intra-Community Trade Research Articles

Optimizing Emergency Responses on Water Transport Accidents in Metropolitan Lagos

The study analyzed agricultural product trade data to ascertain the extent of involvement of ECOWAS in community trade between 2013 and 2017. The extent to which members fulfilled the regional trade co-operation policy objective of expanding the volume of intra-community trade is gauged by computed trade indices. Each index measures intra-community trade as a share of total trade, and takes values between 0 and 1. The value is 0, if trade is truly intra-community carried out by all or most members; and 1, if trade is inter-regional, most trade being carried out by few community members. Value of annual index were influenced by cases of none, under or over reporting by member nations. Analysis revealed that intra-community trade occurred more in animal than food products, while vegetable products accounted for less. It is recommended that ECOWAS member nations should seek and utilizing foreign direct investment in development of agricultural sector to improve value chain in addition to increasing and sustaining intra-community trade volume. Besides, reports of intra-community exports and imports of agricultural products should be accurate, and no member should import from other regions where sub-community members are suppliers. Keywords: Agricultural Product Sub-sections, ECOWAS, Intra-Community Trade, Extent. DOI : 10.7176/DCS/9-1-08

Examining the impact of intra-industry trade on business cycle alignment within the ECOWAS

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the impact of intra-industry trade on business cycle synchronization within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOWAS region is characterized by limited intracommunity trade and a low level of foreign direct investment.Design/methodology/approachFirst, this research uses the two-digit level harmonized system classification to measure intra-industry trade, which is straightforward to interpret and compute, making it suitable for countries with low trade intensity. Second, it uses the system generalized method of moments (system-GMM) to examine the dynamic relationship between variables and address endogeneity concerns.FindingsThe results obtained from the system-GMM estimation reveal a positive and significant correlation between intra-industry trade intensity and business cycle synchronization, as well as an inhibiting effect of economic freedom on the relationship between intra-industry trade and business cycle synchronization. These results highlight the need to implement policies aimed at reducing tariff barriers, improving financial integration and intensifying production.Originality/valueThis research analyze the link between intra-industry trade and business cycle synchronization within the ECOWAS. It also analyze the role of economic freedom on the link between intra-industry trade and business cycle synchronization.

The major determinants of the intra-ECOWAS market: do ICTs contribute significantly to the growth of intra-community trade

The major determinants of the intra-ECOWAS market: do ICTs contribute significantly to the growth of intra-community trade

The major determinants of the intra-ECOWAS market: do ICTs contribute significantly to the growth of intra-community trade

The major determinants of the intra-ECOWAS market: do ICTs contribute significantly to the growth of intra-community trade

Factors Explaining the Weakness of Intra-Regional Trade Flows in the ECOWAS Region

With a GDP of over 628 billion dollars and a population of over 350 million, ECOWAS (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo) was set to be one of Africa's most powerful economic blocs. However, at ECOWAS level, intracommunity trade is still low, and its share of world trade is around 0.3%. Moreover, intracommunity trade, which is estimated at 10% of the region's total trade, is also low compared with other regional blocs. The main objective of this article is to identify the main factors explaining the evolution of trade within ECOWAS. The augmented gravity model is used to show that economic and structural factors have a significant impact on intra-regional trade. Geographic, demographic and institutional factors play a key role in the evolution of intraregional trade.

Characterization of agricultural practices in the community Mulato Viejo in Oaxaca

Objective: To describe the standard of living in the "Mulato Viejo" community; culture and their agricultural practices facing the current governmental development policies. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted during 2019, applying surveys and interviews to key informants with experience in community-elected positions. Results: The results showed that families practice some traditional farming techniques based on family labor. There was also a lag in the incorporation of women (5.5%), and in the generational renewal of producers. For example, 84% are older than 40 years-old and out of those, only 69% completed elementary education. Thus, they do not know the rationality fundamentals of the agricultural practices they use. This limits the use of machinery to reduce the workload and the production costs, or to innovate. Study limitations/implications: The main limitations were the sample size and the replicability of the study; a single community was analyzed. It is proposed then to expand the study to other communities with similar characteristics. Findings/conclusions: Semi-traditional agriculture has preserved local landraces of maize. Yet, it is necessary for the community to incorporate dynamics that may diversify agricultural activities, crops; and allow establishing networks of cooperation and intra-community trade. So that agricultural activities may become an economic option profitable to further generations, who would have a greater capacity to acquire the bases for a sustainable agriculture. With the goal to improve yield but, with the challenge of keeping the traditional agricultural practices intact.

