Trade Agreements

The Bahraini government is a member of the WTO and the GCC.  Bahrain has bilateral and economic agreements with over 40 countries, including free trade agreements with the United States, Singapore (GSFTA), at www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/non-financial-assistance/for-singapore-companies/free-trade-agreements/ftas/overview and the EFTA  States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway & Switzerland) China, France, India, and the United Kingdom at www.efta.int.  It also has duty-free access to the 17 Arab states party to the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement (GAFTA: www.medea.be/en/themes/economy-and-trade/arab-free-trade-area-afta).

Bahrain has also signed agreements regarding:

• Promotion and protection of investment with 34 countries
• Avoidance of double taxation with 41 countries
• Reciprocal exemption of international air transport with 6 countries
• Economic, trade, and technical cooperation with 31 countries

Bahrain implemented the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement with the United States in August 2006, the first FTA between the United States and a Gulf state.  Bahrain’s trade balance relies on adding value to imported raw materials and exporting refined hydrocarbon products.  A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude oil.  Bahrain also has substantial aluminum production.  Bahrain’s main trading partners include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the People’s Republic of China, and Japan.