Attachment

THE EU-JORDAN ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, of the other part, (the ‘Agreement’), and in particular Article 94 of the Agreement and Article 39 of Protocol 3 to the Agreement,

Whereas:

Since the entry into force of Decision No 1/2016 of the EU-Jordan Association Committee^f1 until March 2018, eleven companies registered to benefit from the relaxed rules of origin scheme.

Between January 2016 and October 2018, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (‘Jordan’) issued over 120 000 work permits to Syrian refugees, of which approximately 42 000 were active work permits during the third quarter of 2018.

In December 2017, Jordan presented the first annual report on the implementation of Decision No 1/2016, concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products’ and the list of working or processing required to be carried out on non-originating materials in order for certain categories of products, manufactured in the territory of Jordan, and connected with generating employment for Syrian refugees and Jordanians, to obtain originating status.

Following the findings of the report, Jordan made a request to review Decision No 1/2016 and to introduce additional flexibilities. The Union considered that certain improvements of the scheme shall further contribute to a higher employment of Syrian refugees, as well as of Jordanians.

The further revision of requirements applicable to economic operators that wish to benefit from the rules of origin scheme would be subject to certain conditions with a view to ensuring that the benefits go hand in hand with the Jordanian efforts of employing Syrian refugees.

The Annex to this Decision applies to goods produced in production facilities located in Jordan and aims at contributing to the generation of employment for Syrian refugees and for the Jordanian population.

The objective of this amendment is to improve the original initiative in order to improve the effects of the scheme on the Jordanian economy and to contribute to increasing the number of Syrian refugees legally employed in Jordan, as well as Jordanians.

There should be a possibility of temporarily suspending the application of the Annex to this Decision, if the conditions set out in Article 1(1), (2) and (3) of the Annex to this Decision are not met.

There should also be a possibility of temporarily suspending the application of the Annex to this Decision with respect to any of the products listed in Article 2 of the Annex to this Decision imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions as to cause, or threaten to cause, serious injuries to Union producers of like or directly competing products in all or part of the territory of the Union or serious disturbances in any sector of the economy of the Union, in accordance with Articles 24 and 26 of the Agreement.

This Decision should be valid for a limited period sufficient to provide an incentive for additional investment and employment generation and should therefore expire on 31 December 2030.

The achievement by Jordan of its objective of creating at least 60 000 legal and active job opportunities, in particular corresponding to active work permits or other measurable means corresponding to legal and active employment determined by the Association Committee, for Syrian refugees would also represent a significant milestone. Accordingly, when this objective is achieved, the Union and Jordan should, also taking into account the modernisation of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin, extend the coverage of this Decision to include all production in Jordan of products covered by this Decision without the need to satisfy the specific conditions set out in Article 1(1)(b) of the Annex to this Decision.

If the objective of creating at least 60 000 legal and active job opportunities, in particular corresponding to active work permits or other measurable means corresponding to legal and active employment determined by the Association Committee, for Syrian refugees is not achieved, the specific conditions set out in Article 1(1)(b) of the Annex to this Decision should apply.

Jordan will develop a clear and stable legal framework for decent employment of Syrian refugees. Specifically, Jordan will continue to expand the sectors and occupations open to refugees, mainly at technical level, with a particular focus on women's participation. In implementing the National Empowerment and Employment Programme (NEEP) and in calculating the participation of non-Jordanians working across multiple sectors, Jordan will exempt refugees from possible reductions in the percentage of non-Jordanians. Jordan will also ensure that the cost of obtaining the right to work for Syrian refugees is permanently waived.

Jordan will, with assistance from the EU where appropriate, ensure a clear framework for the set-up of joint ventures between Jordanians and third-country nationals, including Syrian refugees, focusing particularly on women, ensuring that the rights of both parties are upheld, that ownership is clarified and that access to finance is facilitated.

Jordan will take necessary steps towards facilitating investment and improving the overall business climate. To that end, Jordan will adopt and implement an action plan in close consultation with the European Union. In particular, Jordan will create stronger synergies between public sector entities, the private sector and donors, in an effort to improve the business environment and attract investment. To complement this action, the international community will provide firm-level assistance and programmes, aimed at increasing the export capability of Jordanian firms in sectors where the country has a competitive advantage in the global market.

Jordan will ensure regulatory predictability, with the aim of reducing red tape and costs for investors. This includes the development of incentives for business formalisation, streamlining the process for company registration, adopting a stable legal infrastructure for insolvency, corporate taxation, bank lending, as well as developing non-bank financial institutions, and reducing the administrative burden for companies requiring an export license.

Jordan will organise a Business and Investors' Conference in Jordan in due time to showcase the reformed scheme that was initially supposed to take place in autumn 2017 in Jordan.

Jordan supports the modernisation of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin with the aim of improving market access conditions for Jordanian exports in the European Union and to expand regional trade and economic integration,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: