8,969 research outputs found
The impact of EC-92 on developing countries'trade : a dissenting view
No full textMost benefits of the European Community (EC-92) program will probably not come from marginal changes in trade flows. Those changes are important to European policymakers, but are of remote interest to developing countries. The main threats to developing countries are the diversion of investment funds to EC countries and continued external barriers, especially nontariff barriers. The EC expects higher growth and lower prices as a result of EC-92. The net effect on developing countries of the removal of internal trade barriers depends on the country's income and price elasticities with the EC. Current estimates suggest the effect will be small. If new external barriers emerge, or if EC-wide barriers replace national barriers, EC firms may collaborate more with large US or Japanese firms. None of these developments will improve developing countries'trade in manufactures and services. Investment in EC countries may increase to meet the extra demand, growth, or trade diversion resulting from EC-92. This could lead to increased investments in developing countries but given heavy indebtedness in developing countries, is more likely to divert investment funds, thus limiting their future production and growth. Technical standards in EC-92 may also be tougher than national standards in member countries, which could hurt developing country exporters. Is"Fortress Europe"likely? The EC Commission says no, but the Community's record is not good.Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,TF054105-DONOR FUNDED OPERATION ADMINISTRATION FEE INCOME AND EXPENSE ACCOUNT,Trade and Regional Integration,Trade Policy
Heteronarce garmani : Regan 1921
No full textHeteronarce garmani Regan, 1921 Natal Electric Ray Heteronarce garmani Regan, 1921: 414. Holotype (unique): BMNH 1921.3.1.3. Type locality: 15–20 miles off Umvoti River, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Local synonymy: Heteronarce garmani: Regan, 1921: 414; Gilchrist, 1922b: 50; von Bonde & Swart, 1923: 14; Barnard, 1925: 92; Fowler, 1925b: 193; Barnard, 1927: 1016; Smith, 1949a: 74, fig. 90; Smith, 1964: 291, pl. 29a; Smith, 1965: 74, fig. 90; Wallace, 1967a: 55, fig. 28; Compagno, 1986: 113, fig. 24.1; Compagno et al., 1989: 82, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 116; Compagno & Heemstra, 2007: 43; NPOA, 2013: 52; da Silva et al., 2015: 247; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; de Carvalho, 2016: 175, fig. 16.3; Weigmann, 2016: 912. Heteronarce regani von Bonde & Swart, 1923: 14, fig. 2, pl. 22 (original descrption). Narcine natalensis Fowler, 1925a: 198, fig. 2 (original description). Narcine garmani Fowler, 1925b: 193. South Africa voucher material: Holotype: BMNH 1921.3.1.3. Non-types: SAIAB 16568, SAIAB 10439 [former ORI B 834]. South African distribution: Algoa Bay (EC) to northern KZN. Remarks: A very rare, small, regionally endemic electric ray known only from the east coast of South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar. Conservation status: NT (2020). Genus Narke Kaup, 1826 Onefin Sleeper Rays Narke Kaup, 1826: 88. Type species: Raja capensis Gmelin, 1789, by monotypy.Published as part of Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 4947 (1) on pages 70-71, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4947.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/461456
EC Bananarama 1992 : the sequel - the EC Commission proposal
No full textSome European Community (EC) countries give preferred market access and high prices to bananas from selected developing countries or EC regional suppliers. This preferential status is regarded as a form of aid to these countries, most of which are developing small island economies. EC marketers of bananas from these preferred suppliers also benefit because of the high retail prices. Nonpreferred suppliers - mainly developing countries of Latin America - are hurt by the policies because access is denied or restricted and the lower demand depresses the world price for bananas. The Community's commitment to establish a single unified EC banana market on December 31, 1992 provides a timely opportunity to reform existing distortionary trade policies. The recently announced proposal of the