Exportaciones de frutas y hortalizas desde Marruecos a la UE: Efectos de las preferencias comerciales

This paper analyzes the effect of trade preferences granted to Morocco by the EU on monthly exports of four fruits and vegetables. We rely on a gravity framework and we take into account the potential endogeneity of trade preferences. We consider sectorial and monthly variability of the reduced entry price and the preferential tariffs. Quantitative limits for these preferences are also accounted for. Overall, our results show that although the two types of preferences taken into account are significant in determining positively the trade flows from Morocco to the EU, the preferential entry price system is a more effective strategy to increase exports in quantitative terms. Interestingly, our results show that the effect of the preferences differs by sector, as the reduced entry price is still exportrestrictive for vegetables and not for fruits. Finally, we find that the effect of trade preferences to foster exports differs by importing country, with a general greater effect when France is the destination country. Our results could have implications in negotiations for eventual revisions of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreements.