Jordan Cabinet Approves Major New Decisions
last updated: 21m ago
The Cabinet, during a session held last Sunday chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Jaafar Hassan, approved the rationale for a draft law amending the Criminal Procedure Law of 2026, paving the way for its referral to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to proceed with the constitutional approval process.اضافة اعلان
The draft law aims to unify criminal procedural standards, strengthen guarantees of a fair trial and the right to defense, and improve procedures related to arrest and detention.
The amendments also seek to keep pace with technological developments and digital transformation, enhance the judicial appeals system, and streamline procedures by allowing defendants in criminal cases to appoint a lawyer to attend trial hearings on their behalf instead of appearing in person. They also seek to improve the management of seized and confiscated assets and funds.
The Cabinet also approved the rationale for a draft law amending the Enforcement Law of 2026, in preparation for referring it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to complete the constitutional approval procedures.
The amendments aim to keep pace with technological developments by digitizing all stages of enforcement procedures, from registration and notification to ensure speed and accuracy while reducing human intervention.
They also seek to strengthen social protection, comply with international standards, and provide alternatives such as electronic monitoring bracelets.
The proposed amendments would accelerate the recovery of rights by granting the head of the enforcement department broader powers to impose early attachment orders, requiring debtors to disclose their assets, and shortening certain legal deadlines, including the period for challenging the cancellation of a sale.
The amendments would also ease the burden on courts by distributing appeal jurisdiction between courts of first instance and courts of appeal, establishing controls on recourse to the Court of Cassation, and providing greater economic flexibility by allowing debtors to sell seized assets themselves under the supervision of the enforcement department.
The draft law addresses procedural gaps by establishing mechanisms for recovering amounts received, clarifying rules on territorial jurisdiction, and extending the period for maintaining enforcement transactions from one year to two years.
Under the amendment, debtors would be required to pay 15% of the value of the debt, with the monthly installment set at no less than 2% of the remaining amount. Debtors with commercial debts would also be required to disclose sources of income and assets sufficient to repay the debt.
To reduce overcrowding in vehicle seizure yards and prevent vehicles from being damaged, debtors would be allowed to choose where a seized vehicle is stored instead of having it transported to a seizure yard, provided they submit a guarantee ensuring that the vehicle can be surrendered when requested.
The Cabinet also approved the Judicial Inspection System for Regular Courts and their affiliated departments for 2026.
The system aims to reorganize the judicial inspection body and its related duties, enhancing the effectiveness, speed and quality of judicial procedures while strengthening transparency and fairness. It also stipulates that the inspecting judge must hold a higher judicial grade than the judge being evaluated.
The amendments will redefine and develop evaluation tools, as well as technical and professional assessment standards, to ensure the quality and governance of evaluations and compliance with the judicial code of conduct. They will also strengthen capacity building and specialized training to improve efficiency and performance and ensure fair and transparent evaluations.
The system will also regulate the submission, follow-up and handling of complaints, reinforcing governance principles and improving fair-trial procedures and judicial rulings. It will further expand the inspector’s supervisory powers and the scope of oversight to include judicial and administrative court activities, ensuring the proper conduct of litigation.
The rationale for the system states that placing the Judicial Inspection Body under the Judicial Council requires the council’s General Secretariat to provide the body with the necessary staff and resources to enable it to carry out its duties. It also calls for reorganizing the body’s functions to ensure sound legislative drafting and clearly define its responsibilities.
Under the system, the categories of judges subject to inspection and evaluation by the Judicial Inspection Body will be defined. It will also establish procedures for inspecting judges holding special grades and set evaluation mechanisms for judges appointed on probation, taking into account their recent appointments and encouraging them to acquire the necessary procedural experience.
The evaluation tools will include the judge’s compliance with the judicial code of conduct, attendance at training courses, performance and completion rates, as well as any observations contained in judicial inspection reports, ensuring fairness and transparency in the evaluation process.
The system also establishes specific technical and professional standards for evaluation to ensure its integrity, fairness, quality and proper governance.
