This work evaluates the effect of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP1) on EU’s fruit
imports from Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries during
2005-2014, using a new and advanced micro-econometric tool known as the Triple-
Difference estimator. The estimator is advantageous given that it is robust to policy
endogeneity and it uses a very flexible benchmark to which the intensive margin and
extensive margin of trade performance are compared. Two preference margin measures are
used as proxies for the preferential treatment granted to SADC member countries by the EU.
Furthermore, highly disaggregated data at HS 6-Digit level, for 12 SADC member countries
and 27 EU member states are used for the analysis. The analysis employed takes into
consideration of zero-trade flows. Empirical results suggest that the EU-GSP scheme
generally has a significant positive impact on EU’s fruit imports from SADC member countries. Notably, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) benefited more from the scheme as compared to the non-LDCs
