Suchergebnisse

"Over the last decades, competitiveness has become the major driving force of European integration. The EU polity has gained significant influence in reshaping domestic policies and institutions towards a more market oriented path. The supranational constraints on nation states are reinforced by an increasing locational competition. Eastern enlargement of the EU is often Said to reinforce the locational competition, and to ultimately lead the EU into a downward spiral of social and economic standards. This article proposes a more nuanced view. It shows that in contrast to the race to the bottom argument, it is not the neoliberal Baltic States that exert the strongest competitive pressure within the EU, but rather the Visegrad countries, who, with their interventionistic states and their comparatively generous welfare states, are closer to the current form of European capitalism." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Since Antiquity, man has been well aware of the benefits brought by mastery of the sea, and states have continuously sought for ways to exploit it to exercise their power. The sea is an area in which states can affirm their sovereignty and exert their economic strength and influence. Yet it is also an area of risks. Globalisation of trade, the new geopolitical scene and the proliferation of threats in today's world are such that mastery of the sea is an issue that calls for strong French defense within a European framework.

Congress enacted the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to combat an epidemic of illicit payments by U.S. businesses and individuals to foreign officials. The FCPA prohibits any bribe to a foreign official to influence any official act, induce unlawful action, or obtain or retain business. The FCPA, however, carves out an exception for facilitating grease payments made to foreign officials to expedite or secure performance of routine government actions. This exception allows for modest payments to low-ranking officials to expedite non-discretionary clerical activities. The FCPA fails to provide a monetary threshold for what constitutes a permissible grease payment. This Note explains that the carve-out for grease payments impedes the Congressional goal of stamping out corruption. To alleviate the problems associated with grease payments, this Note advocates for Congressional repeal, or amendment of, the statute; DOJ promulgation of guidelines defining permissible grease payments; corporate activism; and institutional reform.

After two failures at the WTO, both the European Union and Latin American suppliers have their backs to the wall. A compromise must be found quickly so that the European market-the largest in terms of volume and the most profitable-can continue to function on 1 January 2006.