Global Arab Network | EU promotes better public health protection in Lebanon

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EU promotes better public health protection in Lebanon

Global Arab Network - - George Haddad

Monday, 26 April 2010 16:47

EU promotes better public health protection

Equipment and training provided with EU funds for food and animal sanitary control have enhanced the protection of Lebanese consumers and increased the availability and efficiency of food tests for private sector exports, Ambassador Patrick Laurent, Head of the EU Delegation to Lebanon has said.

The Head of Delegation spoke during a visit last week to the EU-funded Laboratory for Food and Animal Sanitary Control at the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) in Fanar and the Laboratory of Metrology and Isotopic Fractioning at Université Saint-Joseph Sciences campus in Mkalles. He was accompanied by the Lebanese Ministers of Economy and Trade and Agriculture,

A Delegation press release said EU funds, under the €14 million "Quality Programme" implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Trade through its Qualeb Unit, were used to equip both laboratories and train their staff. Further financial support and capacity building will be provided this year by the EU to the Qualeb Unit in order to continue upgrading the Lebanese Quality Infrastructure.

The provision of accurate and internationally recognised tests facilitates exports of products manufactured by Lebanese enterprises. For example, Lebanese wine producers can now benefit from wine authenticity certificates delivered by the Laboratory of Metrology and Isotopic Fractioning at Université Saint-Joseph, which are necessary to export to the EU, Japan or the US. Cooperation between the EU, Lebanese government and universities therefore facilitates access by Lebanese wine producers to European markets, amongst others. Similar processes can facilitate exports of other products.

Ambassador Laurent also visited Berytech Technological Pole at the Université Saint-Joseph Science Campus in Mkalles. Berytech is an EU-funded Business Incubator (under the €17 million Integrated Support to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises programme) that provides state of the art technological incubation and business development services. It has already incubated more than 50 companies which have created more than 300 high-added value jobs. The EU will provide further support to Berytech for the period 2010-2012, allowing the incubator to expand its services.

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