WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG133/1
22 January 2002
(02-0315)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
FREE TRADE AREA BETWEEN THE EFTA STATES AND JORDAN
The following text reproduces the Agreement between the EFTA States (Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and the Kingdom of Jordan.1
_______________
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EFTA STATES AND
THE KINGDOM OF JORDAN
PREAMBLE
The Republic of Iceland, the Principality of  Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway,
the Swiss Confederation  (hereinafter called the EFTA States), on the one part,
and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan  (hereinafter called Jordan), on the other, hereinafter
referred to collectively as the Parties:
Considering  the importance of the links existing between the EFTA States and Jordan, in
particular the Declaration on Co-operation signed in Geneva in June 1997, and recognising the
common wish to strengthen these links, thus establishing close and lasting relations,
Reaffirming  their commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, in particular
pluralistic democracy based on the rule of law and political and economic freedoms and observance of
human rights, including rights of persons belonging to minorities,
Recalling  their intention to participate actively in the process of economic integration in the
Euro-Mediterranean region,
Conscious  of the need to associate their efforts to strengthen political stability and economic
development in the region through the encouragement of bilateral and regional co-operation,
Firmly  convinced that this Agreement will contribute to the creation and strengthening of an
enlarged and harmonious free trade area  between European and Mediterranean countries, thus
constituting an important contribution to Euro-Mediterranean integration,
Considering  the political and economic developments, which have taken place in Europe and
in the Middle East in the past years, in particular the Middle East peace process,
Considering  disparities in economic development between Jordan and the EFTA States,
                                                     
1 The Annexes and Protocols thereto have been submitted to the Secretariat for consultation by
interested Members (Office 3066).  The text of the Agreement together with its Annexes and Protocols is alsoavailable on the EFTA website (http://secretariat.efta.int/library/legal/fta/jordan/).WT/REG133/1
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Desiring  to create favourable conditions for the development and diversification of trade
between them and for the promotion of commercial and economic co-operation in areas of common
interest on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, non-discrimination and international law,
Considering  the commitment of the EFTA States and Jordan to free trade, building on their
respective rights and obligations under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade
Organization, (hereinafter referred to as "the WTO"), and under other multilateral, regional and
bilateral instruments of co-operation,
Determined  to implement this Agreement with the objective to preserve and protect the
environment and to ensure an optimal use of natural resources in accordance with the principle of
sustainable development,
Also convinced that this Agreement will by establishing the conditions for the progressive
liberalisation of trade in goods and eventual liberalisation of trade in services, encourage economic,
trade and investment relations between them,
HAVE DECIDED, in pursuit of the above, to conclude the following Agreement (hereinafter
called “this Agreement”):
Article 1
Objectives
1. The EFTA States and Jordan shall establish a free trade area in accordance with the
provisions of the present Agreement.
2. The objectives of this Agreement, which is based on trade relations between market
economies and on the respect of democratic principles and human rights, are:
(a) to promote, through the expansion of re ciprocal trade, the harmonious development
of the economic relations between the EFTA States and Jordan and thus to foster in
the EFTA States and in Jordan the advance of economic activity, the improvement of
living and employment conditions, and increased productivity and financial stability;
(b) to provide fair conditions of competition for trade between the Parties;(c) to contribute in this way, by the removal of barriers to trade, to Euro-Mediterranean
economic integration and to the harmonious development and expansion of worldtrade;
(d) to foster the development of balanced economic relations between the parties through
co-operation.
Article 2
Scope
This Agreement shall apply:(a) to products falling within Chapters 25 to 97 of the Harmonized Commodity
Description and Coding System (HS), excluding the products listed in Annex I;
(b) to products specified in Protocol A, with due regard to the arrangements provided for
in that Protocol;WT/REG133/1
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(c) to fish and other marine products as provided for in Annex II;
originating in an EFTA State or Jordan.
Article 3
Economic co-operation and technical and financial assistance
1. The Parties declare their readiness to foster economic co-operation, in accordance with
national policy objectives, noting that particular attention should be given to sectors facing difficulties
in Jordan's process of structural adjustment to the liberalisation of its economy.
2. In order to facilitate the implementation of this Agreement the Parties shall agree upon
appropriate modalities for technical and financial assistance and co-operation of their respective
authorities in particular in the field of intellectual property, customs matters, technical regulations and
other fields, where the necessity arises. To this end, they shall co-ordinate efforts with relevantinternational organisations.
