Summary
The milk quota abolition in 2015 set in motion major adjustments in the EU dairy sector and considerable differences in expansion and contraction of milk production are observed across Member States. Despite significant differences in production methods, Ireland and the Netherlands are among the EU countries that achieved the largest dairy production growth rates. This article compares and contrasts Irish and Dutch dairy farms that intensified and expanded production. To this end, Farm Accountancy Data Network data of specialised dairy farms are used and Principal Component Analysis was performed with a view to assessing common themes and differences in intensification efforts. In both countries, farms that intensified their production have higher gross investments and larger dairy herds, when compared to the average dairy farm in their country. The Principal Component Analysis revealed farm size variables, dairy specialisation and direct payments, as well as investments and financial leverage as common themes of intensification, with differing importance in the two countries. Implications of intensification for policies to ensure longer‐term sustainability are discussed.
Bilateral investment treaties (BITs) are legal instruments used by developing and transition countries to provide investor protection and, by extension, promote higher levels of inward foreign direct investment (FDI). While the link between BITs and FDI has been extensively studied, little is known about the impact of the treaties on different forms of investment. Motivated by this observation, we examine the effects of BITs on vertical and horizontal FDI. We find that BITs are more positively related to vertical than to horizontal FDI. We also find that BITs tend to act as stronger substitutes for better institutions in the case of vertical relative to horizontal investments. The findings inform BIT strategies that are compatible with development objectives in developing and transition countries.
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