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Lower House endorses amendments to Standards and Metrology Law

By JT - Aug 18,2019 - Last updated at Aug 18,2019

Lawmakers are seen during a Lower House session on Sunday (Petra photo)

AMMAN — The Lower House on Sunday endorsed amendments to the Standards and Metrology Law, which allow reexporting goods that do not conform to Jordanian standards to any country without returning the merchandise to the country of origin.  

The amendments necessitate importers to reexport within 90 days of the date of issuing the final results of laboratory tests, banning importers from displaying, selling, lending or distributing the products, even if the distribution is free of charge, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

MPs also refused a proposal to donate such products that do not meet the standards to charity associations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Rajai Muasher said that the bill aims at addressing challenges facing the commercial sector in dealing with merchandise that does not match Jordanian standards.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri said that amendments are not related to food and drug that are under the jurisdiction of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration.

Hammouri noted that the amendments agree with the World Trade Organisation agreement that “does not exclusively stipulate reexporting to the country of origin”. 

According to the mandating reasons, the decision to only reexport goods to the country of origin has resulted in importers incurring high costs where various countries voiced disapproval over taking the goods back or imposed high fees for returning such items, according to Petra.

In June, a Royal Decree was issued summoning the Parliament to convene for an extraordinary session as of July 21.

Another Royal Decree was issued late July adding new bills to Parliament’s extraordinary session’s agenda, including amended drafts of the Judicial Independence Law and the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority Law.

Also added to the list is a draft law on waste management.

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