February 14, 2008

Over 88 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products to Panama will be duty-free immediately upon entry into force of the Agreement, with remaining tariffs phased out over 10 years. Within each of the following key industrial sectors, almost all products will gain immediate duty-free access to the Panamanian market: information technology equipment; agricultural and construction equipment; aircraft and parts; medical and scientific equipment; environmental products; pharmaceuticals; fertilizers; and agro-chemicals. Key U.S. agriculture exports such as high quality beef, other meat and poultry products, soybeans, most fresh fruit and nuts, distilled spirits and wine, and many processed food products, will receive immediate duty-free treatment.
Source: Prepared by the International Trade Administration

February 13, 2008

Scientific equipment accounted for approximately 1.4 percent of total U.S industrial exports to Colombia in 2006, totaling $68.4 million. The top U.S. exports in this sector included regulating equipment, physical and chemical analysis equipment, and measuring and checking machinery. Colombian tariffs range between five and 15 percent, with an average of 7.3 percent in 2006. For scientific equipment, 98 percent of U.S. industrial exports will receive duty-free treatment immediately upon implementation of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.

Source: Prepared by the International Trade Administration

February 12, 2008

Jordan’s annual real GDP growth was 5.3 percent in 2001 and continued to grow at an estimated 6.0 percent in 2007, growing at 44.4 percent from 2001 to 2007. Jordan also had a GDP of $14.1 billion in 2006 and a population of 5.6 million.

Source: Prepared by the International Trade Administration

February 11, 2008

The U.S.– Jordan Free Trade Agreement has boosted Jordan’s economy. Since the signing of the U.S.–Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2001, two-way goods trade has increased from about $568 million (12 months of 2001) to $2.04 billion in the first 11 months of 2007. Total U.S. merchandise exports to Jordan in 2006 were $650 million. The U.S. also currently has FTAs with Bahrain, Israel and Morocco in the Middle East region. The U.S.-FTA with Oman is expected to be implemented in the first half of 2008.

Source: Prepared by the International Trade Administration

February 8, 2008

Chemicals accounted for over 16 percent of U.S. industrial exports to Panama in 2006, totaling $356 million. Panamanian tariffs range between zero and 15 percent with an average of 3.5 percent. Eighty percent of U.S. chemical exports will receive duty-free treatment immediately upon implementation of the Agreement. The remaining tariffs will be eliminated over five and 10 years. Best prospects for U.S. exports in this sector include antibiotics, non-vaccine medicaments, perfumes, and adhesive dressings. Tariffs on 100 percent of U.S. pharmaceutical exports, 100 percent of fertilizer and agro-chemicals exports, 77 percent of cosmetics exports, and 83 percent of plastics exports will all be duty-free immediately upon implementation of the Agreement.

Source: Prepared by the International Trade Administration