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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


Palestinian, Jordanian officials initial Free Trade Agreement
Palestinian officials said on Thursday that they seek to partly replace Israeli goods with made-in-Jordan products after a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two Arab sides goes into effect.
Syrian parliament approves Free Trade Agreement with Jordan
The Syrian government approved a free trade agreement signed with Jordan. Officials said the deal is aimed at developing economic cooperation and boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
Jordan seeks to sign free trade agreement with Iraq - Smadi
Jordan is keen to sign a free trade agreement with Baghdad and has already presented Iraq with the necessary draft.
Hindawi asks US to reduce customs tariffs under FTA - Jordan
A senior US trade official and the Jordanian Minister of Industry and Trade Ahmad Hindawi held talks Tuesday on "reinforcing and further-developing economic and trade relations between both countries."
The US-Jordan FTA: Defogging the Myth
The purpose of this article is to give an account of the history and some provisions of the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement and assess the extent to which the FTA provides a viable “model” to the proposed US-Middle East Free Trade Agreement.
Trade union opposition for the Jordanian-Israeli trade agreement
The Jordanian vocational trade unions have expressed their rejection of the trade and economic exchange agreement signed yesterday between Jordan and Israel. Some 100 persons organized a sit-in at the headquarters of the vocational trade unions headquarters.
Scepticism in Jordan Over Benefits From FTA With US
Jordanian and US officials meet in Washington today to review the terms of a Free Trade Agreement signed between the two countries three years ago.