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Abstract
The Barcelona Agreement was signed in 1995, setting forth a structure with bilateral
agreements between the EU and twelve Mediterranean countries. The agreement also foresaw
the creation of a free trade area in the Euro-Mediterranean region by 2010. For many of the
countries surrounding the Mediterranean sea, fruit and vegetables are very important
products. In light of the increasing trade liberalization and thus increasing competition
between countries, this paper aims to investigate further the competitiveness of Mediterranean
countries with respect to fresh fruit and vegetables. The results generally show that the
competitiveness of the investigated countries has deteriorated over the period. In only two
cases, there is an increase in competitiveness.