The EU-Ukraine Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation: an assessment of Ukraine's readiness. OSW Commentary No. 45, 2011-01-17

The Action Plan on visas adopted during the recent EU-Ukraine summit is a success for Ukraine. It is the first time that Kyiv has succeeded in obtaining a definition of the conditions and criteria whose fulfilment will enable Ukraine to apply for the lifting of EU visas for its citizens. Ukraine's strong point has been its political will; the lifting of this visa regime has been a priority for all Ukrainian governments since 2005. Since Viktor Yanukovych became president, Ukraine has adopted or prepared key legal acts that brought it nearer to European standards in the area of border and migration management. One of Kyiv's strengths is also its relatively well reformed and efficiently managed border service. Moreover, illegal transit migration via Ukraine is decreasing, and fewer Ukrainians are trying to enter or stay in the EU illegally. Also, Kyiv has efficiently implemented the EU-Ukraine readmission agreement. The hardest task for Ukraine will be to meet the EU’s expectations concerning values, the condition of Ukrainian democracy, and the rule of law. Corruption remains the main barrier to Ukraine's development and modernisation; the courts are weak and the judicial system inefficient. The main undertaking of the new migration service that is being formed at the moment will be to create a civil system of registration, monitoring and regulating the stays of foreign nationals. This may prove difficult, as the supervisory authority (the Ministry of the Interior) remains an unreformed, police-type bureaucratic institution. Ukraine is lagging behind countries such as Russia, Belarus and Moldova when it comes to the introduction of biometric documents. Another problem is the lack of an electronic information system on foreign nationals, visas and border crossings which would be accessible to all the relevant services and institutions. For these reasons, the complete abolition of visas seems to be a longterm perspective, especially considering that many EU countries, which themselves are faced with the problem of migrants’ integration, are rather sceptical about the further liberalisation of movement of people with their eastern neighbours. In the immediate future, if Ukraine meets some of the requirements set by the EU, it will be able to seek the extension of the visa facilitations that have been in operation since 2008.

Could Transnistria block Moldova's integration with the EU? OSW Commentary No. 95, 2012-10-23

Moldova’s progress in its negotiations on an Association Agreement with the European Union, with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) as its key element, has become a source of tension between Chisinau and the breakaway Republic of Transnistria. An almost certain refusal by Transnistria to join the DCFTA, will deprive the region of the benefits it currently enjoys under the EU Autonomous Trade Preferences (ATP) worsening its already precarious economic situation. It is to be expected that the issue will become an additional source of tension between the two sides of the Transnistrian conflict, and might also have a negative impact on the EU–Russia relationship. The signing of the Association Agreement, which is scheduled for the autumn of 2013, will be an important step towards Moldova’s integration with the EU. Both sides assign great importance to the speediest possible finalisation of the Agreement, and so far the negotiations have been described as progressing very smoothly. Transnistria’s highly sceptical attitude towards its possible accession to the DCFTA, however, is consistent with the interests of its main ally, Moscow. It is highly probable that Russia intends to thwart Moldova’s EU association process. Moscow’s objective seems to be to draw Moldova permanently into its own sphere of influence, and therefore it perceives Chisinau’s movement towards the EU as a transgression against its geopolitical interests. Consequently, in order to hinder this process, Russia may instrumentally exploit its extensive influence over Transnistria to provoke a crisis between Tiraspol and Chisinau. An apparent increase in Russian presence in the region over the last few months (including tighter control over Transnistria’s KGB and the Ministry of Information) may suggest that the Kremlin is preparing to implement such a scenario.

A weak link? Germany in the Euro-Atlantic security system. OSW Point of View Number 47, January 2015

The political, military and economic parameters of German power influence the vision of the international order that Berlin favours. Politically, Germany is a regional power in the EU with considerable diplomatic potential. Economically, it is the world's third largest power with growing global trade and investment links. At the same time, Germany's military potential is limited and the German strategic culture makes the country sceptical about the use of military instruments. Berlin is thus essentially interested in maintaining peace and stability, both in Europe and globally, and in developing diplomatic mechanisms to manage regional and global crises and conflicts. The German preference for dialogue and compromise in conflict situations in the regional and global dimensions may increasingly pose a risk to maintaining the cohesion and credibility of NATO – both from the perspective of the USA and Germany’s allies from Central-Eastern and Northern Europe.

