Technical Collaboration Agreement
between Lebanon and Qatar
On January 6, 2009 Lebanon signed a collaboration agreement with Qatar during an official visit to Doha.
The Minister of Industry, H.E. Mr. Ghazi Zeaiter, began his official visit in Doha by meeting with Qatar’s acting Prime Minster, Minster of Industry and Energy, H.E. Mr. Abdullah Atieh with the participation of the Lebanese Delegation, Qatar’s Ambassador in Lebanon, and officials from Qatar’s Ministry of Industry. Accompanying the Lebanese Minister of Industry were Dr. Bassam Frenn, Director General of the Industrial Research Institute, Dr. Ali Yaacoub, Director of the Lebanese Cleaner Production Center, Mr. Raja Habre, Director of the European Lebanese Center for Industrial Modernization,
H.E. Mr. Hassan Saad, Ambassador of Lebanon in Qatar, Mr. Oussama Helbawi, Head of the Association of the Lebanese Industrialists, and Mr. Joseph Metni, Press Advisor at the Ministry of Industry.
During their meeting, Minister Atieh confirmed his cooperation in any current or future endeavor for serving the Lebanese industry as well as any that may lead to the development of the industrial sector in Lebanon, especially the sectors with added-value to reinforce the Lebanese products and prime them for competition and export. Minister Atieh added “in Qatar, we treat the Lebanese industrialists and business men as if they were Qataris, without any differentiation”.
Minister Zeaiter stated that the main goal of this visit is to strengthen bilateral relationships on both the industrial and research levels and to support the industrial sector that suffered from the Israeli attacks in July of 2006. The damages were estimated up to 250 million USD. He then left it up to Minister Atieh to choose the method he finds most appropriate for assisting Lebanon in finding effective solutions to this issue, keeping in mind our own limited capabilities, and that the aids received after the war did not include any funds for the owners of the factories damaged by these attacks.
Minster Zeaiter asked of Minster Atieh to promote industrial investment in Lebanon among the Qatari corporate financiers and to facilitate the exchange of goods between the two countries through the recognition of certificates and the removal of customs fees.
He confirmed that the Lebanese Ministry of Industry, along with IRI and LIBNOR are equipped with qualified personnel enabling them to perform their work with know-how and expertise. In addition, they are capable of providing technical leadership to the private sector and ensure the development of production as well as introduce new industries to the Lebanese world of production.
Terms of the Agreement:
Harmonization of the standards for the goods traded between the two countries.
Working on mutual recognition of the existing conformity assessment mechanism of both countries and specifying everything related to conformity certificates, quality mark, conformity, accreditation of laboratories, services, and quality management systems.
Establishing a detailed action-plan for a mechanism for issuing conformity certificates in accordance with the existing international standards regarding this matter. This mechanism is considered valid after it is signed and when the accreditation process is in accordance with the laws of each country.
Both parties shall prepare a list of the goods traded between them and specify the standards for each good. These standards will mandate the issuing of conformity certificates and the continuous updating of this list according to new developments.
Both parties shall review the actions already taken for the issuing of conformity certificates in both countries and continue to simplify them and increase their effectiveness.
Both parties shall establish a system for laboratory comparison of the measuring tools and equipment used in both countries to create mutual confidence in the results of these tests.
Harmonization of the quality control system and measuring tests, legal and industrial calibration, and accreditation of labs without conflicting with any previously established regional or international agreements in both countries.
Collaboration and coordination in the calibration of measuring systems.
Collaboration and exchange of expertise in improving and developing metrology labs and quality control.
Exchange of information, expertise, research, and studies, and mutual management of the training and awareness programs in the field of measurement.
Both parties shall meet regularly and when needed, in rotation, for follow-up and completion of the issues agreed upon.
