weighted score 4.0 · nine dimensions
Country Risk Profile
Jordan
Sourcing risk, regulatory exposure and audit intelligence for Jordan-origin supply chains.
Forced & child labour
4
Migrant worker exploitation documented in QIZ garment factories — passport confiscation, excessive overtime. US ILAB listing for garments. Better Work Jordan programme provides compliance improvement but systemic risks remain.
Worker rights & FOA
4
Core ILO conventions ratified but freedom of association restricted in practice. Independent trade unions face barriers. Collective bargaining coverage limited outside public sector.
OHS & audit transparency
4
Better Work Jordan (ILO-IFC) operates in garment sector. Social audit access generally permitted. OHS standards in QIZ factories have improved but enforcement varies across facilities.
Food & product safety
4
JFDA regulates food and pharmaceutical safety. Pharmaceutical manufacturers meet FDA and EU GMP standards. Food safety framework adequate but inspection capacity limited.
Environmental & regulatory
3
Limited EUDR exposure. No IUU fishing relevance. Environmental regulation exists but enforcement capacity constrained. Extreme water scarcity is a systemic environmental concern.
Governance & anti-corruption
5
TI CPI 2024: 47/100. Moderate corruption risk. Judicial system functions but independence faces practical constraints. Public procurement improving but uneven.
Tariff & preferential access
3
EU Association Agreement provides preferential access. EU-Jordan Compact (2016) simplified rules of origin for refugee-employing facilities. US FTA and QIZ programme provide additional market access.
Non-tariff barriers
4
Limited CBAM exposure. No major EU anti-dumping measures on Jordanian goods. Pharmaceutical exports benefit from established regulatory approvals (FDA, EU GMP).
Supply chain traceability
5
QIZ garment supply chains are relatively short and traceable. Pharmaceutical traceability is well-established. Broader manufacturing traceability less mature.
Labour & Social Risk
Labour & Social Risk
- Migrant worker exploitation
- Jordan's QIZ garment factories rely heavily on migrant workers from South and Southeast Asia. Documented cases of passport confiscation, excessive overtime, and restricted freedom of movement. The US Department of Labor has listed Jordanian garments on its List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor.
- ILO conventions
- Jordan has ratified core ILO conventions including C029 (Forced Labour) and C138 (Minimum Age). Freedom of association is restricted — independent trade unions face legal and practical barriers. Collective bargaining coverage is limited.
- Audit environment
- Social audits (SMETA, BSCI) are conducted in QIZ factories. Audit access is generally permitted but effectiveness depends on auditor independence. Better Work Jordan (ILO-IFC programme) operates in the garment sector and provides an additional compliance layer.
EU Regulatory Exposure & Trade Access
EU Regulatory Exposure & Trade Access
- EU Association Agreement
- Jordan benefits from an EU-Jordan Association Agreement providing preferential tariff access. The EU-Jordan Compact (2016) introduced simplified rules of origin for Jordanian exports produced in facilities employing a threshold percentage of Syrian refugees.
- Governance & corruption
- Transparency International CPI 2024: 47/100 — moderate corruption risk. Judicial independence exists in principle but faces practical constraints. Public procurement transparency has improved but remains uneven.
- Pharmaceutical standards
- Jordan's pharmaceutical sector is well-regulated. Major Jordanian manufacturers hold US FDA and EU GMP approvals. The Jordan Food & Drug Administration (JFDA) enforces pharmaceutical standards aligned with international benchmarks.
- CBAM exposure
- Jordan exports potash and phosphates but limited exposure to CBAM-covered product categories (steel, aluminium, cement). Direct CBAM impact on Jordan-EU trade is relatively low compared to industrial exporters.
Logistics & Supply Chain
Logistics & Supply Chain
- Primary export corridor
- Aqaba port (Red Sea) → Suez Canal → Mediterranean → EU ports
- Key transit chokepoints
- Suez Canal, Bab el-Mandeb Strait
- Typical transit time
- 10–16 days to Northwest Europe via Suez