Middle East Free Trade Area

The U.S. objective with this initiative has been to gradually increase trade and investment in the Middle East , and to assist the Middle East countries in implementing domestic reforms, instituting the rule of law, protecting private property rights (including intellectual property), and creating a foundation for openness, economic growth, and prosperity.

Among the stated objectives are:

Actively supporting WTO membership of countries in the Middle East and Maghreb

Expanding the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP's) that currently provides duty-free entry to the U.S. market for some 3,500 products from 140 developing economies

Negotiating Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFA's) that establish a framework for expanding trade and resolving outstanding disputes

Negotiating Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT's) with interested countries by obligating governments to treat foreign investors fairly and offering legal protection equal to domestic investors

Negotiating comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (FTA's) with willing countries that demonstrate a commitment to economic openness and reform

Helping to target more than $1 billion of annual U.S funding and spur partnerships with private organizations and businesses that support trade and development

U.S. - Middle East Free Trade Efforts

Country	'''FTA'''	'''TIFA'''	'''BIT'''	'''WTO'''	'''GSP'''
Israel	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	''''''
Jordan	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''
Morocco	'''Ratified by U.S.'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''
Bahrain	'''Signed'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''
Egypt	''''''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''
Lebanon	''''''	''''''	''''''	'''Negotiating Accession'''	'''√'''
Algeria	''''''	'''√'''	''''''	'''Negotiating Accession'''	'''√'''
Tunisia	''''''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''	'''√'''
Saudi Arabia	''''''	'''√'''	''''''	'''Negotiating Accession'''	'''Not Eligible'''
Oman	'''Announced'''	'''√'''	''''''	'''√'''	'''√'''
Kuwait	''''''	'''√'''	''''''	'''√'''	'''Not Eligible'''
UAE	'''Announced'''	'''√'''	''''''	'''√'''	'''Not Eligible'''
Yemen	''''''	'''√'''	''''''	'''Negotiating Accession'''	'''√'''
Qatar	''''''	'''√'''	''''''	'''√'''	'''Not Eligible'''
Syria	''''''	''''''	''''''	''''''	'''Not Eligible'''
Iraq	''''''	'''√'''	''''''	'''Observer Status'''	'''Not Eligible'''
Libya	''''''	''''''	''''''	'''Negotiating Accession'''	'''Not Eligible'''
Iran	''''''	''''''	''''''	''''''	'''Not Eligible'''

Note: The Palestinian Authority participates in the U.S. — Israel FTA.

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Middle East Free Trade Area