800 research outputs found
The Role of Blockchain in the Public Sector: An Overview
No full textIl capitolo esamina quale utilità e quali funzioni può avere la blockchain nel settore pubblico. Dopo aver espresso alcune riflessioni sulle obiezioni di fondo che si potrebbero muovere all'uso della blockchain nel settore pubblico, l'autore analizza alcuni degli elementi fondamentali della gestione dei dati, a partire dalla nozione di database. Avendo quindi descritto quali sono i processi funzionali per la gestione dei dati nel settore pubblico, l'autore illustra quali caratteristiche e funzionalità della blockchain potrebbero essere utili nel settore pubblico. Vengono quindi descritti alcuni potenziali utilizzi della tecnologia blockchain.The chapter examines what utility and what functions blockchain can have in the public sector. Having given some thoughts on the underlying objections that could be made to the use of blockchain in the public sector, the author analyses some of the fundamental elements of data management, starting from the notion of database. Having therefore described what are the functional processes for data management in the public sector, the author illustrates which features and functionality of the blockchain could be useful in the public sector. Some potential uses of blockchain technology are therefore described
Measurement Procedures for the Electrical Characterization of Oxide Thin Films
No full textThis paper describes a measurement system for the electrical characterization of oxide thin films. Such films can be produced using plasma-sputtering processes and permit the realization of a large set of high-performance components, such as capacitors, active devices, sensors, and protective coatings. The electrical properties of the oxide films, which have a thickness of less than 1 μm, are difficult to measure since very high resistances (on the order of gigaohms) and small capacitances (on the order of picofarads) are expected for contact areas smaller than 1 mm2. The measurement system and the procedures described in this paper represent an alternative solution to the commercial devices, which usually employ a mercury probe for performing the contact with the specimen under characterization. Furthermore, the proposed system can be used not only to estimate the electrical properties of a single point but to evaluate the uniformity of oxide films on large specimens as well. The experimental results reported refer to valve-metal-based oxide films deposited in a lab-scale capacitively coupled parallel-plate reactor and show the effectiveness of the proposed procedure
Services in the Field of Law within the Internal Market: Promoting e-Justice through Interoperability
No full textThe paper addresses the problem of intra-European services provided to professionals in the legal sector. Through a brief overview of the main services that are or may be offered in the internal market in this field, the author identifies the lack of interoperability as one of the most critical barriers currently preventing effective intra-community competition. The author wonders to what degree and under which rules of the treaties a European intervention could be justified and, therefore, what purposes could be pursued through European legislation. The author analyses the rail transport sector to assess if, and to what degree, existing barriers to entry could be reduced and innovation could be fostered by defining certain standards at a European level for the interoperability of IT systems in the field of law. In particular, the example of the rail sector is analyzed to determine the degree to which the solutions already in place for the “telematics applications for the passenger services subsystem” could be replicated in the context of the services addressed by the paper. In conclusion, the author suggests that addressing the issues of interoperability in the legal services sector could be a useful first step towards the digitalization of the internal market, as advocated by the Commission in its recent Communication on the digital single market
A Wireless Sensor Network for Cold-Chain Monitoring
No full textThis paper deals with a wireless sensor network that was specifically designed to monitor temperature-sensitive products during their distribution with the aim of conforming to the cold-chain assurance requirements. The measurement problems and the constraints that have been encountered in this application are initially highlighted, and then, an architecture that takes such problems into account is proposed. The proposed architecture is based on specifically designed measuring nodes that are inserted into the products to identify their behavior under real operating conditions, e.g., during a typical distribution. Such product nodes communicate through a wireless channel with a base station, which collects and processes the data sent by all the nodes. A peculiarity of the product nodes is the low cost, which allows the information on the cold-chain integrity to be provided to the final customer. The results that refer to the functional tests of the proposed system and to the experimental tests performed on a refrigerated vehicle during a distribution are reporte
Introduction: The Challenges and Opportunities of Blockchain Technologies
No full textIntroduzione al volume Blockchain, Law and Governance.Introduction to the volume Blockchain, Law and Governance
Ultrasonic distance sensor improvement using a two-level neural network
No full textThis paper discusses the performance improvement that a neural network can provide to a contactless distance sensor based on the measurement of the time of flight (TOF) of an ultrasonic (US) pulse. The sensor, which embeds a correction system for the temperature effect, achieves a distance uncertainty (rms) of less than 0.5 mm over 0.5 m by using a two-level neural network to process the US echo and determine the TOF in the presence of environmental acoustic noise. The network embeds a "guard" neuron that guards against gross measurement errors, which would be possible in the presence of high environmental noise
Malfunzionamenti nella prenotazione telematica del vaccino: il risultato prevedibile di affidamenti in-house = Malfunctions in the telematic booking of the covid vaccine: the unsurprising result of in-house providing
