Egypt, US and Israel to sign QIZ agreement in Cairo

The U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, Egypt’s Minister of Industry and foreign trade Rashid Mohamed Rashid and Israeli Minister of Trade and Industry Ehud Olmert will sign next Tuesday a U.S.-Egypt-Israel trade agreement.

The agreement will create Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs) in Egypt, allowing for duty-free export to the U.S. of certain Egyptian goods that contain Israeli inputs.

These industrial zones will create a daily opportunity to build business and personal relationships among Egyptians, Israelis, and Americans. Our successful experience with Jordan suggests that establishing QIZs in Egypt will significantly expand trade, promote investment, and create hope, Zoellick said in a statement.

The QIZ program was established by the United States in 1996 and authorizes either Jordan or Egypt to export products duty free to the United States, provided the products contain input from Israel.