It sets out procedures for objecting to judicial inspection reports and establishes a legal mechanism for reviewing and deciding on objections, regulating judicial oversight of inspection procedures.
The system will also regulate the submission, follow-up and handling of complaints concerning alleged violations by judges, reinforcing governance, integrity and transparency while improving fair-trial procedures and judicial rulings.
The Cabinet also approved an amended regulation governing the Jordanian Judicial Institute for 2026.
Under the amendments, postgraduate programs will be introduced at the Judicial Institute, specifically a master’s degree in judicial and legal studies, in cooperation with Jordanian public universities or accredited international universities. The move is intended to strengthen the specialized academic dimension of judicial training and provide a deeper academic pathway linked to the nature of judicial work, in line with legislation governing the accreditation and quality assurance of higher education institutions and related regulations on establishing programs and awarding academic degrees.
The scope of beneficiaries of the institute’s training programs will also be expanded to include broader groups of employees working in the justice sector and relevant official institutions.
The amendments also seek to improve admission standards by raising academic requirements to ensure the recruitment of highly qualified candidates.
The legal status of graduates of the Judicial Studies Diploma Program will also be reorganized through the creation of a new position, “Judicial Assistant,” within the organizational structure of the Judicial Council’s General Secretariat. This would provide a stable legal and administrative framework governing the period before judicial appointment and allow qualified graduates to work in courts, public prosecution departments and technical offices through a clear and structured career path.
The Cabinet also approved incentives for qualified investments in satellite communications infrastructure that meet the requirements and conditions of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, with the aim of strengthening Jordan’s competitiveness in attracting high-quality investment to the telecommunications and digital infrastructure sectors.
The decision forms part of the government’s efforts to strengthen Jordan’s competitiveness in attracting advanced and high-value investments in telecommunications and digital infrastructure. It includes financial incentives for companies applying to establish and operate satellite Gateway Earth Stations and one or more Points of Presence (PoPs) in Jordan, subject to specific and conditional investment commitments that can be measured and verified, while maintaining legal, regulatory and technical requirements related to licensing and spectrum management.
Eligibility for the incentives will be linked to actual investment in Jordan exceeding $10 million, targeting a minimum total of six satellite Gateway/Earth Stations, in addition to one or more Points of Presence and associated infrastructure. The investment will be implemented through a phased plan covering capital and operational investments, construction, equipment, connectivity, operation, maintenance and related technical services.
Attracting such investments is expected to bring high-quality capital and technology investment into Jordan, strengthen the country’s ability to host regional telecommunications and data traffic and serve neighboring markets, and reinforce Jordan’s position as a regional hub for telecommunications infrastructure and digital services.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen the resilience and continuity of Jordan’s national communications network by adding independent and complementary satellite infrastructure and connectivity routes alongside traditional terrestrial and submarine networks. This would provide alternative connectivity options if some traditional routes are disrupted or interrupted and enhance Jordan’s attractiveness for advanced technology investments.
The government said the establishment and operation of satellite infrastructure would not alter the existing regulatory rights or obligations of current licensees.
The satellite communications sector is expected to attract additional investment in remote-location services, selected business services, backup connectivity and business continuity solutions. Satellite communications differ from fiber-optic and mobile networks in their technical infrastructure, service models and areas of use, and therefore are not intended to replace existing fixed and mobile networks but rather to provide a complementary connectivity option for specific uses and user segments.
The Cabinet also approved the National Roadmap for the Circular Economy as a guiding national framework supporting the government’s transition toward a circular economic model.
The roadmap, prepared by the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply and the Royal Scientific Society, provides a national framework for transitioning toward a more efficient and sustainable economy based on optimal resource use and greater reuse and recycling, supporting economic growth while protecting the environment and natural resources.
The roadmap is aligned with the Economic Modernization Vision, particularly its “Sustainable Environment” driver, and establishes a long-term national pathway through 2050. It aims to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the national economy, maximize the use of local resources and improve quality of life while balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.
