WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/REG215/3 
19 November 2008 
 
 (08-5639) 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:   English 
  
 
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN JORDAN AND SINGAPORE 
 
Questions and Replies
 
  
 The following communication, dated 11 and 18 November 2008, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegations of Jordan and Singapore.   This document reproduces the questions addressed to the Parties and the responses submitted. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Questions from the Delegation of Chinese Taipei
 
 Trade Environment 
 
1. According to paragraphs 1 and 4 of the WT O Secretariat’s Factual Presentation, we 
know that this Agreement is Singapore's first bi lateral FTA with a country in the Middle East 
and Jordan's first with an Asian country. Therefo re, given that the Parties’ current bilateral 
merchandise trade is modest, we are interested in learning about the significant meaning this Agreement has for each Party’s trade. 
Joint Response 
 
 
 The Agreement contributes to enhancing not on ly trade relations but investment as well as 
economic cooperation in various fields. It prom otes a more conducive business environment for 
companies in Jordan and Singa pore by reducing trade barriers and business costs. Each Party 
considers the other Party as a gateway for entering  its regional market, that is, Jordan considers 
Singapore as a gateway for the neighboring markets in  Southeast Asia, and vice versa for Singapore in 
respect of Jordan for the Middle East markets.   
 Whilst bilateral trade is still relatively modest , our records have shown a steady increase over 
the years. For instance, bilateral trade (as track ed by Singapore) has grown from S$29 million in 1998 
to S$147 million in 2007, a Compounded Annual Growth  Rate (CAGR) of 17% over a 10 year period. 
Both Parties recognize that for greater benefits to materialize from this Agreement more time is still 
needed for the private sector to  adjust to and understand the conditions in the both markets. 
 Safeguards  2. As regards global safeguards, paragra ph 39 of the WTO Secretariat’s Factual 
Presentation and Article 2.7.6 of this Agreement state that imports of originating goods from 
the other Party may be excluded from the action if these are not deemed a "substantial cause of serious injury" or threat thereof.  WT/REG215/3 
Page 2  
 
   (i) When one Party excludes the originating goods of the other Party from the 
application of global safeguard measures through investigation, is the import of the originating goods of the other Party also  excluded from the total increase of 
imports? 
 
Joint Response
 
 
 If the originating good of the other Party is excluded from the safeguard measures then it shall 
be excluded from the total increase of imports. 
 
 (ii) What is the definition of “substantial cause” and its criteria for justification in 
this Agreement? 
 
Joint Response  
 
 “Substantial cause” means a cause which is impor tant and not less than any other cause.  The 
criteria for justification are a significant share of imports of the concerned product from total imports 
and a significant contribution to the serious injury or to the threat of serious injury. 
 
3. As regards bilateral actions, paragra phs 40 and 42 of the WTO Secretariat’s 
Factual Presentation and Articles 2.7 and 2. 8 of this Agreement state that no safeguard 
investigation may be initiated against a product, if the product is subject to an anti-dumping 
measure, and vice versa.  However, both the sa feguard measure and the anti-dumping measure 
separately have their purpose, that is, the form er against fair trade (increased imports) and the 
later against unfair trade (dumped imports).  Ther efore, can the Parties explain the purpose of 
the aforementioned articles? 
 Joint Response
 
  The purpose of Articles 2.7 and 2.8 of the Agreement is to bring greater discipline to 
anti-dumping and safeguard investigations, mi nimize the opportunities to use anti-dumping or 
safeguard in arbitrary manner and to avoid unnecess ary constraints against free trade between the two 
Parties. 
 
Institutional Framework 
 
4. Paragraph 78 of the WTO Secretariat’s Factual Presentation states that the Joint 
Committee is to convene within one year of the date of entry into force of the Agreement and 
convene thereafter every two years in regular sessions, or at such other dates and intervals as 
may be agreed upon.  
 (i) Do the Joint Committee and the subco mmittees meet regularly, in conformity 
with Article 8 of the Agreement? 
 
 (ii) What achievements have the Joint Committee gained since the entry into force 
of this Agreement on 22 August 2005? 
 Joint Response
 
  The Joint Committee has not b een convened but both Parties are seeking an appropriate 
opportunity to hold the Joint Committee meeting. 
   WT/REG215/3 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Questions from the Delegation of Japan  
 Safeguard mechanisms  5. With reference to Paragraph 40 of the Fact ual Presentation (WT/REG215/2), has either 
Party applied any safeguard measures to the other Party after entry into force of the 
Agreement?  
 Neither Party has applied any safeguard measures to the other Party after entry into force of 
the Agreement.  Institutional Framework  6. With reference to Paragraph 78 of the Fact ual Presentation, could the Parties provide 
us with the results of discussions at the Joint Committee which have already taken place?  
 The Joint Committee has not b een convened but both Parties are seeking an appropriate 
opportunity to hold the Joint Committee meeting. 
 
