NMPF welcomed a tenth Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on July 21 with a new deal signed between the United States and Jordan that reinforces duty-free access for U.S. dairy exports and secures important commitments to address nontariff barriers.
The agreement builds on the 2001 U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement and advances priorities NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) have consistently advocated in trade negotiations, including preempting unnecessary regulatory barriers and protecting the use of common cheese names.
Specific to dairy, Jordan committed to recognize the U.S. dairy safety system as equivalent to its own and refrain from imposing facility registration requirements on U.S. dairy imports. The agreement also protects the use of 40 common cheese names, including “parmesan,” “feta” and “asiago,” and establishes transparent procedures for evaluating geographical indications applications. Additional commitments on import licensing, technical regulations, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures are intended to ensure science-based, predictable trade rules that facilitate U.S. dairy exports.
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