00-1472 MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/174
11 April 2000
Jordan becomes 136th member of the WTO
Jordan today [11 April 2000] becomes the 136th member of the WTO. The WTO's General
Council concluded negotiations with Jordan and approved the accession package on
17 December 1999.
"This is truly a historical moment for Jordan, as we have long aspired to become a member of
the WTO," said Dr. M. Halaiqah, Chief Negotiator and Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry
and Trade of Jordan at the General Council meetin g.  "This is a turning-point in the continued
development of the Jordanian economy."
Mr. K. Kesavapany (Singapore), Chairman of the WTO's working party on Jordan, noted that
Jordan's accession was testimony to the fact that the accession procedures under the WTO do work
rapidly and smoothly given the determination of the acceding government to push ahead and the
cooperation and flexibility of Members.
Jordan has agreed to assume all its WTO obligations upon accession. In addition, it has signed
on to the two plurilateral agreements on government procurement and on trade in civil aircraft.
Jordan's accession package includes market-access commitments on goods and services. The workingparty on Jordan's accession to the GATT/WTO was established under the GATT in January 1994 and
was transformed into a WTO working party in 199 5. The working party met for the first time in
October 1996 and held a total of five formal meetings.
Jordan's main merchandise exports include phosphate and potash, and chemicals. Jordan
mainly imports transport equipment, machinery and crude oil. Its major trading partners are other
Arab countries and the European Union (see tables below).
Six countries in the region are already members of the WTO: Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Kuwait,
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Three are in the process of acceding to the WTO: Lebanon, theSultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia.PRESS/174
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MOREOverall, 30 governments are currently negoti ating to join the WTO: Albania, Algeria,
Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, People's
Republic of China, Croatia, Former Yugoslav  Republic of Macedonia, Kazakstan, Lao People's
Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lithuania, Moldova, Nepal, Oman, Russian Federation, Samoa, Saudi
Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Chinese Taipei, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Vietnam.
Georgia has finished its accession negotiations and is currently in the process of ratifying its
accession protocol.
All documents concerning the accession of Jordan are available on the WTO website under
"Documents on-line". As documen t symbol, type in: WT/ACC/JOR*.PRESS/174
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ENDJordan: Imports by commodities,
1999(Million dollars)
Value Share in total imports
1 Transport equipment and spareparts 520 13.9
2 Electrical and non-electrical machinery 494 13.23 Crude oil 316 8.4
4 Medical and pharmacy products 142 3.8
5 Iron and steel 137 3.76 Textiles 113 3.07 Fruits, vegetables and nuts 78 2.18 Paper and cardboard 74 2.09 Plastic materials 73 1.9
10 Clothing and footwear 71 1.9
Total of above 10 2018 53.8
Total 3750 100.0
Jordan: Geographic distribution of imports, 1999(Million dollars)
Value Share in total imports
1 European Union 1140 30.4
2 Iraq 419 11.23 United States 363 9.7
4 Japan 240 6.4
5 Korea, Rep. of 166 4.46 Saudi Arabia 151 4.07 China 115 3.18T u r k e y 7 7 2 . 19 Switzerland 66 1.8
10 Argentina 62 1.7
Total of above 2800 74.7
Total 3750 100.0
Memo
European Union 1140 30.4
Germany 354 9.4United Kingdom 176 4.7Italy 149 4.0France 134 3.6Netherlands 69 1.8
Source: Secretariat estimates based on partial national figures