Free Trade Agreements and International Cooperation Treaties:
Free Trade Agreement with the USA
Free Trade Agreement with Canada
Interim Agreement on Trade and Cooperation with the European Union
Interim Agreement with the EFTA States
Agreement on Commercial Cooperation with Russia
Preferential Treatment: Trading with the Arab World
Free Trade Agreement with the United States
Under the Palestinian-United States Free Trade arrangement, duty-free
treatment is granted to all Palestinian products entering the
United States and vice versa. In order to benefit from the duty-free
treatment, the goods must meet the requirements of the American
Rule of Origin.
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Free Trade Arrangement with Canada
The Free Trade
Arrangement between the PLO and Canada grants tariff elimination
on industrial products, and tariff reduction or elimination
on agricultural products and processed food, in accordance with
established quotas. The products must qualify under the Canadian
Rule of Origin to benefit from the arrangement.
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Interim Agreement on Trade and Cooperation with the European Union
The Interim Association Agreement on Trade & Cooperation
with the European Union (EU) grants reciprocal duty-free treatment
to
industrial products complying with the EU rule of origin. For
agricultural items, the EU grants duty-free or reduced tariff
treatment on the
products exported to the EU within specified quotas. The same
applies to agricultural imports from the EU to Palestine. The
certificate
of origin requirements must be satisfied to grant duty-free
access.
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Interim Agreement with the EFTA States
Four member countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA),
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, signed an Interim
Agreement with the PLO that provides duty-free treatment for
most Palestinian and EFTA industrial products, fish and other
marine products. For the majority of Palestinian and EFTA-processed
agricultural products reduced tariffs are granted and some benefit
from full duty-free treatment.
The PLO signed separate protocols with the four EFTA countries
to identify the agricultural duty-free products, because EFTA countries
do not share a common agricultural policy. The EFTA Rule of Origin
is the same as applied by the European Union.
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Agreement on Commercial Cooperation with Russia
Both parties extend to one another the status of the Most Favored
Nation in regard to trade. Imports and exports between the two
parties are duty-free for the following goods:
• Instruments and items specified for montage and repair
• Equipment and instruments specified for undertaking experiments
and scientific research
• Articles for demonstration during fairs and exhibitions
• Containers and similar packages utilized in international trade
on a return basis.
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Interim Agreement on Trade with Turkey (the Republic of Turkey)
The Interim Free Trade Agreement with turkey grants duty- free treatment to industrial products. It aims to the progressive abolition of the obstacles to trade between the two Parties and shall gradually establish a free trade area on substantially all their trade between them. The objective of this agreement shall be to increase the economic cooperation, eliminate restrictions and promote trade, encouragements of investments, and promote cooperation between the parties in third country markets.
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Preferential Treatment: Trading with the Arab World
Palestinian importers can trade with all Arab countries when importing
goods included in Lists A1 and A2 of the Paris Protocol, within
pre-defined quotas. Moreover, economic agreements and arrangements
regulate preferential trade relations between Palestine and Jordan,
Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Economic Agreement with Jordan
The Palestinian-Jordanian Trade Agreement provides preferential
tariffs for goods traded between Palestine and Jordan. Goods
in Lists A1, A2, and B of the Paris Protocol entering Palestine
and the agreed-upon products entering Jordan are duty-free, provided
that the import volume does not exceed predetermined quotas,
and the goods meet the Jordanian Rule of Origin.
Economic Agreement with Egypt
The Palestinian-Egyptian Trade Agreement states that Egyptian products
of national origin are exempt from customs and related duties
if on Lists A1, A2 or B of the Paris Protocol. Palestinian products
are granted duty-free entrance to Egypt according to a defined
list and if they satisfy the requirements of the Egyptian Rule
of Origin.
Trade with Saudi Arabia
Palestinians can export all types of products to Saudi Arabia,
but will be granted duty-free treatment by the government of
Saudi Arabia for the following Palestinian products: agriculture,
livestock, and metallic and non-metallic raw materials. In order
to benefit from the preferential arrangement, the Rule of Origin
for Arab countries must be satisfied.
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