The outgoing Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiyé announced the creation of joint commissions composed of members of his ministry and that of Finance in order to modify the “estimated price per square meter” used to determine the annual royalty due for temporary occupation of the maritime public domain, paid by any person or entity having built on land overlooking the sea.
The method of calculating these royalties – and the price scales per square meter – has been amended in recent years by Decree No. 4217 dated 12/28/2018, at the time when the exchange rate was still 1507 .5 LL per dollar, – it has since soared due to the crisis that broke out in the country in 2019 – while it is currently stabilized around 89,500 LL per dollar. The royalties were then dollarized by a second decree No. 11.258 of April 15, 2023, which issued the following rule: the initial rates in pounds must be converted a first time into dollars at the old official parity of 1507.5 LL for one dollar, to then be “multiplied by the average market exchange rate for the day preceding the date of issue or renewal of the authorization for temporary occupation of the maritime public domain”. If the commission is not going to modify the fees themselves, the change in the price per square meter will necessarily imply future amendments at this level.
Mr. Hamiyé made this announcement during a press conference at the premises of the General Directorate of Land and Maritime Transport in Beirut. He estimates that the joint commissions should finish their work within two months. The minister has not yet responded to our requests for more details on the process initiated.
The outgoing Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiyé announced the creation of joint commissions composed of members of his ministry and that of Finance in order to modify the “estimated price per square meter” used to determine the annual royalty due for the temporary occupation of the public maritime domain, paid for by any person…
