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The article presents the variety and activity characteristics of subjects involved in evaluating the professional ethics of judges, in the context of society welfare development. The issues of professional ethics of judges are highlighted through a wide range of subjects evaluating these questions. Whereas the evaluation object – knowledge of ethics, personal characteristics, behavior, motivation, and behavioral compliance with ethical standards – is changing and expanding with regard to the features of procedures (examinations, taking of the examinations, continuous performance evaluation, application of disciplinary liability etc.). The analysis shows that there is a connection between globalization and individualization in solving the ethical issues of judges, ethical procedures are standardized and the prestige of judicial profession is actively fostered. The analysis of legislature documents showed that the issues of professional ethics of judges are relevant in all stages of judge's career. The article typologically distinguishes, depending on the evaluation object and procedures, the four main groups of assessors: 1) the public; 2) legal community and non-governmental organizations as evaluators of prestige of the profession of judge, activity of judges and behavior of judges; 3) the Commisions: the Examination Commission of Candidates to Judicial Office and the Selection Commission of Candidates to Judicial Office, as well as the Permanent Commission for the Assessment of Activities of Judges such as: personal characteristics, behavior and motivation; 4) judicial self-government – the Judicial Ethics and Discipline Commission, Judicial Court of Honour as well as the Supreme Court of Lithuania – as the institutions which have final word in dealing with disciplinary matters of judges. Participation of these subjects in the evaluation of different stages of judicial ethics ensures the core of the professional value of judges' activities. The requirements for profession of judge in professional ethics are consistently consolidated in all processes and correlate with each other. The evaluation of society (as the evaluator of professional ethics of judge, in the context of the confidence in courts) is informal and subjective. For detailed and reasoned evaluation the complex instruments are necessary – the opinions which are consolidated, based on several criteria and derived from different sources, concerning the court activities and behavior of the judge. The evaluation of legal community can become the formal criteria of professional ethics of judge. Non-governmental organizations could represent judges at the Judicial Court of Honour, furthermore they could actively participate in evaluating issues of professional ethics. Whereas in the complex evaluation of commissions activities when evaluating the pretender (judge) we must take into account not only the quantitative activity indicators – number of cases, the nature of work, length of service, but also qualitative indicators – personal characteristics, behavior, motivation. The activity results of institutions solving the issues concerning the disciplinary responsibility of judges indicate the effectiveness of applied disciplinary measures, conditioned by training, education and self-development issues. The participation of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Lithuania in the system of evaluating professional ethics of judges is under doubt due to fact that this function is not naturally attributed to the court per se. Therefore, it is proposed to eliminate the Supreme Court from the circle of bodies competent to evaluate professional ethics of judges. Furthermore, it is advised that Judge Ethics and Disciplinary Commission might impose the disciplinary sanctions and the decisions made by Judge Ethics and Disciplinary Commission if appealed were brought for review to the Judicial Court of Honour.

This report explores the legal and policy framework of migration governance in the United Kingdom (UK). It shows that migration governance is complicated, reactive, and that the needs of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers have been eroded at the expense of border control overtime. The constitutional organisation of the state has contributed to these features of immigration policy. Evidence of the complexity, reactivity and restrictiveness of migration governance is found in the UK's legislative framework, the legal status of foreigners, the reception system and post-refugee crisis reforms. Constitutionally there are three tiers of government in the UK – the central UK Government, the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and local authorities. The rights of asylum seekers are in a more precarious position than in other countries for two reasons. First, there is no specific right to asylum enshrined in the UK's uncodified constitution, although the Human Rights Act 1998 plays a significant role in protecting asylum seeker rights. Second, the UK has no entrenched provisions in its constitution, meaning that legislation such as the Human Rights Act 1998 could be amended or replaced simply via an act of parliament. Evidence of the complexity, reactivity and restrictive nature of migration governance can be found in the evolution of legislation. With some notable exceptions, the evolution of primary legislation on immigration and asylum has been regressive, with successive restrictions on appeal rights, social benefits and the criminalization of irregular migrants. Legislation has been introduced to circumvent more progressive court decisions and has at times been rushed through without adequate consultation. Legislation has also tended to be reactive, with each wave of immigration throughout the 20th century being met with a legislative backlash.Routes to live in the UK are incredibly complex, with over 16 different types of work visa, which are being amended, removed and replaced all the time. The reception system for asylum seekers provides another example of the complexity and regressive nature of immigration governance, which fails to meet asylum seekers' needs. Only destitute and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have access to the reception system. The weekly allowance given to destitute asylum seekers is barely enough to make ends meet, while reception centre accommodation is not sensitive to the needs of vulnerable asylum seekers.Since the outbreak of the Syrian war, the Government has set up the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), the Vulnerable Children Resettlement Scheme and children relocated under the 'Dubs Amendment'. Advocates have been particularly critical of the implementation of the 'Dubs Amendment'. The current immigration landscape notwithstanding, Brexit has generated significant ambiguity as to the future of UK migration governance. However, there are significant components of UK migration governance that will remain unaffected – the UK will still need to meet its obligations under the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 (Refugee Convention) and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), while Brexit will not directly affect the UK's export of border controls to France2 (Gauci, 2017, p.3). The methodological approach of the report has been to rely on secondary research. Where possible, government documents, policies, legislation and publications have been used in order to gather information about the policy and legal environment directly from the source. This has been supplemented by third sector research reports, text books, academic journal articles, media articles and other public commentary.

