The Aqaba Special Economic Zone provides the business community with a world-class commercial, industrial and service environment. Access to regional and global markets through its strategic location at the crossroads of global trade is one of the most important pillars of environment. The investors in the area can also make use of the preferential trade relations and the trade agreements that connects Jordan with a lot of countries in North America, Europe, East Asia, and other parts of the world, which helped facilitating the introduction of the Jordanian goods and services to these markets and its reachability to more than billion consumer.

Identify trade agreements

Jordan’s membership in the WTO :

As part of the policy of Joining the global economic system , in April 2000 , Jordan obtained membership in the world trade organization and a number of its organizations :

• General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs

• General Agreement on Trade and Services

• Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of intellectual Property Rights

Which means the opening of international markets for Jordanian goods and services . in return , Jordan is committed to open up its markets , seeking privatization and liberalizing telecommunications and financial services sectors. With regard to the trips Agreement, Jordan is considered among the developed countries in terms of the protection of intellectual property rights, where a law has been issued to protect copyrights, trademarks and industrial designs.

Free Trade Agreements:

Agreement on the establishment of the Free Trade Area between the Arab Middle States (Agadir) :

The Agreement on the Free Trade Area between the Mediterranean Arab States (Agahdir Agreement ) , which entered into force in 2006 , was implemented of the Agadir Delectation signed by Jordan , Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco . The Agadir Agreement , which establishes the Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin , allows for national integration of origin among the Sates Parties to the Convention through the use of production inputs from the origin of any of the States Parties to the Agadir Agreement or the European Union or the EFTA States . Required for the purpose of exporting their products to the EU market free of customs duties under the Association Agreements with which they are associated with the European Union .

Jordanian-European Association Agreement :

The Jordanian-European Association Agreement was signed in November 1997 and entered into force in 2002 . This agreement aims at establishing a free trade area between the EU and Jordan by 2010 and establishing a comprehensive framework to clarify political, trade, economic and financial relations. This agreement will provide access to European markets without payment of customs duties.

Free Trade Agreement with EFTA States:

Jordan and the Association of European Countries (EFTA), which includes Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway, signed the Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area (FTA) between the two sides on June 21, 2001, with the aim of finding the appropriate framework for developing and diversifying trade and economic cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual interests. And facilitate access to European markets. It is worth mentioning that the agreement entered into force on 1/9/2002 .

Free Trade Agreement with Singapore:

Jordan and Singapore signed at the Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area (FTA) between the two countries on 16/5/2004. The agreement aims to strengthen economic relations between Jordan and Singapore and develop partnerships between the two countries, given Singapore’s experience in economic and technological development. According to the agreement, Jordanian goods are imported into the Singapore market exempted from customs fees and other fees of similar effect (100%) from the date of entry in force the Convention .Singapore imported goods by Jordan are subject to gradual reduction of tariffs to reach full exemption in transitional periods ranging from Between (5) and (10) years after the entry into force of the Convention.

Greater Arab Free Trade Area Agreement:

Regionally, the Great Arab Free Trade Area is considered one of the most important achievements at the level of Arab Joint economic action to contribute the efforts to establish a common Arab Market. Jordan Joined the Convention in 1998.

Jordanian – American Free Trade Agreement :

This agreement was signed in 2000 and entered into force in 2001. The agreement aims to abolish tariffs and trade restrictions on intra-trade and services in both countries .This Agreement includes:

• Cancellation of customs duties on all commercial items between the two countries within a period of ten years and four stages.

• Items relating to trade in goods and services, protection of intellectual property rights, environment, labor, e-commerce and dispute resolution mechanisms.

It is worth mentioning that the mutual encouragement and protection agreement for investment between the two countries, signed in 2003, reinforced the mechanisms of investment protection and investor confidence, which reflected positively on the climate trade between the two countries and thus led to a significant increase in Jordanian exports to the United States.

Qualified industrial Cities:

Jordan granted the establishment advantages of qualified industrial cities in 1996 , which gives Jordanian products manufactured within these industrial zones the advantage of entering the US Markets without customs duties or restrictions on quantity .This agreement states that in order to benefit from the granted benefits , it must be 35% of the value added from Jordanian and Israel sources , with the possibility of American or Palestinian inputs . the qualified industrial cities are a tool aimed at promoting peace , reviving the Jordanian economy and an unprecedented opportunity to enter the US market free of custom duties and quantitative restrictions, which is the world's largest consumer market.

Agreements not in force:

In 2006 , agreements were signed with the Republic of Bosnia ,Finland , India ,Kazakhstan and Russia with a view to encouraging and protecting investment but not yet in force