Paradigm Shift in European Competition Law
Nicole Steinat
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 11,
2007
Abstract
During the last decade, European competition law went through several procedural changes, which were mainly influenced by US-American law. Economic criteria rather than legal parameters are now used to evaluate the conduct of firms. Such a “more economic approach” is apparent both in legislation and jurisdiction.
The article discusses the reforms that resulted from the paradigm shift by focusing on the legislation perspective as well as their impact in terms of cartels. One of the most important instruments in European competition policy is nowadays the Leniency Regulation, which was implemented in 1996. Another tool are the renewed Fining Guidelines, which in general will lead to higher fines.
Although European competition law adopted some instruments from American law, there are still major differences between the two jurisdictions. The possibility to impose jail sentences does not exist on a European level yet. However, a few European countries included criminal sanctions in their national laws.
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Structural Policy in East Germany – A Discussion about the Common Task “Improvement of Regional Economic Structure“
Mirko Titze
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2007
Abstract
After the reunification – more than ten years ago – the convergence process in the eastern German regions has started. Unfortunately, the convergence process has decelerated since 1995. For this reason, economists and politicians are discussing the kind of government aid, which has been applied since the early nineties. The paper deals with the Common Task “Improvement of Regional Economic Structure“ (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe “Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur“). It is one of the most important instruments for the “Reconstruction East“. Empirical studies have shown that this instrument has led to an additional growth impulse. However, for the last ten years the budget of the Common Task has decreased. Under the restriction of scarce financial resources the governments of the federal states have to adjust their regional programmes. Economists and politicians dispute to change unselective into selective (regional and sectoral) government aid. The article shows that in particular the Federal State of Brandenburg as well as the Free State of Saxony are focusing the Common Task on specific industrial sectors and certain regions.
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asset price inflation
Tobias Knedlik, A. Knorr
Systeme monetärer Steuerung - Analyse und Vergleich geldpolitischer Strategien - Schriften zu Ordnungsfragen der Wirtschaft, Band 86,
No. 86,
2007
Abstract
Most of the influential central banks managed to bring inflation down to a sustainable path in the last two decades. However, during the same time asset prices increased significantly. From the perspective of economic policy, this development might constitute a problem in the case that price increases are not due to changes in fundamentals but are of a speculative nature. During the current past the number of asset price bubbles increased. The aim of this contribution is to analyze policy options with regard to asset price inflation. We identify the relevant markets, discuss their specific price mechanisms, discuss transmission mechanisms, and the usefulness of monetary policy and alternative instruments to deal with asset price inflation. We show that, once asset price inflation is present, monetary policy can do little to stop processes of speculative bubbles. It is the more important that that alternatives are considered. These include the analysis of monetary conditions, a straight forward communication, better regulation, and a strengthening of institutions that allow for diversifying risks to handle the necessary structural changes with lowest possible economic costs.
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Enhanced Cooperation in an Enlarged EU
Götz Zeddies, J. Ahrens, Renate Ohr
Jahrbuch für Wirtschaftswissenschaften,
No. 2,
2007
Abstract
The paper addresses the need for more flexibility in the integration process of the European Union after its recent eastward enlargement. The increasing number of decision-makers and the increasing heterogeneity of economic structures, financial constraints, societal preferences, and political interests impeded political decision making in the EU. In order to avoid a rank growth of integration and yet to strengthen the momentum of flexibility, so-called enhanced cooperation appears to be an appropriate instrument to be applied to the overall integration process. In this context the paper analyzes different possible developments of selected common policies in the EU if enhanced cooperation is practised by a sub-group of EU-members. Based on cluster analysis, similarities and distinctions among the EU members with respect to some specific policy realms are elaborated to identify clusters, or clubs, of countries which may apply the instrument of enhanced cooperation in the specific policy fields.
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Demographic development and its economic consequences
Joachim Ragnitz, Lutz Schneider
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 6,
2007
Abstract
Within the next decades, East Germany will continue to face strong demographic challenges. In addition to shrinking, the ageing of population and labour force will more and more affect the economic development of the new Länder. Against this background, the question rises whether the shift of workforce age structure will influence growth and innovation potential as well as structural change. The IWH recently has focused on this topic widely ignored by the research literature so far. On the basis of selected methods and data, the economic impact of workforce ageing was empirically evaluated. The first issue concerns the impact of age on productivity. Based on two separate empirical investigations, the conclusion can be drawn that above a certain stage, age diminishes productivity. But higher levels of experience might partly compensate for this reduction. Secondly, the innovation effects of ageing have been analyzed. Again, significant age effects arise. Employees at the age of about 40 years turn out to be the most innovative part of the workforce. Furthermore, the analysis shows that engineers are particularly subject to age effects. A third study sheds light on the challenging consequences of ageing on entrepreneurship potential. Hence, independently of the increasing problem of skill shortages, ageing itself will unfavourably affect growth, innovation and structural change. Though political options are limited due to the more or less fixed demographic trends, appropriate instruments regarding economic, family and education policy might lower the identified age effects.
