Lebanese Republic 
Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean
اقرأ باللغة العربيةThe Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin falls under the Euro Mediterranean Association Agreement that was originally suggested by the European Union on the Partner countries in order to replace the Protocol n°4 attached to the Association Agreement on the Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin,
This convention involves several advantages, namely to gather all the rules of origin related issues in one regional convention upon which the relationshipconcerning all aspects of preferential rules of origin is structuredbetween the European Community countries as one party and the other Partner countries. In exchange, this relationship was organized according to the old system (Protocol n°4) on bilateral basis between the European Union, on one hand and every country or international cartel apart, on the other hand under a group of bilateral protocols regrouping around 60 ones. It is to mention that these protocols do not show any unified content for all countries and international cartels where of some of them reveal provisions that either do not exist in other protocols or are totally different.
The current convention expands the scope of application of the rules of origin system to include new countries and international cartels other than the current European Union countries and the Partner countries, such as: Faroe islands, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Turkey and the Western Balkan region; thus, enabling to broaden the benefit rule of the origin accumulation to include new countries and regions.
Furthermore, this convention was submitted for signature by the concerned countries starting from June 15th, 2011 and entered into force on January 1st, 2012. Lebanon signed the convention on October 22nd, 2014 and was ratified pursuant to law n°23 on February 10th, 2017.
The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin is currently under revision by a working group of all countries in which Lebanon periodically attends the meetings. In addition, the convention takes into consideration the establishment of a follow –up joint committee that oversees the implementation process in order to replace the current working group; to know that the decisions of the committee shall be taken unanimously.