Some Serological Analytic Approaches and Test Execution in Determination of Bovine Brucellosis: Overview

Bovine brucellosis is a highly contagious, zoonotic, and economically significant bacterial disease. The purpose of this paper was to review available scientific data on serological tests for the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis and compare test performance based on assay sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) values. Abortion, placentitis, epididymitis, and orchitis are symptoms of the disease. The clinical picture of brucellosis is not pathognomonic, and the patient's clinical history, particularly the occurrence of abortion, is crucial for diagnosis. Although the causative agent is isolated and identified for a definitive diagnosis of bovine brucellosis, serological tests are usually preferred. The host defense mechanism against Brucella is functionally divided into innate or non-specific immunity and adaptive or specific immunity. The pathogenic brucella organism has evolved a slew of mechanisms for evading and/or modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses in its host. Serological assays are based on the fact that Brucella abortus and other smooth Brucella have a unique O-polysaccharide that induces a humoral response with the production of IgM first, followed by IgG1, and then IgG2/IgA. Screening serological tests (Milk ring test, Rose Bengal Test (RBT), and Buffered plate agglutination test (BPAT)) and confirmatory serological tests (complement fixation test (CFT), serum agglutination test (SAT), 2-mercaptoethanol test (2ME), indirect-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA), and, more recently, competitive-ELISA (cELISA) and Brucella fluorescent pol (FPA). CFT, RBT, and iELISA tests are currently used in EU legislation for intra-community cattle trade and show comparable Se and Sp. The new FPA test demonstrated Se and Sp levels comparable to standard tests and was proposed for inclusion as a standard test in EU legislation. Similarly, the OIE considers the four tests to be a mandatory requirement for international trade. Several methods, however, produce both false-positive and false-negative results. There is no single serological test that is 100% accurate and applicable in all epidemiological situations. In general, confirmatory serological procedures involve testing each serum with multiple tests, usually a screening test with high sensitivity followed by a confirmatory test with high specificity. As a result, the development of rapid, low-cost serological tests with high sensitivity and specificity for brucellosis detection is a major issue that requires further investigation. Keywords: Bovine Brucellosis; Brucella Abortus; Diagnosis; Sensitivity; Specificity; Serological Tests, Test Performance DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/13-12-03 Publication date: June 30 th 2022

Road infrastructure and intra-community trade in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community

We examine the contribution of domestic and interstates road infrastructures to trade flow between member countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). Theories of international economics as well as those of the new economic geography suggest a positive contribution of both road infrastructures to intraregional trade. A gravity model of international trade is estimated to evaluate this theoretical prediction in the CEMAC zone. Results confirm a positive contribution of interstate road infrastructure to intra-Community trade, but show no evidence of a positive contribution of domestic road infrastructure to intra- CEMAC trade.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE CONTEXT OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, ECONOMY, AND MINDSET (ON THE EXAMPLE OF EU COUNTRIES)

The urgency of the research on intellectual property in the context of creative industries, economy, and mindset is unquestionable in the context of innovation and information society. Industrial property is understood in its broadest sense and extends not only to industry and commerce as such but also to the agricultural and extractive industries and all industrial or natural products such as wine, grain, tobacco leaves, fruits, livestock, minerals, mineral waters, beer, flowers, flour. The purpose of the research is to conceptualise intellectual property in the context of creative industries, economy, and mindset (using the European Union as an example). Formation of article objectives: 1. Study the problems of industrial and creative property protection in the EU countries. 2. Identify the essence and directions of development of the institute of intellectual property rights. 3. Clarify the functioning of intellectual property rights. 4. Show the development of the creative industries sector and intellectual property rights. 5. Define creativity and creative thinking as a factor in creative industries and the creative economy. Historically, intellectual property law was a long process of appropriation of works of intellectual creation. This notion has changed over time; today, for example, the intellectual property generates significant revenues in its primitive industries and extends into increasingly broader areas. In the current state of affairs, intellectual property law has become much more complex. There is no harmonisation according to activity (copyright, related rights, patents, plant variety certificates, etc.) or country. Creative industries have been shown to produce (almost) systematically two types of products that can be exchanged in two different but interlinked markets: 1) goods and services with a strong ‘significant’ component; 2) the rights to express or embody ‘ideas’. We are interested in three constituent aspects of this construct of value to which intellectual property rights contribute: 1) the use value of these rights; 2) the exchange value, and 3) the market value of the goods and services to which they relate. The conclusion is that in the European Community context, intellectual property rights are perceived as instruments to dominate national markets, given the monopoly position they can confer on their owner. They are also seen as obstacles to intra-Community trade because of differences in the legislation of the Member States. Their application is contrary to the principle of free competition and the principle of free movement of goods and provision of services, which are the basis for the creation of a common market.

