Suchergebnisse

The propriety & findings of various indices of European Union (EU) voting power are discussed with respect to previous research by Jan-Erik Lane & Reinert Maeland (1995), & Lane, Maeland, & Sven Berg (1995), drawing on applications of various normalized & unnormalized indices. Following a brief explication of the misapplications of the normalized Banzhaf index by Lane & Maeland, it is argued that these mistakes led to inaccurate perceptions of the size of the European Parliament (EP) following German reunification & the considerable difference between the double qualified majority rule & the unanimity rule. Further, the previous research wrongly assumes that all independent members of the EP act as one group. It is suggested that the choice of power index influences the conclusions regarding national voting power. 2 Tables, 1 Figure. T. Sevier

In this paper we examine to what extent developing countries export more as a result of having the official Least Developed Country (LDC) status. We estimate a gravity model of trade over the period 1973–2013, in which identification is achieved by exploiting the particularities and asymmetries of 'inclusion' and 'graduation' criteria of LDC status. As mechanisms through which LDCs might benefit, we evaluate the effectiveness of individual trade preference schemes for LDCs of the European Union, United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and Turkey and the impact of LDC status on exports. We find that first, individual trade preference regimes are not always beneficial in terms of increased export values. Export promoting effects are found for the individual schemes of some developed countries and some sectors. Second, a country's official designation as a LDC is associated with higher aggregated exports. This is particularly the case for LDCs that export agricultural goods and light manufacturing products, including textiles and leather after 1990. Third, the positive effect of LDC status is significant and sizable even when controlling for specific trade preference schemes suggesting that there are other benefits of LDC status that play a role in promoting exports.