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🛒 تسوق الآنLibyan-Egyptian Joint Chamber Warns of Illegal Fees on Egyptian Goods Imported to Libya
Libyan-Egyptian Joint Chamber Warns of "Illegal" Fees Imposed on Egyptian Goods Bound for Libya
The Libyan-Egyptian Joint Economic Chamber has issued a stark warning against private Egyptian companies imposing unofficial dollar-denominated fees on shipments of goods destined for the Libyan market, describing the practice as "illegal levying" that undermines Libyan sovereignty and violates established trade protocols.
Unofficial Inspection Fees Range from $150 to $700 Per Shipment
According to a formal statement released by the Chamber, several private companies in Egypt have been requiring Libyan importers to pay between $150 and $700 per shipment for mandatory inspections of goods including cement, paint, cleaning supplies, and other construction and industrial materials. These fees, the Chamber emphasized, do not flow into the treasuries of either Libya or Egypt but instead represent what it called "unlawful private collection" outside any official regulatory framework.
The Chamber noted that these charges are being imposed before goods even leave Egyptian ports, adding a significant and unregulated cost burden to Libyan importers who are already navigating a complex economic environment marked by currency fluctuations and supply chain disruptions.
Libyan Customs Rejects External Inspection Requirements
The Libyan-Egyptian Joint Chamber stressed that the Libyan Customs Authority firmly rejects these external inspection practices, pointing out that official customs clearance procedures do not include any requirement for pre-shipment inspections by foreign private entities. The Chamber explained that all necessary technical analyses and laboratory testing of imported goods are conducted at accredited Libyan facilities after shipments arrive at official ports of entry.
"The procedures for customs release do not include such external inspections," the Chamber stated, adding that the requirement for pre-shipment testing by Egyptian private firms has no legal basis under existing bilateral trade agreements or Libyan customs regulations.
Formal Complaints Filed with Libyan and Egyptian Authorities
The Chamber confirmed that it has sent an official letter to the Libyan Minister of Environment, the Director of Libyan Customs, and the Commercial Attaché at the Libyan Consulate in Alexandria, Egypt. The letter was accompanied by a detailed memorandum submitted by a group of Libyan importers and licensed customs brokers documenting their grievances regarding the mandatory inspection processes and the associated fees and commissions imposed outside official channels.
The memorandum also referenced an official letter issued on April 26, 2026, by the Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs at the Libyan Ministry of Environment, as well as cooperation protocols signed with Egyptian trade chambers that allegedly formalized the requirement for goods to be inspected outside Libya in exchange for dollar-denominated fees calculated according to shipment size.
Calls for Urgent Intervention to Protect Libyan Economic Sovereignty
The Libyan-Egyptian Joint Chamber called on Libyan authorities to take immediate and decisive action to halt what it described as "corruption and chaos" in the import inspection process. The Chamber urged the government to protect Libyan importers from exploitative practices and to safeguard the country's economic sovereignty by ensuring that all trade procedures are conducted through official, transparent, and legally sanctioned channels.
The warning comes at a sensitive time for Libyan-Egyptian trade relations, which represent a critical supply line for Libya's construction and manufacturing sectors. Any disruption or additional cost burden on Egyptian imports could have significant ripple effects across Libya's already strained economy, particularly in the building materials and consumer goods sectors that depend heavily on Egyptian supply chains.
