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Jordan

The Hachemite Kingdom of Jordan signed a major free trade agreement with the United States in 2000, a strategic deal for the US. One of the most well documented impacts of that accord, however, has been the bad labour conditions suffered by migrant workers working in US factories there.

While the Jordanian government has tried to clean up its image in response to the criticisms from labour and human rights groups, it has also been sealing deals with other nations. It has free trade agreements with the EU, as part of the Barcelona proces, EFTA, Palestine and Syria. In 2004, it signed an FTA with Singapore and in 2008 with Canada (which has still to be ratified). In 2010 it signed a four-way deal with Syria, Turkey and Lebanon.

The government is currently negotiating with Iraq, Kazakhstan and Pakistan, and pushing for FTAs with Mercosur and Russia. Jordan is also member of the Agadir Agreement and GAFTA.

last update: May 2012
photo: DFID/CC BY 2.0


Jordan, Turkey to renegotiate suspended FTA
Turkish authorities are ready to look into Jordan’s conditions to reactivate the suspended free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah said Tuesday.
Group of MPs wants cancelled FTA with Turkey reactivated
In Jordan, a group of MPs on Tuesday called on the government to reactivate the recently-suspended Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Turkey.
FTA with Turkey to resume ‘under certain conditions’
Jordan is willing to reactivate the free trade agreement with Turkey, which was suspended last month, if Turkey agrees to meet certain conditions, the government said on Sunday.
’New agreement to make the most of Jordan-US FTA’
An agreement will be signed on how to maximise benefits from the Jordan-US Free Trade Agreement
Jordan to evaluate free trade agreements — Anani
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Jawad Anani said that Jordan will revisit all its free trade agreements to assess their benefits to the Kingdom.
Jordan QIZ workers face "undignified" conditions
A human rights organisation has condemned what it describes as "undignified" conditions faced by workers in Jordan’s Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ), as well as violations at some textile factories outside these zones.
Mexico begins free trade negotiations with Jordan
Mexico and Jordan held their first round of negotiations for a free trade agreement in Amman, end August.
Jordanian-Canadian FTA in final stages of approval - envoy
The implementing legislation for the Jordanian-Canadian Free Trade Agreement (FTA) - and the side agreements on environment and labour - is currently in the final stages of approval in the Canadian parliament, according to Canada’s ambassador in Amman.
King, Brazil’s Lula discuss means to boost bilateral ties
King Abdullah and the Brazilian president agreed to work intensively to wrap up talks towards the signing of a free trade agreement between Jordan and the Mercosur trade bloc, which comprises several Latin American countries, including Brazil.
Imports from US surpass Jordanian exports under QIZ, FTA arrangements
After peaking at $1.42 billion in 2006, Jordanian exports to the US dropped to $866 million through the first 11 months of 2009 whereas the Kingdom’s imports from the US rose to $1.09 billion during the same period of last year.