The EC-Scandinavian agricultural trade changes - causes and consequences

Authors

• Tuomas Kuhmonen Pellervo Economic Research Institute, Revontulentie 8, 02100 Espoo, Finland
• Dirk Strijker State University Groningen, P.O.Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72415

Abstract

This article examines the changes in the mutual agro-food trade between the EC and Scandinavian countries Finland, Norway and Sweden in 1960—85 by using the concept of “Revealed Comparative Advantage”. The agricultural policy actions of the EC have weakened the mutual trading position of Scandinavia very strongly in basic temperate agricultural products but improved it in other types of agro-food products. The massive supports and trade regulations of the EC have also increased its mutual competitiveness in agro-food compared to all traded items. In recent years are direction of agricultural policy has started in the EC from price support and increasing productivity to production cutbacks and direct income support. This seems to be the same path as the Scandinavian countries had to take earlier.