Article 4
Rules of origin and co-operation in customs administration
1. Protocol B lays down the rules of origin and methods of administrative co-operation.2. The Parties shall take appropriate measures, including reviews by the Joint Committee and
arrangements for administrative co-operation, to ensure that the provisions of Articles 5, 7, 8, 9, 14and 23  of this Agreement and Protocol B are effe ctively and harmoniously applied, and to reduce, as
far as possible, the formalities imposed in trade, an d to achieve mutually satisfactory solutions to any
difficulties arising from the operation of those provisions.
3. On the basis of the reviews referred to in paragraph 2, the Parties shall decide on the
appropriate measures to be taken.
Article 5
Customs duties on imports and charges having equivalent effect
1. No new customs duty on imports or charges havi ng equivalent effect shall be introduced in
trade between the EFTA States and Jordan.
2. The Parties shall abolish on the date of entry into force of this Agreement all customs duties
on imports and any charges having equivalent effect on products originating in an EFTA State or
Jordan, except as provided for in Annex III.
Article 6
Basic duties
1. For each product the basic duty to which the successive reductions set out in this Agreement
are to be applied, shall be the most-favoured-nation rate of duty applied on 2 April 2000.
2. If, before, by or after entry into force of this Agreement, any tariff reduction is applied on an
erga omnes basis, in particular reductions in accordance with the commitments resulting from the
Uruguay Round and from the accession of Jordan to the WTO, such reduced duties shall replace theWT/REG133/1
Page 4
basic duties referred to in paragraph 1 as from the date when such reductions are applied, or from the
date of entry into force of this Agreement if this is later.
3. The reduced duties calculated in accordance with Annex III shall be applied rounded to the
first decimal place or, in case of specific duties, to the second decimal place.
Article 7
Customs duties of a fiscal nature
The provisions of Article 5 shall also apply to customs duties of a fiscal nature.
Article 8
Customs duties on exports and charges having equivalent effect
1. No new customs duty on exports or charges having equivalent effect shall be introduced in
trade between the EFTA States and Jordan.
2. The EFTA States and Jordan shall abolish on the date of entry into force of this Agreement all
customs duties on exports and any charges having equivalent effect, except as provided for in
Annex IV.
Article 9
Quantitative restrictions on imports or exports and measures having equivalent effect
1. No new quantitative restriction on imports or exports and measures having equivalent effect
shall be introduced in trade between the EFTA States and Jordan.
2. The EFTA States and Jordan shall abolish on the date of entry into force of this Agreement
quantitative restrictions on imports or exports and measures having equivalent effect, except as
provided for in Annex V.
Article 10
General exceptions
This Agreement shall not preclude prohibitions or restrictions on imports, exports or goods in
transit justified on grounds of public morality, public policy or public security; the protection of
health and life of humans, animals or plants and the environment; the protection of national treasures
possessing artistic, historic or archaeological value; the protection of intellectual property; rules
relating to gold or silver; or the conservation of exhaustible natural resources, if such measures are
made effective in conjunction with restrictions on domestic production or consumption.  Suchprohibitions or restrictions shall not, however, cons titute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a
disguised restriction on trade between the Parties.WT/REG133/1
Page 5
Article 11
State monopolies
The EFTA States and Jordan shall progressively adjust, with the exceptions laid down in
Protocol C, without prejudice to their commitments respectively taken or to be taken under the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (hereinafter "the GATT 1994"), any state monopolies
of a commercial character, so as to ensure that, by the end of the fifth year following the entry into
force of this Agreement, no discrimination regarding the conditions under which goods are procured
and marketed exists between nationals of the EFTA States and Jordan.  The Joint Committee will be
informed about the measures adopted to implement this objective.
Article 12
Technical regulations
1. The Parties shall co-operate in the field of technical regulations, standards and conformity
assessment; and through appropriate measures promote international solutions.  The Joint Committee
shall establish guidelines for the implementation of this paragraph.
2. The Parties agree to hold immediate consultations in the framework of the Joint Committee in
case a Party considers that another Party has taken measures which are likely to create, or havecreated, a technical obstacle to trade as defined in the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to
Trade, in order to find an appropriate solution.
3. The Parties' obligations to notify technical regulations shall be governed by the provisions of
the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
Article 13
Trade in agricultural products
1. The Parties declare their readiness to foster, in so far as their agricultural policies allow,
harmonious development of trade in agricultural products.
