Export Support
This section aims to address common questions and inquiries by Lebanese businesses when they want to start exporting. It provides guidance and valuable resources that can help you in your export journey.
In case your question is not answered below, reach out to us and request an appointment so that one of our legal or financial advisors support you
No, in order to export from Lebanon, you need to be registered in one of the Chambers of commerce in Lebanon. To be registered in one of these chambers, you need to have your company registered as SAL, SARL, or individual establishment. To know more about how to register your business in Lebanon, check the Business Support Unit of IDAL which provides all the information you need to start your business.
You also need to have the required licenses depending on the products you are exporting. For industrial products, you would need an industrial license issued from Ministry of Industry. For agriculture and livestock products, you would need a license from the Ministry of Agriculture. For pharmaceutical and other health-related products, you would need an additional license from Ministry of Public Health.
Market research is a very important step in your export journey. There are various ways to find out which countries are fit for your product/(s).
First, you need to conduct desktop research and look at trade statistics related to your product: which countries import the most of your product? Which countries import the most of similar product to yours from Lebanon? Then you need to dig deeper and understand market access restrictions in these countries: what kind of regulations they have related to your product? Does Lebanon have a Free Trade Agreement with this country? What is the economic and political situation in this country? How much there is competition in this country? To answer all these questions, you can check first free online available tools such as ITC Trade Map tool to look for trade statistics and the ITC Market Access Map to identify trade regulations and barriers and you can check market research firms such as IPSOS and EUROMONITOR to understand consumer trends in target markets. Another great tool to validate your findings regarding potential markets for your products is the ITC Export Potential Map.
As a second step and to validate the online research, you can visit your target market and meet potential importers and distributors and other exporters of similar products to yours to explain you further the market regulations and consumer trends.
To understand better how to do market research, you can attend one of the training courses offered by Lebanon Export Academy.
There are several consulting firms and organizations that support Lebanese companies in drafting an export plan. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Advice to Small Business Program supports Lebanese businesses in drafting an export plan by cost-sharing the fees of a local or international consultant. The Lebanon Enterprise Development program funded by USAID provides similar support.
In case you want to learn more how to conduct a proper export plan, the Lebanon Export Academy is offering courses in this regard.
It is very important to familiarize yourself with the needed quality requirements and certificates in each target market before exporting to avoid any custom clearance delays and financial penalties.
To understand export documentation needed in each market, there are various online available tools that provide such information. The ITC Market Access Map and the Global Trade Helpdesk provide information on tariff rates, certificates and licenses needed to export by product and origin and destination country.
The TASDIER platform developed by the Federation of chambers of commerce in Lebanon provides regulations related to the Agri-food and Agriculture sectors in key export markets.
Lebanon has several accredited and certified laboratories to test and inspect your products you would like to export. One of the leading ones is the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) which is a semi-public entity under the Ministry of Industry. The Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute also has a laboratory to test and inspect agriculture products. Also, the chambers of commerce of Tripoli, Saida and Zahle have advanced laboratories facilities that support exporters in testing their products.
HS code means the Harmonized System which is an international product classification system used by all customs offices around the world to assess duties and taxes and for collecting trade statistics. The HS is administrated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and is updated every five years. The Global Trade Helpdesk provides an HS product finder that can help you identify your HS code
A Certificate of Origin is a document that proves that the product you are exporting is made in Lebanon. A Certificate of Origin for the EU countries is called EURO1 and is issued by the Lebanese Customs while the Certificate of Origin for the Arab countries is issued by the chamber of commerce and industry. There are several papers you need to submit in order to receive this certificate. You can check the website of each chamber to find out about the papers needed.
Rules of origin are the criteria adopted to determine the national source of a product under a Free Trade Agreement. They are used to decide if products are eligible for duty-free or reduced duties under a Free Trade Agreement especially when the finished products are not made 100% by material or input originating from Lebanon. Rules of origin are very much detailed and specific and vary from agreement to agreement and from product to product. You can check if your product qualifies for duty-free exemption or reduced duties under an FTA by contacting the Ministry of Economy and Trade.
Lebanon has signed free trade agreements with its key trade partners.
Lebanese-made products can enter duty-free or at reduced duties in the following countries:
A certificate of analysis is a document that attests that your goods have undergone a specific type of testing with specified results. It is usually required by import countries to allow food products and other non-food products such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to enter. Usually they are issued by an accredited laboratory.
A health certificate might be needed sometimes by import countries for some plants and animal products. The certificate is issued by the Ministry of Agriculture based on a lab test result issued by one of the accredited and approved laboratories by the Ministry.
A phytosanitary certificate attests to the condition of plants or plant-based processed products, and verifies product is free from specified epidemics and/or agricultural diseases. It is also issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.
A bill of lading (BL or BoL) is a legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper that details the type, quantity and destination of the goods being carried. A bill of lading also serves as a shipment receipt when the carrier delivers the goods at a predetermined destination. This document must accompany the shipped products, no matter the form of transportation, and must be signed by an authorized representative from the carrier, shipper and receiver.
Your shipping agent should help you fill the Bill of Lading and other shipping documents needed to transport your goods overseas such as packing list and other.
In international trade, it is important to get familiar with the International Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS). These terms are aimed at determining which parties (buyers and sellers) are responsible for various costs and details throughout the shipping process such as freight, insurance, duties and taxes, customs clearance and documentation. Visit the International Chamber of Commerce to learn more about Incoterms rules.
In case of conflict, you can either resort to the arbitration or conciliation and mediation process to resolve legal disputes. The chamber of commerce of Beirut hosts the Lebanese Arbitration center that helps in resolving international business disputes.
Currently, Cedar Oxygen Fund is the only entity providing trade financing facilities in Lebanon to support companies to export and growth their business.
Pricing is very critical for export. You can quote your buyer in different ways depending on the agreement you have together and that is reflected in your INCOTERMS. If you quote your buyer in FOB or Free on Board it means that he/she pays the shipping cost from the factory and is responsible if the goods are damaged while in transit. If you quote your buyer at CIF price (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) it means the seller (you) pays costs and assumes liability until the goods reach the port of destination chosen by the buyer.
There are various ways to find potential buyers for your products. You can either start with an online research by going through the international company databases in your target markets such as Kompass or Europages for European companies. The ITC trademap also has a large database of distributors and importers by products for all the countries of the world. You can also get in contact with the economic attaches in the various Lebanese embassies in your target markets to help you connect with potential distributors or importers. An effective way to find buyers is to attend internationals fairs and exhibitions in your target market.
IDAL has an Agri-plus program where financial support along with marketing and promotion is provided for Lebanese producers. All you need is to register to this program to start benefitting from this support. You can apply on this link.
No, IDAL has a yearly shortlist of specific international fairs and exhibitions that are pre-selected based on various criteria. Criteria include size of the fair, its features and services, target sectors and markets, and feedback from existing exporters and other stakeholders including chambers and syndicates.
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