Jordan’s Ban on Tree Imports from Italy and Spain: Why It’s Time for a Policy Update

For nearly a decade, Jordan has upheld a strict ban on importing trees in soil from Italy and Spain, a rule born from the 2015 Xylella fastidiosa outbreak that devastated olive groves across southern Europe. At the time, the decision was justified. It was about protecting our agriculture and preventing a disease that threatened one of the Mediterranean’s most iconic crops. But ten years later, the world has moved on, and Jordan hasn’t. Across Europe, Xylella has been contained. The European Union now enforces one of the most advanced plant-health frameworks in the world, built on molecular testing, traceability, and certified nursery programs. Countries that once faced the same outbreak (Italy, Spain, and France) are now safely exporting certified trees again. Meanwhile, neighboring nations like the UAE and Qatar have updated their frameworks to align with EU and IPPC standards. They import certified trees under controlled conditions, balancing safety with progress. The result is visible everywhere: lush urban spaces, thriving landscape projects, and tourism destinations that showcase sustainability and beauty. Jordan, on the other hand, remains tied to a restriction from a decade ago. And the cost isn’t just bureaucratic, it’s creative, economic, and moral.

Designers Without Freedom

Landscape architects and designers across Jordan struggle with limited plant options, unable to bring mature Mediterranean species or high-quality ornamentals into the country. For large-scale projects (residential compounds, hotels, or public parks) this restriction means redesigning landscapes around what’s available, not what’s ideal. It limits creative expression, compromises design integrity, and prevents Jordan’s built environment from reaching the same standards seen in our Gulf neighbors.

Tourism and National Image

This isn’t a small issue tucked away in agriculture, it’s a national development problem. Our tourism strategy envisions Jordan as a regional leader in sustainable, experience-driven destinations. Yet, without access to certified trees and landscape material, that vision becomes harder to realize. The world’s top hotels and resorts in Abu Dhabi, Doha, and beyond rely on imported trees grown under rigorous environmental controls. Jordan’s projects, by contrast, are forced to settle for limited selections that don’t match the aesthetic or ecological quality international tourism demands. A green, vibrant landscape is part of a country’s identity. It shapes how visitors experience it, and how investors perceive it.

An Uneven Playing Field

Ask anyone in the industry and you’ll hear the same story: while many professionals play by the book, others find a way around it. Through “wasta” and special connections, a handful of importers secure individual approvals for shipments that should otherwise be prohibited. It’s an open secret and it undermines both trust and fairness. Those with influence get access to what’s banned for others, while honest firms watch projects fall behind or lose bids because they’re forced to use inferior materials. This isn’t just inefficient. It’s unjust.

The Economic Toll

The longer the ban stays untouched, the more it costs Jordan. Municipalities face higher replanting and maintenance expenses because local or regional substitutes often fail in Jordan’s climate. Private developers lose months sourcing replacements or waiting for local nurseries to catch up. And domestic nurseries themselves suffer, unable to import “mother plants” or certified stock, they’re locked out of regional competition and innovation. What should have been a precautionary rule to protect agriculture has instead become a barrier to investment and modernization.

A Push for Reform

At Shouman & Co., we believe this issue can, and must, be solved through data, dialogue, and transparency. Our Public Affairs Division has launched an initiative to gather insights from professionals across the country: landscape architects, nursery owners, agricultural engineers, and project developers. The goal is simple: to compile real data on how this outdated restriction affects productivity, creativity, and trade. These findings will form the backbone of an evidence-based policy brief that we’ll submit to both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Economic and Social Council (ESC). The brief advocates for a controlled, risk-based import mechanism, one that allows the import of certified trees in soil from EU-approved nurseries under strict quarantine and testing conditions. This isn’t about opening the borders recklessly. It’s about catching up with the world — responsibly.

A Call for a Fairer, Greener Future

For years, passionate designers, farmers, and developers in Jordan have faced closed doors, not because they lacked vision, but because policy failed to evolve.It’s time to change that.Jordan has the talent, expertise, and creative spirit to lead in sustainable landscape development across the region. What it needs now is the policy framework to match.