Europeanization and the inclusive strategies of executive actors

In Europeanized policy domains, executive actors are considered especially powerful because they are directly responsible for international negotiations. However, in order to avoid failing in the ratification process, they are also highly dependent on the support of domestic, non-state actors. We argue that in Europeanized decision-making processes, state actors are not passively lobbied, but actively seek collaboration with - and support from - domestic actors. We apply stochastic actor-based modelling for network dynamics to collaboration data on two successive bilateral agreements on the free movement of persons between Switzerland and the European Union (EU). Results confirm our hypotheses that state actors are not passively lobbied, but actively look for collaboration with other actors, and especially with potential veto players and euro-sceptical actors from both the conservative Right and the Left.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from the Barents and White Seas

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common environmental contaminants which can be derived from anthropogenic sources, such as combustion and discharges from extraction and transport, and natural processes, including leakage and erosion of fossil carbon. Natural PAH sources contribute, along with biological activities and terrestrial run-off, to the organic carbon content in sediments.The Barents Sea region is far from many anthropogenic sources of PAH, but production and trans-shipment of hydrocarbons is increasing. We present data for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in bottom sediments from 510 stations in the Barents and White Seas, and along the northern coast of Norway.

Viking tales of the North : the sagas of Thorstein, Viking's son, and Fridthjof the Bold /

"Sketch of the life and career of the author of Fridthjof's saga, by F. M. Franzén": p. [119]-145.

Looking for redemption in a globalised North:representations of the Arctic in Judith Hermann’s Short Stories Kaltblau (Cold –Blue) and Die Liebe zu Ari Oskarsson (Love for Ari Oskarsson)

This paper explores the literary representation of Iceland and Norway in two short stories by contemporary German writer Judith Hermann. It analyses both the depiction of these countries as part of the globalised western world and the redemptive power they are tentatively ascribed by the author. Continuing a long German tradition of looking at Scandinavia from an almost colonial perspective, Hermann on the one hand presents these northern countries as a mere extension of central Europe, largely devoid of distinguishing national characteristics. At the same time she makes reference to the topos of the north as a vast and empty space and highlights both the specific arctic nature of the environment and the effect it has on her urban characters, who find themselves on a search for meaning and orientation in a postmodern fragmented world. Despite Hermann's overall sceptical attitude towards her characters' quest for happiness, these northern locations ultimately appear as potential places of self-realisation and enlightenment.

Mean-variance Vs. full-scale optimization: broad evidence for the UK

This article investigates the performance of a model called Full-Scale Optimisation, which was presented recently and is used for financial investment advice. The investor’s preferences of expected risk and return are entered into the model, and a recommended portfolio is produced. This model is theoretically more accurate than the mainstream investment advice model, called Mean-Variance Optimization, as there are fewer assumptions made. Our investigation of the model’s performance is broader when it comes to investor preferences, and more general when it comes to investment type, as compared to previous studies. Our investigation shows that Full-Scale Optimisation is more widely applicable than earlier known.

An extensive laboratory investigation of the use of bio-oil modified bitumen in road construction

Several roads in Iceland with bio-oil modified surface dressings exhibited severe distresses such as bleeding, binder drain down, and eventually as surface dressing sticking to tires. Samples from six road sections were evaluated in the laboratory to determine the causes of the failure. Binders with and without bio-oil, rapeseed oil and fish oil, were evaluated through a comprehensive rheological and chemical characterization. Both oils, exhibited solubility issues with the bitumen; consequently, the oils covered the aggregates, preventing bonding between binder and stones. It appears that fish oil worked a little better than rapeseed oil for binder modification.

Challenging the production function approach to assess the developmental effects of FDI

From a theoretical point of view, it is traditionally assumed that foreign firms possess a centrally accumulated firm-specific technological advantage over domestic firms (see, for example, Findlay, 1978; Dunning, 1979). Given a sufficient level of absorptive capacity and human capital, domestic firms in host economies are able to benefit from various externalities stimulated by the presence of foreign firms.

