USBFTA Timeline

• September 29, 1999 : Bilateral Investment Treaty between The Kingdom of Bahrain and the United States was signed.

• May 31, 2001: Bilateral Investment Treaty between The Kingdom of Bahrain and the United States entered into force.

• June 18, 2002: The Kingdom of Bahrain and United States signed Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)

• October 3, 2002: The Kingdom of Bahrain and United States held initial meeting regarding TIFA in Washington, D.C.

• January 2004 : The Kingdom of Bahrain began FTA negotiations with the United States.

• September 11, 2004: U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed.

• September 14, 2004 : U.S.-Bahrain FTA signing ceremony was held in Washington, D.C.

• November 18, 2005: Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees unanimously voted Bahrain FTA out of committee.

• December 7, 2005 : U.S.-Bahrain FTA was ratified of the by U.S. House of Representatives voted 327 –95 in favor of.

• December 13, 2005: U.S.-Bahrain FTA was ratified by U.S. Senate by a voice vote without objection.

• August 1, 2006 : U.S.-Bahrain FTA entered into force.

• September 16, 2006 : U.S.- Bahrain Business Council (USBBC ) was inaugurated. It is the premier international forum where public and private sector stakeholders can address bilateral business relations between the U.S. and Bahrain. The USBBC seeks to assist its membership to profit from the opportunities afforded by the FTA.

• January 1, 2007 : U.S. exports to Bahrain climbed from $420 million in 2002 to $490 million by the end of 2006; and in turn, the exports from Bahrain to the US jumped from $394 million in 2002 to $632 million by the end of 2006. Bilateral trade value stood to almost $1.1 billion.

• January 1, 2008 : Bilateral trade value grew to an all-time high - more than $1.2 billion.

• August 1, 2008: U.S.-Bahrain FTA marked its second anniversary.