JOINT STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in Lebanon Progress in 2014 and recommendations for actions Accompanying the document JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Implementation ot the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2014
Date: 2015-03-25
Institutions: European Commission, High Representative of the Union
Subjects: European neighbourhood policy, Lebanon, anti-discriminatory measure, democratisation, fight against unemployment, freedom of association, freedom of expression, human rights, humanitarian aid, right of asylum, teaching curriculum, terrorism, torture













EUR-Lex - 52015SC0068 - EN











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52015SC0068

JOINT STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in Lebanon Progress in 2014 and recommendations for actions Accompanying the document JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Implementation ot the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2014 /* SWD/2015/0068 final */









1.
        OVERALL ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION
This document reports on progress made
on the implementation of the EU-Lebanon European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)
Action Plan between 1 January and 31 December 2014. The Action Plan 2013-2015
was formally adopted on 20 June 2014. Developments outside this period are
taken into consideration where relevant. This is not a general assessment of
the political and economic situation in Lebanon. Information on regional and
multilateral sector processes is contained in the Partnership for Democracy and
Shared Prosperity progress report.
In 2014 numerous bilateral meetings
allowed for exchanges on the Action Plan agenda in various sectors ranging from
human rights, security, migration, economic and trade issues to social policies
and education. In December the EU and Lebanon agreed to engage in a deeper
dialogue on migration and mobility. The new EU High Representative for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission,
Federica Mogherini, visited Lebanon in December. She met with Prime Minister
Tammam Salam to discuss security related and refugees’ issues. The Members of
the European Commission for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement
Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, and for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management,
Christos Stylianides, visited Lebanon in January
2015.
Despite its own sectarian fragility,
Lebanon continued to exercise a high degree of resilience against the
challenges and threats that emerged from the turbulence in the region.
The fourth year of the ongoing conflict in Syria challenged Lebanon’s stability
and escalated pressure on Lebanon’s institutions, the country’s economic
activities, its social balance and infrastructures. By the end of 2014, Lebanon
hosted almost 1.2 million registered refugees from Syria and Iraq,
making it the country with the highest number of refugees per capita in the
world. This is over and above the large number of Palestinian refugees that
have been resident in Lebanon for decades. The EU allocated more than
EUR 182 million in development and humanitarian assistance to Lebanon
in 2014, i.e. more than triple the amount of pre-crisis bilateral assistance.
Lebanon’s security situation
remained highly volatile throughout the year and escalated in August 2014 when
extremist groups spreading from Syria started to attack the security forces,
mainly in the northern and eastern border areas. Lebanon’s security agencies
have shown commitment and determination in jointly maintaining the stability
and security of Lebanon. Lebanon increased its engagement with the
international community to fight terrorism and continued to call for
international support to its security forces, in particular the Lebanese Armed
Forces. Increased international assistance was mobilised in the framework of
the International Support Group for Lebanon meeting four times in 2014.
Lebanon’s institutions were put
under pressure in 2014. The Government of Prime Minister Salam had to assume
presidential prerogatives following the expiration of the mandate of President
Michel Sleiman in May. Failure to elect a new President negatively affected the
functioning of the government, as well as parliament. Resorting to the
difficult security situation, parliament decided to postpone legislative
elections due in November and to extend its term for a second time until 2017.
In this context, the restricted functioning of the legislature, the limited
effectiveness of the executive body and the serious security challenges did not
constitute an appropriate ground for reforms.
Taking this particular background into
account, there was limited progress in Lebanon on deep and sustainable
democracy. The parliamentary elections were postponed and the extended
timeframe was not used to reform the electoral framework. The double extension
of parliament’s mandate denied Lebanese citizens the right to vote and choose
their political leadership.
Lebanon made some progress with regard
to human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular in the area of rights
of women and children. New legislation was adopted to protect victims of
domestic violence and fighting parental violence. Lebanon made limited progress
in governance-related issues, such as public procurement and public finance
management.
The involvement and participation of
civil society in the policymaking processes of the government remained
insufficient.
As regards trade, Lebanon signed the
Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin. A
new national support strategy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is
expected to contribute to an improvement in Lebanon’s business environment.
