European Commission Directorate-General for Trade

Lebanon

As a result of the EU-Lebanon Association Agreement, Lebanese industrial as well as most agricultural products benefit from free access to the EU market.

Lebanon is in the process of accession to the WTO. Negotiations started in 1999.

Trade picture

• Bilateral trade between the EU and Lebanon has been increasing steadily over the past years, with an average annual growth of 12.0% since 2007.
• In 2011 the EU ranked as the first trading partner for Lebanon, covering almost 30 % of Lebanese trade.
• EU imports from Lebanon consist mainly of semi-manufactured, agricultural products, fuel and mining products, chemicals and machinery and transport equipment. EU exports to Lebanon consist mainly of machinery and transport equipment, energy products, agricultural products and chemicals.
• The Lebanese economy is based primarily on the service sector. The service sector accounts for more than 70% of the country's GDP. Construction, tourism, and financial services are the most prominent sectors among Lebanon's exports and imports of commercial services.
• Lebanon's economy is characterized by a high level of imports and by substantial trade deficits. The deficits are largely offset by foreign income earnings, including capital inflows, remittances from the Lebanese diaspora as well as the tourism, banking and insurance sectors.

EU and Lebanon

The EU-Lebanon Association agreement progressively liberalises trade in goods between the EU and Lebanon place between 2008 and 2014, with a view to creating a bilateral Free Trade Area. As a result, Lebanese industrial as well as most agricultural products benefit from free access to the EU market.

In November 2010, the EU and Lebanon signed a protocol establishing a dispute settlement mechanism applicable to disputes under the trade provisions of the Association Agreement.  

Lebanon in Euromed

Lebanon is one of the partners of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Euromed). The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership is an essential component in the pursuit of greater economic integration in the Mediterranean region.

Euromed promotes economic integration and democratic reform across 16 neighbours to the EU's south in North Africa and the Middle Eas. One important part of this work is to achieve mutually satisfactory trading terms for the Euromed region partners.

Lebanon has not yet signed the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin but participates in the revision of the existing rules. The Regional Convention will replace the current network of bilateral protocols, facilitate the revision of existing rules of origin, and thus enhance regional trade and economic integration.

More information on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership

Trading with Lebanon

• Rules and requirements for trading with Lebanon
  • Importing into the EU from Lebanon
  • Exporting from the EU to Lebanon
    • Export rules on food and plant health
• The EU is present on the ground in Lebanon
• Trade relations are part of the EU's overall political and economic relations with Lebanon.
• Lebanon's application for WTO membership is being examined
• Sustainable impact assessment of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EMFTA)