The study of non-performing loans (NPLs) is highly relevant when looking for a solution to the ongoing structural weaknesses in the Euro area banking sectors, especially in light of the planned completion of the banking union and the introduction of a European Deposit Insurance System (EDIS). While the aggregate data on non-performing loans shows some improvements, it cannot be ruled out that problems within large and systemically important banks may persist. For the quantification of these risks, the analysis of NPLs must be based on individual bank data. In order to gain a greater insight, I therefore built a dataset of 76 large and systemically relevant banks in the Euro area, which cover 74.6 percent of the non-performing loans in the Euro area. Although data points had to be imputed with the help of other data sources, the dataset provides a helpful impression of the ongoing problems with NPLs. The analysis reveals that banks with an NPL ratio of 25 percent or higher represent 10.5 percent of the systemically important banks studied here. Moreover, close to 20 percent of the outstanding amounts of the NPLs concentrates on banks with an NPL ratio of 25 percent or higher. When it comes to the dynamics of the NPLs, the decline in the aggregate NPL ratio of the Euro area was mainly driven by banks with moderate NPL ratios that reduced their NPLs further, while banks with higher NPL ratios contributed negatively to the aggregate NPL ratio. In order to demonstrate the extent to which NPLs can be reduced, I ran several simulations with the dataset. A reduction of NPLs in the amount of the loan-loss provisions of the banks is simulated first. It can be seen that the share of banks with an NPL ratio of only up to three percent could increase from 31.6 percent to 53.9 percent. However, the divide in the banking sector also shows up when it comes to write-offs: banks with a low NPL ratio can easily reduce it even further, while banks with a high NPL ratio have a hard time in reducing it significantly. The problem becomes even more severe at the long end of the NPL distribution. Although the number of banks with an NPL ratio of more than 25 percent can be reduced from 10.5 percent to 3.9 percent, there still remains two large with an NPL ratio of more than 25 percent. I also simulated an additional write-off together with recapitalisation measures with the aim of finding banks with NPL ratios of 3 percent or lower and equity capital ratios of at least 7 percent. The recapitalisation costs of the banks in Cyprus would then amount to 2.4 percent of the GDP for each year from 2019 to 2022, while the yearly recapitalisation of the Greek banks would amount to 2.0 percent of the Greek GDP. In Italy, yearly recapitalisation measures would amount to 0.8 percent of the Italian GDP. Less exposed would be Spain with yearly recapitalisation costs of 0.4 percent of the GDP. I conclude from these results, that there are still significant risks in the national banking sectors of the Eurozone, which implies the danger of rendering a common Euro area Deposit Insurance System into a transfer mechanism. If neither the governments nor the private sectors were willing to bear the costs of reducing NPLs and recapitalising their banks, it would be better to abandon the idea of a common deposit insurance or to postpone it far into the future in the hope that banks will grow out of their NPL problems.

This note provides guidance on the different economy-wide modeling tools that can be utilized to quantify the economic effects of energy subsidy reform. ESRAF defines an energy subsidy as a deliberate policy action by the government that specifically targets electricity, fuels, or district heating and that has one or more of the following effects: i) It reduces the net cost of energy purchased; ii) It reduces the cost of energy production or delivery; iii) It increases the revenues retained by those engaged in energy production and delivery (energy suppliers). Subsidies are provided through four primary mechanisms: 1) Budgetary transfers of government funds; 2) Government-induced transfers between producers and consumers; 3) Forgone taxes and other government revenues; 4) Under pricing of goods and services. Examples include government control of energy prices that are kept artificially low (referred to as consumer price subsidies hereafter); budgetary transfers to energy suppliers or tax expenditures granted to energy suppliers to keep costs down to benefit consumers, producers, or both; underpricing of goods and services, such as fuels, land, and water used by energy producers; subsidized loans; and shifting of risk burdens, such as the assumption of risks created by energy supply or use through limits on commercial liability. Among the economy wide modeling tools, the main focus of this note is computable general equilibrium (CGE) models. Partial equilibrium models are discussed only briefly The latter models, by carefully mapping the details of energy production technologies including substitution between fuel types and process and efficiency improvements (Bohringer and Rutherford 2008), can generate important insights to shape the design of a reform. However, they tend to have limited or no interaction between the market of interest and the rest of the economy. As a result, they are unable to measure the indirect and dynamic effects that a reform can generate, particularly with respect to energy-consuming sectors, the prices of goods and services that use energy as an intermediate input, and the impact of all of these changes on investment, industrial structure, and household welfare. The rest of the note is organized as follows. It begins with a brief overview of the different types of modeling tools in section two. Existing studies on estimating the effects of energy price subsidy reforms are outlined in annex A. The literature review shows that the bulk of studies use a CGE model for examining the effects of energy subsidy reform. Macrostructural models do this much better and can be used to quickly quantify the likely macroeconomic impacts of a reform, and have the advantage of requiring relatively few data and being easier to work with than CGE models. A guide to using macrostructural models to estimate the short-term effects of energy subsidy reform is presented in section three. The various macrostructural models that are available are included in annex B. Section four presents a guide to using CGE models to estimate the long-term effects of reform. A more detailed discussion of CGE models is included in annex C The feasibility of using any given model will depend heavily on the availability of data, requirements for which are discussed in section five. After briefly touching on empirical studies on energy reform in section six, section seven concludes with some highlights and guidance on the issues to consider when choosing a model to carry out energy price subsidy reform.

