is used to choose the optimal lag order. Weekly MSCI data covering the period 1988 to 2001 is used, divided into two subperiods to allow for a structural break arising from the ERM crisis of 1992. Results show that, during the period before the ERM crisis, no significant causal links exist between Australia and any of three EU countries. During the period after the ERM crisis, Australia also had no causal links with Germany and France but it had with the UK, with causality running from the UK to Australia but not vice-versa. Thus, Australian investors may find the German and French, but not the UK, equity markets, attractive venues for their international diversification. German and French, but not British, investors may also obtain the same benefit from the Australian equity market.     

Agricultural higher education in transforming Central and Eastern Europe

The paper discusses the major changes necessary for the agricultural higher education system in Central and Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union, to meet the challenges created by overall reforms in the food and agricultural sector as well as the adjustment of the global system of agricultural education. The issues arising from the need for reforms in the agricultural education system are presented in an overview of the inherited features of the system, an assessment of the current situation, a status report on the reform attempts and a discussion of the critical issues for the future.     

Banking deregulation and credit risk: Evidence from the EU

This paper studies the effect of banking deregulation on credit risk. Its theoretical model shows that a bank is willing to invest more resources in screening borrowers when there is an entry threat, even though loan rates are driven lower. Thus, deregulation may result in improved loan quality and lower credit risk. This result is tested using bank-level balance sheet data and macroeconomic data for the European Union. The data reveal that competition intensified after the completion of the Second Banking Directive, while loan quality improved in most markets. Evidence is found that the loan quality improvement is associated with lower interest margin.     

A Model for Studying the Effect of EMU on European Yield Curves

In January 1999, the European monetary union (EMU) was formally launched with 11 member countries. However, before May 1998 there was considerable uncertainty about who would join EMU, and whether the project would start on time. When a monetary union is formed, exchange rates between the member countries are irrevocably fixed, and yield spreads stemming from exchange-rate risk are eliminated. As a direct consequence, EMU affected the prices of long-term bonds well before 1999, but quantifying this effect can be difficult when there is uncertainty about the monetary union. We address these issues and develop a bond-pricing model which explicitly takes into account that a country may join a monetary union at a future, unspecified date. The empirical results show that a narrow EMU, consisting of Germany, France and the Benelux countries, has been priced with almost 100% probability throughout the period 1995–1998, whereas, on average, the implied probability of joining EMU has been somewhat lower for the other EU countries. However, in the period leading up to May 1998, the estimated probabilities have increased considerably for the countries that joined EMU in January 1999.     

Impacts of WTO restrictions on subsidized EU sugar exports

The study evaluates the impact of World Trade Organization (WTO) restrictions on the European Union (EU) sugar sector and the world sugar market. A small reduction in production quotas would be sufficient to satisfy the export subsidy limitations of the Uruguay Round agreement. Complete elimination of export subsidies by 2005 would require either a 10% reduction in production quotas or the combination of an 8% reduction in quotas and an 11% reduction in intervention prices. Higher world prices resulting from reduced EU exports would result in increased production of unsubsidized C‐sugar, with different impacts across EU member countries explained by differences in institutional pricing arrangements and marginal production costs.     

乡镇工会在辖区企业工会建设中的作用研究

我国乡镇工会随着乡镇企业的出现而建立，随着乡镇经济的壮大而发展。乡镇工会与辖区企业工会存在着紧密关系，研究乡镇工会在辖区企业工会建设中的作用，改善乡镇工会的工作环境，是我国工会现实而紧迫的重大课题。