The roadmap seeks to move from an economic model based on resource consumption and waste disposal toward one based on reuse, remanufacturing and recycling, turning recoverable waste into productive resources and helping reduce resource depletion, waste and pollution.
It responds to economic and environmental challenges, particularly water scarcity, heavy dependence on imported energy and increasing waste volumes, highlighting the importance of improving waste management and deriving economic value from it.
The roadmap identifies five national priority areas: circular material supply, resource efficiency and waste-to-resource systems, circular water approaches, and efficient energy systems. Its sectoral applications focus on agriculture, mining, food industries, construction and tourism.
The roadmap places particular emphasis on improving water-use efficiency in Jordan, encouraging the reuse of treated wastewater, rainwater harvesting and water recycling in production processes to help conserve water resources.
It also aims to turn waste into economically valuable resources by encouraging sorting, recycling, composting and energy recovery, while utilizing agricultural, industrial and food waste to produce new materials and products. This would reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and create opportunities for new economic activities.
The roadmap supports efforts to reduce food loss and waste and increase the use of agricultural and food waste by converting it into animal feed, fertilizers, biogas and other usable products. The National Food Security Strategy also aims to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.
The roadmap encourages the industrial sector to improve the efficiency of raw material, water and energy use and strengthen cooperation among industrial facilities, allowing waste generated by one facility to be used as an input in another facility’s production processes. This would help reduce waste and maximize the economic value of available resources.
It also includes measures to develop more sustainable practices in the construction and tourism sectors by promoting the reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste, reducing food waste in tourism facilities, and improving water and energy efficiency.
The roadmap opens opportunities for economic and investment activity in recycling, manufacturing and green technologies. It also encourages innovation and greater participation by the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting the development of new productive activities and jobs linked to the circular economy.
The proposed guiding measures include developing legislation and policies related to the circular economy, incorporating circular principles into government procurement, raising public awareness, expanding cooperation among industrial facilities, and reviewing and amending legislation governing priority sectors.
The roadmap also strengthens coordination among government institutions, the private sector, municipalities, academic institutions and civil society by proposing joint mechanisms for governance, monitoring and measuring progress. This would support the development of sector-specific plans that can be implemented in line with national priorities.
The draft law aims to unify criminal procedural standards, strengthen guarantees of a fair trial and the right to defense, and improve procedures related to arrest and detention.
The amendments also seek to keep pace with technological developments and digital transformation, enhance the judicial appeals system, and streamline procedures by allowing defendants in criminal cases to appoint a lawyer to attend trial hearings on their behalf instead of appearing in person. They also seek to improve the management of seized and confiscated assets and funds.
The Cabinet also approved the rationale for a draft law amending the Enforcement Law of 2026, in preparation for referring it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to complete the constitutional approval procedures.
The amendments aim to keep pace with technological developments by digitizing all stages of enforcement procedures, from registration and notification to ensure speed and accuracy while reducing human intervention.
They also seek to strengthen social protection, comply with international standards, and provide alternatives such as electronic monitoring bracelets.
The proposed amendments would accelerate the recovery of rights by granting the head of the enforcement department broader powers to impose early attachment orders, requiring debtors to disclose their assets, and shortening certain legal deadlines, including the period for challenging the cancellation of a sale.
The amendments would also ease the burden on courts by distributing appeal jurisdiction between courts of first instance and courts of appeal, establishing controls on recourse to the Court of Cassation, and providing greater economic flexibility by allowing debtors to sell seized assets themselves under the supervision of the enforcement department.
The draft law addresses procedural gaps by establishing mechanisms for recovering amounts received, clarifying rules on territorial jurisdiction, and extending the period for maintaining enforcement transactions from one year to two years.
Under the amendment, debtors would be required to pay 15% of the value of the debt, with the monthly installment set at no less than 2% of the remaining amount. Debtors with commercial debts would also be required to disclose sources of income and assets sufficient to repay the debt.
To reduce overcrowding in vehicle seizure yards and prevent vehicles from being damaged, debtors would be allowed to choose where a seized vehicle is stored instead of having it transported to a seizure yard, provided they submit a guarantee ensuring that the vehicle can be surrendered when requested.
