This weekly update aims to inform our readers of the legal and regulatory measures adopted by the Lebanese authorities to mitigate the impact of the recent Covid-19 outbreak in Lebanon.

Here is the list of measures taken between May 25 and June 1, 2020:

1. Ministry of Education. - Decision n˚16/2020: On June 1, 2020 the director of the Ministry of Education announced that:

• All online learning for all educational school stages shall end on June 13, 2020.
• The School year shall end on June 25, 2020.
• With the exception of brevet and baccalaureate students, all students shall be admitted to the higher grade provided that they have fulfilled the attendance requirements provided in the decision of the director of the Ministry of Education.
• Baccalaureate exams and Brevet exams are cancelled, and students shall receive certificates by the government in accordance with the provisions of an upcoming law.
• The first six weeks of the upcoming school year shall be devoted to a review of the school program that was not dispensed to the students during the 2019-2020 school year.

2. Ministry of the Interior. – Memorandum n˚54/am/2020: On May 31, 2020, the Ministry of the Interior issued a Memorandum that provided for the following measures:

• The prohibition of all circulation between the hours of 12 am and 5 am.
• The restriction of all circulation during weekdays according to the odd/even system.
• The authorization of all circulation on Sundays.
• The exclusion of certain vehicles from the restrictions on circulation.
• The determination of the opening hours of: public institutions and governement agencies, wholesalers, factories and production companies, retailers, banking and financial institutions, isurance companies, liberal professions, construction companies, restaurants and coffehouses, gas stations, swimming pools and beach resorts, malls, museums, casinos, horse tracks and construction sites.
• Kindergartens, gyms, nightclubs, pubs, kid zones, parks, video games centers, theaters, cinemas and ballrooms shall remain closed.

3. Ministry of Economy and Trade: Decision n˚66/1/A.T.: On May 28, 2020 the Ministry of Economy and Trade has issued the conditions and modalities for obtaining the banking facilities provided in Circular n˚557 of the Central Bank.

4. Central Bank of Lebanon. – Circular n˚556: On May 27, 2020 the Central Bank issued a circular pertaining to banking facilities in foreign currency for industrial companies.

Here are the main provisions of the circular:

• Commercial banks may request up to 100 Million USD from the Central Bank to secure 90% of the value of imported raw materials in foreign currencies needed by licensed manufacturers provided that each client only benefits from a maximum amount of 300 000 USD in any import operation.
• The conditions and modalities of this circular shall be determined by the Ministry of Industry.
• Commercial banks shall submit their applications to the funding unit within the BDL after the approval of the Ministry of Industry
• Businesses that have benefitted from the provisions of this circular and have exported manufactured goods shall transfer to Lebanon a percentage of foreign currency equivalent to at least the value of the raw materials used in the manufacture of the exported products.
• Commercial banks shall ensure the correct application of the provisions of the Circular at their own responsibility failing which sanctions shall be applied by BDL. In particular, banks may be compelled to deposit equivalent placements to the amount that were obtained from BDL.
• The circular shall be in force for a year from the date of its publication.

5. Central Bank of Lebanon. – Circular n˚557: On May 27, 2020 the Central Bank issued a circular pertaining to banking facilities in foreign currency for importers and producers of food products.

Here are the main provisions of the circular:

• Commercial banks may request the from Central Bank foreign currencies needed by importers and producers of food products that appear on a list established by the Ministry of Economy and Trade.
• The conditions and modalities of this circular shall be determined by the Ministry of Economy and Trade.
• Commercial banks shall submit their applications to the funding unit within the BDL after the approval of the Ministry of Economy and Trade.
• The foreign currency exchange rate shall be fixed at the Market Rate in accordance with circular n˚551 of April 16, 2020.
• Commercial banks shall ensure the correct application of the provisions of the Circular at their own responsibility failing which sanctions shall be applied by BDL in particular banks may be compelled to deposit equivalent placements to the amount that were obtained from BDL.
• The circular shall be in force for a year from the date of its publication.

6. Ministry of Justice. – Circular of May 25, 2020: The Ministry of Justice extended the suspension of all Court hearings and the restriction of the activiy of Court regsitries to June 7, 2020. The Circular excludes sentencing hearings, release hearings before criminal Courts and urgent matters from the scope of the suspension.

For any additional information about the legal issues raised by Covid-19, please do not hesitate to contact our Firm.