Does Syria's external trade policy have any significant impact on its internal process of economic reform? Against the backdrop of this question, the authors focus on the country’s engagement with two free-trade regimes—the EU-Mediterranean partnership and GAFTA—as well as on its involvement in several bilateral agreements. They also look specifically at the impact of trade liberalization on Syria's all-important textile and olive oil industries.

Samer Abboud is assistant professor of political science at Susquehanna University. Salam Said is a researcher with the Institute for World Economics and International Management at the University of Bremen.