Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have gained prominence in the agri-food sector as marketbased tools to address environmental and social concerns in global supply chains. While third-party certifications like Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade have been extensively studied, company-led...

Using data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys from 2006 to 2023, this paper studies the corporate ethical standards of technological digital oriented firms. The findings indicate that technology and digitalization positively impact the adoption of environmental and social standards. However,...

This paper explores the role of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) in shaping technological development and regional innovation in Europe's telecommunications sector. Results reveal strong geographic concentration, particularly in Helsinki and Stockholm, which account for one-third of...

The effects of minimum wages on workers and firms depend on enforcement and compliance. While most research examines local determinants, this paper explores whether international market enforcement influences minimum wage impacts. In South Africa farmers exporting to the EU must comply with...

Seit der Bologna-Reform stehen die Qualitätssicherung und Professionalisierung der Hochschullehre verstärkt im wissenschaftlichen und politischen Diskurs. Der mit dem Paradigmenwechsel vom "Teaching to Learning" einhergehende Fokus auf die aktive Mitgestaltung des Lernprozesses durch...

Humans have developed and employed manuals to systematically organize, standardize, and transfer knowledge for decision-making in organizations. These manuals and standards have served as a "conventional copilot" for humans’ intellectual activities, taking the form of collected references or...

This Policy Brief proposes the establishment of an agreement on conformity assessment between the EU and the US that covers machinery and electrical equipment. The initiative aims to increase the number of European and US conformity assessment bodies authorized to test and certify EU and US...

Die digitale Transformation in der Landwirtschaft vollzieht sich mit neuen Technologien und Verfahren. Damit verbunden sind Erwartungen an Produktivitätssteigerungen, Optimierung des Ressourceneinsatzes oder verbesserte Nachhaltigkeitseffekte. Für etablierte Techniken gibt es bereits...

The Philippine government has promoted and institutionalized the delivery of basic services in resettlement sites through various flagship housing programs and the issuance of policies, guidelines, and/or standards. Existing literature suggests, however, that most resettlement sites lack the...

Purpose: This paper explores the influence of ISO 9001:2015 certification on business performance in the packaging industry in South Africa. Additionally, the study proposes a comprehensive and sustainable quality management system (QMS) framework that harmonises with the stipulated requirements...

An increasing number of products are battery-powered, leading to a wide range of different battery charging systems. For a selection of handheld electronic devices, common charging interfaces using USB-C connectors were recently adopted under Directive (EU) 2022/2380 for radio equipment (RED)....

EURM-021 is a certified reference material (CRM), containing powder from fish fillet. It is certified for its taxon, the species Pollachius pollachius (pollack), in accordance with ISO 17034:2016 [1]. The material was produced at the European Commission's (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) from...

Internet standards involved in routing, browsing, e-mail security, as well as best practices for Domain Name System (DNS) aim at improving the interoperability, scalability, stability, and security of the Internet. This report focuses on the current status of adoption of this set of key Internet...

A high level of adoption of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) is essential to protect the integrity of the Domain Name System (DNS) Internet infrastructure to ensure the interoperability and security of the global cyberspace. This report provides an analysis of the level of...

Ensuring the interoperability and security of email communications is one of the cornerstones of a resilient and open Internet. In this context, the wide adoption of key Internet security standards, such as StartTLS, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, DANE and DNSSEC, is essential for a safe cyberspace for...

The actions proposed by the Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security (MANRS) initiative aim to strengthen the security of the global Internet routing system, thus improving the interoperability, scalability, stability, and security of the Internet. This report provides an overview of the...

The adoption of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), the next version of the widely used IPv4, is key to ensure the interoperability, scalability, stability, and security of the Internet. This report provides an overview of the current level of adoption of the IPv6 protocol in Q3 2024 across EU...

This report presents the results of a feasibility study of the European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC), as Action 9 of the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). The study reflects the results of a year-long series of consultation activities that have engaged a wide range of stakeholders....

The broad deployment of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)-related standards (such as, HTTPS, HTTP/3 and HTTP security response headers) is imperative for ensuring the interoperability, security, scalability and stability of the Internet. This report studies the adoption rate of modern...

The significant increase of space activities and resulting consequences in a continuously more competitive environment highlight the need for the EU to take action and develop policies in the field of Space Traffic Management (STM). The Joint Communication on Space Traffic Management defines STM...

The significant increase of space activities and resulting consequences in a continuously more competitive environment highlight the need for the EU to take action and develop policies in the field of Space Traffic Management (STM). The Joint Communication on Space Traffic Management defines STM...

This document presents Eurostat's assessment of the quality of national and regional accounts data submit-ted by the EU Member States, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, in 2023. It also includes information on the quality of key European aggregates published by Eurostat. The euro area...

The significant increase in space activities, resulting congestion and associated risks combined with the absence of one common mechanism motivating actors to go the extra mile hamper progress towards a common approach for (EU) Space Traffic Management. To address this problem, policy objectives...

The significant increase in space activities, resulting congestion and associated risks combined with the absence of one common mechanism motivating actors to go the extra mile hamper progress towards a common approach for (EU) Space Traffic Management. To address this problem, policy objectives...

In-Space Operations and Services address applications such as maintenance/servicing of satellites (e.g. inspection, repair, life extension, upgrade), debris removal, logistic services in space (e.g. cargo, warehousing, relocation/transport of assets), assembly/disassembly of satellites/large...

In-Space Operations and Services address applications such as maintenance/servicing of satellites (e.g. inspection, repair, life extension, upgrade), debris removal, logistic services in space (e.g. cargo, warehousing, relocation/transport of assets), assembly/disassembly of satellites/large...

With the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), adopted in 2024, the EU established a voluntary framework for carbon removal certification, which includes criteria for the certification of removals, rules for the certification process and the recognition of certification schemes. This...

This study explores the challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India, with a specific focus on export-related issues, including quality standards, document acquisition, and compliance with foreign regulations. Using a sample of 163 MSME service providers from 2019 to...

This study investigates the transformation of e-commerce warehouse operations by integrating Lean Six Sigma tools to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Beginning with Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to identify inefficiencies, followed by a Hoshin Kanri plan to align improvement initiatives with...