Weakened institutions did not allow
strategic economic and social policy choices to be adopted and implemented.
Issues such as high unemployment, growing poverty, a widening gap in public
finances, coupled with shrinking energy and water supplies, remained
unaddressed. While this deteriorating situation is to a great extent
exacerbated by the inflow of Syrian refugees, the lack of appropriate policy
choices aggravates the situation for the Lebanese economy and for Lebanese
people.
Overall, Lebanon made limited progress
in implementing the ENP Action Plan, with achievements in the areas of human
rights and fundamental freedoms, in trade-related issues and in sectoral
policies, such as SMEs. Most importantly, and beyond the Action Plan objectives
as such, Lebanon applied a successful security policy, maintained internal
stability and showed ongoing economic resilience. These achievements can be
seen as the most important factors in ensuring the stability and unity of the
country.
Based on the assessment of its progress
made in 2014 on implementing the ENP, Lebanon should focus its work in the
coming year on:
·        
continuing
to preserve peace and stability, promote moderation and dialogue, defuse
tensions and ensure internal security;
·        
legalising
the de facto moratorium on the death penalty;
·        
restoring
the functioning of its institutions in line with its constitutional framework; most
importantly, electing a new President and holding legislative elections in the
shortest possible timeframe;
·        
effectively
using the extended timeframe for the legislative elections to reform the
electoral framework, taking into account the international standards and
recommendations of the EU election observation mission;
·        
further
improving the work of security agencies and reforming the security sector;
improving the capabilities, conduct and accountability of Lebanon’s security
agencies, further improving cooperation among the agencies and between the
agencies and the judiciary;
·        
promoting
counter-radicalisation measures to address the roots of the problem, e.g.
through improved education and socio-economic development in the most
vulnerable regions;
·        
taking
measures to alleviate the burden of the deteriorating economic and social
situation on the Lebanese population; adopting policy measures that stimulate
the creation of jobs, supporting local development, enhancing the provision of
social and health services and normalising electricity and water provision;
·        
enhancing
the national response to the Syrian refugee crisis by increasing
inter-ministerial coordination and involvement and coordination with the
international donor community and by adopting a comprehensive policy response
in affected sectors;
·        
adopting
the budget and improving public finance management to enable targeted public
spending in support of government policies.
2.         POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND REFORM
Deep and sustainable democracy
Legislative elections, originally
scheduled for June 2013, were postponed for the second time in November 2014
and parliament’s term was extended for an additional two years and seven
months. The justification given for this extension was the difficult security situation.
If implemented in full, parliament will have gained an additional four years to
its mandate, as the new legislative elections will be held only in June 2017.
The result is that Lebanese citizens have been deprived of their right to vote.
Reforms of the electoral framework, to
bring it into line with international standards, did not further advance. The
preparations for elections were ongoing on the basis of the 2008 electoral law
when the decision was made to postpone them. The EU continued to support the
electoral reform process through projects with the government and civil
society.
The work of parliament was
limited in 2014. While a number of draft laws were adopted at the beginning of
the year, failure to elect a new President before 25 May 2014 blocked the
legislative work further on. Parliament met on fewer occasions due to the
continued lack of agreement on a presidential candidate. The number of draft
laws awaiting discussion and adoption in parliament grew further in 2014.
Press and other media continued to enjoy
a high level of freedom and Lebanon’s active civil society plays an important
role in advocating reforms, albeit with limited influence. Freedom of
expression is guaranteed by Lebanon’s Constitution. Nevertheless, media law
reform is overdue, especially with a view to refining the definition of
defamation/slander.
The absence of a law on electronic media
hampers the effective regulation and protection of online expression, leaving
it to the cybercrime bureau.
According to civil society reports, 2014
saw an increase in the number of assaults and attacks against journalists in
Lebanon by both state and non-state actors. Cases were reported of journalists
being charged for defamation, including cases before the military courts.   
Freedom of association
continued to be respected in Lebanon. Civil society organisations reported on
obstacles to registration of some international non-governmental organisations
and organisations working in the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and intersex (LGBTI) rights. Public sector employees do not have the right to
organise. Lebanon did not ratify International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Convention No 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to
Organise. Draft legislation in this regards was submitted to parliament.
