LES ENJEUX DE LA LIB ÉRALISATION AGRICOLE DANS LA ZONE MÉDITERRANÉENNECIHEAM-IAM de Montpellier, UMR Moisa

In order to assess the stakes involved in the current agricultural liberalization process in the Mediterranean area, trade flows for agricultural and agrifood products in the Mediterranean region are described as well as public intervention affecting these trade flows. In spite of ambitious declarations of principle and of a clear process of liberalization, the progress in that direction has been limited and well short of the goals which were announced. Cereals and fruits and vegetables are the two most politically sensitive subsectors, raising issues of access to the European market and of food security. The results from a few empirical studies suggest that even though the liberalization process is likely to continue, there remain many uncertainties regarding the likely consequences of that process.