The Cabinet also approved the Judicial Inspection System for Regular Courts and their affiliated departments for 2026.
The system aims to reorganize the judicial inspection body and its related duties, enhancing the effectiveness, speed and quality of judicial procedures while strengthening transparency and fairness. It also stipulates that the inspecting judge must hold a higher judicial grade than the judge being evaluated.
The amendments will redefine and develop evaluation tools, as well as technical and professional assessment standards, to ensure the quality and governance of evaluations and compliance with the judicial code of conduct. They will also strengthen capacity building and specialized training to improve efficiency and performance and ensure fair and transparent evaluations.
The system will also regulate the submission, follow-up and handling of complaints, reinforcing governance principles and improving fair-trial procedures and judicial rulings. It will further expand the inspector’s supervisory powers and the scope of oversight to include judicial and administrative court activities, ensuring the proper conduct of litigation.
The rationale for the system states that placing the Judicial Inspection Body under the Judicial Council requires the council’s General Secretariat to provide the body with the necessary staff and resources to enable it to carry out its duties. It also calls for reorganizing the body’s functions to ensure sound legislative drafting and clearly define its responsibilities.
Under the system, the categories of judges subject to inspection and evaluation by the Judicial Inspection Body will be defined. It will also establish procedures for inspecting judges holding special grades and set evaluation mechanisms for judges appointed on probation, taking into account their recent appointments and encouraging them to acquire the necessary procedural experience.
The evaluation tools will include the judge’s compliance with the judicial code of conduct, attendance at training courses, performance and completion rates, as well as any observations contained in judicial inspection reports, ensuring fairness and transparency in the evaluation process.
The system also establishes specific technical and professional standards for evaluation to ensure its integrity, fairness, quality and proper governance.
It sets out procedures for objecting to judicial inspection reports and establishes a legal mechanism for reviewing and deciding on objections, regulating judicial oversight of inspection procedures.
The system will also regulate the submission, follow-up and handling of complaints concerning alleged violations by judges, reinforcing governance, integrity and transparency while improving fair-trial procedures and judicial rulings.
The Cabinet also approved an amended regulation governing the Jordanian Judicial Institute for 2026.
Under the amendments, postgraduate programs will be introduced at the Judicial Institute, specifically a master’s degree in judicial and legal studies, in cooperation with Jordanian public universities or accredited international universities. The move is intended to strengthen the specialized academic dimension of judicial training and provide a deeper academic pathway linked to the nature of judicial work, in line with legislation governing the accreditation and quality assurance of higher education institutions and related regulations on establishing programs and awarding academic degrees.
The scope of beneficiaries of the institute’s training programs will also be expanded to include broader groups of employees working in the justice sector and relevant official institutions.
The amendments also seek to improve admission standards by raising academic requirements to ensure the recruitment of highly qualified candidates.
The legal status of graduates of the Judicial Studies Diploma Program will also be reorganized through the creation of a new position, “Judicial Assistant,” within the organizational structure of the Judicial Council’s General Secretariat. This would provide a stable legal and administrative framework governing the period before judicial appointment and allow qualified graduates to work in courts, public prosecution departments and technical offices through a clear and structured career path.
The Cabinet also approved incentives for qualified investments in satellite communications infrastructure that meet the requirements and conditions of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, with the aim of strengthening Jordan’s competitiveness in attracting high-quality investment to the telecommunications and digital infrastructure sectors.
The decision forms part of the government’s efforts to strengthen Jordan’s competitiveness in attracting advanced and high-value investments in telecommunications and digital infrastructure. It includes financial incentives for companies applying to establish and operate satellite Gateway Earth Stations and one or more Points of Presence (PoPs) in Jordan, subject to specific and conditional investment commitments that can be measured and verified, while maintaining legal, regulatory and technical requirements related to licensing and spectrum management.
