Amman, Aug. 10 (Petra) -- The manufacturing sector's gross domestic product reached JD1.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to the first-half progress report of the Economic Modernization Vision's 2026-2029 Executive Program.
The report outlined a range of measures implemented during the first half of the year to strengthen the competitiveness of domestic industries, diversify exports and expand export capacity, while attracting targeted investments and advancing research, development and innovation.
Efforts also focused on simplifying regulatory and inspection procedures and accelerating digital transformation across the industrial sector.
In export development, the government completed Instructions No. 1 of 2026 governing the Jordan Ecolabel under the Circular Economy-Jordan Ecolabel project. The instructions were published in the Official Gazette and the final design of the ecolabel logo was approved.
An awareness campaign was also carried out to introduce targeted entities to the requirements for obtaining the ecolabel, its marketing mechanisms and associated benefits.
Under the employment-through-local-entrepreneurship initiative, the "Entrepreneurship in Industry" program was launched with €35 million in financing through the Industry Support and Development Fund, targeting 370 micro, small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.
Preparations for the program were completed, including the design of support windows and application forms and the establishment of administrative and technical evaluation mechanisms for applications.
The report also cited progress on the National Export Strategy for 2026-2029, with stakeholder consultations completed and a final draft prepared based on their outcomes.
A study identifying markets with potential export opportunities was also prepared to support access to emerging markets, expand exports of Jordanian products and services and feed its findings into the National Export Strategy.
In chemical manufacturing and cosmetics, an applied scientific research support program was launched to promote research and development and encourage targeted investment.
An agreement was signed between the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply and the Industry Scientific Research and Development Support Fund at the Higher Council for Science and Technology to implement the program with a JD250,000 budget.
The initiative will support at least eight researchers or institutions, with applications opened through the Al Hassan e-learning platform.
Measures to improve the business environment included reviewing the Industrial Designs Law and preparing a report assessing the legislative, regulatory and procedural environment for business and investment in industrial and productive sectors.
The work forms part of an initiative to simplify and automate regulatory procedures under the "Easy Manufacturing" program.
Food inspection and control measures included preparations for a national food traceability system and the identification of European Union requirements for Jordan's application to be added to the EU-approved list for exports of composite food products.
In the garment industry, initial promotional materials were developed to highlight the sector's competitive advantages and support investment promotion efforts.
Five virtual promotional seminars were held to attract garment-sector investors from Europe, Türkiye, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and other Asian markets.
The engineering industries also saw expanded investment in technical skills and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, with 15 specialized courses provided to 285 engineers.
Training covered smart factory systems, programmable logic controllers (PLC), the industrial Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, enterprise resource planning (ERP), industrial robotics, cybersecurity and augmented reality applications in industrial environments.
Another 21 engineers representing 16 companies across five industrial sectors received training in the design and manufacturing of molds, products and components linked to domestic and international supply chains and assembly industries.
The training focused on strengthening companies' technical capabilities in mold design and plastic product development.
As part of efforts to establish Jordan as a regional technology hub, the first promotional seminar for a project aimed at attracting semiconductor manufacturing investment was held, alongside the preparation of promotional materials and an investor field survey.
In the pharmaceutical sector, measures focused on accelerating and automating medicine registration procedures to improve regulatory efficiency and shorten processing times.
A project to expedite the registration of imported and locally manufactured medicines, including originator and generic drugs, was completed, reducing the time required to review pending registration files.
A mobile application was also launched for reporting adverse drug reactions through smartphones and tablets, facilitating faster reporting and monitoring of medicine safety and effectiveness. The report said Jordan is among the first countries in the Arab region to introduce the application.
An electronic platform for pharmaceutical leaflets was established, alongside an application allowing patients and healthcare professionals to access medicine information electronically.
Jordan, represented by the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA), also joined the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), becoming the second Arab country to gain membership.
Measures to strengthen traceability and regulatory oversight of pharmaceuticals, food products and medical supplies included a decision requiring implantable medical devices to be supplied directly by companies to hospitals.
Regulatory measures were also introduced for frozen meat imports, while the tobacco laboratory was relocated to Amman Customs to shorten testing times and accelerate customs clearance and the release of shipments.
The Higher Committee for Drugs and Pharmacy also approved pricing and distribution rules for peripheral stents and related accessories, as well as heart valves and their accessories, with the measures expected to reduce treatment costs for patients requiring these medical devices.
Instructions regulating food preparations similar to powdered milk were also issued during the reporting period.
//Petra// RZ