The establishment of a Secretariat of
the High Judicial Council, enhancing its autonomy, was the only new development
in improving the independence of the judiciary. The Council still
depends on the Ministry of Justice and appointments of judges continue to
suffer from political interference. Inefficiency in judiciary proceedings and
limitations in legal aid provisions hinder access to justice. The Minister of
Justice announced that cases of civilians being brought before military courts
would be stopped, but the relevant legislation has not been approved yet. The
EU’s commitment to supporting judicial reform is reflected in its engagement to
provide financial assistance totalling EUR 22 million for projects in this
sector. Lebanon continued its cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
(STL) and paid its contribution to the STL’s 2014 budget.
There were no tangible developments with
regard to legislation to make the fight against corruption more
effective. Lebanon’s ranking in Transparency International’s Corruption
Perception Index has worsened, from 127th out of 177 in 2013 to 136th
out of 175 in 2014.
The general security situation in the
country deteriorated and Lebanon’s security forces faced new threats of
terrorism spreading from the conflicts in the region. Responding to the
government’s security plan, the Lebanese Armed Forces succeeded in curtailing
the violence in the North and in the Arsal area and in uncovering new security
threats across the country. Increased cooperation among the security agencies
was welcomed by the international community. In advancing security sector
reform, further improvements are needed in inter-agency coordination, in
coordination between the security agencies and the judiciary, and in increasing
the capabilities, professionalism and accountability of all security forces.
The EU reacted positively to the Lebanese Armed Forces’ demands for increased
international support on the basis of its Capabilities and Development Plan.
New programmes were launched in the security sector, expanding the scope from
the Internal Security Forces to include the Lebanese Armed Forces, General
Security and Lebanese Customs.
Other human rights and fundamental
freedoms
Human rights and fundamental freedoms
continued to be respected in Lebanon. During the reporting period, no new
developments were noted in improving the general legal framework for their
protection. The adoption and implementation of the National Human Rights
Action Plan and the establishment of a human rights institution stalled, as did
the establishment of a national mechanism for torture prevention. Lebanon did
not ratify any of the outstanding international instruments (e.g. the Geneva
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees).
In 2014 Lebanon was a subject to an
inquiry under Article 20 of the Convention against Torture (CAT). The inquiry,
whose methodology and outcomes were contested by Lebanon, reported that torture
is being routinely used by the armed forces and law enforcement agencies for
the purpose of investigation, and for securing confessions. The existing law
fails to criminalise all forms of torture. The Internal Security Forces
continued to work on promoting respect for human rights within their structure. 

Limited progress was observed in penitentiary
reform. While the commitment to transfer management of prisons from the
Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice has not materialised yet,
further steps were taken in the form of reinforcing the capacity of the
Ministry of Justice for this purpose. Lebanon’s prisons and detention centres
continued to suffer from substandard conditions, overcrowding and weak
management. More than 60 % of inmates are in pre-trial detention, and the
proportion is rising. The EU continued to support penitentiary reform via the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with EUR 2 million.
Lebanon has not committed itself to the
abolition of the death penalty, or to the legalisation of the existing de
facto moratorium. Legislation now allows the death penalty to be
commuted to life in prison.
Freedom of religion or belief is
well respected in Lebanon and enshrined in its constitutional setup.
Major progress in protecting the rights
of women and children was made with the adoption of legislation protecting
women and other family members from domestic violence.[1] It
introduced emergency procedures providing protection to the victims within 48
hours in urgent cases. The immediate implementation of the new legislation was
another step forward. Lebanese women are still not able to pass their
nationality to their children. Female participation in political, social and
economic life remains very low. In the Global Gender Gap Report prepared by the
World Economic Forum, Lebanon ranked 135th out of 142 countries.
Some improvement was made in nominating women to key government positions. Out
of 56 key posts, 12 were filled by women.
The situation of migrants and
asylum-seekers remains unchanged as Lebanon is not party to the Geneva
Convention on the Status of Refugees. The revised memorandum of understanding
with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was not signed
by Lebanon's government. The need to formalise relations became evident with
the rising importance of better management of flows of refugees from Syria to
Lebanon. The detention conditions for migrant workers, asylum-seekers and
refugees with irregular migrant status have not changed and remain in bad
condition. The Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights — a Lebanese NGO —
recently reported cases of suicide by domestic workers. In some cases, the
mistreating parties have been jailed.  
Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon continue to face limitations to their right to employment, to own
property and to benefit from social security. Their poor living conditions
further deteriorated with the arrival of more Palestinian refugees from Syria.
In May the General Security restricted entry for Palestinians coming from
Syria, denying entry to most of them and making it illegal for those already in
Lebanon to stay. Registering marriages and new-borns became impossible due to
missing residence permits. The proposed exemption on outstanding
residency-related fees introduced by the government in September 2014 provided
only a temporary solution.
Discrimination against LGBTI
persons, including cases of detention, prosecution and use of ‘honour tests’,
continued, as reported by civil society organisations.
In the field of economic and social
rights, civil servants continued their strike for the revision of salary
grids, although the law does not give public sector employees the right to
organise. Demonstrations continued by employees of ‘Electricité du Liban’
recruited for long periods based on daily contracts or through private
contractors, which denied them basic social benefits.
Other governance-related issues
The Office of the Minister of State for
Administrative Reform continued to implement a strategy to enhance public
transparency, accountability and effectiveness. The EU has provided EUR 9
million in support of administrative reforms since late 2011. In addition to
technical assistance to support reform of human resources management and public
procurement, support for the simplification of the government’s administrative
procedures started in 2014.
The draft decentralisation law
was presented to civil society in 2014. Some of Lebanon’s municipalities,
mainly in the North and East of the country, suffered from the immense burden
of hosting Syrian refugees. In several areas, the number of Syrian nationals
was higher than that of the local population.  The EU welcomed Lebanon’s
hospitality and continued its commitment to assist host communities coping with
the pressure.
Lebanese civil society organisations,
while vibrant and active, complain of limited and inconsistent dialogue with
the government and continue to have little influence on its policies. They have
been involved to only a limited extent in discussions on new policies and
strategies and in the preparation of laws.
Cooperation on foreign and security
policy, regional and international issues, conflict prevention and crisis
management
Lebanon continued to suffer from the
repercussions of the armed conflict in Syria and to bear the increasing
pressure of 1.2 million refugees. Several attacks by violent extremist groups
against the Lebanese security forces took place in the area of Arsal in August,
which resulted in the death, injury and kidnapping of Lebanese soldiers and
policemen.
Lebanon increased its engagement to work
with the international community in fighting terrorism. The EU discussed
with the Lebanese authorities possible initiatives for cooperation in this
field in line with the EU’s counterterrorism / foreign fighters’ strategy of 20
October 2014. The EU and Lebanon continued to actively participate in the International
Support Group for Lebanon, committing to assist Lebanon in coping with
the repercussions of the crisis. In this framework, the EU confirmed its
commitment to supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in building their capacity.
Lebanon is now also benefiting from
actions under the 2013/698 Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Council
Decision in support of a global reporting mechanism on illicit small arms and
light weapons and other illicit conventional weapons and ammunition to reduce
the risk of illicit trade in them.
Lebanon
remained committed to implementing United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
Resolutions, mainly 1701 and 1757. UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon)
continued its operations with good cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Lebanon did not advance the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1701 on the
disarmament of all armed groups and full control of arms distribution and
ownership by the authorities. Armed incidents continued to take place
throughout the country and the possession of light weapons is widespread among
the various communities.
3.         ECONOMIC REFORM AND SOCIAL
REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT
Lebanon’s macroeconomic situation
continued to deteriorate in 2014 as a consequence of regional and domestic
events. Economic growth is expected to have remained weak, at 1.8%[2], while
the current account deficit continued to be large, estimated at above 12 %
of gross domestic product (GDP). The fiscal deficit is expected to have widened
to more than 11 % of GDP (up from 9 % in 2013), partly reflecting the
impact of the Syrian refugee crisis. The latter led to increases in spending on
health and education, on subsidised items such as bread and electricity, and on
security and defence. Government debt grew further to around 140 % of GDP,
one of the highest ratios in the world. With three quarters of expenditure
going towards paying interest on debt, civil servant wages and inefficient
energy subsidies (notably for electricity), the scope for targeted social
expenditure and growth-supporting public investments remains severely
constrained.
