ECONOMY > LEBANON

The new trade routes of old natural soap

n A Lebanese man wearing a traditional outfit arranges scented

soaps displayed inside Khan El Saboun factory shop located in the oldest market of Tripoli

Cosmetics were chosen because of their great potential for market expansion: olive oil soap and other ointments from the East and the South are now within closer reach of European consumers. The Med Cosmetic project completed in 2011 and part of the EU supported Invest In Med programme has seen the involvement of 150 representatives from European, Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian companies, who were able to promote their brands through business-to- business meetings, conferences and workshops. Every year, around 600 companies from Mediterranean partner countries export to Europe 42,000 tonnes of industrial cosmetics: a wealth of products now advertised to foreign markets, just as local business people are more aware of the rules to better sell abroad
Text by: ANSAMED & ENPI INFO CENTRE Photos by: EPA EU/ENPI INFO CENTRE
This publication does not represent the ocial view of the EC or the EU institutions. The EC accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to its content.

BEIRUT - From the old workshops of Tripoli, in the north of Lebanon, or Aleppo, in northern Syria, olive oil soap and other ointments from the East are now within reach of European consumers thanks to the eorts of Med Cosmetics, a project financed by the European Union as part of the Invest In Med programme. The project, which lasted from May 2010 to March 2011 and saw the ENPI Info Centre Feature no. 65 involvement of around 150 representatives from Lebanese, Syrian, JorThis is a series of features on danian and European companies, is part of European plans to develop projects funded by the EUs sustainable trade routes between producers on both sides of the Regional Programme, prepared by journalists and photographers on Mediterranean. the ground or the ENPI Info "The main aim of our work has been to strengthen the long-term caCentre. ENPI Info Centre/EU 2012 pacity for production and product export and the ability for Lebanese,

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Syrian and Jordanian companies to promote their brands through business-to-business meetings, workshops and conferences held in Beirut, Damascus, Aleppo and Paris," says Aline Farajan, the director of Med Cosmetics for Lebanon.

n A Lebanese youth
wearing a traditional outfit checks the display of various vegetables and fruits made of scented soaps at Khan El Saboun factory shop located in the oldest market of Tripoli

n A Lebanese worker shapes the

freshly made soap into balls at the Med Cosmetics factory near Tripoli, northern Lebanon

42,000 tonnes of cosmetics on the way

Syria, Lebanon and Jordan have more than 600 companies exporting around 42,000 tonnes of industrial cosmetics every year and around 45,000 tonnes of natural soaps. "This richness needs to be strengthened and publicised to foreign markets, just as local businesspeople need to know the rules in order to sell products better abroad," says Farajan. The culmination of the work carried out by Med Cosmetics came in meetings organised during the 2010 edition of Beyond Beauty Paris, which was held in September last year. "Around 50 European representatives met around 30 Lebanese delegates, 60 Syrians and a delegation of Jordanian producers," says Farajan, a researcher at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon (CCIB). Beyond the CCIB, the project was also partnered by the Syrian centre for business aairs (SEBC) and the Jordanian business development association (JEDCO). The project also featured a study into cosmetics production in Lebanon and Syria and a workshop in Damascus, during which local businesspeople were shown new technical and administrative procedures in force in Europe. "Cosmetics were chosen by the organisers of the project because of their great potential for market expansion. Lebanese and Syrian producers are known for their lengthy tradition in crafts, particularly olive oil and laurel soaps, which are increasingly in demand on the European market," Farajan says. With regard to results obtained by Med Cosmetics, Farajan says that "between March and today, a number of important cooperation agreements have been signed between local and French companies.

n A Lebanese worker

handles natural herbs to be used in the making of soap at the Med Cosmetics factory near Tripoli, northern Lebanon

n Visitors look at products made of various soaps at Khan El Saboun factory shop located in the oldest market of Tripoli

The main aim of our work has been to strengthen the long-term capacity for production and product export and the ability for Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian companies to promote their brands
n A Lebanese woman looks at necklaces made of colored soap

This richness needs to be strengthened and publicised to foreign markets, just as local businesspeopl e need to know the rules in order to sell products better abroad

A strong network of contacts between operators

Invest in Med is a Euro-Mediterranean Network of organisa-

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n Lebanese men shape soap blocks into balls as they sit in the courtyard of Khan El Saboun factory shop located in the oldest market of Tripoli

tions, funded by the EU with a Lebanese and budget of 9 million, committed Syrian producers to investment promotion and are known for trade facilitation, strengthening their lengthy SME collaboration and extradition in change of best-practices. It aims crafts, to increase the abilities and eparticularly olive ciency of Mediterranean Investoil and laurel ment Promotion Agencies soaps, which are (IPAs), thus enabling more forincreasingly in eign direct investment in the demand on the Mediterranean Partner CounEuropean tries. This multi-country platmarket form supports the economic development of the Mediterranean and reinforces cooperation between European and Mediterranean IPAs. Each year, the Invest In Med programme, which began in 2008 and has continued throughout 2011, provides a network of contacts between operators in the sector from all 27 EU member states and nine partners on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. Its activities cover three areas: institutional support, the creation of a network, and promotion of regional investment. Some 40 governmental agencies and international networks participate in this programme. To achieve the objectives, Invest in Med works on the global image of the Mediterranean, the investor reception conditions in Partner Countries and practices. From road shows and seminars, training and conferences, the programme has moved on to technical as-

INVEST in MED
A Euro-Mediterranean Network of organisations committed to investment promotion and trade facilitation, strengthening SME collaboration and exchange of best-practices
Participating countries Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia Timeframe 2008-2011 Budget 9 million (ENPI South) Aims It aims to increase the abilities and eciency of Mediterranean Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs), thus enabling more foreign direct investment in the Mediterranean Partner Countries. This multi-country platform supports the economic development of the Mediterranean and reinforces cooperation between European and Mediterranean IPAs. Find out more Invest in Med : ENPI fiche > http://www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=16&id_type=10 ENPI Regional thematic page: economy > http://www.enpi-info.eu/thememed.php?subject=4 Invest In Med website > http://www.invest-in-med.eu/

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