Lebanon: Lebanon’s Minister of Industry Joe Issa El-Khoury has ordered an immediate investigation after a cement shipment entered the country through the port of Tripoli, without undergoing inspections required by law, according to Ports Europe news. He said that the case raises questions about how the Institute of Industrial Research, the body responsible for certifying imports, cleared the shipment for release. The body reportedly issued a certificate stating that the goods were not subject to mandatory decree provisions or fell under a small quantity exemption.
Under Decree No. 9766 of March 2023, cement imported into Lebanon must carry an approval certificate confirming compliance with Lebanese standard specifications before it can enter the local market. Issa El-Khoury said that the requirement applies regardless of shipment size and requested that all relevant documents be submitted to the ministry as quickly as possible.