Questions from the Delegation of the United States 
 
 Goods  
7. Could Jordan please provide the average applied duty rate by HS chapter and
 
HS section for the lines that remain dutiable?  
 See attached table.  
 
SPS 
 
8. The Agreement does not include provisions covering sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures. Do the Parties reaffirm their ex isting rights and obligations under the 
WTO Agreements on SPS in this Agreement?   
Joint Response  
 
 Both Parties agreed to reaffirm their existing rights and obligations under the WTO Agreements on SPS. 
TBT 
 9. The Agreement does not include provisions gove rning technical barriers to trade.  Do 
the Parties reaffirm their existing rights and obligations under the WTO Agreement on 
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) in this Agreement?  Will the Parties agree to use 
international standards, to the extent provided in Article 2.4 of the TBT Agreement, as a basis 
for their technical regulations?  
 
Joint Response
 
 
 Both Parties agreed to reaffirm their existing rights and obligations under the WTO 
Agreements on TBT, including Article 2.4. 
 WT/REG215/3 
Page 4  
 
  Services 
 10. Paragraph 61 of the Secretariat's Report no tes that Parties to the FTA shall consider 
ways to improve commitments in the context of new services (Article 4.7).  Can the Parties 
please clarify what is meant by "new services"?   Is this term meant to connote services not 
already included in a Party's schedule of commitments ?  If not, how to the Parties' define this 
term for the purposes of Article 4.7?  (We note  that the UN Central Product Classification 
(CPC), on which basis Parties' commitments  are scheduled, constitutes a comprehensive 
classification of all goods and services.)  
 Joint Response
 
  "New services" refers to those services not included in the CPC list.  WT/REG215/3 
 Page 5 
 