Commission of ECs to regulate banana trade within a unified market relies on quotas to control imports. The proposal is extremely complicated. It is designed to severely restrict competition and to maintain the advantages of selected groups. The authors update their earlier analysis of world banana trade to reflect the market in 1993. They evaluate the implications of the Commission's proposal alongside existing and alternative policies. They find that current policies cost EC consumers about 0.3 billion a year to preferred suppliers. So, it costs EC consumers about 1.00 of aid toselect developing countries or regions. Additionally, every dollar of aid reaching preferred suppliers costs other developing country suppliers 5.30 cost to EC consumers, over 1.00 is lost in outright waste. Several plausible versions of the Commission's proposal are modelled. At best they are found to be slightly less costly than existing policies and at worst, considerably more costly. A 3.5 percent reduction in the quota allocation is estimated to lead to a 30 percent increase in the cost of the proposal. The authors conclude that the Commission's proposal for a unified EC banana policy appears to be little more than a way of replacing existing distortionary national policies with an almost equally distortionary single policy and market. The only difference: the costs would be borne by consumers in all EC countries rather than consumers in only some countries. Worse still, costs could increase. Markets that now gain the benefits of mostly open and competitive marketing such as Germany would face closed and uncompetitive conditions. For developing countries exporting bananas, the proposal offers little. At best conditions may be no worse than they are now. At worst the policy could hurt Latin American suppliers even more than current policies and introduce considerable confusion about the level of support to preferred suppliers. Under the proposed quota system aid will not be well targeted. A more efficient way of achieving the EC's aid commitment is through a small tariff of about 17 percent, used to fund a system of well-targeted deficiency payments or direct aid. The only reason for choosing the Commission's proposal over simpler, tariff-based options seems to be to maintain the vested interests of protected EC markteters. But this is contrary to the objectives of unification, which are to seek gains from increased competition and trade.Environmental Economics&Policies,Access to Markets,Markets and Market Access,Economic Theory&Research,Consumption
Politically Acceptable Trade Compromises Between The EC and The US: A Game Theory Approach
No full textA model is developed to quantify the special status of agriculture in the US and the EC trade negotiations. The role of special interests are measured by a policy goals function (PGF) whose weights are estimated for each special interest group. The analysis searches for mutually acceptable, mutually advantageous trade agreements between the US and the EC using a partial equilibrium world trade model coupled with game theory. Results suggest that it is in the best interest of the US (resp. EC) 'for the EC (resp. US) to liberalize whi1e the other follows the status quo policies of 1986. Mutual gains in PGF values to both countries pursuing "large" liberalizations are unlikely to exist, although "small" liberalizations may give rise to "small" mutual gains. Altering each country's action space, and permitting compensatory payments to the most influencial groups yields trade liberalization, but free trade does not result.game theory, trade liberalization, trade negotiations, International Relations/Trade,
Squatina africana : Regan 1908
