Lebanon

EU and Lebanon

Relations between the EU and Lebanon are based on the EU-Lebanon Association Agreement, which entered into force in April 2006.

The EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities, adopted at the EU-Lebanon Association Council on 11 November 2016, guide the relationship between Lebanon and the EU and are based on five priority areas:

• Security and countering terrorism;
• Governance and rule of law;
• Fostering growth and job opportunities;
• Migration and mobility;
• Mechanisms for dialogue and mutual coordination

Bilateral cooperation

On 9 February 2021, the European Commission adopted a Joint Communication on the renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood, establishing a new Agenda for the Mediterranean to relaunch and reinforce the EU’s partnership with the region. This is the basis of the current cooperation framework between the EU and Lebanon.

EU assistance to Lebanon is primarily funded through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-GE) for the period 2021 to 2027.

As set out in the Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-2027, the priority areas for cooperation are:

• Enhancing good governance and supporting reforms
• Strengthening an inclusive and resilient economy
• Promoting a green and sustainable recovery

The EU’s total assistance to Lebanon since 2011 amounts to more than €3.5 billion It notably includes the response to the Syrian crisis and related support of refugees from Syria and vulnerable Lebanese.

The EU is providing a financial assistance package for Lebanon worth €1 billion for 2024 to 2027. This package will strengthen basic services such as education, social protection and health for people in Lebanon, accompany urgent economic, financial and banking reforms and support border management. In August 2024, the European Commission adopted the first €500 million of this package.

The Joint Communication on the renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood is accompanied by a Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbourhood (EIP) to strengthen resilience and build prosperity in the region. The EIP implements the Global Gateway in the region. EIP projects implemented in Lebanon include: 

• Securing access to quality primary health services, improving continued access to equitable, affordable and quality primary healthcare and strengthening access to medical products
• Support to public administration reforms, supporting progress in key areas of public administration, enhancing integrity, transparency and accountability
• Women Empowerment Hub (WE-HUB), increasing women’s leadership and participation in the political and public sphere, improving their engagement in the workforce and promoting legislative measures to protect women from all forms of violence.

More on EU-Lebanon relations: Factograph – EU-Lebanon relations

Syrian refugee crisis

At Eight Brussels Conferences on the Future of Syria and the Region, organised between 2017 and 2024, the EU and the international community continuously renewed their support to the critical efforts the Lebanese government and citizens are undertaking in response to the crisis. Since 2011, the EU has committed €3.5 billion for response to the Syrian crisis in Lebanon.

The EU will organise the 9^th edition of the Brussels Conference on 17 March 2025 to support an inclusive transition in Syria. The event will be instrumental in mobilising funds from the international community to address the immediate needs of all Syrian people, including in the neighbouring countries, to support Syria’s recovery and first steps towards reconstruction.

More on EU response in support to the impact of the Syrian crisis in Lebanon: Factsheet - Responding to the Syrian Crisis: EU Support in Lebanon - English

Further information

Factsheets available to download