WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.7 
25 July 2012 
 (12-4084) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Action Plan on the Legislative Work an d Implementation of the WTO Agreement 
on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) 
 
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/13/Rev.7 
Page 2 Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance Provided/Sought 
1.  Food Safety Regulation No . 585/MoH "On Bottled Drinking 
Water" of 12 May 2006 Adopted in May 2006 TA received from FAO and WHO. 
Regulation No. 586/MoH "On Production, 
Exported-Imported Safe Food" of 12 May 2006 Adopted in May 2006 TA received from FAO and WHO. 
National Policy No. 028/PMO "On Food Safety" of 
3 February 2009 Adopted in February 2009 TA received from FAO and WHO. 
 TA received from Trade Development Facility (TDF) for publication, 
dissemination and training for all 
stakeholders. 
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 TA received from FAO and WHO on 
drafting.  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. 
Decision No. 297/MOH "On Food Inspection" of 
24 February 2012  Adopted in February 2012 TA received from TDF, FAO legal expert 
has been employed for finalizing the 
regulation. 
Regulation "On Food Additives" Adopted under Ministerial 
Decision No. 605/MoH "On Adopting Codex Alimentarius Standards as Priorities" of  27 April 2011 TA requested from TDF for translation, 
publication, training and implementation. 
Ministerial Decision No. 605/MoH,"On Adopting Codex Alimentarius Standards" of 27 April 2011 Adopted in April 2011 TA requested from TDF for translation, 
publication, training and implementation.  
National Association of Testing Authority (NATA)'s assessment on ISO 17025 accreditation for 
microbiology testing laboratory Started in 2009 
 TA received from UNIDO. 
Improving food processing by introducing food 
hygiene practice, GMP GMP Guidelines developed and 
training provided in 2009-2010. TA provided by EC, FAO and WHO in 
November 2009 for training and 
developing guidelines.    TA requested from Japan for GMP through APO project.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.7
 Page 3Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance Provided/Sought 
2.  Animal Health Law No. 03/NA "On Livestock Production and 
Veterinary" of 25 July 2008  Adopted in July 2008 Recommendations received from FAO 
and EU.  TA received from FAO and TDF for publication, dissemination and training for 
all stakeholders. 
Law No. 03/NA "On Fisheries" of 9 July 2009 Adopted in July 2009 TA received from TDF for publication, 
dissemination and training for all 
stakeholders. 
Ministerial Decision No. 0870/MAF "On Animal Slaughtering and Animal Product Inspection" of 18 March 2011  Adopted in March 2011 Recommendations received from EU. 
Decree No. 230/GoL "On the Control of the 
Movement of Animal, An imal Product and Related 
Item" of 4 June 2012 (formerly referred to as Amendment of Decree on Livestock and Livestock 
Products Movement Control)  Adopted in June 2012 TA received from FAO, TDF and USAID. 
Decree No. 228/GoL "On Animal Disease Control 
and Prevention" of 31 May 2012 (formerly referred to as Amendment of Decree on Animal Epidemic 
Diseases) Adopted in May 2012 TA received from FAO, TDF and USAID. 
Establishment of a diagnostic laboratory Completed in December 2011. 
BSL.3 system was installed.  Equipment moved in from the old laboratory. Implementation funding requested from 
the World Bank. 
Identification of animal disease free areas 
 