Eligibility for the incentives will be linked to actual investment in Jordan exceeding $10 million, targeting a minimum total of six satellite Gateway/Earth Stations, in addition to one or more Points of Presence and associated infrastructure. The investment will be implemented through a phased plan covering capital and operational investments, construction, equipment, connectivity, operation, maintenance and related technical services.
Attracting such investments is expected to bring high-quality capital and technology investment into Jordan, strengthen the country’s ability to host regional telecommunications and data traffic and serve neighboring markets, and reinforce Jordan’s position as a regional hub for telecommunications infrastructure and digital services.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen the resilience and continuity of Jordan’s national communications network by adding independent and complementary satellite infrastructure and connectivity routes alongside traditional terrestrial and submarine networks. This would provide alternative connectivity options if some traditional routes are disrupted or interrupted and enhance Jordan’s attractiveness for advanced technology investments.
The government said the establishment and operation of satellite infrastructure would not alter the existing regulatory rights or obligations of current licensees.
The satellite communications sector is expected to attract additional investment in remote-location services, selected business services, backup connectivity and business continuity solutions. Satellite communications differ from fiber-optic and mobile networks in their technical infrastructure, service models and areas of use, and therefore are not intended to replace existing fixed and mobile networks but rather to provide a complementary connectivity option for specific uses and user segments.
The Cabinet also approved the National Roadmap for the Circular Economy as a guiding national framework supporting the government’s transition toward a circular economic model.
The roadmap, prepared by the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply and the Royal Scientific Society, provides a national framework for transitioning toward a more efficient and sustainable economy based on optimal resource use and greater reuse and recycling, supporting economic growth while protecting the environment and natural resources.
The roadmap is aligned with the Economic Modernization Vision, particularly its “Sustainable Environment” driver, and establishes a long-term national pathway through 2050. It aims to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the national economy, maximize the use of local resources and improve quality of life while balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.
The roadmap seeks to move from an economic model based on resource consumption and waste disposal toward one based on reuse, remanufacturing and recycling, turning recoverable waste into productive resources and helping reduce resource depletion, waste and pollution.
It responds to economic and environmental challenges, particularly water scarcity, heavy dependence on imported energy and increasing waste volumes, highlighting the importance of improving waste management and deriving economic value from it.
The roadmap identifies five national priority areas: circular material supply, resource efficiency and waste-to-resource systems, circular water approaches, and efficient energy systems. Its sectoral applications focus on agriculture, mining, food industries, construction and tourism.
The roadmap places particular emphasis on improving water-use efficiency in Jordan, encouraging the reuse of treated wastewater, rainwater harvesting and water recycling in production processes to help conserve water resources.
It also aims to turn waste into economically valuable resources by encouraging sorting, recycling, composting and energy recovery, while utilizing agricultural, industrial and food waste to produce new materials and products. This would reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and create opportunities for new economic activities.
The roadmap supports efforts to reduce food loss and waste and increase the use of agricultural and food waste by converting it into animal feed, fertilizers, biogas and other usable products. The National Food Security Strategy also aims to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030.
The roadmap encourages the industrial sector to improve the efficiency of raw material, water and energy use and strengthen cooperation among industrial facilities, allowing waste generated by one facility to be used as an input in another facility’s production processes. This would help reduce waste and maximize the economic value of available resources.
It also includes measures to develop more sustainable practices in the construction and tourism sectors by promoting the reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste, reducing food waste in tourism facilities, and improving water and energy efficiency.
The roadmap opens opportunities for economic and investment activity in recycling, manufacturing and green technologies. It also encourages innovation and greater participation by the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting the development of new productive activities and jobs linked to the circular economy.
The proposed guiding measures include developing legislation and policies related to the circular economy, incorporating circular principles into government procurement, raising public awareness, expanding cooperation among industrial facilities, and reviewing and amending legislation governing priority sectors.
The roadmap also strengthens coordination among government institutions, the private sector, municipalities, academic institutions and civil society by proposing joint mechanisms for governance, monitoring and measuring progress. This would support the development of sector-specific plans that can be implemented in line with national priorities.