Mirror data asymmetry in international trade by commodity group: the case of intra-Community trade

Research background: Transactions in international trade of goods are recorded in two sources, on the side of the seller's country and on the side of the buyer's country. The confrontation of such data makes it possible to measure their quality. An inconsistency between the data is called mirror data asymmetry.
 Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to adapt the methods developed by the Authors to study mirror data asymmetry to commodity group markets examination. The quality of data on trade within specific commodity groups (CN chapters) in intra-Community trade was compared. The data were aggregated by country. The indicators used allow for the indication of commodity groups with high mirror data compatibility and those with data asymmetry between intra-Community supplies (ICS) and acquisitions (ICA). Moreover, the commodity groups for which the value-based and quantity-based approaches give different results have been identified.
 Methods: Based on the literature on the subject and their own research, the Authors have developed a group of methods for studying the asymmetry of mirror data. The proposed indicator formulas are based on various data aggregation approaches. The research used data on intra-Community supplies and acquisitions of goods broken down into 97 chapters of the Combined Nomenclature (CN). Differences between the ICS and ICA in particular commodity groups were aggregated for all pairs of EU countries. The data comes from the Comext database, provided by Eurostat.
 Findings & value added: The results of the analysis are rankings of the Combined Nomenclature (CN) chapters by the quality of data on ICS and ICA. Lists of CN chapters have been created for discrepancies both in value and weight of goods. Thus, areas of necessary intensification of the work of public statistics services to improve data reliability were identified.

Overview of Mitigation Programs for Non-EU-Regulated Cattle Diseases in Austria.

Background: The non-mandatory regulation of animal diseases at the European Union (EU) level enables member states to implement mitigation programs based on their own country-specific conditions such as priority settings of the governments, availability of financial resources, and epidemiological situation. This can result in a heterogeneous distribution of mitigation activities and prevalence levels within and/or between countries, which can cause difficulties for intracommunity trade. This article aims to describe the past, current, and future mitigation activities and associated prevalence levels for four animal diseases, i.e., enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV), bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), and bluetongue disease (BT) for Austria. Over a period of 40 years (1978–2020), regulations concerning EBL, IBR/IPV, BVD, and BT were retraced to analyze the changes of legislation, focusing on sampling, testing, and mitigation activities in Austria, and were linked to the collected diagnostic testing results. The study results clearly demonstrate the adoption of the legislation by the Austrian governments in dependency of the epidemiological situations. Furthermore, our study shows that, related to the forthcoming Animal Health Law on April 21, 2021, Austria has a good initial situation to achieve disease-free status and/or free from infection status based on the current available epidemiological situation and previously implemented mitigation activities. The study results presented here are intended to contribute to a better comparison of the eradication status across European countries for cattle diseases by providing information about the mitigation activities and data of testing results over a period of 40 years.