No full textIl contributo analizza alcune criticità nelle modalità di affidamento della realizzazione dei sistemi di prenotazione telematica dei vaccini anti covid-19. In particolare, si sottolinea come l’affidamento a società in house non si sia rivelato idoneo a consentire di far fronte alla situazione emergenziale, criticandosi altresì il mancato ricorso all’istituto del riuso. Il commento conclude suggerendo in che modo l’emergenza sanitaria in corso avrebbe invece potuto indurre a valorizzare contributi virtuosi da parte di operatori privati.The contribution analyzes some critical issues in the procedures for entrusting the implementation of telematic booking systems for anti covid-19 vaccines. In particular, the Author emphasizes how the assignment to in-house companies has been unsuccessful. The Author also criticizes the choice of not reusing software solutions already developed for other public administrations. The comment concludes suggesting that the health emergency in progress should rather have led to make the best of the support that private operators could provide
State Resources in the Case Law: Imputability Under an Organizational Perspective
No full textUnder an organisational perspective, the article analyses the most relevant case law on the criteria of imputability of the resources used to finance aid schemes. The Author’s aim is to assess whether a link may be found between the first requirement set by Article 107(1) TFUE and the way in which Member States organise the use of their public powers. Having classified and analysed the decisions of the European Courts accordingly, the Author concludes highlighting the role, under State aid rules, played by the way in which public bodies are structured
Acte administratif individuel et directives non transposées: rôle du juge national
No full textIn the Perreux case, the French Conseil d’Etat has reconnaised that it is possible to invoke an European directive, even if not transposed, in a judgment for the annulment of an administrative act. Recently, the Italian Consiglio di Stato has reached similar conclusions: self-executing European Directives form an integral part of the legislative framework to be considered when evaluating the legality of an administrative act and, as a consequence, the violation of non-transposed and self-executing Directives may lead to the annulment of an administrative act. On the basis of the French and Italian experience, the Author tries to identify the legal basis on which such conclusions are reached. In particular, the Author suggests that it is necessary to fully investigate the real nature of the European Union.Dans l’arrêt Perreux le Conseil d’Etat français a reconnu la possibilité d’invoquer une directive non transposée à l’appui d’un recours contre un acte administratif individuel. Récemment, le Conseil d’Etat italien a également établi que les normes européennes ayant un effet direct se posent comme un paramètre de légitimité des actes administratifs et, par conséquent, que la violation de normes communautaires comporte un vice d’illégalité de l’acte administratif. A partir de l’expérience française et italienne, l’auteur s’interroge sur la justification de ce phénomène. Dans un contexte où la primauté du droit communautaire ne parait plus être suffisant, l’auteur estime qu’il semble désormais nécessaire de s’interroger sur la réelle nature juridique de l’Union Européenne
Aiuti di stato: La “modernizzazione” del ruolo dello “Stato finanziatore” quale motore dello sviluppo dei Servizi di interesse economico generale
No full textIl contributo affronta il tema delle compensazioni per oneri di servizio pubblico analizzando la disciplina europea sugli aiuti di Stato alla luce del pacchetto sulla “modernizzazione” ed il modo in cui questa possa influire sul ruolo che lo Stato può giocare nell’erogazione dei servizi di interesse economico generale.
L’Autore esamina anzitutto le varie modalità attraverso cui la Commissione, recependo i precedenti indirizzi giurisprudenziali ed aggiornando i preesistenti riferimenti normativi, valuta le compensazioni per oneri di servizio pubblico, dai criteri Altmark sino al giudizio di compatibilità di misure che astrattamente costituiscono un aiuto ai sensi dell’articolo 107, paragrafo 1, Tfue.
L’analisi prosegue concentrando l’attenzione sulle disposizioni settoriali del pacchetto sulla modernizzazione lungo due direttrici: da un lato, viene rilevata l’intenzione della Commissione di verificare la compatibilità della scelta degli Stati membri di qualificare un servizio come di interesse economico generale; dall’altro, vengono esaminati i limiti entro cui la Commissione stessa anticipa che sia possibile considerare determinate attività quali Sieg e, quindi, in quali casi possano ritenersi adeguate le compensazioni eventualmente erogate dallo Stato.
In chiusura viene dunque svolta una breve riflessione circa le ulteriori limitazioni che possano discendere dal rinnovato contesto in materia di aiuti di Stato al ruolo che l’Autorità pubblica si può ritagliare nel settore dei servizi di interesse economico generale.The article deals with the issue of compensation for public service obligations, especially in light of the “modernisation package”. The aim of the contribution is to verify to what extent the application of State aid rules may affect the decisions of public Authorities on the provisioning of such services of general economic interest and, more generally, on the role that public authorities may play in this field.
Given the inherent tension between public services and competition law, the Author first examines the various ways in which the Commission tends to consider the compensations for public service obligations in two key areas: measures falling under the Altmark criteria, and measures that constitute an aid under Article 107, paragraph 1, Tfeu.
The Author then continues by analysing the provisions of the modernisation package in two main directions: on the one hand he analyses how the Commission intends to scrutinize, and to what extent, the choices of Member States to qualify certain activities as services of general economic interest. On the other side, it is investigated to what extent compensations paid by the State can be considered adequate.
The Author traces then some conclusions regarding the limited role that the State is called to play, even in the services of general economic interest
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