Lebanon remained financially resilient
in 2014. The economy is still rather undiversified, relying mostly on the financial
sector, tourism and real estate a vulnerability underscored by the Syrian
crisis. Key structural reforms, in particular of the tax system and the energy
sector, are therefore important.
The World Bank estimated in September
2013 that, by the end of 2014, the unemployment rate would reach more
than 20 %, double that of 2012 due to the impact of the arrival of Syrian
refugees, which also led to a drop in wages for low-skilled labour and to a
growing informal economy. The World Bank also estimated that there would be 170 000
extra poor people in Lebanon by the end of 2014 as a result of the impact of
the Syrian crisis.
A new programme addressing social
cohesion in Lebanon began to be implemented, including (1) support for the
National Social Security Fund to improve the quality and coverage of its
services and (2) a large-scale household survey that will be implemented
jointly by the ILO and the Central Administration for Statistics.
The agriculture development
strategy for 2010-2014 was credited with helping to increase that sector’s
share of GDP to 5 %, from 3.85 % in 2010. The agricultural strategy
for 2015-2019, elaborated with the help of the EU under the ENPARD Lebanon
initiative, was signed in December 2014. 
4.         TRADE-RELATED ISSUES, MARKET
AND REGULATORY REFORM
The EU was Lebanon’s second most
important trading partner, with total trade in goods amounting to EUR 6.9
billion in 2014. 
Concerning customs, Lebanon
signed the Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin in
October 2014 and began ratification. The Lebanese customs authorities received
support from an EU-financed twinning project and an integrated border
management project.
Regarding the free movement of goods
and technical regulations, Lebanon continued the preparations for
negotiations on an agreement on conformity assessment and acceptance of
industrial products. Decrees on the implementation of the Technical Regulation
and Conformity Assessment Procedures Law and the Metrology Law were drafted
with technical assistance from the EU, which also continued to support quality
infrastructure through a twinning project.
Lebanon continued to implement its phytosanitary
development strategy 2012-2016. The draft law on food safety, developed
with EU support, awaited discussion in parliament. With EU support, a technical
manual on potato pest detection was drafted and training for laboratories was
provided.
Lebanon’s business climate continued to
inhibit investors and deteriorated compared to the previous year since difficulties
still remain for starting a business, acquiring construction permits, getting
credit and enforcing contracts. The debate on the financing of public sector
salaries showed that the government was not ready to reform the tax
system, which continued to rely mainly on indirect taxes. In April 2014 new
laws were passed to provide various new reductions in (and exemptions from)
penalties for delays in the payment of tax. A reduction in corporate income tax
was also introduced for exporters of Lebanese products.
The quantity and quality of statistical
data issued by the Central Administration for Statistics (CAS) continued to be
upgraded through EU financial support and the International Labour
Organisation's technical help. A new strategy for developing agricultural statistics
was prepared by CAS, the Ministry of Agriculture and EU experts, with
additional EU support to be provided for the conduct of surveys of living
conditions and migration. 
The joint 2014 evaluation on SME policy[3]
highlighted challenges to be addressed by the country, including the
needs for better coordination among ministries and institutions in charge of
SME support, effective implementation of the new bankruptcy law, and a
comprehensive export promotion strategy.
An assessment of the SME policy
environment was carried out with reference to the Euro-Mediterranean Charter
for Enterprise and the Small Business Act for Europe. Preliminary conclusions
indicated that, while the institutional framework for SME policy remains weak,
a range of independent initiatives and institutions make valuable
contributions. In an effort to develop the SME business environment, the
Ministry of Economy and Trade has conducted a national consultation and
presented the national support strategy for SMEs ‘Lebanon SME Strategy: A
Roadmap to 2020’ in December 2014.
Some progress was achieved in public
finance management, with Lebanon’s fiscal accounting becoming more
compliant with international standards and through more effective allocation of
public resources. The Ministry of Finance drafted a medium-term expenditure
framework. However, as in previous years, the draft budget was not approved by
parliament.
