Market dynamics and policy reforms in the EU olive oil industry: An exploratory assessment

Available information indicates that the future competitive scenario for EUolive oil will be shaped by the market dynamics and business strategies, and theongoing agricultural and trade policy reforms (CAP reform, WTO Doha Roundnegotiations, regional and bilateral trade agreements). Based on this premise, thepurpose of this contribution is to present an overall evaluation of the market changeand policy reform processes affecting the EU olive oil sector, pointing out the mainstrengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) that can be associated totheir present and expected evolution. The analysis is performed with a systemicapproach to market and policy changes, under the general hypothesis that these aregoverned by a series of economic and regulatory factors on which there is littleempirical evidence or which still are subject of public debate whose outcomes are notclear. It is also assumed that while some of these factors act on a global level, othersmay vary across countries and even within countries amongst different players,which means that there is a wide spectrum of possible strategies and courses ofaction for the future. The information used is gathered through a combination ofsecondary sources and primary data from consultations with a representative groupof key informants in olive oil policy and markets.