HOW DID SPAIN'S INTEGRATION INTO THE EU AFFECT THE VOLUME AND COMPOSITION OF ITS FOREIGN TRADE?

Abstract

THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO ANALYZE HOW SPAIN'S ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS AFFECTED THE AMOUNT AND COMPOSITION OF ITS INTERNATIONAL TRADE. A MAJOR TURNING POINT IN SPAIN'S ECONOMIC AND TRADE POLICIES WAS ITS 1986 ENTRY INTO THE EU, WHICH RESULTED IN MORE TRADE LIBERALIZATION, IMPROVED MARKET ACCESS, AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE COUNTRY'S IMPORT AND EXPORT DYNAMICS. SPAIN'S ECONOMY CHANGED FROM BEING RELATIVELY PROTECTIONIST TO BECOMING MORE OPEN AND COMPETITIVE IN THE EU MARKET AS A RESULT.

TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF EU MEMBERSHIP ON SPAIN'S TRADE, THIS STUDY WILL INCLUDE A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF SPAIN'S ECONOMIC AND TRADE POLICIES PRIOR TO THE ACCESSION. THIS CONTEXT WILL HELP DEMONSTRATE THE CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS OF SPAIN'S FOREIGN TRADE BEFORE THIS INTEGRATION AND HIGHLIGHT THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES REQUIRED TO ALIGN WITH EU STANDARDS. BY EXAMINING SPAIN'S TRADE EVOLUTION THROUGH THE DECADES UNTIL 1986, THE RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CHANGES INTRODUCED BY THE EU MEMBERSHIP.