“ The Quality Infrastructure in Lebanon” Export Norms, Quality Control and Competitiveness FUTURE PROGRAMME

1. “The Quality Infrastructure in Lebanon”Export Norms, Quality Control and Competitiveness FUTURE PROGRAMME Prepared By Ali Berro Director of Quality Programme Ministry of Economy & Trade Beirut-Lebanon 2005

2. The Quality Infrastructure In Lebanon • Standardization • Metrology • Accreditation and Testing • Certification/ Inspection • Market Surveillance

3. Accreditation and Testing • Laboratories • Only two laboratories at the Industrial Research Institute (Microbiology & Chemistry) are accredited by DAR, • Few other Lebanese laboratories are in the process of accreditation • The rest of Laboratories did not start the accreditation process • Gaps in testing services

4. Certification /Inspection • Foreign Certification (Inspection) entities make use of their International Accreditations status to certify Companies in Lebanon • Absence of a national system for qualifying and registering of Quality Management System Auditors and Assessors, • IRI is playing the role of a Certification body.

5. Export Norms and Problems Facing Lebanese Exports • Absence of harmonized Conformity Assessment legislations and procedures in Lebanon • Voluntary rules and Technical Regulations are increasingly used by developed countries, to discipline access to their markets, • Difficulties in coping with the rapid and continuously changing international rules and regulations • High cost of quality vs. price competition • Rejections and detentions of shipments: • 52% of rejections are due to labeling irregularities • 33% due to unsafe additives • 5% salmonella presence • 10% other reasons

6. THE QUALITY PROGRAMME • E.U. grant :Total Budget 15 M€ • Beneficiary: MOET • Duration: 38 months • Main Items • Technical Assistance for MOET 4.3 M€ • Contracts with specialised member states Institutions 3.0 M€ for institutional building • Supply contracts (equipments) 6.0 M€ • Training: 0.6 M€ • Audits & Evaluation: 0.4 M€ • Contingencies: 0.7 M€

7. PROGRAMME COMPONENTS • Policy Component • Institutional Component • Enterprise Component

8. POLICY COMPONENT • Assistance in developing a comprehensive National Quality Policy • Assistance in the completion and updating of regulatory and legislative framework in the field of Standards, Accreditation, Metrology, Conformity Assessment and other related fields such as Plant and Animal Quarantine, Consumer Protection and Food Safety draft laws • Establishing a legal database on conformity assessment legislations and important links to quality related institutions both in Lebanon and EU countries (completed)

9. INSTITUTIONAL COMPONENT • Support Institutional Building at MOET And other related Ministries • Support the establishment & operational improvements of the following institutions: • Lebanese Accreditation Council (COLIBAC) • Lebanese Standards Institution (LIBNOR) • Support the testing & certification functions to achieve international accreditation & recognition for Lebanese laboratories in complementary testing fields

10. Institutional Building at MOET • A Quality Unit is established at MOET to manage the Quality Programme and to continue in the future as a functional unit (or Directorate) at MOET • Establishment of a Quality Advisory Committee representing key public and private sectors’ stakeholders in the Quality Chain to oversee and advise on Quality Policy & other quality issues • Undertaking of research activities to survey the Quality Chain status in Lebanon

11. Institutional Building at MOET (2) • Development of a relevant database on: • Government policies & regulations in the field of quality & monitoring actual market progress in terms of its dissemination & implementation • Conformity Assessment procedures in export markets (especially E.U. markets) • Other market entry conditions • Alert Notifications & rejection of shipments • Creation of a high level of networking among all stakeholders of the Quality Chain • Operational improvement of Market surveillance functions such as the Consumer Protection Service, legal Metrology...etc • Training of MOET staff for proper maintenance & effective use of such information systems

12. institutional Building with International Assistance • Institutional Building support in the field of Standardization, Accreditation, Metrology and Conformity Assessment with the help of counterpart organisations in Europe • Technical support in Testing and Certification (public & private) to obtain local & international Accreditation & to participate in proficiency testing schemes & inter-laboratory comparisons to benchmark competency level • Possible twining arrangements with some similar European institutions

13. Technical Assistance with Equipment • thorough needs assessment for equipment in key organisations supported by the programme in the field of Metrology, Calibration and Testing • Purchase of equipments under a sound & efficient EC-compliant procurement process to update and upgrade facilities • Provide training on purchased equipments

14. ENTERPRISE COMPONENT • Improve Awareness of private sector towards quality issues • Provide information on international market entry conditions, SPS measures and conformity assessment procedures ( a specialized Quality Help Desk) • Provide high-level calibration services to Lebanese laboratories • Support the establishment of a “Lebanese National Quality Centre” : to be hosted by the private sector • Provide training on quality related issues especially ISO standards • Joint Study tours and missions

15. Collaboration with the Private Sector • The Quality Advisory Committee will have a major role in this programme • Cooperation with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture • Cooperation with the Association of Lebanese Industries • Major private sector laboratories are included in the scheme • The END BENEFICIARY of the whole programme is the PRIVATE SECTOR