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The authorities stated that the main targets for the public procurement regime in Jordan are to select the best evaluated bidder with the lowest possible price to execute the work, taking into consideration transparency, parity and neutrality issues. It also has secondary targets such as protecting the environment and facilitating innovation.

The authorities state that Jordan does not prohibit any products from exportation, except to fulfil international obligations such as for nuclear weapons and chemical products, and those on endangered species. Jordan is a contracting party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The Competition Law follows the principle of free determination of prices in accordance with market mechanisms and the principles of free competition, with the following exceptions:
(...)
• temporary government control of prices in the case of emergencies or natural disasters.

Table 3.25 IPR legislative framework, and international conventions ratified by Jordan
- Date of adoption:
Signature: 29 October 2010
Ratification: 10 January 2012
- Not WIPO ministered treaties: Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity
(...)

The principal legislation on agriculture is the Agriculture Law of 2015, which is similar to and replaced the Interim Agriculture Law No. 44/2002. The main changes in the new Law refer to increased penalties for improper use of inputs. The Law sets out the basic objectives for the sector: to increase self-sufficiency and improve diversification while meeting international, regional and domestic requirements and conserving the environment and natural resources. In addition, there are several laws relating to water and irrigation which affect agriculture.

The 2002-10 National Strategy for Agricultural Development set out a number of economic objectives aimed at increasing agricultural investment, production, and contribution to GDP, as well as improving the trade balance, and the link between domestic supply and demand. The Strategy highlights concerns relating to:
• land tenure, declining agricultural resources and irrigation, and environmental factors affecting production;
(...)

Table 4.6 Primary energy consumption by source 2009-14
(thousand toe (tonnes of equivalent oil))
Type of energy source 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Share in 2014 (%)
(...)
Renewable energy 137 141 130 140 145 152 2

To mitigate the effects of the disruption in gas supply from Egypt, which resulted in significant losses at the National Electrical Power Company (NEPCO), which in turn had to be financed through the budget, the authorities initiated an energy policy focused on diversifying the energy mix. In this regard, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Aqaba was expected to have become operational by mid-2015, and LNG supply is expected to double within the next three years. Renewable energy plants are also expected to start operations in 2016 to ease energy supply constraints. Coupled with the planned tariff increases, these efforts are designed to help NEPCO achieve cost recovery by 2018.

With a view to reducing dependence on imported energy and enhancing domestic energy production, Jordan is focussing on shale oil, natural gas, renewable energy, and nuclear energy. It is envisaged that by 2020, crude oil and other oil products will constitute 55%, energy from renewable sources 10%, natural gas 21%, nuclear energy 6%, and shale gas 14% of the energy mix.

Jordan is also rich in oil shale and renewable energy resources that have not been exploited on a commercial scale yet. It has the 4th largest oil shale resources in the world with an estimated 30 billion barrels of oil in its oil shale deposits. Moreover, the government encourages the private sector investment in the development of the energy sector, as part of the energy master plan for the year 2020, that includes electricity, natural gas, oil shale, and renewable energy industries. (...)