Regional trade agreements, globalization, and global maize exports | András Bence Szerb, Arnold Csonka, Imre Ferto | Agricultural Journals

The paper analyses agglomeration effects and spatial externalities in the Hungarian hog sector between 2000 and 2010. We apply a spatial lag-spatial error regression model to capture horizontal and vertical spillover effects and to understand the environmental restrictions that determine the location of pork production at the municipality level. Due to the dual nature of the structure of the Hungarian pork industry, we investigate agglomeration effects for individual and corporate farms separately. Results indicate that pork production by these farm groups is affected by different factors in different ways. We distinguish two different ‘worlds’ within the Hungarian pork industry. The ‘introvert world’ of individual farms is very sensitive to agglomeration effects and spatial externalities. The ‘extrovert world’ of corporate farms is more resistant to agglomeration economies and spatial externalities.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the spatial transformation in the Hungarian and Slovenian pig sectors at the level of local administrative units (LAU). Concentration and inequality measures were applied in the empirical analyses, along with Markov transition probability matrices, to examine the stability and/or mobility over time and the presence of clustering effects. Both countries experienced a rapid decline in pig population. This profound structural change has led to a smaller number of more concentrated pig farms and increased territorial concentration. The degree of farm and territorial concentration and inequality in Hungary has been much higher than in Slovenia, and the concentration gap between the countries has increased. Between 2000 and 2010, the degree of concentration was much higher in Hungary than in Slovenia; average herd size per holding increased by 68 percent in Hungary, and only seven percent in Slovenia. In Hungary, clustering effects were particularly significant, with the pig sector moving towards large-scale concentration. The former effect was also confirmed in the Slovenian pig sector, but significantly weakened during the period under investigation. The exploitation and policy management of spatial externalities justifies these agricultural, economic, and agri-environmental practices.

As the foreign direct investment (FDI)-driven catch-up model of eight Central and Eastern European (CEE-8) economies approaches its limits, strengthening the export capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) may play an important role in sustaining economic convergence within the European Union (EU). Despite deep integration into EU production networks, domestic SME participation in international trade remains limited. In this context, digitalization is increasingly seen as a factor that may reduce information, coordination, and administrative barriers associated with SME cross-border trade. This study examines how different dimensions of digitalization relate to intra-EU export performance of SMEs in the CEE-8, conceptualizing digitalization across three distinct but interacting layers: firm-level digital adoption, societal digital usage, and the institutional digital environment. Using a balanced panel dataset covering 2018–2023, the analysis employs a one-way fixed-effects estimator with wild cluster bootstrap inference to address the small-cluster setting. Results indicate that societal digital usage and digital public services for businesses are strongly and positively associated with SME intra-EU export performance. Firm-level digitalization shows a more complex pattern: internal digital tools display delayed positive associations after a maturation period, while e-commerce participation is consistently negatively associated with aggregate export volumes. Robustness checks using Driscoll-Kraay standard errors and alternative functional forms confirm the stability of the core findings. The results suggest that strengthening digital foundations and reducing cross-border digital frictions can support more effective CEE-8 SME participation in the EU Single Market.

This study investigated consumer perspectives on lab-grown muscle cells in Italy, Germany, Serbia and Hungary. A quantitative consumer study was conducted, yielding a total of 1615 responses. Results show notable differences in awareness and acceptance between Western (Italy, Germany) and Eastern European (Serbia, Hungary) respondents. Italian and German consumers demonstrated higher familiarity and more favourable attitudes, whereas Serbian and, especially, Hungarian respondents expressed greater scepticism and reluctance. Willingness to try lab-grown muscle cells was highest among German respondents and lowest among Hungarians. Higher income was linked to lower willingness to consume, while younger consumers were more willing to pay a premium price for lab-grown muscle cells. Support for marketing lab-grown muscle cells was low; only 39%, 31%, and less than 20% of Italians, Germans, and Eastern Europeans supported. Almost 50% of Germans and 40% of Italians supported labelling them as “meat”, compared to 75–80% opposition in Serbia and Hungary. Half of German, one-third of Hungarian and Serbian, and one-fifth of Italian respondents believed lab-grown muscle cells have lower carbon footprint than meat. Taste and nutritional value were top priorities, while appearance resembling meat mattered least. Only 4–9% believed lab-grown muscle cells were more nutrient-dense than meat. These findings show that cultural and historical context significantly influences perceptions, even when identical information is provided. This highlights the need for further research into how social, cultural, and economic environments influence consumer opinions on novel food products. Insights could be valuable for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers in navigating the challenges of consumer acceptance.