WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/ACC/LAO/14/Rev.7 
25 July 2012 
 (12-4093) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Action Plan on the Legislative Work and Implementation of  
the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) 
 
Revision 
  The following submission, dated 25 July 2012, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
 
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  WT/ACC/LAO/14/Rev.7 
Page 2 Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance (TA) 
Provided/Sought 
1. TBT related 
activities Reassessment of the Institutional, Legal and 
Regulatory Framework for TBT. Completed in June 2011 TA received from Trade 
Development Facility (TDF). 
2. Institutional 
strengthening activities Medium to Long-Term Institutional Development 
Strategy for Quality Infrastructure. Initial draft completed and 
being in consultation process before submission to the government by the end of 
2012 and adopted by February 
2013 TA received from TDF and USAID. 
Decision No. 235/PMO-NAST "On the Organization 
and Activities of the National Standards Council" of 3 February 2010. Adopted in February 2010  
Regulation No. 336/NSC NAST "On Organization and 
Activities of Central Technical Committee" of 22 October 2010. Adopted in October 2010  
3. Technical 
regulations Law No. 13/NA "On Standardization" of 
26 December 2007. Adopted in December 2007 TA received from EU and UNIDO 
(ended in 2008). 
Decree No. 234/GoL "On the Implementation of the Law on Standardization" of 6 June 2012 Adopted on 6 June 2012 Recommendations received from 
USAID and TDF. 
Regulation No. 1226/PMO-NAST "On Quality Inspection of Goods" of 17 July 2009. Adopted in July 2009  
Regulation No. 518/MoH "On Basic Principles in 
Application of Sanitary and Technical Measures in 
Food Safety Management in accordance with the SPS 
Agreement" of 18 March 2009. Adopted in March 2009 Recommendations received from 
FAO and WHO. 
 
TA received from TDF for publication, dissemination and training for all stakeholders. 
Regulation No. 519/MoH "On Labelling of Pre-Packaged Food" of 18 March 2009. Adopted in March 2009 TA received from the WHO on 
drafting. 
Code of Practice for Technical Regulations. (adopted through Article 10 of Decree No. 234/GoL "On the Implementation of the Law on 
Standardization" of 6 June 2012) Adopted in June 2012 TA received from USAID. 
Decision No. 297/MOH on Food Inspection of 24 
February 2012 (formerly referred to as Regulation "On 
Food Control System"). Adopted in February 2012 TA received from TDF, FAO legal 
expert has been employed for 
finalizing the regulation.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/14/Rev.7
 Page 3Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance (TA) 
Provided/Sought 
4. Standards Law No. 13/NA "On Standardization" of 
26 December 2007. Adopted in December 2007 TA received from EU and UNIDO 
(ended 2008). 
Decree No. 234/GoL "On the Implementation of the Law on Standardization" of 6 June 2012 Adopted on 6 June 2012 Recommendations received from 
USAID and TDF. 
Regulation No. 1718/ PMO-NAST "On the Use of Standard Mark for Lao Products" of 7 August 2006. Adopted in August 2006 TA received from EU and UNIDO. 
5. Conformity 
Assessment Law No. 13/NA "On Standardization" of 
26 December 2007. Adopted in 2007 TA received from EU and UNIDO 
(ended in 2008). 
Decree No. 234/GoL "On the Implementation of the Law on Standardization" of 6 June 2012 Adopted on 6 June 2012 TA and recommendations received 
from USAID and TDF. 
Law No. 07/NA "On Metrology" of 20 December 2010. Adopted in December 2010 Technical review undertaken by 
UNIDO Experts. 
Lao PDR joined MRA under ASEAN for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.  Adopted on 5 April 2002  
Establishment of testing facilities for construction 
materials, textiles and chemicals. Deferred TA to be requested. 
6. Information 
Procedures Decree No. 363/PM "On Notification and Enquiry of 
Trade Related Information" of 19 August 2010. Adopted in August 2010 TA received from EU on drafting 
and received from USAID and ADB 
for implementation. 
Establishment of TBT Enquiry Point under Decree on Notification and Enquiry of Trade Related Information 
No. 363/PM of 19 August 2010.  Decision No. 1199/ PMO-NAST "On TBT Enquiry Point" of 22 June 2011 was adopted to strengthen coordination among notification unit, enquiry points 
and relevant authorities. 
 Address of Lao PDR TBT Enquiry Point: 
Standards Division, Department of Standardization 
and Metrology, Ministry of Science and Technology 
P.O. Box 2279, Vientiane, Lao PDR 
Tel:  +85621732093  Fax: +856 21 732 093 
Email: tbtenquiries@la otradeportal.gov.laOperational upon accession 
 
