*** Demeter 2001. Economy and agricultural strategies. Armand Colin (21 rue de Montparnasse, F-75006 Paris). 2000, 303 pages, FF 130. ISBN: 2-200-25-229-3.
Association of leaders and heads of industry from the French agricultural sector, the Club Demeter each year publishes, since 1993, forward looking analyses of current agriculture in the world and the stakes - both economic, strategic and political - which are linked to it. A target perfectly met with this issue that sees, among others, experts contribute pieces to the burning and controversial dossier of food safety. Credible pieces? Pieces that, either way, widen the reader's scope of understanding and show him the extraordinary complexity of the problem.
The dossier dedicated to food safety opens with a researched contribution and shows an evident freedom of thought by Francois Guillon, Professor of food processing economics at the national conservatory for arts and crafts. Firstly, he carries out an assessment of the reality of dangers, which brings him to the realisation that the number of illnesses resulting from failings in food has fallen thanks to the near end of famines and shortages, today the body is better armed to fight infectious diseases. However, a similar increase in degenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, cancer, blood and heart disease…) is recorded, some eating habits favour this development. In short, the nutritional imbalances or shortages are more dangerous than intoxications or infections from food. Though, the one does not give rise to sickness, the other well… Does the industrialisation of agriculture not increase the risk? The author does not think so, he who has the feeling that beyond the present period of turbulence, the development of major trends in our economic food system goes in the direction of the reduction of true health risks. Why, now, the growing importance granted by the media, the governments and the people to these food risks? Simply because food is not a consumer good like others, and that it results, in consequent, to measure the acceptability of risks. A psychological approach reveals, according to Prof. Guillon, that the perception of risks by the general public is heavily influenced by situations of the "disaster" type and the feeling of being toyed with by invisible and uncontrollable forces, which corresponds to traits present in recent food scares: reactions to GMO, BSE, etc. From where it also stems that science is thus questioned due to the foodstuff innovations. With regard to this, a sociological approach notably indicates that what has changed is less to do with the risks itself than with the social acceptability of this risk, which stems from a crisis in legal standards and a crisis in science, which first expresses itself through the questioning of the collective belief in a continuous progress. First conclusions for Prof. Guillon: The crises of health safety thus form a historic moment in crises concerning the level of satisfaction of consumer needs; in number and intensity, they exceed the level of true dangers.
These crises must none the less be managed. Yesterday, prevention was simple, it which consisted in mobilising against a "real danger", and a "known risk". Today, the precautionary principal requires, as for it, to learn to act before knowing, both it is true that it raises a danger, without a real certainty of its existence and its function of risk. For example, explains Prof. Francois Guillon, when the French government bans imports of British beef, it is due to its absence of certainty and not its understanding of the risk. On this basis, the author analyses the three phases of risk management. First that of the assessment, which brings him to present and compare the French, European and American systems of experts, and thus to note that an expert in Brussels does not always see things in the same manner as the expert from Rockville, the presence of French or European experts in all the possible bodies constituting, from then on, a significant economic stake. He then analyses the notion of risk management at the public level, but also in companies and professions concerned. After having raised the third phase which, not to be forgotten, is that of communication on the risks, the author finally outlines paths for the future and draws the contours of what could, in the medium-term, be risk and food crises management: a management built on a political basis, with the participation of consumers in the systems and the widening of the field of food risk beyond only health risks.
This sometimes-shocking contribution is further completed by articles dedicated to different ways of participation by citizens in the risk assessment bodies as well as the system adopted in France. The other significant contribution covers the lessons that may be drawn from food processing subsidiaries. Also beyond this dossier, the question of knowing if agricultural policies are still needed is also broached. Not counting the annexes, scientific and other. A remarkable book. Michel Theys.
*** World situation for food and agriculture. United Nations organisation for food and agriculture (viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome. Tel: (39-06) 57051 - Fax: 57053360 - E-mail: publications-sales@fao.org). 2000, 329 pages. ISBN 92-5-204400-0.
Luxurious in its presentation and of a very high graphic quality, this annual publication by the FAO describes the general development and the salient facts of world agriculture as they have been observed last year. Its authors formulate observations on the trends of agriculture in the world as well as over the general economic context that encompasses the agricultural sector. The chapter on the world situation examines the role of microcredits that help farmers and the rural poor to have better access to credit, which contributes towards the agricultural and rural development in general. The impact of armed conflicts and civil strife on agriculture and food safety is also studied.
The specific interest of this year's issue lies in the fact that it includes a special chapter entitled "food and agriculture in the world: lessons from the last 50 years. Examining the main factors that explain the positive and negative changes in the second half of the 20th Century, this part of the work notably broaches aspects such as the social and economic impact of agricultural globalisation, the role of basic food production in nutrition and food security, the trends of agricultural productivity and the explanatory factors… The main idea of the chapter is that the progress in the fight against hunger during the last half century have been remarkable, but insufficient: it is noted by a spectacular advance in technologies and agricultural productivity, but progress remains to be made in the fight against poverty and food insecurity… (LD)
*** ROBERT ACKRILL: The Common Agricultural Policy. Sheffield Academic Press (Mansion House, 19 Kingfield Road, Sheffield S11 9AS, England. Tel: (44-0114) 2554433 - Fax: 2554626 - Internet: http://www.shef-ac-press.co.uk ). "Contemporary European Studies" series, N° 9. 2000, 244 pages, GBP 10.95. ISBN 1-84127-126-8.
