Being confronted with the oil crisis the dependency on foreign raw materials became worthwhile discussing again. Evaluations of certain raw materials indicate a low degree of self-sufficiency in some sectors. This article tries to give a general survey of the situation for the Federal Republic.

The increasing use of digital networking in complex industrial processes opens up new potential for more sustainability. This paper delivers the fi rst empirical fi ndings on the relevance of digitalisation for improving material effi ciency in German industry based on a unique dataset including...

The successful completion of negotiations on the Common Fund has not yet led to the hoped-for break-through for any of the commodity agreements belonging to the Integrated Programme for Commodities (IPC). Opposition, particularly by the industrialised countries, but also by individual producer...

After five years of tough negotiations at numerous conferences about an integrated Programme for Commodities (IPC) the participating countries agreed in March 1979 on basic and operational regulations for the key instrument of this programme, a Common Fund. In its present version it is closely...

Weighty objections have been raised against stabilization of commodity markets through agreements. The drawbacks of commodity agreements can, however, be largely overcome if the rigid theoretical notion of a price fixed strictly for a long period is abandoned.

This article may be of particular interest in view of the fact that UNCTAD has now for the first time set down a schedule for preparatory negotiations on raw materials. The resolution of UNCTAD IV on the treatment of the integrated action programme for raw materials is now to be realised....