2. In pursuance of this objective each individual EFTA State and Jordan concluded a bilateral
arrangement providing for measures to facilitate trade in agricultural products.
3. The Parties shall apply their regulations in sanitary and phytosanitary matters in a non-
discriminatory fashion and shall not introduce any new measures that have the effect of unduly
obstructing trade.
Article 14
Internal taxation and regulations
1. The Parties commit themselves to apply any internal taxes and other charges and regulations
in accordance with Article III of the GATT 1994 and other relevant WTO Agreements.
2. Exporters may not benefit from repayment of internal taxation in excess of the amount of
direct or indirect taxation imposed on products exported to the territory of one of the Parties.WT/REG133/1
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Article 15
Payments and Transfers
1. Payments relating to trade between an EFTA State and Jordan and the transfer of such
payments to the territory of the Party where the creditor resides, shall be free from any restrictions.
2. The Parties shall refrain from any currency exchange or administrative restrictions on the
grant, repayment or acceptance of short and medium-term credits covering commercial transactions in
which a resident participates.
3. No restrictive measures shall apply to transfers related to investments and in particular to the
repatriation of amounts invested or reinvested and of any kind of revenues stemming therefrom.
Article 16
Public procurement
1. The Parties consider the effective liberalisation of their respective public procurement
markets on the basis of non-discrimination and reciprocit y, as an integral objective of this Agreement.
2. To this effect, the Parties shall elaborate rules within the framework of the Joint Committee
with a view to ensuring such liberalisation.  Du e account shall be given to developments under the
auspices of the WTO.
3. The Parties concerned shall endeavour to accede to the WTO Agreement on Government
Procurement.
Article 17
Protection of intellectual property
1. The Parties shall grant and ensure adequate, effective and non-discriminatory protection of
intellectual property rights, and provide for measures for the enforcement of such rights againstinfringement thereof, counterfeiting and piracy, in accordance with the provisions of this Article,
Annex VI to this Agreement and the international agreements referred to therein.
2. The Parties shall accord to each others' nationals treatment no less favourable than that they
accord to their own nationals. Exemptions from this obligation must be in accordance with thesubstantive provisions of Article 3 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (hereinafter “the TRIPS Agreement”).
3. The Parties shall grant to each others’ nationals treatment no less favourable than that
accorded to nationals of any other State.  In accordance with Article 4, paragraph (d) of the TRIPSAgreement, any advantage, favour, privilege or im munity deriving from international agreements in
force before this Agreement and notified to the other Parties at the latest six months after the entry
into force of this Agreement, shall be exempted from this obligation, provided that it does not
constitute an arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination of nationals of the other Parties.  The Parties
shall be exempted from the notification if they ha ve already made such notification to the TRIPS
Council.  Exemptions from this obligation must be in accordance with the substantive provisions of
the TRIPS Agreement, in particular Articles 4 and 5 thereof.
4. The Parties agree, upon request of any Party, to review the provisions on the protection of
intellectual property rights contained in the presen t Article and in Annex VI, with a view to furtherWT/REG133/1
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improve levels of protection and to avoid or remedy trade distortions caused by actual levels of
protection of intellectual property rights.
Article 18
Rules of competition concerning undertakings
1. The following are incompatible with the proper functioning of this Agreement in so far as
they may affect trade between an EFTA State and Jordan:
(a) all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and
concerted practices between undertakings which have as their object or effect theprevention, restriction or distortion of competition;
(b) abuse by one or more undertakings of a dominant position in the territories of the
Parties as a whole or in a substantial part thereof.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply to the activities of public undertakings, and
undertakings for which the Parties grant special or exclusive rights, in so far as the application of
these provisions does not obstruct the performance, in law or in fact, of the particular tasks assigned to
them.
3. If a Party, within five years after the date of entry into force of this Agreement, considers that
a given practice referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 causes, or threatens to cause, serious prejudice to its
interest or material injury to its domestic industry, it may take appropriate measures under the
conditions and in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 25.
4. The Joint Committee shall, taking into account the economic situation of Jordan, decide
whether the period referred to in paragraph 3 should be extended for further periods of five years.
5. Without prejudice to paragraph 4, following the expiry of the period set out in paragraph 3, a
Party that considers that a given practice is incompatible with the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2
may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance with the procedures laid down
in Article 25.
