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Paper No. (6)

The environmental portfolio of the Jordan- US free trade agreement

The Paper analyses the potential environmental impacts on Jordanian environment of implementing the Jordan-USA Free Trade agreement that was signed in October 24th 2000. It discusses the effect that might be exerted on Jordanian environment in 9 sectors and finds that the agreement will result in expansion of several trade and investment activities with potential excessive exploitation of natural resources, pollution and generation of wastes as well as the need for structural adjustments in the environmental management framework in Jordan.

The paper discussed also the environmental provisions of the FTA text, and noted that, despite the special features of the agreement, being the first to include environmental provisions in the main body, the language of the text was compromising, non-binding and leaves the room foe independent paradigm of implementation based on national laws. The Agreement puts the clauses of WTO in priority over the progressive environmental articles and gives them superiority in dispute settlement.

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