[only abstract in English; full article, abstract in Lithuanian] The purpose of this article is to suggest an innovative theoretical approach to modern democracy and its implicit contradiction between the idea of public sovereignty and the model of political representation. The apparent practical problem arising from this contradiction is the lack of legitimacy in democratically elected officials and parliament in general. The article argues that the issue with democratic representation cannot be explained sociologically, but must include a theoretical analysis of the normative contradiction between the egalitarian principle of sovereignty of the people and the hierarchical model of political representation. The article develops its argument from the conceptual framework laid down in the political theory of Montesquieu. Montesquieu's thoughts on political regimes offer important insights about modern representative democracy, highlighting the structural relationship between what he called the "nature of democracy" (the rule of the people) and the "generating principle of democracy" (love for equality). Three contemporary interpretations of Montesquieu's theory (by Fred Dallmayr, Michael Mosher and Sharon Krause) are introduced and critically evaluated. The article concludes that: Representative democracy suffers from a structural tension between the democratic idea of the rule of the people and its practical implementation through the model of representation, which was inherited from predemocratic monarchic regimes. The problem is not sociological but structural. Montesquieu's theory offers a conceptual framework for analyzing the inner tension of representative democracy between the ideas of egalitarianism and political hierarchy. Contemporary authors suggest different interpretations of Montesquieu's thought and offer several strategies for the possible improvement of democratic rule, such as (1) redrawing the notion of representation, (2) creating a more empowered civic society and (3) introducing a meritocratic educational system for individuals. Yet, they all miss the original idea posed by the Enlightenment philosopher regarding the balance between the democratic principle (passion for equality) and its natural claim to represent the people with "intermediary institutions" that mitigate the adverse tendencies of the democratic form of government. Philosophical discussions about democratic legitimacy should consider one Montesquieu's statement that is rarely theoretically acknowledged: that democratic political representation needs non-egalitarian social ideas. This means that democracy must tolerate certain non-democratic social ideas (such as honor) for its own benefit, because they provide the necessary balancing institutions. Such an idea would benefit the ongoing debates about democracy by providing a more structural outlook on the fundamental source of the problem (which is a structural collision of contradictory ideas: "equality" vs. "hierarchy") than those offered by the sociological strategies of democratization or civic empowerment. ; [straipsnis, santrauka lietuvių kalba; santrauka anglų kalba] Straipsnio tikslas yra konceptualiai apžvelgti ir išryškinti moderniai atstovaujamajai demokratijai būdingą vidinį prieštaravimą tarp lygybės idėja grįsto liaudies suverenumo principo ir hierarchiją įtvirtinančio politinės reprezentacijos mechanizmo. Siekiant šio tikslo palyginama filosofo Montesquieu politinių santvarkų teorijoje pristatoma demokratijos samprata ir trys šiuolaikinės jos interpretacijos. Straipsnyje ginama retai dabartinių politikos filosofų akcentuojama mintis, kad politinės valdžios atstovaujamojoje demokratijoje legitimumo stoka yra ne socialinės, bet politinės kilmės problema. Chroninis nepasitikėjimas demokratiškai išrinktais atstovais nėra tik visuomenės brandos ar pilietiškumo trūkumo požymis. Tai – struktūrinės įtampos tarp modernaus liaudies valdžios principo ir jo pritaikymo iš monarchijos laikų paveldėtam parlamentiniam reprezentacijos mechanizmui padarinys. Šio atstovaujamajame valdyme užkoduoto politinių idėjų prieštaravimo negali išspręsti socialinė inžinerija ar piliečių demokratizavimo strategijos. Straipsnyje mėginama aktualizuoti Apšvietos epochos filosofų mintį, kad demokratinei politinei reprezentacijai efektyviai veikti reikalinga nedemokratinė hierarchinė socialinio etoso idėja.

Poverty and inequality in Bolivia have reduced to a great extent in the last 20 years in Bolivia. There are mixed opinions regarding the role of the state in this overall positive result, and consistent evidence of state intervention is still missing. This dissertation aims to explore the topic of the impact of government intervention on inequality and poverty from three different perspectives. In the first chapter, I frame the theoretical framework and set the research questions of each of the chapters of the dissertation. In the second chapter, I examine the impact of a policy experiment in Bolivia in 2007/2008, in which the payment method of a cash transfer changed from a yearly lump sum to monthly installments. Both amounts do not differ if we take them in full, but the change in the payment method could have an impact given inherent behavior-specific constraints like lack of control of expenditures, propensity to overspend and inability to save regularly. I am interested in the effects that this policy change might have had on educational outcomes when the outcomes of those affected by the policy change are compared with those who were not affected. Results show an increase in attendance (around three percentage points) and a decrease in child labor (by eight percentage points) for older children (attending secondary school). The results are fairly robust to the use of different specifications. This suggests that a smaller but more regular, constant in time and predictable flow of cash transfers can be preferable to a once-a-year significant lump-sum transfer. In Chapter 3, I evaluate the impact of increased fiscal decentralization on outcomes as nutrition, access to safe water and sanitation in Bolivia during the 2000s decade. The results show that fiscal decentralization has not increased the access of the population to safe water or sanitation. Meanwhile, nutritional status of children less than five years old has slightly improved during the study period, suggesting a positive impact of increased decentralization on nourishment indicators. The inclusion of other dimensions of decentralization policy (like administrative decentralization and the role of political institutions) are also analyzed, showing important interactions with fiscal decentralization. On the other hand, decentralization does not appear to be pro-poor, as the results show that the progress on nourishment indicators was more considerable in non-poor municipalities versus poor municipalities. These results are robust to different thresholds and deprivation measures. In the last chapter of the dissertation, I study the topic of horizontal inequality. Horizontal inequality refers to the difference in income (or another welfare indicator) due to membership in a specific group (e.g., determined, by race, gender, location, etc.). This difference could be relevant in a context in which particular groups have been historically excluded, as the case of indigenous people in Bolivia. In this chapter, a tax-benefit incidence analysis model is used to assess the role of net public transfers on horizontal inequality in Bolivia for the year 2015. The group categories that are subject of the analysis are defined by ethnic status, gender, and location, besides a combination of these categories. Results show that the most significant group inequality is observed when the indigenous status is defined using an ethnolinguistic metric. However, the role of self-identification in determining indigenous status is less important in explaining the income gap. While the fiscal system seems to be progressive for indigenous and urban/rural categories, this progressivity is not present when the gender dimension is assessed.