 
  ATTACHMENT  
 
 
Average dutiable rates for the Jordan-Singapore Free Trade Agreement  
HS 
Section Ch. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 
1 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 5.8 4.3 2.9 1.4 0.0 
2 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 11.6 8.7 5.8 2.9 0.0 
3 21.2 21.2 21.1 21.0 21.0 20.9 16.7 12.5 8.4 4.2 0.0 
4 20.0 19.8 19.6 19.4 19.3 19.1 15.3 11.4 7.6 3.8 0.0 I 
5 13.0 13.0 13.0 13.0 13.0 13.0 10.4 7.8 5.2 2.6 0.0 
average  17.1 17.0 17.0 16.9 16.9 16.8 13.4 10.1 6.7 3.4 0.0 
6 18.3 17.3 16.7 15.8 15.0 14.2 11.4 8.5 5.7 2.8 0.0 
7 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5 21.2 18.9 16.7 14.4 12.1 
8 29.3 29.3 29.2 29.2 29.2 29.1 27.5 25.0 22.6 20.1 17.6 
9 26.4 25.3 24.3 23.3 22.3 21.3 17.0 12.8 8.5 4.3 0.0 
10 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.7 6.2 4.6 3.1 1.5 0.0 
11 19.6 19.6 19.6 19.6 19.6 19.6 15.7 11.8 7.8 3.9 0.0 
12 15.3 15.2 15.1 14.9 14.8 14.7 11.8 8.8 5.9 2.9 0.0 
13 23.3 22.9 22.4 22.0 21.6 21.1 16.9 12.7 8.4 4.2 0.0 II 
14 12.9 12.9 12.9 12.9 12.9 12.9 10.3 7.7 5.1 2.6 0.0 
average  23.0 22.8 22.6 22.4 22.1 21.9 19.4 16.6 13.8 11.0 8.2 
III 15 26.7 26.3 26.0 25.6 25.3 24.9 20.3 15.7 11.1 6.4 1.8 
16 22.4 21.3 19.1 17.5 15.9 14.3 11.6 9.0 6.4 3.7 1.1 
17 25.5 25.0 24.4 23.9 23.3 22.8 18.2 13.7 9.1 4.6 0.0 
18 25.0 23.8 22.5 21.3 20.0 18.8 15.0 11.3 7.5 3.8 0.0 
19 24.8 23.1 21.3 19.6 17.8 15.6 12.8 9.6 6.4 3.2 0.0 
20 27.4 27.0 26.5 26.1 25.6 25.2 20.3 15.5 10.7 5.8 0.0 
21 26.3 24.8 23.3 21.8 20.4 18.9 15.1 11.3 7.6 3.8 0.0 
22 120.8 120.1 119.4 118.7 118.0 117.3 115.8 114.2 112.7 111.1 109.6 
23 19.0 18.5 18.0 17.5 17.0 16.5 13.2 9.9 6.6 3.3 0.0 IV 
24 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 49.7 
average  39.9 39.2 38.0 37.1 36.1 35.1 31.9 28.7 25.4 22.2 18.9 
25 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.4 19.5 14.6 9.8 4.9 0.0 
26 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 V 
27 21.9 21.3 20.8 20.3 19.7 19.2 15.3 11.5 7.7 3.8 0.0 
average  21.7 21.5 21.4 21.2 21.0 20.8 16.7 12.5 8.3 4.2 0.0 
28 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 5.0 3.8 2.5 1.3 0.0 
29 5.6 5.3 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.5 3.6 2.7 1.8 0.9 0.0 
30 6.9 6.0 5.1 4.1 3.2 2.2 1.8 1.3 0.9 0.4 0.0 
31 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 7.2 5.4 36.0 1.8 0.0 
32 16.9 15.4 13.9 12.4 10.9 9.4 7.5 5.7 3.8 1.9 0.0 
33 9.1 8.4 7.7 6.9 6.2 5.5 4.4 3.3 2.2 1.1 0.0 
34 9.0 8.8 8.6 8.4 8.1 7.9 6.3 4.7 3.2 1.6 0.0 
35 18.0 17.8 17.6 17.4 17.2 17.0 13.6 10.2 6.8 3.4 0.0 
36 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 5.6 4.2 2.8 1.4 0.0 
37 7.2 7.2 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.9 5.5 4.1 2.8 1.4 0.0 VI 
38 11.1 10.9 10.7 10.5 10.3 10.1 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 
average  9.0 8.6 8.3 8.0 7.6 7.3 5.8 4.4 2.9 1.5 0.0 
39 8.4 8.3 8.2 8.2 8.1 8.0 6.4 4.8 3.2 1.6 0.0 VII 40 24.9 24.9 24.8 24.8 24.8 24.7 19.8 14.8 9.9 4.9 0.0 
average  15.7 15.7 15.6 15.6 15.5 15.5 12.4 9.3 6.2 3.1 0.0 
41 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 10.8 8.1 5.4 2.7 0.0 
42 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 24.0 18.0 12"0 6.0 0.0 VIII 
43 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 21.1 16.9 12.6 8.4 4.2 0.0 
average  22.4 22.4 22.4 22.4 22.4 22.4 17.9 13.4 8.9 4.5 0.0 
44 21.5 21.3 21.2 21.0 20.9 20.7 16.6 12.4 8.3 4.1 0.0 
45 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 12.0 9.0 6.0 3.0 0.0 IX 
46 18.9 18.6 18.2 17.9 17.6 17.2 13.8 10.3 6.9 3.4 0.0 
average  20.4 20.2 20.1 19.9 19.7 19.6 15.6 11.7 7.8 3.9 0.0 
47 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 
48 25.3 25.3 25.3 25.2 25.2 25.2 20.1 15.1 10.1 5.0 0.0 X 
49 18.8 18.3 17.9 17.4 17.0 16.6 13.3 9.9 6.6 3.3 0.0 
average  23.3 23.3 23.2 23.1 23.0 23.0 18.4 13.8 9.2 4.6 0.0 
50 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 16.0 12.0 8.0 4.0 0.0 
51 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 16.0 12.0 8.0 4.0 0.0 
52 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 16.0 12.0 8.0 4.0 0.0 
54 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 16.0 12.0 8.0 4.0 0.0 
55 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6 8.5 6.4 4.3 2.1 0.0 XI 
56 25.3 25.3 25.3 25.3 25.3 25.3 20.3 15.2 10.1 5.1 0.0 WT/REG215/3 
Page 6  
 
