EU rules-of-origin scheme expanded to include all Jordanian companies

AMMAN — The EU deal to ease rules of origin for Jordanian exports now includes all companies across Jordan under new amendments, the details of which were announced on Monday.

During a press conference, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri said that in addition to the geographical expansion of the agreement, which was previously restricted to 18 development and industrial zones, the amendments also saw eased conditions for Syrian refugees’ employment.

Each industrial institution or production line allocated for exportation must now employ no less than 15 per cent of their total workforce from Syrian refugees, after the rate was set for 25 per cent in the 2016 accord, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Hammouri also announced that the new amendments reduced the number of job opportunities needed to be provided for Syrians from 200,000 to 60,000, adding that the EU stipulated for these jobs to be legal and effective for Syrians.

Jordan and the EU agreed to amend the rules of origin scheme, to overcome challenges that prevented the achievement of evisioned benefits from the agreement’s previous version 

Also among the recent amendment, Hammouri announced, was the extension of the agreement until December 31, 2030, instead of December 31, 2026, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The minister also referred to agreement on several procedures related to the Jordan Charter and the Second Brussels Conference, including the holding of a conference for investment and a Jordanian-EU business forum before the yearend. 

EU Ambassador to Jordan Andrea Fontana, who attended the press conference, said that the Kingdom’s stability and the prosperity of its economy are “very important”.

He added that the agreement on the simplified rules of origin is not only important for trade and exportation, but it also affects individuals, the business environment in the Kingdom and developing the quality of Jordanian goods, as well as providing decent-quality jobs in accordance with international standards.