Communities around the world are encountering unprecedented rates of change due to population growth, land use change, development, and increased social vulnerability to natural hazards. Understanding how physical processes and human vulnerability to natural hazards interact is a primary objective of researchers, policy makers, and disaster risk reduction practitioners in order to combat increases in natural hazard frequency and intensity. Nepal, a landlocked mountainous country spanning the central Himalayan region, has about 28 million inhabitants in 147,181 square kilometers. Nepal is exposed to a multitude of natural hazards, requiring individuals and communities to interact with and make decisions on risk acceptability on a day-to-day basis. In many cases, Nepal's geographic location, available resources (human, economic, and capital), and limited government capacity coalesce to turn natural hazards into disasters, resulting damaged infrastructure, economic disruptions, and death. This dissertation evaluates the geographic distribution of natural hazard mortality, quantifies social vulnerability to natural hazards, and models multi-hazard risk in the data deficient environment of Nepal. Chapter 1 conceptualizes relevant terms such as natural hazards, disaster, vulnerability, and risk before discussing the challenges associated with multi-hazard risk assessment in Nepal. Chapter 2 evaluates the spatial and temporal distribution of natural hazard mortalities at the village level using a publicly available disaster database. Results reveal that landslides were the deadliest disasters between 1971-2011. Chapter 3 identifies major social factors and processes that contribute to the vulnerability of individuals and communities using census data. Adapting the Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) method developed for the US context, this chapter investigates the spatial distribution and clustering of various social vulnerabilities across the country. 'Renter and Occupation', 'Poverty and Poor Infrastructure', and 'Favorable Social Conditions' are three major components that influence social vulnerability in Nepal. Results indicate an interesting regional difference: the eastern and central Tarai are more vulnerable than western Tarai, whereas the eastern Hills and Mountains are less vulnerable than western Hills and Mountains. In Chapter 4, a model of risk from multiple natural hazards in the city of Dharan, Nepal, is presented. Freely available geospatial data in combination with socio-economic data collected from local government and secondary sources are used. Multi-hazard risk assessment is data intensive and requires considerable financial and human resources, which are lacking in Nepal. Results show that geospatial modeling techniques can be used to fill the gap and assist local officers and emergency managers in risk management. Cumulatively, this work offers new insights on natural hazards, vulnerability, risk, the use of geospatial technologies, and their inter-relationships. Research findings advance scholarly understandings of multi-hazard risk in general and particularly in the Nepali context. Additionally, this work is valuable to disaster practitioners who seek to implement more effective disaster risk reduction programs and policies. ; Ph. D. ; Natural hazards are earth system processes that pose threats to people and have the capacity to disrupt social and ecological processes. Thus, a consideration of both physical and social dimensions is required to better understand natural hazards. This research evaluates social factors and processes that have significant roles in enhancing the vulnerability of individuals and communities. First, this dissertation explores spatial and temporal patterns of natural hazard fatalities at the village level in Nepal. Research findings identified that landslides were the highest contributor to natural hazard fatalities from 1971-2011. Second, this dissertation assesses which social factors and processes contribute most to social vulnerability in Nepal. Additionally, the spatial distribution and clustering of social vulnerability is explored. Finally, geospatial modeling was performed to analyze cumulative risk to floods, landslides, and earthquakes in the municipality of Dharan, Nepal.

Les années 1860 sont marquées par un intérêt tout particulier de la part des autorités de la jeune Belgique, à l'égard de ses archives. A cette époque où la nation cherche encore à justifier son existence et les bases constitutionnelles de son régime, leur sauvegarde (ainsi que la réalisation d'états des lieux de certaines séries documentaires) est l'une des priorités de la classe politique. L'idée de réaliser des tables décennales des registres d'état civil apparaît pour la première fois dans un arrêté consulaire du 25 vendémiaire an IX (17 octobre 1800) et dans la loi du 20 juillet 1807. Mais il faut attendre 1861 pour que la nécessité de réaliser des tables générales des registres paroissiaux, à l'image de ce qui se fait pour l'état civil, soit évoquée lors d'une séance de la Chambre des représentants. L'enjeu de la problématique est double : il s'agit d'une part de procéder à une localisation des registres eux-mêmes, puis de mettre sur pied un outil permettant une consultation plus aisée. Pour les députés de la Chambre des représentants, l'utilité de disposer de tables des registres paroissiaux est d'autant plus criante que « les écritures [y] sont parfois difficiles à déchiffrer par la plupart des secrétaires communaux, et les actes sont généralement rédigés en latin par les curés ». L'intérêt historique des registres ne leur échappe bien sûr pas, mais en ce milieu du XIXe siècle, l'existence de tables aplanirait surtout « de grandes difficultés, lorsque, soit à l'occasion de successions ou de questions contentieuses, ou pour rectifier des filiations […], on veut se livrer à des recherches dans les registres ». Les députés évoquent même la possibilité que ces tables, si elles sont assez précises, puissent remplacer jusqu'à un certain point les actes originaux. La question est d'abord soumise aux conseils provinciaux, via la circulaire émanant du Département de l'Intérieur, le 16 janvier 1863. Ils sont invités à réfléchir à la faisabilité du projet et au coût qu'il engendrerait et, par la même occasion, « à faire dresser des inventaires de ces registres, en indiquant séparément les baptêmes, les mariages et les enterrements ». Si la question est soumise aux autorités provinciales plutôt qu'aux Archives de l'État, c'est qu'à ce moment les registres paroissiaux sont encore majoritairement conservés dans les communes. L.-P. Gachard, premier archiviste général du Royaume, et ses successeurs ne se sont pas occupés de la question de leur versement. Une circulaire du 3 mars, venant en complément de celle du 16 janvier, attire également l'attention des conseillers provinciaux sur le fait que nombre de registres sont encore aux mains des curés de paroisse et que d'autres sont tombés aux mains de particuliers : il leur faudra employer « la voie de la persuasion pour obtenir communication de ces registres ». Les différents conseils provinciaux se montrent très partagés face aux questions qui leur sont posées. Un certain nombre d'entre eux s'interroge sur l'utilité de ces tables : en double emploi selon les limbourgeois, forcément incomplètes (du fait d'un nombre important de registres disparus) donc insuffisantes et vaines pour les hainuyers. Tous réagissent au problème du coût de la mesure qu'ils estiment ne pas devoir assumer. Il est dès lors décidé par la Chambre qu'un subside extraordinaire serait voté, en plusieurs fois, et accordé aux communes qui en feraient la demande. Le surplus de la dépense serait assumé par les communes. La loi du 10 mai 1865 est votée en ce sens. Les communes ne se montrent pas enchantées par cette mesure et décident parfois de ne pas réaliser ces tables (le travail étant facultatif). D'autres entreprennent le travail avec un retard certain. Parfois, il s'avère que les registres sont établis avec peu de rigueur. En témoignent, en Brabant, les demandes répétées formulées par le gouverneur de la province et publiée au Mémorial administratif.