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Gesamtwirtschaftliche Effekte der Förderung regenerativer Energien, insbesondere der Biomasse - Eine kritische Beurteilung vor dem Hintergrund modelltheoretischer Konzeptionen
Götz Zeddies
Zeitschrift für Umweltpolitik und Umweltrecht 2/2006,
No. 2,
2006
Abstract
Renewable energies are largely promoted in the Federal Republic of Germany by means of political instruments by the federal government as well as by the federal states. However, the effects of promoting renewable energies on growth and employment are politically controversial. On the part of the scientists, the macroeconomic effects of the promotion of renewable energies were already analysed in different studies by various authors. At first sight, even the scientific results do not allow definite conclusions. The reasons for this may be seen in the diversity of the applied empirical methods and models with respect to their closeness and the model assumptions. Against the background of these difficulties, the aim of this paper is to discuss the general problems of macroeconomic policy analyses, to formulate methodical model requirements and to examine important existing scientific studies with respect to these requirements and to evaluate their results.
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Enhanced Cooperation in an Enlarged EU, CeGE-Discussion Paper No. 53
J. Ahrens, Renate Ohr, Götz Zeddies
,
2006
Abstract
The paper adresses the need for more flexibility in the integration process of the European Union after its recent eastward enlargement. Due to the increasing number of decision-makers and the increasing heterogeneity of economic structures, financial constraints, societal preferences, and political interests, European integration based on the uniformity principle is hardly feasible. In order to avoid a rank growth of integration and yet to strengthen the momentum of flexibility, so-called enhanced cooperation appears to be an appropriate instrument to be applied to the overall integration process. In this context the paper analyzes different possible developments of selected common policies in the EU if enhanced cooperation is practised by a sub-group of EU-members. Based on cluster analysis similarities and distinctions among the EU members with respect to some specific policy realms are elaborated to identify clusters, or clubs, of countries which may apply the instrument of enhanced cooperation in the specific policy fields.
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Optimierung der Geldpolitik in Schwellenländern durch einen International-Lender-of-Last-Resort
Tobias Knedlik
Europäische Hochschulschriften, Reihe 5 Volks- und Betriebswirtschaft, Band 3202,
2006
Abstract
Current currency crises in emerging market economies show the insufficiency of preventive measures on national, regional and international level. The task of the book is therefore to analyze systematically which conditions monetary policy has to fulfill in order to prevent currency crises. In a first step optimal, crises-preventing monetary policy is modeled. Further the chances for overcoming the limitations of national policy are discussed on the regional and international level. The main result of the descriptive, theoretical and econometric analysis is the construction of an instrument for international monetary policy: the International Lender of Last Resort.
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Intermediate central communities in Rural Regions - A qualitative instrument for analysis
Alexander Kubis
Теоретические основы и опыт стратегическ,
2006
Abstract
This study shows specific strengths and weaknesses of the economic potential of rural regions by using qualitative, statistic methods. At this, groups of central communities are formed to analyze their potentials. The application of intermediate central communities, which are a functional link between periphery and main central communities, is the particular characteristic of this study, which applies the municipality as the least possible regional level of analysis. There is a massive, structural need for adjustment in the Eastern German States for these central communities. Furthermore, specific, structural deficits can be shown for the West German States as well. The recommended method allows to take all relevant deficits adequately into consideration within a regional policy. The delineated statements provide sufficient statistical support.
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Benchmarking-Report Mecklenburg-Vorpommern -Öffentliche Aufgabenerfüllung im Ländervergleich-
Joachim Ragnitz, Helmut Seitz
One-off Publications,
No. 8,
2005
Abstract
Vor dem Hintergrund der gegenwärtig höchst angespannten Haushaltslage und den sich langfristig aus der Rückführung der Osttransfers und dem demographischen Wandel ergebenden Anpassungsproblemen untersucht dieser Bericht den finanzpolitischen Handlungsbedarf des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern und seiner Gemeinden. Das hierbei verwendete methodische Instrument ist ein „Benchmarking-Ansatz“, bei dem mit Hilfe von Vergleichsdaten Auffälligkeiten bei den Einnahmen, den Ausgaben und beim Personalbesatz untersucht werden. Als Vergleichsmaßstab wird der Durchschnitt der finanzschwachen Westflächenländer (FFW), bestehend aus den Ländern Nieder-sachsen (NI), Rheinland-Pfalz (RP), Saarland (SL) und Schleswig-Holstein (SH) sowie – um Ostaspekte adäquat zu berücksichtigen – der Freistaat Sachsen (SN) herangezogen.
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