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Business Overview : The free-enterprise economy, which is inherent to the political system in Lebanon, has also become part of the country's collective mindset of its people. It is this unwavering adherence to free enterprise that explains to a considerable extent the country's prosperity in the decades before the outbreak of the internal war, its resilience during the excruciating test of the war for a decade and a half, and its ability to re-emerge with unscathed potentials for recovery. Three pervading principles lay at the foundation of economic and investment legislation in Lebanon. The first of these principles is the safeguard of private ownership of assets with no discrimination between foreign and local ownership. The practical implications of this principle is that foreign investors may fully own and manage their business and private assets without any restriction or requirement that in any way limit or weaken their control over their resources. The second principle is the freedom of entrepreneurial activity, which implies that no law, decree or regulation may be designed to unduly influence business decisions. In practice, this means that , though there are priorities in both the private and the public sectors, legislation may neither require nor induce investors to engage in any particular sector or project. It is a principle that rests on the belief that resource allocation is a business decision - and by that token, involves a business risk - but is definitely not a responsibility of public authorities.... The third principle on which Lebanon's economic legislation rests prones unhampered competition in the business sector. Again, the practical implications of that principle are far reaching. Thus, no piece of legislation may be designed to discriminate against - or forward the interests of - any business entity, group or sector of activity. Competition is not impeded by any discriminatory tax breaks, incentives or levies. When State intervention is called for, prompted by concerns for the environment for example or, most importantly, by a keen intent on protecting the business sector from practices that are shunned and fought by the international community.... Those three principles warrant the assertions that: One, Lebanon truly is the region's free-enterprise haven, and two, the business environment it has to offer to foreign investors embodies advantages that by far outweigh a hoc incentives and inducements available elsewhere but against a backdrop of cripling regulations and red tape.... With the corporate tax rate at a flat ten percent and income tax rates varying between three percent and ten percent, it is clear that the tax burden is in fact quite light and does not affect business plans nor does it weaken incentives for work at the individual level. ... In trade for example, policy-makers have always adhered to the belief that wealth comes not from restrictions, controls, discrimination, or barriers - be they visible or not - but from openness and cooperation with the country's trade partners. That is why Lebanon has never had any restrictions on the free flow of goods and capital, has never imposed any discriminatory tariffs or regulations, and has never erected any administrative impediments to trade.... As for human resources, the war years did not set the country back in as far as skills, know-how, and international relations are concerned. As a matter of fact, all major sectors of the Lebanese economy maintained a level of proficiency in areas where they had enjoyed a comparative advantage and are now able to capitalize on this advantage to recapture their regional role. The country's universities strived to maintain academic standards and their graduates found admission in the most demanding institutions of higher learning in advanced countries. Admittedly, the exodus of professionals and of the country's youth in pursuit of academic attainment did deprive some sectors of the economy of the highly qualified and dynamic section of the population, but that was during the grim years of war. At present, this vast pool of expatriate skills constitutes one of the inalienable potentials of the country and its business sector. This is because the Lebanese diaspora throughout the world have acquired knowledge and skills that kept them abreast with scientific, technical, financial and entrepreneurial developments and are now being motivated to return to Lebanon to plough in their skills and know-how. As for the availability of local financing, developments within the financial sector point to the fact that large inflows of capital helped finance investments either directly or through the banking sector's swelling deposit base... 'Extract from the Lebanese Chamber of Comerce and Industies for more information Please refer to the Lebanese directory on the main Page.' The Central Bank : Commercial Banks : Public finance : Economic growth : Major Banks :
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