The Alberta government has stated that it wants to make significant changes to the supply of electricity to the current electrical grid for the province. These changes include the phasing out of coal generation by 2030, the supply of 30 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030 and the introduction of a socalled capacity market in addition to the current electrical energy market. The achievement of these objectives will require a number of fundamental changes to the existing electrical grid. This paper provides an overall description of these changes.The paper first examines the current grid structure in which coal and gas provide the base load supply in the amount of 90 per cent of electricity demand, and renewables are a relatively small source of supply for the remaining 10 per cent. It then reviews the current simple energy market in Alberta that uses a single price auction to determine the wholesale price of electricity.The paper then notes that the achievement of these changes will require a large amount of investment in the next 15 years to create new generating capacity that currently does not exist. The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has forecast that by 2032, Alberta will need an additional 7,000 megawatts of gas generation, 5,000 megawatts of wind, 700 megawatts of solar and 350 megawatts of hydro. To put this in context, the Ontario grid currently has 4,213 megawatts of wind (11 per cent of total generating capacity) and 380 megawatts of solar (one per cent of generating capacity).The Alberta government has made two fundamental changes in the electricity market to make this happen.First, it has introduced a Renewable Energy Program (REP) to incent investment in renewables. They asked industry to bid on a 20 year contract for supply of electricity that offered a guaranteed fixed price that was independent of the existing wholesale market. The first round of bidding (REP 1) announced in December 2017 resulted in 600 megawatts of new wind capacity at prices below expectations. No solar proposals were accepted in REP 1, a result that may cause the Alberta government to make new proposals (details still to come) that may permit solar participation. Two new rounds for 2018 (REP 2 for 300 megawatts and REP 3 for 400 megawatts) have requested bids on a similar basis. The one new feature is that REP 2 is limited to investors with an Indigenous equity position of at least 25 per cent.Second, the Alberta government has proposed to introduce a capacity market that would compensate electricity suppliers for merely creating capacity to supply. The capacity market was requested by industry and was announced by the Government of Alberta in November 2016. It is intended to give additional compensation over and above the energy market compensation in order to make it economic for investment in future renewables if the REP guaranteed price structure is terminated, and in future base load and backup gas generation.The paper then describes one possible solution using new storage battery technology as a means of providing backup generation for renewables.Finally, the paper contrasts the proposed Alberta electrical grid with the current Ontario electrical grid. It notes that the current high electricity prices in Ontario have become a high profile political issue there, since consumers are paying all electricity costs. In contrast, the Alberta government has also stated that retail electricity prices will be capped at 6.8 cents per kilowatt hour until 2021. If retail rates exceed that amount, the Alberta government will use carbon tax revenues to pay the difference.

Les années 1860 sont marquées par un intérêt tout particulier de la part des autorités de la jeune Belgique, à l'égard de ses archives. A cette époque où la nation cherche encore à justifier son existence et les bases constitutionnelles de son régime, leur sauvegarde (ainsi que la réalisation d'états des lieux de certaines séries documentaires) est l'une des priorités de la classe politique. L'idée de réaliser des tables décennales des registres d'état civil apparaît pour la première fois dans un arrêté consulaire du 25 vendémiaire an IX (17 octobre 1800) et dans la loi du 20 juillet 1807. Mais il faut attendre 1861 pour que la nécessité de réaliser des tables générales des registres paroissiaux, à l'image de ce qui se fait pour l'état civil, soit évoquée lors d'une séance de la Chambre des représentants. L'enjeu de la problématique est double : il s'agit d'une part de procéder à une localisation des registres eux-mêmes, puis de mettre sur pied un outil permettant une consultation plus aisée. Pour les députés de la Chambre des représentants, l'utilité de disposer de tables des registres paroissiaux est d'autant plus criante que « les écritures [y] sont parfois difficiles à déchiffrer par la plupart des secrétaires communaux, et les actes sont généralement rédigés en latin par les curés ». L'intérêt historique des registres ne leur échappe bien sûr pas, mais en ce milieu du XIXe siècle, l'existence de tables aplanirait surtout « de grandes difficultés, lorsque, soit à l'occasion de successions ou de questions contentieuses, ou pour rectifier des filiations […], on veut se livrer à des recherches dans les registres ». Les députés évoquent même la possibilité que ces tables, si elles sont assez précises, puissent remplacer jusqu'à un certain point les actes originaux. La question est d'abord soumise aux conseils provinciaux, via la circulaire émanant du Département de l'Intérieur, le 16 janvier 1863. Ils sont invités à réfléchir à la faisabilité du projet et au coût qu'il engendrerait et, par la même occasion, « à faire dresser des inventaires de ces registres, en indiquant séparément les baptêmes, les mariages et les enterrements ». Si la question est soumise aux autorités provinciales plutôt qu'aux Archives de l'État, c'est qu'à ce moment les registres paroissiaux sont encore majoritairement conservés dans les communes. L.-P. Gachard, premier archiviste général du Royaume, et ses successeurs ne se sont pas occupés de la question de leur versement. Une circulaire du 3 mars, venant en complément de celle du 16 janvier, attire également l'attention des conseillers provinciaux sur le fait que nombre de registres sont encore aux mains des curés de paroisse et que d'autres sont tombés aux mains de particuliers : il leur faudra employer « la voie de la persuasion pour obtenir communication de ces registres ». Les différents conseils provinciaux se montrent très partagés face aux questions qui leur sont posées. Un certain nombre d'entre eux s'interroge sur l'utilité de ces tables : en double emploi selon les limbourgeois, forcément incomplètes (du fait d'un nombre important de registres disparus) donc insuffisantes et vaines pour les hainuyers. Tous réagissent au problème du coût de la mesure qu'ils estiment ne pas devoir assumer. Il est dès lors décidé par la Chambre qu'un subside extraordinaire serait voté, en plusieurs fois, et accordé aux communes qui en feraient la demande. Le surplus de la dépense serait assumé par les communes. La loi du 10 mai 1865 est votée en ce sens. Les communes ne se montrent pas enchantées par cette mesure et décident parfois de ne pas réaliser ces tables (le travail étant facultatif). D'autres entreprennent le travail avec un retard certain. Parfois, il s'avère que les registres sont établis avec peu de rigueur. En témoignent, en Brabant, les demandes répétées formulées par le gouverneur de la province et publiée au Mémorial administratif.