Under the EU-funded IMP-MED Project,
Lebanon acknowledged the integrated maritime policy (IMP) / Blue Economy
concepts and the importance of addressing maritime issues in a more coordinated
way. For this purpose, a decision was taken to create a dedicated National
Committee on integrated maritime policy.
Parliament amended legislation on consumer
protection, notably by clarifying the procedures and measures applicable to
products that do not meet required sanitary standards. The Ministry of Health
implemented a major enforcement campaign during which more than one thousand
food-selling points were inspected.
5.         COOPERATION
ON JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
The border between Lebanon and Syria is
still not adequately delineated or controlled and incursions into Lebanon by
armed groups and shelling from opposition strongholds in Syria continued. The
EU continued its support to Lebanon through the EU Integrated Border Management
(IBM) programme; coordination between the security agencies responsible for
border management improved although a comprehensive IBM strategy has yet to be
officially adopted.
In December the EU and Lebanon initiated
a Dialogue on Migration, Mobility and Security. The dialogue will be
comprehensive and address the interlinked issues of facilitating legal
migration and mobility, preventing irregular migration and trafficking in human
beings, promoting international protection, asylum and maximising the
development impact of migration.
The presence of the numerous migrant domestic
workers continues to be organised along the lines of the so-called ‘kafala’
sponsorship system. This system has exposed them to abuses in the past, since
they do not fall under Lebanese labour law. Draft legislation on the
ratification of ILO Convention No 189 on ‘Decent work for domestic workers’ was
prepared but has not been approved by the government and parliament yet. As a
consequence, migrant domestic workers have little legal protection. It was
reported that 2014 saw the introduction of additional restrictions, such as the
denial of renewal of residency permits to children of legal migrant workers and
more frequent raids to identify domestic workers working as ‘freelancers’.
The number of refugees and
asylum-seekers fleeing the violence in Syria and seeking refuge in Lebanon
continued to increase, reaching extraordinary numbers in 2014. According to the
UNHCR, almost 1.2 million refugees from Syria were registered in Lebanon by 10
December 2014. At the end of 2014, more than 25 % of the resident
population in Lebanon were refugees. The number of Palestinian refugees from
Syria in Lebanon fell during 2014; by the end of August, the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) estimated the number at 42 000
individuals, down from 53 000 before May 2014, when access restrictions
were reintroduced for Palestinian refugees.  
Lebanon continued to lack an adequate
legal framework in line with international standards for providing protection
and assistance to people in need of international protection. The legal status
of refugees in Lebanon therefore remained unclear. The government continued
negotiations for a memorandum of understanding with the UNHCR which would allow
the agency to fulfil its mandate without restrictions.
Lebanon’s generous open-door policy in
relation to people fleeing Syria, resulting in the heaviest Syrian refugee
burden on a per capita basis, was sharply curtailed as from September 2014. In
the beginning of 2015, Lebanon started to apply stricter entry conditions for
people originating in Syria.
The new measures raised concerns
regarding the government’s commitment to ensuring humanitarian support as well
as protection space for refugees in Lebanon, including the principle of non-refoulement.
Also, the number of raids against and arrests of Syrian refugees increased
significantly since the events in Arsal in August 2014. There were 82 raids
only in August and September and the number of arrests increased from 464 in
August to 1 111 in September.
By the end of 2014, the EU had allocated
EUR 459.4 million to support refugees from Syria and vulnerable communities in
Lebanon, i.e. EUR 182.3 million in EU humanitarian aid, EUR 27.6 million
through the Instrument for Stability (IfS) and EUR 249.5 million through the
European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI).
The nomination of a Eurojust contact
point would help facilitate closer judicial cooperation with the EU. 
6.         TRANSPORT, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE
CHANGE, INFORMATION SOCIETY, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
Officials drafted a national land transport
policy and submitted it to the Cabinet, whose approval was still awaited. Cabinet
approval was similarly awaited for a draft maritime transport policy, for the
creation of a maritime transport authority and of a land transport authority,
and for investment plans for Beirut’s and Tripoli’s harbours. Lebanon took
procedural steps towards recognising certification of seafarers in accordance
with the IMO-STCW Convention.