A new method for calculating mirror data asymmetry in international trade

Research background: Some statistics are of a bilateral nature. This is how foreign trade data is organized. They are recorded both in the supplier and recipient countries, hence they are called mirror data. The data recorded at both trading partner countries are not the same for different reasons. Such differences between data on the same groups of transactions are often referred to as the asymmetry of mirror data. The information about the value of the flows of goods are of great importance in economic analyses and therefore their quality is particularly important.
 Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to present a new measure of data asymmetry ? the aggregated quantity index with value-based weights.
 Methods: The proposed measure combines the quantity and the value of turn-over in individual trade relations. Such a measure makes it possible to eliminate basic deficiencies in value-based measures, while considering the specificity of trade in individual countries. The proposed measure of data asymmetry was confronted with several measures present in the literature and previously used by the Authors. The numerical example uses Comext data on intra-Community trade in 2017 provided by Eurostat.
 Findings & Value added: The proposed measure performs better than all the previously used data asymmetry indices. It is to some extent immune to exchange rate differences and inconsistencies resulting from the inclusion of transport and insurance costs in the value of goods. In addition, it gives lower weights to unimportant trade directions than other data asymmetry indices. Since the new index has proved to be better than the measures previously used, it is worth applying to those trade relations where the data are not de-rived from customs documents, but from declarations made by businesses, as in the case of intra-Community trade.

2020 Quick Fixes: Simplification or More Complexity for Businesses? – The Explanatory Notes

On 4 December 2018, the Council of the European Union adopted a legislative package known as “2020 Quick Fixes” in relation to certain modifications in the field of VAT and intra-Community trade. In this article, the author makes a detailed analysis of the quick fixes based on the Explanatory Notes providing the reader with an easy-to-read document covering all the scenarios dealt with in the Explanatory Notes as well as describing the impact for businesses of the mentioned changes.

Triangulation Applied to the Intra-European Union Tomato Market

An understanding of the intracommunity trade is essential for the agents involved in the fresh tomato market (farmers, entrepreneurs, public administrations, and consumers). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the interdependent relationships between exporting and importing countries within the European Union for a specific product such as fresh tomatoes and thus understand which have been the key countries in three specific years (2002–2007–2017). The methodology used to study the interrelationships of trade flows in the countries of the European Union (EU) is that of triangulation by means of the Leontief input-output model. Artificial intelligence techniques are used to process and triangulate the data based on pathfinding techniques using a cost function. The triangulation results have created a hierarchy of countries (suppliers and customers). This type of methodology has not been applied to the field of foreign trade. The results show that Netherlands and Spain are key countries in intracommunity trade as they have a strong impact both with regard to their exports and their imports and are fundamental when analyzing the growth of specific sectors and how they are able to stimulate the economies of other countries.

Business cycles, bilateral trade and financial integration: Evidence from Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

This paper identifies the determinants of synchronization of business cycles in ECOWAS, which is a key issue from the perspective of creating a single currency in 2020. Indeed, conducting actions in the direction of synchronization of business cycles is important because the asymmetries of cycles observed within a monetary union determine its sustainability. We go further than previous studies in this area, as we (i) take into account financial linkages, (ii) propose new measures to improve the quality of results, and (iii) pay attention to the structure of trade by analyzing inter-regional links. Moreover, to highlight the role of adopting a single currency in ECOWAS, we compare the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the non-monetary zone within the ECOWAS zone. We find that bilateral trade and financial integration are determinants of the synchronization of business cycles in the region, with the regional financial integration channel dominating the international one. Finally, we show that the weakness of intracommunity trade does not constitute a barrier to the monetary union, and that the launch of the single currency is a means to increase business cycles synchronization through bilateral trade.

Business Cycles, Bilateral Trade and Financial Integration: Evidence From Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

This paper identifies the determinants of synchronization of business cycles in ECOWAS because it allows decision-makers to better target their economic policies. It is relevant given the willingness of ECOWAS heads of state to create a single currency in 2020. Indeed, conducting actions in the direction of the synchronization of business cycles is important because the asymmetries of cycles observed within monetary union determine its sustainability. Unlike previous studies in this area, it is innovative as it takes into account financial linkages. In addition, it proposes new measures to increase the quality of results. Moreover, this paper takes into account the structure of trade by analyzing inter-regional links. Finally, in order to highlight the role of single currency in ECOWAS, it compares West African Economic and Monetary Union and the non-monetary zone within ECOWAS zone. We find that bilateral trade and financial integration are determinants of the synchronization of business cycles in the region. However, we find that regional financial integration channel dominates international financial integration channel. In addition, we find that the weakness of intracommunity trade doesn’t constitute a barrier to monetary union. Finally we find that single currency increases the synchronization of business cycles through bilateral trade.

