EU relaxes trade rules with Jordan to create jobs for Syrian refugees

Syrian refugees fleeing the violence in their country walk with their families after crossing into Jordanian territory, near the town of Ruwaished city, at the Hadalat area, east of the capital Amman, January 14, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

AMMAN (Reuters) - The European Union has relaxed trade rules with Jordan in return for allowing thousands of Syrian refugees to work in its companies, EU and Jordanian officials said on Thursday.

Jordanian manufacturers that employ a certain number of refugees will pay less or no duties on many of their exports to the EU for the next 10 years, boosting an economy strained by the presence of over 650,000 Syrians fleeing civil war.