  Adopted in June 2011   
 
 Responsible staff have been assigned; webpage developed under Trade Portal website; 
training and study visits for 
responsible staff requested from USAID TA received from USAID and ADB 
for implementation. 
  TA received from USAID.  
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Page 4 Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance (TA) 
Provided/Sought 
Establishment of SPS and TBT Notification Unit under Decree on Notification and Enquiry of Trade Related Information No. 3 63/PM of 19 August 2010. 
 
Decision No. 0471/MOIC "On SPS and TBT 
Notification Unit" of 9 March 2011.  Address of SPS and TBT Notification Unit:   Multilateral Trade Policy Division,  
Foreign Trade Policy Department,  
Ministry of Industry and Commerce.  P.O. Box 4107, Phonexay Road, Vientiane Capital, 
Lao PDR Tel: 85621-450065  Fax:  85621-450066  Email: sps_tbt_notification@laoftpd.com 
Website: www.laoftpd.com   Operational upon accession 
   
Adopted in March 2011 TA received from USAID and ADB 
for implementation, e.g. establishment of database, training of relevant staff on the SPS and TBT 
Agreements including through 
exchange experiences and study visits. 
 Notes:   Lao PDR will ensure that its legal framework on technical re gulations, standards and conformity assessment is in compliance w ith the TBT Agreement 
by 31 December 2012.  Full implementation of the TBT Agreement is 31 December 2014.   
 Although this Action Plan indicates that much progress has been achieved in the preparation a nd adoption of the legal framewor k in compliance with the 
TBT Agreement, Lao PDR still lacks the capac ity to implement the provisions and it is wo rking with development partners to achi eve the objective of 
implementation.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/14/Rev.7
 Page 5 
Plan of activities for 2012: 
1) Produce Operational Manual for TBT Enquiry Point; 
2) Organize dissemination workshops and produce publicati ons on activities and function of TBT Enquiry Point;  
3) Provide trainings and study visits for st aff responsible for TBT Enquiry Point; and 
4) Adopt all necessary legislation to ensure the full compliance with the TBT Agreement.  
 
Plan of activities and technical assistance needed for 2013: 
1) Dissemination workshops on the implementation of TBT legislation,  including the Law on Standardi zation and its implementing Dec ree; 
2) Adopt the Medium to Long-Term Institutional De velopment Strategy for Quality Infrastructure; 
3) Prepare to implement the Medium to Long-Term Institu tional Development Strategy for Quality Infrastructure; 
4) Capacities building and institutional strengthening to ensure eff ective implementation of the TBT legislations and the Medium t o Long-Term Institutional 
Development Strategy for Quality Infrastructure;  
5) Assign the national representatives to partic ipate the WTO TBT Committee meetings; and 
6) Organize an annual national review on the implementation of the TBT legislation. 
 
Plan of activities and technical assistance needed for 2014: 
1) Communicate to address on outstanding issues identified by annual national review; 
2) Organize dissemination workshops and consultation meetings, if necessary; 
3) Participate in the WTO TBT committee mee tings and other relevant WTO meetings; 
4) Organize an annual national review on the im plementation of the TBT legislation; and 
5) Exchange experiences with other Members. 
 
  
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