VAT Quick Fixes Implementation in Germany – An Overview

The “quick fixes” for intra-Community trade in the European Union, adopted in 2018, have to be implemented by the Member States before 31 December 2019 so that they can become applicable as of 1 January 2020. In this article, the author describes the German approach taken for their implementation and focuses on important deviations from current practice and the rules of the VAT Directive.

Rozbieżności w handlu wewnątrzwspólnotowym: przypadek Polski

The content presented in the article is a continuation of the research on the quality of data concerning intra-Community trade. Several measures used in literature to assess differences between mirror data are presented. The research was inspired by the works by Morgenstern (1963), Federico and Tena (1991), and Ferrantino and Wang (2008). These previous works contain some directions on how Intrastat data should be analysed. Based on this the analysed data on intra-Community trade in goods for 2017. The dynamics of intra-Community trade were also examined. The obtained results can be utilised by practitioners from both the domain of official statistics and the revenue authorities. In the article discrepancies in data on Polish foreign trade are studied in the context of Poland-EU partner country (bilateral relations) and Poland-EU partners (one-to-many relations). The aim of the article is to compare the results of selected literature studies with those obtained on the basis of the analysis of the latest data on intra-Community trade in Poland (mainly in 2017) and EU member states.

Zmiany w handlu zagranicznym krajów bałtyckich po wejściu do Unii Europejskiej

Przedmiot badań: Handel zagraniczny jest tym obszarem, w którym efekty przystąpienia krajów bałtyckich (Litwy, Łotwy i Estonii) do ugrupowania integracyjnego przejawiły się relatywnie szybko. Zasadniczo zmieniły się warunki wymiany ze wszystkimi krajami, które wynikały z libe­ralizacji obrotów wewnątrz ugrupowania oraz przyjęcia zasad wspólnej polityki handlowej z kra­jami trzecimi. Zmiany te, w myśl teorii integracji, powinny skutkować kreacją i przesunięciem strumieni handlowych.
 Cel badawczy: Celem analizy w niniejszym artykule jest wykazanie, że wskazane zmiany wyni­kające z integracji gospodarczej były czynnikami, które wpłynęły na rozmiary i strukturę handlu zagranicznego krajów bałtyckich.
 Metoda badawcza: Oceny zaistniałych zmian w handlu zagranicznym krajów bałtyckich doko­nano na podstawie analizy obrotów towarowych ogółem oraz w podziale na rodzaje produktów według klasyfikacji SITC. Szczególną uwagę skoncentrowano na udziale w tym handlu obrotów wewnątrzwspólnotowych, jak również na zmianach w zakresie wymiany towarowej krajów bał­tyckich z resztą świata. Okres badawczy obejmuje lata 2005–2018, a dane do obliczeń zaczerp­nięto z bazy Eurostatu.
 Wyniki: Z przeprowadzonego badania wynika, że efekt kreacji handlu był bardziej widoczny przed przystąpieniem krajów bałtyckich do ugrupowania integracyjnego niż po nim. Odnotowano także przesunięcie handlu w kierunku pozawspólnotowym, natomiast w handlu wewnętrznym – w kierunku nowych krajów członkowskich.

Los aspectos monetarios en el relato de Europa: 1948-1978

El relato monetario europeo, desde el final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial hasta la puesta en marcha del Sistema Monetario Europeo y el ECU, se define mediante la paradoja de que los estados miembros de la CEE aspiraban a una mayor unión económica y, al mismo tiempo, se resistían a ceder soberanía en el terreno monetario. Los desajustes provocados por esta paradoja ponían en peligro la viabilidad del proyecto europeo. Con objeto de hacerles frente, el mundo privado impulsó la creación y utilización de “monedas-cesta”, como la European Monetary Unit o el “Eurco” que, paralelamente, servían para señalar al mundo político la necesidad de una moneda única europea. Todo ello en un contexto internacional en el que el dólar y sus problemas se trasladaban a las divisas de los estados de la CEE haciendo muy difícil mantener un equilibrio en el valor del comercio intracomunitario, lo que implicaba crisis monetarias continuas.