No full textSquatina africana Regan, 1908a African Angelshark Squatina africana Regan, 1908a: 248, pl. 38. Holotype: BMNH 1906.11.19.21, male, 800 mm TL. Type locality: Durban Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, southwestern Indian Ocean. Local synonymy: Squatina africana: Regan, 1908a: 248, pl. 38; Gilchrist & Thompson, 1916: 284; Barnard, 1925: 54, fig. 5, pl. 3; Smith, 1949a: 61, fig. 55, pl. 3; Smith, 1965: 6, fig. 55, pl. 3; Bass et al., 1975d: 21; Compagno, 1984a: 141, fig.; Bass, 1986: 107, fig. 21.2; Compagno et al., 1989: 36, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 115; Compagno et al., 2005: 138, fig., pl. 17; Ebert, 2013: 131, fig. 169; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 190, fig., pl. 20; Ebert & Mostada, 2013: 10, fig.; NPOA, 2013: 51; da Silva et al., 2015: 248; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 145; Weigmann, 2016: 905. South Africa voucher material: Holotype: BMNH 1906.11.19.21. Non-types: SAIAB 6221, SAIAB 6222, SAIAB 6223, SAIAB 6224, SAIAB 7082, SAIAB 8532, SAIAB 11458, SAIAB 26960, SAIAB 27583, SAIAB 48523, SAIAB 53275, SAIAB 99189, SAIAB 188976, SAIAB 188977. South Africa distribution: Mostly from Algoa Bay (EC) to northern KZN, but occasionally west to Mossel Bay and Knysna (WC). Remarks: A common species off KZN, but it is uncommon to rare off Mozambique, Tanzania, and Madagascar. Records from off Somalia, Socotra Island (Yemen), and Mauritius (Fricke, 1999a) should be carefully examined to determine if this is the same or a different species. A single specimen landed at a fishing port in India (Ambily et al., 2018) is likely to have originated in African waters given that fishing vessels fish widely in the Indian Ocean. Conservation status: NT (2019). Order PristiophoriformesPublished as part of Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 4947 (1) on pages 36-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4947.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/461456
Pliotrema warreni : Regan 1906
No full textPliotrema warreni Regan, 1906a Sixgill Sawshark Pliotrema warreni Regan, 1906a: 1, pl. 1. Syntypes: BMNH 1899.2.10.4 (skeleton in spirit), ~ 704 mm TL; BMNH 1905.6.8.9 (1). Type locality: False Bay, Cape of Good Hope, Western Cape Province, South Africa and off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Local synonymy: Pliotrema warreni: Regan, 1906a: 1, pl. 1; Thompson, 1914: 152; Gilchrist, 1922b: 50; Barnard, 1925: 53, fig. 3, pl. 3; Barnard, 1947: 20, fig. 6, pl. 3; Smith, 1949a: 62, pl. 3; Smith, 1965: 62, pl. 3; Bass et al., 1975d: 20, fig. 11, pl. 8; Compagno, 1984a: 132, fig.; Bass & Heemstra, 1986: 106, fig. 20.1; Compagno et al., 1989: 36, pl.; Compagno et al., 1991: 73; Compagno, 1999: 115; Ebert & Cailliet, 2011: 501; Ebert & Wilms, 2013: 86; Ebert, 2013: 153, fig. 162; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 179, fig., pl. 18; Ebert & Mostada, 2013: 12, fig.; NPOA, 2013: 51; da Silva et al., 2015: 247; Ebert, 2015: 116, fig. 130; Ebert & Mostada, 2015: 10, fig.; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 145; Weigmann, 2016: 907; Weigmann et al., 2020: 1, figs. 26–27.? Pristiophorus cirratus (non Latham): Thompson, 1914: 153. A single record of this species is based on a specimen from False Bay (WC) that was a misidentification by G.A. Boulenger, but later used by Regan as one of the two syntypes for P. warreni (see Barnard, 1925: 53; Smith, 1949a: 61; Smith, 1965: 61). South Africa voucher material: Syntypes: BMNH 1899.2.10.4, BMNH 1905.6.8.9. Non-types: SAIAB 4125, SAIAB 6225, SAIAB 8056, SAIAB 12978, SAIAB 14602, SAIAB 18301, SAIAB 26447, SAIAB 26448, SAIAB 26449, SAIAB 27434, SAIAB 69152, SAIAB 88248, SAIAB 99181, SAIAB 99182, SAIAB 99183, SAIAB 186452, SAIAB 189132, SAIAB 208021. South Africa distribution: Table Bay (WC) to the KZN border with Mozambique. Remarks: The genus Pliotrema has been considered to be monotypic, but a recent revision has revealed two new species in the genus (Weigmann et al., 2020); both new species do not occur off South Africa. The global distribution of P. warreni is now considered to range from central Namibia to southern Mozambique, with most of the population occurring on the Agulhas Bank (EC), South Africa. Conservation status: LC (2020). Order OrectolobiformesPublished as part of Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 4947 (1) on page 37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4947.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/461456
The Singer or the Song? Developments in Performers' Rights from the Perspective of a Cultural Economist
No full textOver the last century, performers gradually acquired statutory protection of their economic and moral
rights. These rights are not copyright in the legal sense but neighboring rights and until recently, they
were mainly remuneration rights that are collectively administered. With the WPPT (WIPO
