The CNRS established the LAEC in 1996 with the full support of the IAEA for preparing the national legal and technical infrastructures allowing an effective implementation of a comprehensive radiation safety scheme in the country. Lebanon has signed and ratified all relevant multilateral and international legal binding instruments in the field of safety, security and safeguards and it is closely cooperating with the IAEA for harmonizing its legal and regulatory framework in accordance to its international obligations and in compliance with the latest IAEA safety standards and guides. Also, the cooperation with the IAEA covers technical aspects that aimed to enhance substantially radiological safety and nuclear security in several key areas.

Shortly after its establishment, the LAEC, in cooperation with the IAEA through its technical cooperation program, started to put in shape analytical laboratories. It started to develop technical competence of its staff in order to make use of nuclear and related analytical techniques in different important areas like environment, human health, food safety, preservation of cultural heritage, and industrial development.

The large progress of the use of radiation sources in industries, research centers and particularly in medical sector as well as the continuous national need for testing and certification laboratories, pressed the LAEC, in the last decade, to multiply its effort by increasing the number of its technical staff, to make important change in its organizational chart and to develop its cooperation with the IAEA for extending its end user oriented laboratories, and enhance its skills in regulatory issues and radiation safety services.

Now, the LAEC is a key institution in the national regulatory system and is playing a central role for fulfilling the technical aspects of the international obligations and commitments of Lebanon pertaining to safety, security and safeguards and it becomes a regional center of excellence in the use and development of analytical methods for applications in various key areas that have direct impact on the socioeconomic development of the country.

A quality management system has been established, for analysis and certification laboratories, according to ISO standard 17025. The gamma spectroscopy laboratory has been recently accredited by an EU accreditation body. Other laboratories and on site testing techniques are in stage of implementation of the quality system. Furthermore, authorization, licensing and inspection are performed according to ISO standard 17020.

The LAEC’s near future development plan is in agreement with the signed Country Program Framework between Lebanon and the TC department – IAEA, this plan covers: i) the fostering of the national legal and regulatory framework through the promulgation of a new comprehensive law that covers safety, security and safeguards, ii) the development of the radiation safety infrastructure via the commissioning of a radiation early warning system and via the finalizing of the construction of the temporary store of radioactive sources within the IAEA safety standards to host orphan, seized and some disused sources, iii) the expansion of the analytical capabilities to cover wider spectrum of applications and iv) the initiation of a feasibility study for a research reactor to enhance synergy between researchers specialized in applied nuclear physics and to conduct education and training program in operation and nuclear safety issues.

The LAEC is looking forward to maintain and develop its cooperation with relevant Ministries, public institutions, research centers, Universities with the private sector. The LAEC is committed to continue serving the community with high competency, transparency and openness and is dedicated to deliver high quality and reliable results, assured by its skilled staff, by using state of the art techniques through an integrated quality system.