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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 sign free trade deal
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Jordan’s King Abdullah II signed a long-awaited free trade deal on Tuesday before holding talks on further boosting economic ties, the palace said.
Jordan, Turkey to sign free trade deal before year end
Jordan and Turkey agreed on Saturday to sign a stalled Free Trade Agreement (FTA) before the end of the year.
Jordanians shun industrial zones
Dust sticks to everything in the stark industrial streets of the northern Jordanian town of Duleil. Shop fronts covered in dun-coloured dirt reveal the tell-tale signs of a migrant labour economy: money transfer offices and gold jewellers.
Jordan, Pakistan to negotiate FTA in March
Jordan and Pakistan are expected to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this year, with negotiations to finalise the draft deal slated for March, Pakistan’s envoy to Jordan said on Wednesday.
Garment factories hit by high production costs
Some garment factories in Jordan’s Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) are relocating to other countries because of high production costs
Jordan, Argentina discuss FTA
His Majesty King Abdullah and Argentinean President Cristina Kirchner on Wednesday discussed prospects for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. They said that Jordan’s framework deal with MERCOSUR, a regional trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, paves way for the FTA with Argentina.
Jordan, Belgium to discuss trade ties
During this visit, the text of a bilateral investment treaty will be initialled by Maen Nsour, chief executive officer of Jordan Investment Board, and the Belgian ambassador in Jordan, Jo Indekeu.
Jordan, Canada to sign joint free trade agreement
Jordan and Canada will initially sign a joint free trade agreement at the end of this month and will be officially approved by the end of this year, Jordanian General Secretariat for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Muntaser Al-Aqla said on Tuesday.
Jordan, Canada hold first round of trade negotiations
First round of Jordanian-Canadian trade negotiations started on Sunday with the aim of signing a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Jordan wants agreement with the Mercosur
The Arab country sent to the secretariat of the Mercosur, at the end of last year, a request for a framework agreement with the South American bloc, which includes Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. The Mercosur is gong to start talks for a treaty with another Arab country, Morocco, in April, during a meeting in Rabat.