The Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BRHIA) is currently the only operating international commercial airport (for cargo and passengers) in Lebanon. BRHIA serves as the hub for Lebanon’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), the local cargo carrier Trans Mediterranean Airways (TMA), as well as Wings of Lebanon, a private Lebanese airline specialized in charter operations. The airport houses 23 gates in total, and 4500 square meters of duty free and retail space, currently welcoming around 8 million passengers a year. By 2030, the airport is estimated to host 20 million passengers.

There are plans to activate the Rene Mouawad Airport to accommodate commercial planes mainly low-cost airlines and general cargo unlocking demand from Lebanon’s northern areas and Syria’s southern areas, increasing the competitiveness of Lebanon’s transport infrastructure and helping businesses conclude trade activities with foreign markets.

Lebanon has three main crossings with Syria, which are the Abboudieh, Arida and Masnaa crossings.

The war in Syria significantly reduced the utilization of land routes, coupled with the closure of borders between Syria and Jordan, which blocked the main route from Lebanon to Gulf countries for several years. As a result, Lebanese exports through land routes have declined from 21.7% of total exports in 2011 to a share of 5.6% in 2020. Most of Lebanese exports by land through Syria take the Masnaa border crossing, representing 83.3% of total exports by land.

While the borders reopened in 2018, land transportation activities remained low as most of the trade through Syria was redirected towards maritime trade in order to hedge against unexpected challenges and potential risks.

Despite the aforementioned challenges, land transportation still accounts for an important share of intra-Arab trade, as exports to Arab countries through the Abboudieh, Arida and Masnaa crossings represented 14% of total exports to Arab economies in 2020.

Several companies provide land transportation through Syria, which is preferred for non-perishable products that are not directly affected by delays. While, some exporters of products that have short shelf life such as fresh fruits and vegetables and food products continue to use land transit, most exporters tend to transport such products by air or sea.

The latest World Bank data from 2020 shows that it takes 96 hours in border compliance to export from Lebanon and costs on average USD 480, while documentary compliance takes 48 hours and costs on average USD 100.

If you are looking for a freight forwarder to support you in shipping your ordered products, you can search the Freightnet Directory which is an online database for logistics companies, freight forwarders, custom brokers and cargo agents in Lebanon who can help with your freight requirements.

The Lebanese legal framework is in line with international standards, offering equal treatment and protection for local and foreign investors and traders.

Investors and business actors in Lebanon are increasingly including arbitration clauses in their agreements in order to benefit from:

• the speed and flexibility that is offered by arbitration
• The confidential nature of arbitral proceedings.

A – Arbitration

The Lebanese Arbitration Center was established in May 8, 1995 in close affiliation with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, whose by-laws and regulations are similar to those of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. These arbitration proceedings are governed by the Lebanese Code of Civil Procedure (CCP), which are subject to Decree Law 90/83, drawing a distinction between domestic arbitration and international arbitration.

Moreover, all of the bilateral and multilateral treaties, agreements and contracts signed by Lebanon, and which are related to the protection of all commercial issues, include the possibility of resolving disputes by arbitration.

When it comes to international arbitration, the Republic of Lebanon acceded to the New York Convention in 1998 stating that the convection will be applied on the basis of reciprocity, to the recognition and enforcement of awards made in the territory of other contracting States.

In terms of costs, deciding whether the unsuccessful party shall bear the entire costs, is usually left to the arbitral tribunal’s discretion. All elements of costs can be awarded, unlike before domestic courts where the shifting of costs is more limited.

B- Conciliation and Mediation

On September 24, 2018, The Lebanese Parliament passed the Judicial Mediation Law providing the opportunity for parties in conflict to choose mediation as an alternative dispute resolution. This process necessitates the consent of all parties to the conflict. The duration of the mediation consists of 30 working days, subject to renewal upon the approval of all parties. The court may designate a mediation center if the parties fail to agree on one, noting that all mediation centers should be registered with the Lebanese Ministry of Justice.

The Lebanese Arbitration Center has a special procedure for conciliation and mediation, which conforms to international practice.

As an importer, it is essential you ensure that the products you intend to import or the services you intend to receive from Lebanon do not infringe Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). It is therefore essential that you get a handle on the IPR framework in Lebanon. Although Lebanon is not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), its Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) legislation is generally compliant with Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) standards.

This law covers the protection of literary and artistic property, and protects all human intellectual productions created prior to and after its enactment. It specifically encompasses all categories of artistic works. The law outlines the general rules regarding the protection of consumers and the safety and quality of goods and services. It specifies consumer rights and provides the legal framework for protecting consumers from fraud. In Lebanon, IPR enforcement falls within the mandate of Internal Security Forces (ISF) and Customs.

In particular, trademarks are provided protection under the “Regulations and Systems of Commercial, Industrial, Literary, Artistic and Musical Property in Lebanon” (the 1924 law). While the latter does not explicitly protect notorious trademarks and geographical indications, those are however provided protection via Lebanon`s membership to the Paris Convention and the Madrid Agreement respectively.
Moreover, Geographical indications are provided protection under the provisions of the new Law on Customs, the Law on Fraud Control and the Criminal Law.

As a foreign buyer, you may seek assistance with navigating the regulatory environment through free legal advisory sessions provided by the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon by sending out your request to export@idal.com.lb

To facilitate trading across borders and foster international business, Lebanon has signed tax conventions with 32 countries. These conventions promote the exchange of goods and services, the inflow of capital and technology by avoiding double taxation, on one hand, and the prevention of fiscal evasion through administrative assistance between the contracting parties on the other hand.

For more information on these agreements and conventions, please visit the Ministry of Finance’s website.

When importing from Lebanon you might need to go through Government ministries to finalize some official papers. We list below the main ministries that you might deal with when importing/sourcing from Lebanon

Ministry of Economy and Trade

Ministry of Industry

Ministry of Agriculture

Ministry of Public Health

Ministry of Public works and Transportation

Lebanese Customs

There are several accelerators and incubators in Lebanon that support startups and innovative SMEs in product and business development. If you want to meet and connect with leading start-ups or innovative SMEs from various industries, you can contact one of the below accelerators or incubators.

• Berytech
• Smart ESA
• Speed Lebanon
• Flat6Labs
• Startecheus
• Endeavour Lebanon
• The Nucleas Ventures
• BIAT
• The South Business Innovation Centre (SouthBIC)
• Tripoli Entrepreneurs Club
• Neopreuneurs – Byblos

If you are looking for the services of a legal advisor to help you understand the legal and judicial system in Lebanon, you can either contact the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon for first time free legal advice or you can appoint a lawyer that is registered at the Beirut Bar Association.

The association has the contact details of all lawyers and law offices operating in Lebanon.