The implementation of the 2002
legislation to establish an independent Lebanese Civil Aviation
Authority remained incomplete, as the government did not appoint a Board of
Directors to take over control of the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation
(DGCA). Civil aviation continued to be governed by the DGCA under the
government’s control. The government’s failure to establish an independent
aviation authority remains a serious concern for the EU.
Lebanon therefore agreed to prepare an
action plan for the further improvement of the civil aviation system and duly
provided this to the European Commission as additional information for the
discussion at the Air Safety Committee meeting of November 2014. The Air Safety
Committee decided not to impose a ban on Lebanese airlines and to closely
follow the developments in Lebanon in order to review the situation at the next
meeting of the Air Safety Committee in June 2015. Bilateral discussions in
October 2014 indicated willingness to resume negotiations on a bilateral
comprehensive aviation agreement.
Lebanon has not yet ratified the
so-called 'Horizontal' Agreement on aviation which brings the existing
bilateral air services agreements[4]
between the EU Member States on the one hand, and Lebanon on the other, into
conformity with EU law.
Lebanon’s energy demand continued
to outstrip supply, leading to regular power cuts as substantial investments in
power plants have not been made. Progress in the government’s work to increase
generation capacity progressively by 2025, notably at the existing Jieh and
Zouk power plants and on construction of a new plant in Deir Ammar was hampered
by delays in payments to contractors and by the unstable security situation.
Legal and political challenges halted the progress of the licensing round for
exploration and development of offshore oil and gas (which had been launched in
2013) as well as other proposals by the Petroleum Administration.
Lebanon made significant progress in
pursuit of its target to meet 12 % of its energy needs from renewable
energy sources by 2020, notably by meeting its 2014 target for
installations of new solar water heaters. This was one of 14 national
initiatives to develop renewable energy sources and encourage energy
efficiency. The EU supported Lebanon’s efforts with EUR 23.8 million of
financial assistance, directed to renewable energy projects. Lebanon
took part in the regional project MED ENEC II, which aims to promote energy
efficiency measures and renewable energy systems in buildings, and in the
‘Paving the Way to the Mediterranean Solar Plan’ regional project.
Following the
establishment of an inter-ministerial committee on climate change,
Lebanon continued working towards a low-carbon development strategy; this
activity was supported by the EU-financed Low Emission Capacity Building
programme. Lebanon devised a variety of mitigation measures including support
for renewable energy, and developed nationally appropriate mitigation actions
in the waste and transport sectors. Lebanon started to prepare its intended
nationally determined contribution (INDC), including through an extensive
public consultation exercise. 
Lebanon strengthened its environment
policy framework. Parliament approved legislation establishing an environmental
prosecutor and judges in April 2014, and authorised the country to adhere to
the Protocol on cooperation in preventing pollution from ships and, in cases of
emergency, combating pollution of the Mediterranean Sea (Prevention and
Emergency Protocol).
The Ministry of the Environment launched
inter-ministerial discussions in preparation for the ratification of the
Barcelona Convention Protocol on Dumping. The Council of Ministers established
a ministerial committee to draft a water code and approved laws and decrees
related to quarrying, nature reserves and hunting, and a plan to combat
pollution in the Qaraoun Lake (Lebanon’s largest body of fresh water). A
strategy on marine-protected areas was completed, decrees were issued on oil
spills, and Lebanon began preparing a strategic environmental assessment of the
petroleum sector.
Water resources became
scarce due to very low precipitation, and the influx of refugees from Syria put
new pressures on Lebanon’s water and sanitation infrastructure. Since 2013, the
EU has committed more than EUR 70 million to support the provision of water and
for wastewater services for the Lebanese communities most affected by the
influx of refugees from Syria.
In April, parliament passed a law that
reformed the organisation of civil defence and allowed the current
volunteers staffing the organisation to be officially appointed.
On information society, the state
remained the sole owner of the mobile and fixed line networks. The sector
remained non-liberalised. The Ministry of Telecommunications (MoT) continued to
act as a licensing authority, and Internet access remained expensive by
international and regional standards. Regarding audiovisual policy, the
role of the Conseil National de l’Audiovisuel remained only consultative.
Decisions on licences for electronic/audiovisual media were taken by the
Council of Ministers. A proposal on electronic transactions (covering
e-signature, data protection and e-commerce) was still awaiting final
parliamentary approval and several draft regulations in the area of
telecommunications regulation were still pending government approval.
