Suchergebnisse

BACKGROUND—A major factor influencing tobacco use is its price. Fiscal policies on tobacco are a key ingredient of any comprehensive control strategy, as they can be used to raise prices. The European Union (EU) developed directives to ensure some harmonisation of the fiscal pressure on tobacco across its member states. OBJECTIVES—To provide a simple comparison of tobacco prices in the EU, adjusting for the purchasing power of each currency. DESIGN—For price comparisons, a 20 units pack of Marlboro was the reference product, and data refer to April 2000. Purchasing power parities (PPP) for each member state currency have been compiled. These are currency conversion rates, which convert to a common currency and equalise the purchasing power of different currencies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Nominal prices of a Marlboro pack for each member state, and a price index, estimated taking as reference the EU mean. Adjusted prices and an adjusted price index have been estimated using PPP. RESULTS—Nominal prices show wide variation, with the cheapest pack in Portugal (59) and the most expensive in the UK (196); the range of variation is three-fold. However, PPP adjusted prices reveal a different distribution. In three countries adjusted prices are outliers, but all other countries make two clusters, one around the average EU index of 100, the other around a lower value of 85. CONCLUSIONS—These results suggest that fiscal harmonisation policies in the EU do not have an even effect at reducing availability by its impact in price. Keywords: cigarette price; fiscal policy; health policy; European Union.

An analysis of the impact of the EU constitution on Maltese interest groups. ; peer-reviewed

Few would have blamed the Maltese electorate had they followed the majority of their European brethren and showed a marked apathy towards the 2004 EP elections. In less than a year they had been bombarded by a highly polarised and politicised referendum campaign, followed almost immediately by a highly tense general election revolving around the issue of EU membership. Most Maltese were simply relieved when it was all over. Although turnout was markedly lower than in general elections - 82 per cent compared to 96 per cent at the last general election 1 - it was still the third highest in the EU,2 even though voters had to elect only five MEPs, the smallest quota for any EU state, a fact that rankled some and became a campaign issue for others. ; peer-reviewed

Since its seminal origins in the European Coal and Steel Community, EU market integration has been advancing in the field of energy as in the wider economy. However, Russian gas cutoffs to Europe in 2006 and 2009 served as a stark reminder that many member states remain vulnerable in terms of the physical security of their foreign energy inflows, a glaring Achilles heel of the EU that has risen to unprecedented prominence on its policymaking agenda. Turkey, an EU candidate member, has been emerging as a new and potentially more stable and independent 'corridor' for a wider diversity of pipeline-based hydrocarbon exports to the European market. This book offers a freshly provocative look at the nexus linking EU security, trans-Turkey energy supply routes to Europe and Turkey's EU membership negotiations, arguing that Europe's collective energy security prospects have become increasingly tied to Turkey's progress towards joining the EU.

The article deals with the possibilities of expansion of the European Union, not only by the membership, but also by the other integration methods. In the basic documents of the European Union, which form the legal basis of the arrangement of the European Union is not the geographical jurisdiction strictly mentioned to the old continent. This enables further enlargement of the European Union outside the geographic territory of the European continent. In addition, the European Union has the possibility to use different degrees of integration, without the condition the potential states must be forced to be members of the European Union. Outside the European Union is mentioned the African continent and its selected regions, region of North African countries and the region of South African countries in this article. All countries (European and African) have been submitted by indicatory the Failed States Index, and with the help of indicators of World Bank Data Set has been processed in the time series, which are ten-years development in selected indicators.

"Differentiated Integration and European Union Politics" published on by Oxford University Press.

With over twenty different official regulatory statements worldwide on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for pharmaceutical, drug, or medicinal products, two stand out as being the most influential and most frequently referenced. Bridging the gap between U.S. regulations and European Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines, Good Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practice: Rationale and Compliance gleans the most important substance from the U.S. Current Good Manufacturing Practice, parts 210 and 211 (US cGMPs, 2002) and the European Guide to Good Manufacturing Practice for Medicinal Products for Hu

Looking at historical cross-country interactions, this book examines the role of the US in the world economy. Illustrating that US shocks tend to have a global nature and that Monetary Union only partially shelters the Euro area from its external environment, the US should fully assume its responsibility, minimizing shock transmission.

Maintaining security is one of public tasks that determine the quality of life of the population. This issue is the subject of much debate both social and political. An in-depth assessment of the situation requires a variety of analyzes, significant from the point of view of the implementation of appropriate, effective strategy to increase the sense of security among citizens. The aim of the paper is to compare the state of public safety in selected European countries. The study was conducted based on Eurostat data from the years 2005–2011.

The author analyses how big business interests groups influence the both EU legislative and policy making process, and by doing so how they distort pluralistic concept of public policy networking at the supranational level of governance. The enormous financial resources available to multinational corporations provide them the use of 'front group' strategy or the 'third party' strategy, manipulative public relations tactics, and an insider position in the European Commission's consultative fora, which all lead to exclusion of grass root groups. The author concludes that big business influence on the EU decision-makers will have negative effects on democratic legitimacy of the EU institutions, and he thinks that an efficient institutional control over lobbying activities in Brussels is needed.

"The Baltic States in the European Union" published on by Oxford University Press.