This paper uses a schematic computable model of the iron and steel sectors in the European Community (EC) and Eastern Europe to explore the effects of trade policies on those sectors. In particular it explores the partial opening of EC markets to Eastern producers. Following a discussion of...

We present a simple computable model of EC footwear production and trade coupled with a rudimentary production model for Eastern Europe. We simulate the liberalization of EC footwear imports from Eastern Europe as planned under the so-called Europe Agreements. We find that if Eastern Europe can...

This paper fits a gravity model to the trade of 76 market economies. It then applies the model to data on East European economies to estimate what their trading potential might have been, had behaved like market economies in the mid-1980s. At existing levels of national income, the...

Openness and liberal trade policies are associated with higher exports and economic growth. Sub-Saharan African countries are mostly still relatively closed, and one of their top priorities should be to open up. With some important, identifiable, exceptions African exports are not...

This editorial introduces the special issue which aims to clarify, from a theoretical as well as applied point of view, and above all based on a multi-discipline approach (economics, geography, management science, political science, information sciences, psychology and geomatics), the...

This paper describes the elaboration of an observation system based on a participative multicriteria valuation method in order to take into account the sustainability problem related to the Thau lagoon in the Mediterranean area of France. These methodologies enable the elaboration, selection and...

The concept of sustainable development has become an essential reference, which concerns all public policies and which is becoming increasingly assimilated by actors and firms with respect to their behaviour. At the same time, a profusion of institutional initiatives were implemented by...

Implementing decentralisation of public policies requires adequate governance devices, but local actors also need new competencies to get involved in the new devices. What are the competencies required, and how can they be built? This paper analyses a Farmer University in Brazil to see how the...