Internet-based applications in the agri-food supply chain:a survey on the Greek canning sector

In the agri-food industry, Internet-based applications changed the way companies conduct business mainly by facilitating activities that were already taking place, rather by giving birth to virtual networks creation. Due to the specific characteristics of the sector, Internet's huge potential has not been fully exploited yet, still remaining a new communication tool. This paper aims at giving empirical insights regarding the use of Internet-based applications in the agri-food supply chain, by focusing on the Greek fruit canning sector. In particular, the paper identifies companies' perceptions regarding perceived benefits, constrained factors and motivation factors towards the use of Internet-based applications. Results indicate that companies recognise benefits arising from the use of Internet, however they still use traditional ways when communicating with their partners. Regarding transportation issues, while companies' overall satisfaction is rather moderate and differs significantly from the importance placed on a number of criteria, companies are still sceptical in using Electronic Transportation Marketplace. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards asphalt mixture morphology evaluation with the virtual specimen approach

The morphology of asphalt mixture can be defined as a set of parameters describing the geometrical characteristics of its constituent materials, their relative proportions as well as spatial arrangement in the mixture. The present study is carried out to investigate the effect of the morphology on its meso- and macro-mechanical response. An analysis approach is used for the meso-structural characterisation based on the X-ray computed tomography (CT) data. Image processing techniques are used to systematically vary the internal structure to obtain different morphology structures. A morphology framework is used to characterise the average mastic coating thickness around the main load carrying structure in the structures. The uniaxial tension simulation shows that the mixtures with the lowest coating thickness exhibit better inter-particle interaction with more continuous load distribution chains between adjacent aggregate particles, less stress concentrations and less strain localisation in the mastic phase.

Brominated flame retardants and biomagnification factors in marine species in the North-East Atlantic

BACKGROUND: Concentrations of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are reported to increase in marine ecosystems. OBJECTIVES: Characterize exposure to BFRs in animals from different trophic levels in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems along a latitudinal gradient from southern Norway to Spitsbergen, Svalbard, in the Arctic. Calanoid species were collected from the Oslofjord (59°N), Froan (64°N), and Spitsbergen (> 78°N); Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Oslofjord and Froan; polar cod (Boreogadus saida) from Bear Island (74°N) and Spitsbergen; harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) from the Oslofjord, Froan, and Spitsbergen; and ringed seal (Phoca vitulina) from Spitsbergen. Eggs of common tern (Sterna hirundo) were collected from the Oslofjord, and eggs of arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) from Froan and Spitsbergen. RESULTS: Levels of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) generally decreased as a function of increasing latitude, reflecting distance from release sources. The clear latitudinal decrease in levels of BFRs was not pronounced in the two tern species, most likely because they are exposed during migration. The decabrominated compound BDE-209 was detected in animals from all three ecosystems, and the highest levels were found in arctic tern eggs from Spitsbergen. HBCD was found in animals from all trophic levels, except for in calanoids at Froan and Spitsbergen. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the levels of PBDEs and HBCD are generally low in North-East Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems, there are concerns about the relatively high presence of BDE-209 and HBCD.

Standardisation of the Selling Process in Franchising : A Take on Sales Funnel Management

This paper addresses the two opposing extremes of standardisation in franchising and the dynamics of sales in search of a juncture point in order to reduce franchisees’ uncertainties in sales and improve sales performance. A conceptual framework is developed based on both theory and practice in order to investigate the sales process of a specific franchise network. The research is conducted over a period of six weeks in form of a customised sales report considering the sales funnel concept and performance indicators along the sales process. The received quantitative data is analysed through descriptive statistics and logistic regressions in respect to what variations in the sales process can be discovered and what practices yield higher performance. The results indicate an advantage of a prioritisation guideline regarding the activities and choices to make as a salesperson over strict standardisation. Defining the sales funnel plus engaging in the process of monitoring sales in itself has proven to be a way of reducing uncertainty as the franchisor and franchisees alike inherently gain a greater understanding of the process. The extended knowledge gained from this research allowed for both practical as well as theoretical implications and expands the knowledge on standardisation of sales and the appropriateness of the sales funnel and its management for dealing with the dilemma between standardisation and flexibility of sales in franchising contexts.