The in vitro fertilization is a recent biomedical innovation, dating from 1978. Nevertheless, the use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) become widely accepted, to the point where these technics contribute today to more than three per cent of French childbirth. Clinical practitioners and biologists play a key-role in this field. They are in charge of the gametes meeting and they are also the main decision makers on the access and the pursuit of infertility treatments. However, their decisional power has been less studied than the consequences of their intervention in terms of infertility experience, kinship, filiation and gender. This is precisely what this research aims to overcome. At the crossroads of health sociology, sociology of professions, of organizations and of action, the goal of this study is to highlight, through the prism of medical decisions, the multiplicity of practices and the diversity of representations of infertility specialists.This research is build on a two years of qualitative study lead in several ART centres in the Parisian region, including observations of consultations, multidisciplinary staff meetings, and interviews with patients and infertility specialists. Based on this data, and constantly trying to articulate micro and macro sociological dimensions, this investigation is firstly devoted to report the local and global contexts where the professionals' choices are taken, and then to analyse decisions about ARTs access and medical technics.In fine, this research points out that the patients' selection and the medical strategies, each different depending on the specific ART centers' cultures, appear as a compromise made between the different actors, who have to compose with a set of constraints to, in the end, start off practices in adequacy with their own values and representations. ; Si la fécondation in vitro est une innovation biomédicale récente, datant seulement de 1978, le recours à l'Assistance Médicale à la Procréation (AMP) est rapidement entré dans les mœurs, au point que ses procédés participent aujourd'hui à plus de 3 % des naissances françaises. Les cliniciens et les biologistes de la reproduction jouent un rôle incontournable dans ce champ. Chefs d'orchestre de la rencontre des gamètes, ils sont également les principaux acteurs décisionnaires de l'accès et de la poursuite des traitements de l'infertilité. Pourtant, leur pouvoir décisionnel a moins été étudié que les conséquences de leur intervention en termes de vécu de l'infertilité, de parenté, de filiation et de genre. C'est précisément ce manque que cette recherche tente de pallier. Au croisement des sociologies de la santé, des professions, des organisations et de l'action, cette étude vise à éclairer la multiplicité des pratiques et des représentations des spécialistes de l'infertilité à travers le prisme des décisions médicales. Elle repose sur deux enquêtes, menées pendant plus de deux ans au sein de plusieurs centres d'AMP de la région parisienne, comprenant des observations de consultations et de réunions pluridisciplinaires, et des entretiens avec des patients et des spécialistes de l'infertilité. S'appuyant sur ce corpus de données, et guidée par un souci constant d'articuler les dimensions micro et macro sociologiques, cette investigation s'attache d'abord à resituer les contextes globaux et locaux dans lesquels s'inscrivent les choix des professionnels, puis à analyser les décisions relatives à l'accès à l'AMP et aux techniques médicales. In fine, cette recherche montre que la sélection des patients et les stratégies médicales, structurées dans des cultures propres à chaque centre, apparaissent comme des compromis trouvés par les acteurs qui composent avec un ensemble de contraintes pour adopter des pratiques en adéquation avec leurs valeurs et leurs représentations.