For a very long time, the Common Agricultural Policy has been at the heart of the European building process. And despite the reforms it experienced in 1992 and 1999, it continues to consume more than half of the European budget. Teacher in economics at the Nottingham Trent University, Robert Ackrill underlines, in this work, what links in long-term agriculture and the Community budget, while wondering if the aims given to the Common Agricultural Policy remain pertinent in modern times. New century, old CAP?: thus is the title of one of his chapters, the author also examined the constraints imposed by the WTO and the fallout from the enlargements to come, which are other factors pushing for a development in the Common Agricultural Policy. (LD)
*** FRANCOIS GUILLAUME: Sucre: une organisation de marché à préserver. National Assembly delegation to the European Union (Kiosque de l'Assemblée nationale, 4 rue Aristide-Briand, F-75007 Paris. Internet: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr ). "Les documents d'information de l'Assemblée nationale" series, N° 2816. 2000, 39 pages, FF 20, EUR 3.05. ISBN 2-11-109669-5.
The French MP (and former Minister for Agriculture) François Guillaume analyses, in this report, the planned reform of the Common market Organisation for Sugar that was presented by the Commission. Through this plan aimed at filing the legal void (the existing regulation is not applicable until next 1 July), the Commission is looking, according to the rapporteur, to substantially modify the present system, which, in his eyes, could prove to work. It risks through this weakening the present intervention mechanisms, which prepare the ground for a complete reform of the CMO in 2003, this could translate into a review of the quota system. The rapporteur does not want this and took multiple contacts in order to support his ideas that aim for the sugar system to be prorogued for at least five years, the system of sharing the storage costs being it too maintained. (MT)
*** MICHELE RIVASI: La protection des consommateurs européens contre la fracture technologique: une urgence politique à satisfaire. National Assembly delegation to the European Union (see details above). "Les documents d'information de l'Assemblée nationale" series, N° 2669. 2000, 258 pages, FF 40, EUR 6.10. N 2-11-109655-5.
The French MP, Michèle Rivasi, does not mince her words in this report. It follows on from the "Green Paper" on the civil responsibility due to faulty products, through which the Commission sought to gather information on the manner in which the Directive of 25 July 1985 is implemented, which lays faultless responsibility on the producer, due to the lack of safety in his products. The Commission was looking, at the same time, to understand the position of the Member States over the possibilities for reform, which it was putting forward. The author notes that this Directive as hardly enforced due to its numerous failings and that it did not answer the objective of the fair allocation of risks, it had set itself. The best illustration of the "virtual nature" of this Directive is the fact that the victims prefer calling for the enforcement of the national system for civil responsibility, feeling that it is "more protective that that issued from the Directive ". Though Michele Riviasi does not give up: it calls in favour of a revision of the Directive, in order to correct an excessively "unbalanced text in favour of producers" and to prevent any regression in consumer protection. (MT)
*** Revue européenne de droit de la consommation. Centre de droit de la consommation de l'UCL (2 place Montesquieu, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Tel: (32-10) 478531 - Fax: 478532 - E-mail: legreve@cdc.ucl.ac.be). 2001, 72 pages. Annual subscription: EUR 168.57, BEF 6,800, FF 1,105.75.
In this review, informed lawyers analyse the dossiers linked to consumers that are no less. Thus, in this issue, Ludovic Bernardeau studies, following the Oceano ruling by the Court of Justice (last 27 June), the illicitness of the clauses allocating competence, which are abusive as well as the autonomy of their judicial control, while Prof. Lucie Lauziere (Laval University, in Quebec) explores the theme "the providers of legal services: fair or dependent relationship?" Other cases are commented upon. (MT)
*** Implementation of Directive 95/46/EC on personal data protection - Impact on the European Savings Banks. World Savings Banks Institute et European Savings Banks Group (11 rue Marie-Thérèse, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2111111 - Fax: 2111199 - E-mail: info@savings-banks.com - Internet: http: //http://www.savings-banks.com ). "Perspectives" series, N° 38. 2000, 37 pages.
Data protection has become a priority due to technological developments and the establishment of the single market within which common standards are required. The Directive relating to data protection enabled Building Societies in the member countries of the Union to envisage an integrated strategy to this end. This brochure presents the ways in which this strategy, aiming to marry efficiency of the protection and conviviality in relations with its clients, is forming country by country. The way in which the Directive was transposed into the legislation of the Member States is also presented. (GC)
*** Building a Europe of The Future. European Savings Banks: At the Crossroads between the Local and Global Economy. European Savings Banks Group (11 rue Marie-Thérèse, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2111111 - Fax: 2111199 - E-mail: info@savings-banks.com - Internet: http: //http://www.savings-banks.com ). 2000, 18 pages.