Article 19
Subsidies
1. The rights and obligations of the Parties' relating to subsidies and countervailing measures
shall be governed by Article XVI of the GATT 1994 and the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and
Countervailing Measures, except as otherwise provided in this Article.
2. The Parties shall ensure transparency of subsidy measures by exchanging their annual
notifications to the WTO pursuant to Article XVI:1 of the GATT 1994 and Article 25 of the WTO
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.
3. Before an EFTA State or Jordan, as the case may be, initiates an investigation to determine
the existence, degree and effect of any alleged subsidy in Jordan, or in an EFTA State, as provided forin Article 11 of the Agreement on subsidies and countervailing measures , the Party considering
initiating an investigation shall notify in writin g the Party whose goods are subject to investigation
and allow for a 45 day period of consultations from the receipt of notification with a view to finding a
mutually acceptable solution.  The consultations shall take place in the Joint Committee, if any Party
so requests, within 20 days from the receipt of the notification.WT/REG133/1
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Article 20
Dumping
If an EFTA State finds that dumping within the meaning of Article VI of the GATT 1994 is
taking place in trade with Jordan, or if Jordan finds that dumping within this meaning is taking place
in trade with an EFTA State, the Party concerned may take appropriate measures against this practice
in accordance with the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 and with the
procedure laid down in Article 25.
Article 21
Emergency action on imports of particular products
Where any product is being imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions
as to cause, or threaten to cause:
(a) serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competitive products in all or
part of the territory of one of the Parties;  or
(b) serious disturbances in any sector of the economy,
the Party concerned may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 25.
Article 22
Structural adjustment
1. Exceptional measures of limited duration which derogate from the provisions of Article 4
may be taken by Jordan in the form of an increase or reintroduction of customs duties.
2. These measures may only concern infant industries, or certain sectors undergoing
restructuring or facing serious difficulties, particularly where these difficulties produce major social
problems.
3. After the introduction of these measures, the total ad valorem customs duties applicable in
Jordan to products originating in the EFTA States  may not exceed 25 per cent and shall maintain an
element of preference for products originating in the EFTA States.  The total yearly average value of
imports of the products which are subject to these measures may not exceed 20 per cent of the total
yearly average value of imports of industrial products originating in the EFTA States during the last
three years for which statistics are available.
4. These measures shall be applied for a period not exceeding five years unless a longer duration
is authorized by the Joint Committee.  They shall cease to apply at the latest on the expiry of the
maximum transitional period of twelve years.
5. No such measures may be introduced in respect of a product if more than four years have
elapsed since the elimination of all duties and quantitative restrictions or charges or measures having
equivalent effect concerning that product.
6. Jordan shall inform the Joint Committee of any exceptional measures it intends to take and, at
the request of the EFTA States, consultations shall be held on such measures and the sectors to whichWT/REG133/1
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they apply before they are implemented.  When taki ng such measures Jordan shall provide the Joint
Committee with a timetable for the elimination of the customs duties introduced under this Article.
This timetable shall provide for a phasing out of these duties in equal annual instalments starting at
the latest two years after their introduction.  The Joint Committee may decide on a different timetable.
7. By way of derogation from paragraph 5 of this Article, the Joint Committee may
exceptionally, in order to take account of the diff iculties involved in setting up a new industry and
when certain sectors are undergoing restructuring or facing serious difficulties, authorize Jordan to
maintain the measures already taken pursuant to paragraph 1 for a maximum period of three years
beyond the twelve-year transitional period.
Article 23
Re-export and serious shortage
Where compliance with the provisions of Articles 8 and 9 leads to:
(a) re-export to a third country against which the exporting Party maintains, for the
product concerned, quantitative export restrictions, export duties or measures or
charges having equivalent effect;  or
(b) a serious shortage, or threat thereof, of a product essential to the exporting Party;
and where the situations referred to above give rise or are likely to give rise to major difficulties for
the exporting Party, that Party may take appropriate measures under the conditions and in accordance
with the procedures laid down in Article 25.  The measures shall be non-discriminatory and be
eliminated when conditions no longer justify their maintenance.
Article 24
Balance of payments difficulties
1. The Parties shall endeavour to avoid the imposition of restrictive measures for balance of
payments purposes.