Performers and Phonograms Treaty), performers now have individual exclusive rights for digital
performances; this leads to the question: what has motivated this change – is it a change in the
perception of the value of performer or a change brought about by the changing technology of copying or,
indeed, a change that reflects different economic costs and benefits? The paper discusses the role of
copyright law as an incentive to performers and asks if the economic role of the performer is so different
from that of the author. The conclusion is that a complex interaction of the legal regulations, economic
conditions and institutional arrangements for administering these new rights will determine the outcome
The etiology of esophageal cancer in high- and low- risk areas of Jiangsu province, China
No full text [Background]Esophageal cancer (EC) remains one of the most common and fatal malignancies worldwide. The geographic variation in EC occurrence is striking, and China is an area with one of the highest incidences of EC. A number of epidemiological studies have been conducted toward EC in the past decades, results suggested that tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, unhealthy dietary factors and chronic injuries of the esophageal mucosa are important in the development of this disease. Genetic polymorphisms in enzymes involved in metabolism of carcinogens may also influence individual susceptibility. However, the effects of major lifestyle and hereditary risk factors on the development of EC remain poorly understood in China. Moreover, little attention has been paid to the etiological heterogeneity between similar areas with great risk gradient. [Methods]From 2003 to 2007, a large population-based case-control study of EC has been conducted in a selected high-risk area and a selected low-risk area of Jiangsu Province, one of the highest cancer incidence areas in China. In total, 1,520 cases and 3,879 controls were recruited. In this thesis, we evaluated the role of major lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and dietary factors, as well as inherited determinants including family history of cancer and genetic polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing related genes on the risk of EC. In addition, we investigated how much of the risk gradient between two areas could be explained by variation in the distributions of major risk factors. [Results] Tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking moderately increased the risk of EC, while the positive associations were only found among men but not among women. Dietary factors were observed to play important roles in the development of EC. Specific dietary habits i.e., fast eating speed, and hot eating and/or drinking substantially elevated EC risk and could explain more than 20% of EC cases each. High intake of salty foods and fried foods, low consumption of raw garlic were also observed to increase the risk of EC. In addition to environmental and lifestyle factors, we confirmed that a positive family history can significantly increase EC risk, and found the inheritance may modify the effect of some unhealthy lifestyles. Moreover, we further explored the relationship between EC and single nucleotide polymorphismsof ADH1B, ADH1C and ALDH2 genes. Results showed that the slow metabolizing ADH1B G allele, ADH1C G allele and ALDH2 A allele significantly increased EC risk among moderate-to-heavy alcohol drinkers, and a significant interaction was observed between ALDH2 gene and alcohol consumption. Lastly, we found that more than 60% of EC cases could be attributable to major lifestyle risk factors in the study population; furthermore, dissimilar distribution of several lifestyle factors, together with variations of hereditary factors may be largely responsible for the incidence difference between two study areas. [Conclusion]The findings in this thesis confirm that unhealthy lifestyles including smoking, alcohol drinking and some dietary factors are the predominant risk factors of EC in China, and a large proportion of incidence difference between regions at varying risk could be attributed to the different prevalence of lifestyle factors. As most of the identified risk factors are modifiable, these could be translated into risk reduction prevention programs in China, and a substantial proportion of new EC cases are expected to be prevented by eliminating or avoiding these risk factors in the population. </p