Lebanon invested EUR 200,000 in the
first joint call of the EU funded project for alignment of Euro-Mediterranean
research programmes (ERANETMED). Lebanon is among the most active participants
in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area
(PRIMA) and the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Agenda as well as in the recently
launched science diplomacy platform Middle East Research and Innovation
Dialogue (MERID). It is important to increase public information so as to
enhance Lebanon’s participation in research cooperation, notably in the EU
'Horizon 2020' Programme, for which a newly set-up thematic network of national
contact points and a dedicated web portal have been put in place.
7.         PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE
CONTACTS, EDUCATION AND HEALTH
The influx of refugees from Syria
continued to be a challenge for the education system and a considerable strain
on the public education infrastructure in poor parts of the country. There were
approximately 390 000 Syrian children of school age (5-17 years old) among
the Syrian refugees registered by the UNHCR by the end of 2014, and an
estimated 10 000 school age Palestinian refugees from Syria, of whom
around 7 000 were enrolled in UNRWA schools.
During the 2013-2014 school year, 90 000 Syrian
children were enrolled in the formal Lebanese public school programmes, and
around 30 000 others received various forms of non-formal education, to a
large extent accelerated learning programmes taking place in the afternoon in
public schools. The EU has continued to support access to education for both
Syrians and Palestinian refugees from Syria.  
In June 2014 the government launched its
‘Reaching All Children with Education’ (RACE) policy to respond to the crisis.
Despite ambitious goals for enrolment of refugee children in public schools,
the number of enrolled children was reduced to approximately 30 000, mainly
due to lack of agreement on implementation modalities for first shift, second
shift and non-formal education. Second shift classes only began in January
2015.
The government decided to grant all
students, without distinction, ‘certificates of end of education’ intended to
allow them all to enter university, a measure which threatens the quality of
the higher education system.
With regard to the reform of the vocational
education and training (VET) system, the further deployment of the
National Qualifications Framework was delayed. The work on introduction of
entrepreneurship as a key competence in education continued, the validation of
entrepreneurship modules and their introduction in the normal curricula is
under way. A pilot project was set up to establish Guidance and Employment
Offices in 11 VET schools.
Lebanon participated in the Tempus
programme with 23 on-going projects out of which three are coordinated by a
Lebanese higher education institution. 201 students and staff were selected
within partnerships supported by Erasmus Mundus and five master students
and one doctoral candidate were awarded scholarship/fellowship under joint
programmes. One organisation was selected for funding under the renamed Marie
Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) under 'Horizon 2020'. Youth and
youth organisations benefited from Erasmus+, with 118 participants in
mobility projects. 
The Ministry of Culture continued
to suffer from lack of resources and Lebanon is not yet a party to the 2005
UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural
Expressions.  Cooperation on MedCulture and Euromed Audiovisual programmes
continued.
While Lebanon’s public health
system continued to face major problems, including delayed payment of wages to
hospital employees and additional strain on resources due to the influx of
refugees from Syria, there were some improvements, including the appointment of
new boards to some hospitals.
Lebanon continued its technical
cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
on an EU-funded regional project on preparatory measures to support the
participation of ENP countries in ECDC activities. Lebanon nominated a national
correspondent for relations with the ECDC and actively participated in the
first ‘National ECDC Correspondent meeting’ organised by the ECDC in May.
Lebanon
gave a major contribution to the development of the EU-supported Mediterranean
Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training project (MediPIET) implemented
under the scientific leadership of the ECDC and aimed at strengthening national
and regional capacity for surveillance and response to cross-border health
threats by creating a regional network of competent field epidemiologists. It
enrolled two fellows in the first cohort of the MediPIET training programme.
__________________________________
[1] Law
293/2014, promulgated by the President of the Republic on 07/05/14 and
published in the Official Gazette No 21 dated 15.05.14.
[2] For sources and
detailed figures, see Statistical Annex accompanying the reports; figures
without sources are forecasts by Commission services.
[3] "SME Policy Index The Mediterranean Middle East and North
Africa 2014 Implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe"
(SBA)".  
[4] Signed
in 2006