2. A Party in serious balance of payments difficulties, or under imminent threat thereof, may, in
accordance with the conditions established under the GATT 1994 and the Understanding on the
Balance-of-Payments Provisions of the GATT 1994, adopt trade restrictive measures, which shall be
of limited duration and non-discriminatory, and may not go beyond what is necessary to remedy thebalance of payments situation. Preference shall be given to price-based measures which shall be
progressively relaxed as balance of payments conditions improve and eliminated when conditions no
longer justify their maintenance.  The EFTA State or Jordan, as the case may be, shall inform the
other Parties and the Joint Committee forthwith, if possible, prior to their introduction and shall
provide a time schedule for their removal.  The Joint Committee shall, upon the request of any otherParty, examine the need for maintaining the measures taken.
Article 25
Procedure for the application of safeguard measures
1. Before initiating the procedure for the application of safeguard measures set out in the
following paragraphs, the Parties shall endeavour to solve any differences between them through
direct consultations, and inform the other Parties thereof.WT/REG133/1
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2. Without prejudice to paragraph 6, a Party which considers resorting to safeguard measures
shall promptly notify the other Parties and the Joint Committee thereof and supply all relevant
information. Consultations between the Parties shall take place without delay in the Joint Committee
with a view to finding a commonly acceptable solution.
3. (a) As regards Articles 18 the Parties concerned shall give to the Joint Committee all the
assistance required in order to examine the case and, where appropriate, eliminate the
practice objected to.  If the Party in question fails to put an end to the practice
objected to within the period fixed by the Joint Committee or if the Joint Committee
fails to reach an agreement after consultations, or after thirty days following referral
for such consultations, the Party concerned may adopt the appropriate measures to
deal with the difficulties resulting from the practice in question.
(b) As regards Article 20, the exporting Party shall be informed of the dumping case as
soon as the authorities of the importing Party have initiated an investigation.  Where
no end has been put to the dumping within the meaning of Article VI of the
GATT 1994 or no other satisfactory solution has been reached within 30 days of thenotification being made, the importing Party may adopt appropriate measures.
(c) As regards Article 21 and 23, the Joint Committee shall examine the case or the
situation and may take any decision needed to put an end to the difficulties notified
by the Party concerned.  In the absence of such a decision within thirty days of thematter being referred to the Joint Committee, the Party concerned may adopt the
measures necessary in order to remedy the situation.
(d) As regards Article 32, the Party concerned shall supply the Joint Committee with all
relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation with a viewto seeking a commonly acceptable solution.  If the Joint Committee fails to reach
such a solution or if a period of ninety days has elapsed from the date of notification,
the Party concerned may take appropriate measures.
4. The safeguard measures taken shall be notified immediately to the Parties and to the Joint
Committee.  They shall be restricted with regard to their extent and to their duration to what is strictly
necessary in order to rectify the situation giving rise to their application and shall not be in excess ofthe injury caused by the practice or the difficulty in question.  Priority shall be given to such measures
that will least disturb the functioning of this Agreement.  The measures taken by Jordan against an
action or an omission of an EFTA State may only affect  the trade with that State.  The measures taken
against an action or omission of Jordan may only be taken by that or those EFTA States the trade of
which is affected by the said action or omission.
5. The safeguard measures taken shall be the object of regular consultations within the Joint
Committee with a view to their relaxation, substitution or abolition, when conditions no longer justify
their maintenance.
6. Where exceptional circumstances requiring immediate action make prior examination
impossible, the Party concerned may, in the cases of Articles 20, 21 and 23  apply forthwith the
precautionary and provisional measures strictly necessary to remedy the situation.  The measures shall
be notified without delay and consultations between the Parties shall take place as soon as possible
within the Joint Committee.WT/REG133/1
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Article 26
Security exceptions
Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent a Part y from taking any measures which it considers
necessary:
(a) to prevent the disclosure of information contrary to its essential security interests;(b) for the protection of its essential security interests or for the implementation of
international obligations or national policies
(i) relating to the traffic in arms, ammunition and implements of war, provided
that such measures do not impair the conditions of competition in respect of
products not intended for specifically military purposes, and to such traffic
in other goods, materials and services as is carried on directly or indirectly
for the purpose of supplying a military establishment;  or
(ii) relating to the non-proliferation of biological and chemical weapons, nuclear
weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;  or
(iii) taken in time of war or other serious international tension.
