Amman, July 22 (Petra) -- The newly signed Reciprocal Trade Agreement between Jordan and the United States marks a "significant" step in strengthening bilateral economic ties beyond tariff adjustments, creating new opportunities for trade, investment and long-term business partnerships, the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan (AmCham-Jordan) ,Samer Judeh, said Wednesday.
Judeh, in remarks to "Petra," the agreement builds on the two countries' "longstanding" economic partnership by expanding frameworks for trade and investment, creating new opportunities for Jordanian and US companies, and strengthening cooperation in services, digital trade, innovation and supply chains.
He said the agreement "goes beyond" improving market access by giving the business community greater confidence to establish long-term commercial partnerships, explore new investment opportunities and expand operations in both markets.
On its future vision, Judeh said AmCham looks forward to working with public and private sector partners to translate the agreement into "tangible" opportunities for economic growth, investment, job creation and higher bilateral trade.
He noted the agreement builds on the Jordan-US Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2001 after Jordan became the first Arab country to sign such a pact with the United States, providing Jordanian exports with tariff and tax priviliges.
Judeh said the new agreement is designed to benefit both countries by facilitating Jordanian exports and entry of US products, technology and expertise into Jordan.
The pact, he stated, also spurs American companies to invest locally and partner with Jordanian businesses to expand into regional markets, as well as supporting Jordanian companies seeking to establish a commercial presence in the United States.
Jordan's exports to the United States approximately reached $3 billion in 2025, while imports totaled about $2 billion, reflecting the "depth" of bilateral economic interests and the importance of maintaining a clear and predictable framework for businesses and investors, he said.
Judeh called for expanding the number of sectors and companies benefiting from the agreement, adding that "its success should be measured not by tariff rates alone but by the volume of new trade it generates across all sectors." As for its scope, the agreement is projected to streamline movement of goods between the two countries, supporting increased Jordanian exports to the US market, including apparel and garments, while easing access for American products, including agricultural goods and vehicles, to Jordan.
Under the agreement, the United States will cut reciprocal tariffs on Jordanian goods to 10 percent and grant the apparel and garments sector more preferential access to the US market, supporting Jordanian exports, which totaled JD595 million during the first four months of this year, led by apparel, jewelry, electrical machinery and pharmaceutical products. Jordan will continue providing tariff exemptions for US exports under the 2001 Free Trade Agreement.
The agreement also features measures to facilitate bilateral trade by enforcing environmental laws, protecting labor rights, launching stronger intellectual property safeguards, fair trade practices, improving customs procedures, removing trade barriers and enhancing market access for US goods, including agricultural products and vehicles.
//Petra// NQ
