Illustrative EFTA guide on country of origin rules

Within the framework of the broad EuroMed initiative, the ministry of economy and trade launched yesterday the illustrative guide on the rules of origin in the presence of a delegation of countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which includes four European countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and led by Hans Shlumann and a group of concerned parties. Alya Abbas, director general of the MoET pointed out that the launch comes as part of the training activities organized by the ministry to introduce international agreements aimed at liberalizing trade exchange and explain their working mechanisms to all involved officials and employees, students, academics, farmers, producers and traders. Abbas considered the rules concerning the country of origin as one of the basic foundations for any arrangement to this effect. She clarified that putting into effect any agreement that supports customs exemptions remains incomplete if the producer is not adequately informed about the rules of origin and how they work so that his product can benefit from preferential treatment. Abbas also stressed that the illustrative guide does not have any legal inference. For his part, Shlumann maintained the importance of the guide and the role of Lebanon in a period where everyone is preparing for freeing up trade. (Al Mustaqbal, July 29 2016)