Sharing benefits of globalisation through an EU-ASEAN FTA?

In the aftermath of the stalled launch of a new WTO round in Seattle in 1999, Singapore and Japan initiated a joint study into a possible bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The resulting New-Age Economic Partnership Agreement was signed in 2002, reduced barriers in trade and investment in goods as well as services, technical standards and public procurement. Other FTAs followed including a US-Singapore FTA in 2003. In response, other ASEAN countries initiated negotiations towards bilateral FTAs, such as Thailand with India and Malaysia with Japan etc. Moreover, China declared its intention to enter into a FTA with the ASEAN by 2012. The failure at Cancun in 2003 implies that the Doha Development Agenda will not be achieved within the time-frame set. In this environment, the question of a feasibility of an inter-regional EU-ASEAN FTA is investigated. ASEANs trade policy regime is opening up and the gains of further tariff elimination will be modest, because most ASEAN countries already apply low tariffs, while those of the EU on import from ASEAN are low as well – e.g. for Singapore the tariff rate is merely 1.04 per cent (trade weighted). Nevertheless, a further reduction will benefit both EU and ASEAN because a significant share of imports is intra-firm trade, with EU firms operating from ASEAN as a production platform for the EU markets. However, for an EU-ASEAN FTA to be worthwhile, it must generate benefits on issues relating to non-tariff barriers to trade, esp. technical standards, SPS and mutual recognition of testing. Further significant benefits to EU and ASEAN may be realised by advancing liberalisation of international trade in services (e.g. banking and insurance licences, air and sea transport). Reducing restrictions on foreign direct investment in selectedservice sectors is bound to enhance investment flows from the EU to ASEAN.This article draws extensively on a study directed by the author with Dr. Paul Brenton, Prof. Ludo Cuyvers and Prof. Patrick Messerlin (van der Geest et al. 2003). Research assistance by Ms. Vanessa Sumo and Ms. Roberta Zavoretti is gratefully acknowledged. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of the European Institute for Asian Studies or of its sponsors. The author is solely responsible for any remaining errors or inaccuracies. All comments are welcomed at w.vandergeest@eias.org     

On the economic theory of interest groups: Towards a group frame of reference in political economics

This paper evaluates the development of the economic theory of interest groups. Although there is important progress, many substantial lacunae in our knowledge exist. I argue that part of the problem is the way Public Choice theory developed. Methodological individualism has led to an overindividualized ('a- social') view of human behavior. Furthermore, the importance of imperfect information has been underexposed. Acknowledging the essentially social character of human behavior and the lack of information leads to the conclusion that a more prominent place should be given to the role of social groups. A shift towards a “group frame of reference” is advocated.     

Managed Liberalization of the Dutch Welfare State: A Review and Analysis of the Reform of the Dutch Social Security System, 1985–1998

In this article the changes that have been implemented in the Dutch social security system are analyzed. The extensive changes are characterized as a form of "managed liberalization." This characterization points to the paradoxical nature of these changes. On the one hand a certain liberalization can be observed (an increase of social insurance and the administration of social security via the market) while on the other hand the control of the system by the state is also increasing. This process of managed liberalization, however, takes place under an umbrella of lasting universal social protection: entitlements are still determined by law and remain collective. In this article the changes in the Dutch social security are described extensively, interpreted theoretically and analyzed in their consequences for the level of social protection. By following the process of institutional change the system of social security has undergone, the authors also try to find out what the causes of the changes are and what determines the direction the process has taken.     

Controlling the flow: Security, exclusivity, and criminal intelligence in Ontario

This paper examines security networks in a context where security is increasingly regarded as a problem of intelligence. Data are derived from interviews with officers in criminal intelligence units in Ontario, Canada. A conceptual framework is developed to understand the limits of security intelligence within an emerging security network paradigm, focussing on the normative dimensions governing security networking, and the mechanisms and technologies limiting information deployment among public security agencies. Despite efforts to address security through the sharing of actionable information, security intelligence maintains an exclusive value. Technologies of control promoting this exclusivity also function to prevent intelligence from becoming common knowledge. Because of its limited value, intelligence is ill-suited for export into security governance writ large.     

Netherlands court grants copyright protection to perfume scent

In its decision the Supreme Court of the Netherlands has upheldthe decision of the Court of Appeals of 's-Hertogenbosch togrant copyright protection to the scent of the perfume trésorbelonging to Lancôme.     

Criminality and moral dysfunctions: neurological,biochemical, and genetic dimensions

In this article, the author attempts to demonstrate a relationship between neurobiological dysfunctions and/or genetically determined deviant behavior and personality traits as well as moral abnormalities. Data from neuroscience show that a number of neurological dysfunctions are linked to cognitive and emotional disturbances. Cognitive and emotional abnormalities, in turn, are frequently related to moral dysfunctions. Moreover, neurological disorders can produce dramatic psychological and social problems, personality changes, and behavioral problems in patients. Those mental, emotional, and psychosocial problems and related moral dysfunctions are frequently linked to violence and/or criminal behavior. Genetic research found evidence of inheritability of antisocial traits, which interfere with moral development and activities. This information has consequences for any assessment and disposition within the legal system. More research on the interrelationship between neuro(bio)logical, genetic, emotional, and mental aspects of moral dysfunctions is needed for the development of adequate treatment, prevention, and intervention programs.     

Personality disorders in a sample of paraphilic and nonparaphilic child molesters: a comparative study

This article renders the results of research that investigated personality disorders in a sample of paraphilic and nonparaphilic child molesters. The sample contained 36 paraphilic child molesters and a matched comparison group of 34 nonparaphilic child molesters. The analyses of the research results show that four personality disorders discriminate between both groups. Only the obsessive-compulsive personality disorder contributes significantly to the explanation of paraphilic child molestation. This result also contributes to the development and differentiation of the treatment of paraphilia-related disorders. For several child molesters, psychological approaches to the treatment of sexual offending (e.g., cognitive-behavioral treatment, psychotherapy in general) are limited and cannot be expected to immediately reduce risk. Interest has been expressed in medical approaches to reduce recidivism, in combination with psychotherapy.     

From Media Attention to Negotiated Peace: Human Rights Reporting and Civil War Duration

Violations of human rights in the context of a conflict have in recent years received an increasing amount of attention from the international media. Yet how such media attention influences conflict remains understudied and, a priori, uncertain. On the one hand, media coverage of human rights abuses may constitute “naming and shaming” that might temper hostilities. On the other hand, such coverage might spark intransigence and complicate negotiations among conflicting parties, thereby hindering rather than hastening peace. This article tries to adjudicate among these and other possibilities by exploring how media reporting on human rights abuses influences the development of conflicts. The analysis reveals that such reporting is associated with shorter conflicts and negotiated agreements between fighting parties.     

PTSD symptom reporting and persistent malingering in recipients of state compensation for violent crime victimization: an exploratory study

Previous research suggests that victims of violent crime who have applied for state compensation may persist in malingering after conclusion of the application process. To further explore this topic, the current study investigated differences in PTSD symptomatology between violent crime victims who had received compensation from the Dutch state and those who had been denied such compensation. Potential participants were approached through the Dutch Violent Offences Compensation Fund. Eventually, 125 victims agreed to participate and filled out a set of paper-and-pencil questionnaires. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that recipients of compensation had reported higher symptom levels, than non-recipients but only when they could be qualified as probable malingerers. If compensation recipients could not be qualified as probable malingerers, they had reported lower symptom levels than non-recipients. This suggests that some victims will emotionally benefit from compensation, while others will unconsciously accept it as a validation of initially malingered symptoms. Results were discussed in terms of directions for future research and study limitations.