Article 27
Evolutionary clause
1. The Parties undertake to review the present Agreement in light of further developments in
international economic relations, i.e. in the fram ework of the WTO and to examine in this context,
and in the light of any relevant factor, the possibility of further developing and deepening the
co-operation under this Agreement and to extend it to areas not covered therein.  The Parties may
instruct the Joint Committee to  examine this possibility and, where appropriate, to make
recommendations to them, particularly with a view to opening up negotiations.
2. Agreements resulting from the procedure referred to in paragraph 1 will be subject to
ratification or approval by the Parties in accordance with their own procedures.
Article 28
Services and investments
1. The Parties recognise the growing importance of certain areas, such as services and
investments.  In their efforts to gradually develop and broaden their co-operation, in particular in the
context of Euro-Mediterranean integration, they will co-operate with the aim of further promotinginvestments and achieving a gradual liberalization and mutual opening of markets for trade in
services, taking into account on-going work under the auspices of the WTO.
2. The EFTA States and Jordan shall review developments in the services sectors with a view to
considering liberalisation measures between the parties.
3. The EFTA States and Jordan will discuss this co-operation in the Joint Committee with the
aim of developing and deepening their relations under this Agreement.WT/REG133/1
Page 12
Article 29
The Joint Committee
1. The implementation of this Agreement shall be supervised and administered by a
Joint Committee, consisting of the representatives of the Parties, which shall simultaneously act under
the Declaration signed in Geneva in June 1997.
2. For the purpose of the proper implementation of this Agreement, the Parties shall exchange
information and, at the request of any Party, shall hold consultations within the Joint Committee.  The
Joint Committee shall keep under review the possibility of further removal of the obstacles to trade
and further cooperation under this Agreement.
3. The Joint Committee may take decisions in the cases provided for in this Agreement.  On
other matters the Joint Committee may make recommendations.
Article 30
Procedures of the Joint Committee
1. For the proper implementation of this Agreement the Joint Committee shall meet whenever
necessary but normally once a year.  Each Party may request that a meeting be held.
2. The Joint Committee shall act by common agreement.3. If a representative in the Joint Committee of a Party has accepted a decision subject to the
fulfilment of constitutional requirements, the decision shall enter into force, if no later date iscontained therein, on the date the lifting of the reservation is notified.
4. For the purpose of this Agreement the Joint Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure
which shall, inter alia, contain provisions for convening meetings and for the designation of the
Chairman and his/her term of office.
5. The Joint Committee may decide to set up such sub-committees and working parties as it
considers necessary to assist it in accomplishing its tasks.
Article 31
Dispute Settlement Procedure
1. The Parties shall at all times endeavour to agree on the interpretation and application of this
Agreement, and shall make every attempt through co-operation and consultations to arrive at a
mutually satisfactory resolution of any matter that might affect its operation.
2. Any Party may request in writing consultations with any other Party regarding any actual or
proposed measure or any other matter that it considers might affect the operation of this Agreement.
The Party requesting consultations shall at the same time notify the other Parties in writing thereof
and supply all relevant information.
3. The consultations shall take place in the Joint Committee if any of the Parties so request
within 20 days from the receipt of the notification referred to in paragraph 2, with a view to find a
commonly acceptable solution.WT/REG133/1
Page 13
4. Disputes between the Parties, relating to the interpretation of rights and obligations of the
Parties, which have not been settled through direct consultations or in the Joint Committee within
90 days, from the date of the receipt of the request for consultations, may be referred to arbitration by
one or more Parties to the dispute by means of a written notification addressed to the Party
complained against.  A copy of this notification shall be communicated to all Parties.
5. The constitution and functioning of the arbitral tribunal is governed by Annex VII.6. The arbitral tribunal shall settle the dispute in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement, interpreted and applied in accordance with the customary rules of interpretation of public
international law.
7. The award of the arbitral tribunal shall be final and binding upon the Parties to the dispute.
Article 32
Fulfilment of obligations
1. The Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the achievement of the objectives of
this Agreement and the fulfilment of their obligations under this Agreement.
2. If an EFTA State considers that Jordan has, or if Jordan considers that an EFTA State has
failed to fulfil an obligation under this Agreement, the Party concerned may take the appropriate
measures under the conditions and in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 25.
Article 33
Annexes and Protocols
The Annexes and the Protocols to this Agreement are an integral part of it.  The Joint
Committee may decide to amend the Annexes and Protocols.