In modern terms, «soft law» is turning into an effective tool for regulating corporate and, in general, economic relations at the national level. International corporate governance standards serve as a benchmark for the development of corporate law in all countries of the world. The subject of «lawmaking» in this case is not a state, but an international organization that formulates and adopts recommendation acts.The problem of «soft law» in modern legal science is very popular; it is devoted to a considerable number of works of foreign and domestic scientists, in particular, G. M. Velyminov, T. M. Neshataeva, J. B. Fogelson, T. Matveeva and others. For the first time in the post-Soviet space the problem of «soft» corporate law was raised by S. O. Chekhovskaja in 2012.The purpose of the article is to define the role of «soft law» in the system of regulation of corporate relations.There are three basic approaches to understanding «soft law» in the legal science:1) «soft law» is reduced to recommendatory acts of international intergovernmental organizations;2) «soft law» covers both documents of international intergovernmental organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, in particular, Principles of international commercial agreements of UNIDROIT, ICC acts, etc .;3) the most widespread approach, in which «soft law» is considered instruments of non-state regulation, both international and national.The greatest influence of soft law acts has been such a part of corporate relations as corporate governance relations. The «soft law» acts in the field of corporate governance include: The G20 / Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Principles of Corporate Governance 2015, Declaration on International Investments and Multinational Enterprises 1976 and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises 2011 as a component of the latter.The «soft» standards of corporate governance, which are legally non-binding in nature, due to the authority of the organization they have developed, are used by the states to reform corporate law. The paper proposes to distinguish between «soft law» acts and normative legal acts of recommendation nature, such as those approved by the decisions of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission dated July 24, 2014 No. 955 Principles of Corporate Governance.Soft law recommendations of international organizations, and OECD, in particular, have an impact both on the member states of the organization and on all other states and their private entities. Attention is drawn to the practice of voluntarily taking States' international obligations to comply with soft law. So, Ukraine is in accordance with Clause «c» of Part 1 of Art. 387 of the Association Agreement with the EU has committed itself to further developing corporate governance policies in line with international standards, namely the OECD Principles.Voluntary compliance with international corporate governance standards of corporations interested in good business reputation and increasing its competitiveness leads to the formation of corporate business practices in corporate relations.Today «soft law» defines the vector of development of corporate relations at the national level, and also serves as a tool for harmonization of national laws of different countries of the world. Soft law regulates corporate relations indirectly - through the influence on the development of national legislation, as well as directly - through the voluntary introduction by corporations of international standards in local regulations statutes, regulations, principles (codes) of corporate governance, as well as the formation of international commercial usages. ; В статье рассматриваются сложившиеся в юридической науке подходы к феномену «мягкое право». Определяется роль рекомендательных актов международных организаций в системе регулирования корпоративных отношений, в частности, отношений корпоративного управления, на национальном уровне. ; Розглянуто висловлені в юридичній науці погляди на феномен «м'якого права». Визначається роль рекомендаційних актів міжнародних організацій у системі регулювання корпоративних відносин, зокрема відносин корпоративного управління, на національному рівні.

L'elaborato dal titolo La disabilità nel contesto scolastico: uno strumento per progettare e documentare a sostegno della professionalità dell'educatore sociale vuole affrontare i temi della progettazione e della documentazione di cui si occupa l'educatore sociale che lavora con la disabilità, in contesto scolastico, attraverso un approfondimento teorico e la somministrazione di uno strumento finalizzato a progettare e documentare l'agire educativo in tale contesto e le successive riflessioni in riferimento ai dati raccolti nel corso della ricerca. L'elaborato si suddivide in 4 capitoli. Il capitolo 1 affronta il tema della documentazione soffermandosi sulla definizione poliedrica di questo termine e sullo sviluppo di tale scienza nel corso della storia degli ultimi due secoli, con particolare riferimento agli autori che hanno segnato il passaggio da una forma di documentazione "improvvisata" ad una "sistematica", origine dell'attuale scienza della documentazione: Paul Otlet, Paolo Bisogno e Franco Cambi. Il capitolo 2 si divide in due parti: nella prima parte viene presentata, attraverso un quadro legislativo e di competenze, la carta d'identità dell'educatore sociale e gli ambiti in cui questo esperto può intervenire; nella seconda parte del capitolo, invece, il focus viene posto sul contesto scolastico, sulle norme che disciplinano l'agire educativo e didattico di chi entra in contatto con alunni disabili e sugli strumenti che la normativa fornisce ai docenti, alle famiglie ed ai servizi per la co-costruzione del Progetto di Vita. Attraverso la legislazione viene presentato il concetto di inclusione, facendo riferimento agli obiettivi educativi dei progetti che hanno tale finalità ed alle strategie messe in atto per raggiungere tali obiettivi. Il capitolo 3 rappresenta un ulteriore focus su due delle competenze che l'educatore sociale deve sviluppare: quelle progettuali e documentative. La progettazione e la documentazione verranno approfondite in tutti i loro aspetti: funzioni, modalità, tempi, attori. Attraverso l'approfondimento di queste due specifiche competenze si intende introdurre il tema del capitolo 4, dedicato al percorso formativo ed alla ricerca che sono stati effettuati presso l'Azienda dei Servizi Bassa Reggiana. Il percorso formativo e di ricerca ha condotto alcuni educatori sociali che lavorano a scuola ed hanno in carico alunni disabili, alla conoscenza ed all'utilizzo dello Strumento per progettare e documentare che verrà presentato parallelamente alla rilettura del percorso di ricerca. Questo strumento, ideato dalle Prof.sse Maja Antonietti e Chiara Bertolini dell'Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia e da Benedetti Patrizia dell'Azienda servizi Bassa Reggiana, ha la funzione di sostenere la progettualità e la documentazione di cui si occupa l'educatore sociale che lavora a contatto con alunni disabili. L'intento dello strumento è quello di andare a colmare un vuoto: per gli educatori sociali che lavorano in questo contesto non è previsto niente di simile, formalmente, e quindi questo genere di azioni dipendono esclusivamente dalla persona che riveste tale ruolo. La ricerca ha voluto indagare i punti di forza e di debolezza dello strumento, in un'ottica dinamica e di miglioramento continuo, che possa consentire alla professionalità dell'educatore sociale di documentare il proprio agire, co-costruire significati e condividere riflessioni legate alla progettualità con gli altri attori del contesto sociale e scolastico che fanno parte della rete di relazioni del destinatario dell'intervento. La scelta di studiare ed approfondire queste tematiche è dovuta ad un interesse personale ed alla consapevolezza dell'utilità che la conoscenza di questi argomenti può avere per il pedagogista che lavora a contatto con l'ambiente scolastico.