This brochure echo's the Lisbon European Council, the European grouping of Building Societies present the key role that they may play - notably under the angle of the spotting of best practices at the regional and local level - in order to make Europe the most effective knowledge economy in the 21st Century. (GC)
*** Centralisation de trésorerie en Europe - Centralised cash Management in Europe. Les contraintes réglementaires, juridiques et fiscales - Regulatory, legal and tax framework. Association française des trésoriers d'entreprise (20 rue d'Athènes, F-75009 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 42815398 - Fax: 42801890 - E-mail: afte@wanadoo.fr - Internet: http://www.afte.com ). "Les cahiers techniques" series. 2000, 168 pages, FF 800, EUR 121.96.
This bilingual English-French publication presents a summary of company law as well as the banking and tax rues applicable to centralised management conventions in nine EU countries (Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) and Liechtenstein. The centralised management of the Treasury inter-group aims to locate, via a core company, the excesses of companies that hark against those which have treasury needs. (MT)
*** Innovation & Technological transfer. Innovation in ten accession candidate countries. European Commission, DG Enterprise, Direction Innovation (Office for the official publication of the European Communities, L-2985 Luxembourg). March 2001, N° 2/01, 32 pages.
This magazine, published six times per year (in French, English, German, Italian and Spanish) by the "SME innovation programme" of the European Commission's 5th Framework Research Programme mainly concentrates, in this issue, on the Best Task Force which is responsible, since 1998, for examining the most favourable conditions for companies, SMEs in particular. According to the reports published at the end of 2000, progress has been achieved and European competitiveness increased, but not as fast as in the United States. Other issues broached: innovation in the six accession candidate countries, statistics on innovation, company creation…
*** Bulletin of constitutional jurisprudence. Council of Europe, Commission de Venise (F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex. Tel: (33-3) 88412581 - Fax: 88412780 - E-mail: publishing@coe.int). "Science et technique de la démocratie" series. 2000, N° 2, 446 pages, FF 200.
This publication by the European commission for democracy through law - better know under the name of Venice Commission - periodically reports to the European Court of Human Rights and the European Court of Justice, as well as to certain other countries in the world. This issue, enriched with a thesaurus and an alphabetical index, covers no less than 42 countries and the European Court of Human Rights.
*** Documents. Revue des questions allemandes (50 rue de Laborde, F-75008 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 43879040 - Fax: 42935094 - E-mail: bild.documents@wanadoo.fr). January-March 2001, 127 pages, FF 65. Annual subscription: FF 230 (France), FF 250 (abroad).
This issue discusses the state of Franco-German relations in the European context, Henri Menudier questions whether there still exists "common visions between" these two countries, while Alfred Frisch notes that if there is a Franco-German crisis, it is more of a case of ripples than waves. As for Sylvie Goulard, she emits - under the heading "Geopolitics and the glass of water" - a few non-conformist ideas on the Franco-German couple. On the other hand, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder explains, in a contribution, that Poland is part of Europe and that without aspirations to the freedom of this country, the history of German unity would be less well placed. This is a point of view shared by former President Richard von Weizsacker who, under the title "It started in Poland", develops the idea that the genuflection of Brandt allowed for the enlargement of the EU to the East". Other themes broached: Fischer and Trittin, two Ministers "faced with their past, and a visit to Volkswagenland.
*** Gauche européenne. Nuova Europa (26 via Tullio Martello, 00191 Rome, Italy. Tel: (39-6) 36306290 - Fax: 36300349). N° 1-2/2001, 29 pages.
This review noted, among others, that the borders between Left and Right have become blurred in the countries of the European Union if one compares the political programmes in terms of the economy and social policy, the tax reform of Chancellor Schröder further contributing to the putting forward of shattering proof. Also presented are the institutions of supranational jurisprudence, the European constitution and the European Union's Charter of Fundamental Rights.
*** La lettre de confrontations. (41, rue Emile-Zola - 93107 Montreuil Cedex. Tel: (0149) 881194 - Fax: 881184 - E-mail: Confrontations@wanadoo.fr). Feb-March 2001, FF 30.
A report is dedicated to territorial development in the areas affected by the restructuring of the armament industries. The recent chapter: success in the launching of the European Confrontations Circle last 22 February in Brussels.
National reviews in short.
*** Newsletter. Brussels, 2001, 1/1. We find an interview with Jean-Jacques Kasel, Ambassador for Luxembourg to Belgium and a summary of the conference on international cross border cooperation Valga/Valka. *** La lettre d'information. Paris, 28 Feb.2001. Report: prospects in favour of music. Last spring, the launch of the unlimited membership cards by one of the main cinemas, gives rise to a wide-ranging debate. More than 900,000 people take advantage of free days to visit national museums.