ABSTRACT
The world olive oil market has experienced dramatic changes during the last decade which have resulted, inter alia, in the rapid quantitative and qualitative expansion of world supply and demand, and a significant intensification of horizontal and vertical competition along the product's marketing chain. The European Union (EU) is the major participant in the international olive oil market, accounting for 80 per cent of world production, 70 per cent of world consumption, and 50 per cent of world trade. The available information indicates that the future competitive scenario for EU olive oil will be shaped principally by two types of factors: the market dynamics and business strategies; and the ongoing agricultural and trade policy reform processes. Methodology research uses the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) technique which is a common tool for the evaluation of economic and policy processes. The EU olive oil industry also has to adopt strategies in order to face its weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