  HS 
Section Ch. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 
57 25.0 24.9 24.8 24.7 24.6 24.5 19.6 14.7 9.8 4.9 0.0 
58 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 19.2 14.4 9.6 4.8 0.0 
59 20.8 20.8 20.8 20.8 20.8 20.8 16.7 12.5 8.3 4.2 0.0 
61 23.9 23.9 23.9 23.9 23.9 23.9 19.1 14.3 9.5 4.8 0.0 
62 24.5 24.5 24.5 24.5 24.5 24.5 19.6 14.7 9.8 4.9 0.0  
63 24.9 24.9 24.9 24.9 24.9 24.9 19.9 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 
average  23.8 23.8 23.8 23.8 23.8 23.8 19.0 14.3 9.5 4.8 0.0 
64 29.0 29.0 29.0 29.0 29.0 29.0 23.2 17.4 11.6 5.8 0.0 
65 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 24.0 18.0 12.0 6.0 0.0 
66 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 24.0 18.0 12.0 6.0 0.0 XII 
67 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 24.0 18.0 12.0 6.0 0.0 
average  29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 23.6 17.7 11.8 5.9 0.0 
68 26.2 26.2 26.2 26.2 26.2 26.2 20.9 15.7 10.5 5.2 0.0 
69 23.3 23.3 23.3 23.3 23.3 23.3 18.6 14.0 9.3 4.7 0.0 XIII 
70 23.5 23.5 23.4 23.4 23.3 23.2 18.6 13.9 9.3 4.6 0.0 
average  24.5 24.5 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.4 19.5 14.6 9.7 4.9 0.0 
XIV 71 16.5 16.4 16.3 16.3 16.2 16.2 12.9 9.7 6.5 3.2 0.0 
72 19.8 19.8 19.8 19.8 19.8 19.8 15.8 11.9 7.9 4.0 0.0 
73 24.9 24.6 24.3 23.9 23.6 23.2 18.6 13.9 9.3 4.6 0.0 
74 27.2 27.2 27.2 27.2 27.2 27.2 21.8 16.3 10.9 5.4 0.0 
75 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 24.0 18.0 12.0 6.0 0.0 
76 26.8 26.7 26.6 26.5 26.4 26.3 21.1 15.8 10.5 5.3 0.0 
78 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 17.3 13.0 8.7 4.3 0.0 
79 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 17.3 13.0 8.7 4.3 0.0 
80 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 24.0 18.0 12.0 6.0 0.0 
81 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 6.0 4.5 3.0 1.5 0.0 
82 17.2 17.1 17.0 16.9 16.8 16.7 13.4 10.0 6.7 3.3 0.0 XV 
83 27.5 27.5 27.4 27.4 27.4 27.3 21.9 16.4 10.9 5.5 0.0 
average  21.5 21.4 21.2 21.1 20.9 20.8 16.6 12.5 8.3 4.2 0.0 
84 22.5 22.1 21.8 21.4 21.0 20.6 16.5 12.3 8.2 4.1 0.0 XVI 85 25.9 24.9 23.9 22.9 22.0 21.0 16.8 12.6 8.4 4.2 0.0 
average  24.1 23.4 22.8 22.1 21.4 20.8 16.6 12.5 8.3 4.2 0.0 
86 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 
87 22.2 21.9 21.6 21.2 20.9 20.6 18.4 16.1 13.9 11.6 9.4 
88 10.0 9.5 9.0 8.5 8.0 7.5 6.0 4.5 3.0 1.5 0.0 XVII 
89 10.0 9.4 8.8 8.2 7.6 7.0 5.6 4.2 2.8 1.4 0.0 
average  20.5 20.1 19.8 19.4 19.0 18.7 16.6 14.4 12.3 10.2 8.1 
90 21.5 21.0 20.6 20.1 19.7 19.2 15.4 11.5 7.7 3.8 0.0 
91 21.2 21.2 21.2 21.2 21.2 21.2 17.0 12.7 8.5 4.2 0.0 XVIII 
92 30.0 29.6 29.2 28.8 28.4 28.0 22.4 16.8 11.2 5.6 0.0 
average  22.4 22.1 21.8 21.5 21.1 20.8 16.7 12.5 8.3 4.2 0.0 
XIX 93 26.0 25.9 25.8 25.6 25.5 25.4 20.3 15.2 10.2 5.1 0.0 
94 28.7 28.2 27.7 27.2 26.7 26.3 21.0 15.8 10.5 5.3 0.0 
95 29.1 29.1 29.0 28.9 28.9 28.8 23.0 17.3 11.5 5.8 0.0 XX 
96 29.5 29.4 29.3 29.1 29.0 28.8 23.1 17.3 11.5 5.8 0.0 
average  29.1 28.9 28.7 28.5 28.3 28.0 22.4 16.8 11.2 5.6 0.0 
XXI 97 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 27.5 22.0 16.5 11.0 5.5 0.0 
 
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