Article 34
Trade and economic relations governed by this Agreement
This Agreement applies to trade and economic relations between, on the one side, the
individual EFTA States and, on the other side , Jordan, but not to the trade relations between
individual EFTA States, except if othe rwise provided for in this Agreement.
Article 35
Territorial application
This Agreement shall apply to the territorie s of the Parties except as provided for in
Protocol D.
Article 36
Customs unions, free-trade areas, frontier trade and other preferential agreements
This Agreement shall not prevent the maintenance or establishment of customs unions,
free-trade areas, arrangements for frontier trade and other preferential agreements to the extent that
these do not negatively affect the trade regime provided for by this Agreement.WT/REG133/1
Page 14
Article 37
Amendments
1. Amendments to this Agreement other than those referred to in Article 33 shall, after approval
by the Joint Committee, be submitted to the Parties for acceptance, ratification or approval.
2. Unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, amendments shall enter into force on the first day of
the third month following the deposit of the last instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.
3. The text of the amendments as well as the instruments of acceptance shall be deposited with
the Depositary.
Article 38
Accession
1. Any State, Member of the European Free Trade Association, may accede to this Agreement,
provided that the Joint Committee decides to approve its accession, to be negotiated between the
acceding State and the Parties concerned, on such terms and conditions as may be set out in that
decision.  The instrument of accession shall be deposited with the Depositary.
2. In relation to an acceding State, this Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the
third month following the deposit of its instrument of accession.
Article 39
Withdrawal and expiration
1. Each Party may withdraw therefrom by mean s of a written notification to the Depositary.
The withdrawal shall take effect six months after the date on which the notification is received by the
Depositary.
2. If Jordan withdraws, this Agreement shall expire at the end of the notice period, and if all
EFTA States withdraw it shall expire at the end of the latest notice period.
3. Any EFTA Member State which withdraws from the Convention establishing the European
Free Trade Association shall ipso facto on the same day as the withdrawal takes effect cease to be a
Party to this Agreement.
Article 40
Entry into force
1. This Agreement shall enter into force on 1 January 2002 in relation to those Signatories which
by then have deposited their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the Depositary, provided
that Jordan has deposited its instrument of ratification or acceptance.
2. In relation to a Signatory depositing its instrument of ratification or acceptance after
1 January 2002, this Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the
deposit of its instrument, provided that in relation to  Jordan this Agreement enters into force at the
latest on the same date.WT/REG133/1
Page 15
3. Any Signatory may already at the time of sign ature declare that, during an initial phase, it
shall apply this Agreement provisionally, if this Agreement cannot enter into force in relation to that
Signatory by 1 January 2002.  For an EFTA State provisional application is only possible provided
that in relation to Jordan this Agreement has ente red into force, or that Jordan is applying this
Agreement provisionally.
Article 41
Depositary
The Government of Norway shall act as Depositary.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly authorized thereto,
have signed the present Agreement.
Done at Vaduz, this 21st of June 2001, in a single authentic copy in the English language
which shall be deposited with the Government of Norway.  The Depositary shall transmit certified
copies to all Signatory States, and States acceding to this Agreement.WT/REG133/1
Page 16
Record of Understanding relating to the
Agreement between the EFTA States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Related to Article 3
Economic co-operation and technical assistance
1. It is the understanding of the Parties that the cooperation referred to in Article 3 will be
carried out by Norway and Switzerland mainly in th e framework of their bilateral development policy,
while Iceland and Liechtenstein will contribute to such cooperation within the framework of the
EFTA technical assistance programme.
Related to Article 17
Protection of intellectual property
2. Under the EEA Agreement the EFTA States shall comply in their legislation with the
substantive provisions of the European Patent Convention of 5 October 1973.  It is the understanding
of Iceland and Norway that the obligations under Article 17 (Protection of intellectual property) do
not differ in substance from the obligations under the EEA.
Related to Protocol B
3. EFTA States and the Kingdom of Jordan acknowledge the importance of regional cooperation
in the Mediterranean area.  The aim of such cooperation is to provide opportunities for further
development of free trade relations between the Parties, as well as within the region, as a contribution
to the establishment of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone.
4. Furthermore, the EFTA States and the Kingdom of Jordan agree to explore the possibilities on
a reciprocal basis between all Parties to include th e European Community into the provisions of the
Agreement governing cumulation of origin.
5. The EFTA States and the Kingdom of Jordan agree to consider further extension and
improvement of cumulation possibilities, in particular with countries of the Arab League.
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