Rouge National Urban Park has been described as "the first of its kind" in Canada. Its proximity to the largest urban centre in the country, and the challenges represented by this, makes it an interesting case study in environmental governance. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the institutional change represented by the transition in the status and management of the Rouge from a local park to a national park. This thesis aims to answer the questions: 1. What were the main characteristics of the decision-making process that resulted in the establishment of Rouge National Urban Park? 2. How did the regime change after the transition to Parks Canada? 3. What are the effects of the new regime on the actions of economic and civil society actors? 4. What are the expected impacts of the new regime on the resources in the park and how they will be used in the future? To analyze the institutional change in resource management exemplified by the establishment of Rouge National Urban Park, this thesis will use the Environmental Governance Framework proposed by Vatn (2015). Under this framework, it will examine the different actors involved in the transition to the new national park regime, as well as their preferences, interests, and interactions. National parks are seen as an institution, which has some basis on internationally- accepted definitions of protected areas under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Category II. To analyze the results of the new regime, Underdal (2002)'s framework on Regime Effectiveness will be used. The change in the park's legislation and operations are seen as the output of the decision-making process, while its effect on economic and civil society actors' behaviour is seen as its outcome. Finally, the long-term effect of the decision-making process and its output on the resource being governed is seen as the impact. Per date, it has only been possible to indicate what is expected, Rouge National Urban Park is relatively new. This particular case study is examined from different actors' perspectives. To do so, qualitative research methods such as interviews and literature reviews have been used. An array of primary and secondary sources, such as government documents, public documents, and news articles, have also been chosen to provide a balanced and diverse overview of the issue. It is worth noting that, as exemplified in this case, politics has as much to do with conservation as does governance. This is due to the fact that decision-making is a political process, and the resulting legislation frames the way resources are managed. While it remains to be seen what the long-term impact of these decisions will be on the natural and cultural resources in the park, this thesis contends that the park lands will be better administered under federal management. Not only will the Rouge be protected in perpetuity, but once the land transfers have been finalized, an important natural ecological corridor will be formalized and preserved. Having these lands unified and maintained by an agency with the mandate and the means to do so will be beneficial, especially due to the park's location within developed areas. At the same time, it will be vital to continue partnerships with important stakeholders such as farming communities, First Nations groups, and local conservationists. Maintaining the balance between nature and culture in an urban setting means that the Rouge represents a new model of park management in Canada. Lessons learned from its experience could be applied in similar cases around the world. ; submittedVersion ; M-IES

Abstract. The main purpose of this research is to find out the condition of the collection for Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) and Title Transfer Tax of Motor Vehicle (BBN-KB) in the regional Tax's Collector, constraints in collecting the Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) and Title Transfer Tax of Motor Vehicle (BBN-KB) and how the strategy to increase the revenue of Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) and Title Transfer Tax of Motor Vehicle (BBN-KB) for the last 5 years from the Regional Tax's Collector of North Sulawesi. This is a qualitative research with an explorative approach. The result of this research show thatthere is Rp 82.000.000.000,- bill has not been collected yet from the Motor Vehicle Tax in 2016. On the other hand, Title Transfer Tax of Motor Vehicle decreased for revenue on 2014 and 2015 in North Sulawesi. Prior to conducting activities on the collection of Motor Vehicle Tax and title Transfer tax of Motor Vehicle, BP2RD of North Sulawesi Province shall set the target of PKB and BBNKB acceptance and to carry out the collection activity with the system and procedures which have been determined. There are 4 constrains for collecting the Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) and Title Transfer Tax of Motor Vehicle (BBN-KB) as follow Taxpayer's behavier, taxpayer's compliance, Comprehension of PKB and BBN-KB and Natural disaster. Some efforts that also conducted by the regional Tax's Collector to increase the revenue of PKB and BBN-KB are communication, policy, service system and participation from all the authorized institution in the government. We can find the regional revenue of North Sulawesi for Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) and Title Transfer fee of Motor Vehicle (BBN-KB) is around 51% to 66% for the last 5 years, therefore these taxes are becoming the big contribution for the main revenue of the Regional Government of North Sulawesi.Keywords : Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) and Title Transfer fee of Motor Vehicle (BBN-KB), Original Regional RevenueAbstrak. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui kondisi Pemungutan Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor dan Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bermotor di BP2RD, kendala-kendala dalam pemungutan Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor dan Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bermotor serta strategi dalam peningkatan penerimaan PKB dan BBNKB selama 5 tahun terakhir oleh Badan Pengelola Pajak dan Retribusi Daerah provinsi Sulawesi Utara. Metode analisis data yang digunakan adalah metode analisis data kualitatif dengan pendekatan eksploratif. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pada tahun 2016 adanya piutang sekitar Rp.82.000.000.000,- untuk tunggakan Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor. Sedangkan Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bermotor mengalami penurunan penerimaan di tahun 2014 dan 2015 pada Provinsi Sulawesi Utara. Sebelum melakukan kegiatan pemungutan Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor dan Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bemotor, BP2RD Provinsi Sulawesi Utara menyusun target penerimaan PKB dan BBNKB dan melaksanakan kegiatan pemungutan dengan sitem dan prosedur yang telah ditetapkan. Ada 3 kendala dalam kegiatan pemungutan Pajak kendaraan bermotor dan Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bermotor yaitu Perilaku Wajib Pajak, pemahaman tentang PKB dan BBNKB, dan bencana alam. Adapun upaya yang dilakukan untuk meningkatkan pendapatan PKB dan BBNKB melalui pemungutan yang dilakukan oleh BP2RD adalah komunikasi, kebijakan, sistem pelayanan, kerja sama dengan pemerintah yang berwenang. Peranan Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor dan Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bermotor pada Pendapatan Asli Daerah dapat dilihat melalui Realisasi penerimaan PKB dan BBN-KB terhadap realisasi penerimaan PAD Propinsi Sulawesi Utara untuk 5 tahun terakhir ini sangat dominan yaitu diantara 51% s/d 66%. Sehingga dengan demikian penerimaan PKB dan BBN-KB adalah merupakan kontributor terbesar pasokan keuangan bagi pemerintah daerah melalui penerimaan Pendapatan Asli Daerah.Kata Kunci : Pajak Kendaraan Bermotor, Bea Balik Nama Kendaraan Bermotor, Pendapatan Asli Daerah.