Global Trends in the Status of Bird and Mammal Pollinators
No full textBiodiversity is declining, with direct and indirect effects on ecosystem func-tions and services that are poorly quantified. Here, we develop the first globalassessment of trends in pollinators, focusing on pollinating birds and mam-mals. A Red List Index for these species shows that, overall, pollinating birdand mammal species are deteriorating in status, with more species movingtoward extinction than away from it. On average, 2.5 species per year havemoved one Red List category toward extinction in recent decades, represent-ing a substantial increase in the extinction risk across this set of species. Thismay be impacting the delivery of benefits that these species provide to people.We recommend that the index be expanded to include taxonomic groups thatcontribute more significantly to pollination, such as bees, wasps, and butter-flies, thereby giving a more complete picture of the state of pollinating speciesworldwide
Raja ocellifera Regan 1906
No full text<i>Raja ocellifera</i> Regan, 1906a <p>Twineyed Skate</p> <p> <i>Raja ocellifera</i> Regan, 1906a: 2, Pl. 2. Syntypes: BMNH 1905.6.8.14 (1), NMP (1); probable syntype BMNH 1895.12. 27.14 (1). Type locality: Algoa Bay, northeast of Bird Island, Eastern Cape, South Africa.</p> <p> <b>Local synonymy</b>: <i>Raia ocellifera</i>: Regan, 1906a: 2, Pl. 2; Regan, 1908a: 242; Garman, 1913: 365 (South Africa, in part); Gilchrist & Thompson, 1916; 270; von Bonde & Swart, 1923: 5; Barnard, 1925: 67; Fowler, 1925b: 193; von Bonde, 1933: 51; Barnard, 1947: 26, fig. 2, pl. 4; Smith, 1949a: 66, pl. 3; Smith, 1964: 285; Smith, 1965: 66, pl. 3. <i>Raja ocellifera</i>: Thompson, 1914: 158; Norman, 1935: 42; Fowler, 1941: 375; Hulley, 1969: 137, figs. 1–3; Last & Séret, 2016: 477; Last <i>et al</i>., 2016f: 23; Last <i>et al</i>., 2016g: 326, fig. 19.117. <i>Raja miraletus</i>: Thompson, 1914: 158; Fowler, 1936: 114; Fowler, 1941: 375 (in part, including <i>Raia parcomaculata</i> in synonymy); Wallace, 1967a: 31, figs. 16–17; Hulley, 1969: 137, figs, 1–2c; Hulley, 1970: 179, fig. 9, pl. 7b; Hulley, 1972a: 86, figs. 58–59; Hulley, 1986: 123, fig. 25.14, pl. 6; Stehmann, 1995: 106; Compagno, 1999: 116; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 81; Compagno & Ebert, 2007: 139, fig. 7a; Ebert & Compagno, 2007: 121; Ebert <i>et al</i>., 2008: 92; NPOA, 2013: 54; da Silva <i>et al</i>., 2015: 247; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 147; Weigmann, 2016: 955. <i>Raia miraletus</i>: von Bonde & Swart, 1923: 5; Barnard, 1925: 68 (in part, not types of <i>Cruriraja parcomaculata</i>); Clark, 1926: 9 (Cape Colony, Mossel Bay). <i>Raja</i> (<i>Raja</i>) <i>miraletus</i>: Compagno <i>et al</i>., 1989: 96, pl.; Compagno <i>et al</i>., 1991: 102.</p> <p> <b>South Africa voucher material</b>: Syntypes: BMNH 1905.6.8.14 (1), NMP (1); Probable syntype: BMNH 1895.12. 27.14 (1). Non-types: SAIAB 7842, SAIAB 8067, SAIAB 8270, SAIAB 11148, SAIAB 11149, SAIAB 11150, SAIAB 12007, SAIAB 12031, SAIAB 12194, SAIAB 13313, SAIAB 14621, SAIAB 16518, SAIAB 17227, SAIAB 17414, SAIAB 26903, SAIAB 26904, SAIAB 26905, SAIAB 26906, SAIAB 26907, SAIAB 27152, SAIAB 27153, SAIAB 27154, SAIAB 27155, SAIAB 27156, SAIAB 44240, SAIAB 44250.</p> <p> <b>South African distribution</b>: Possibly endemic to South Africa. Confirmed from Western Cape to Port Alfred (EC) and from Durban to Richards Bay (KZN). Records outside of South Africa require confirmation.</p> <p> <b>Remarks</b>: Recent molecular and morphological data reveal that the South African form is distinct from other similar species in the Eastern Atlantic. The reported range from southern Namibia to KZN, and possibly extending to Kenya, requires confirmation as records from north of South Africa may represent different species.</p> <p> <b>Conservation status</b>: EN (2020).</p>Published as part of <i>Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 4947 (1)</i> on pages 83-84, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4947.1.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4614567">http://zenodo.org/record/4614567</a>
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