Regulation on Establishment of Animal Disease Free Area or Compartmentalization  The principles were included in 
Decree No. 228/GoL "On Animal 
Disease Control and Prevention" of 31 May 2012 ADB and World Bank under process of 
designing programme to get accreditation 
from OIE. 
Regulation No. 0039/MAF "On Principles in the Application of SPS Measures in Plant and Animal Administration" of 11 January 2012  Adopted in January 2012 TA received from USAID.   
  WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.7 
Page 4 Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance Provided/Sought 
 Regulation "On Criteria for Livestock Production 
and Veterinary Business " Incorporated in Decree 
No. 230/GoL "On the Control of the Movement of Animals, Animal Product and Related Item" of 4 June 2012 and Decree 
No. 228/GoL "On Animal 
Disease Control and Prevention" of 31 May 2012 TA received from FAO, TDF and USAID. 
3.  Plant Health Law No 06/NA "On Plant Protection and 
Quarantine" of 9 December 2008  Adopted in 2008 Recommendations received from FAO 
legal experts, practices of neighbouring countries.  
TA received from TDF for publication, 
dissemination, translation and training for all stakeholders. 
Decree No. 229/GoL "On Implementation of the Law on Plant Protection" of 31 May 2012  Adopted in May 2012 TA received from FAO, TDF and USAID. 
Regulation "On Good Agriculture Practices Adopted in 2010  
Guideline on Inspection and Certification 
Procedures for Plants, Plan Products and Related Articles (formerly refers to as the Regulation "On Plant Inspection and Certification"). Incorporated in Decree 
No. 229/GoL "On Implementation of the Law on Plant Protection" of 31 May 2012 TA received from FAO and TDF. 
Establishment of a laboratory on plant diseases and 
pests Deferred No funding.  
Identification of pest and disease free ar eas Basic principles incorporated in 
Decree No. 229/GoL "On 
Implementation of the Law on 
Plant Protection" of 31 May 2012  
Ministerial Decision No. 2860/MAF "On Control of 
Pesticides in Lao PDR" of 11 June 2010 (formerly referred to as the Regulation "On Pesticide Management") Adopted in 2010 TA requested from TDF for translation 
and publication.  
4.  Information Procedures Decree No. 363/PM "On Notification and Enquiry of 
Trade Related Information" of 19 August 2010 (formerly referred to as Decree "On the SPS and TBT Notification Centre and Enquiry Points") Adopted in August 2010 TA r eceived from EU on drafting and 
received from USAID and ADB for implementation.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.7
 Page 5Issues Actions Implementation Timeframe Technical Assistance Provided/Sought 
Establishment of SPS Enquiry Point under Decree 
No. 363/PM "On Notification and Enquiry of Trade Related Information" of 19 August 2010  Decision No. 1502/MAF "On SPS Enquiry Point" of 
23 June 2011 was adopted to strengthen 
coordination among notification unit, enquiry points and relevant authorities. 
 Address of SPS Enquiry Point:  
Division of Agriculture and Forestry 
Department of Planning Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry P.O. Box 811 Vientiane, Lao PDR Tel: +856 21 415363 Fax: +856 21 412343 
Email: spsenquiries@laotradeportal.gov.la Operational upon Accession 
   Adopted in June 2011 
 
   Responsible staff has been 
assigned.  
Webpage has been developed under the Trade Portal website.  TA received from USAID and ADB for 
implementation.   TA received from USAID.  
 
   Training and study visits for responsible 
staff have been requested from USAID. 
 
Establishment of SPS and TBT Notification Unit under Decree No. 363/PM "On Notification and Enquiry of Trade Related Information" 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 
  Responsible staff has been assigned. TA requested 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 visit.  
 
  Training and study visits for responsible staff requested from USAID. 
 
  
  WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.7 
Page 6 Plan of activities and technical assistance needed for 2012: 
1) Develop operational manuals for SPS Enquiry Po int and Notification Unit (with ADB support); 
2) Organize dissemination workshops and produ ce publications on activities and function of  SPS Enquiry Point and Notification Unit  (with ADB and 
USAID support);  
3) Provide trainings and study visits for staff responsible fo r SPS Enquiry Point and Notification Unit (with USAID support); 
4) Launching event for the operation of SPS Enquiry Po int and Notification Unit (with TDF support); and  
5) Adopt all necessary legislation to ensure the full compliance w ith the SPS Agreement by December 2012 (with TDF and USAID suppo rt). 
 Plan of activities and technical assistance needed for 2013: 
1) Organize dissemination workshops and produ ce publications on SPS new adopted legislati ons and SPS Agreement for relevant stakeh olders include 
business sector, local government authoriti es and relevant competent authorities; 
2) Set up the risk assessment systems for public health and agricu lture sectors including seeking funding support to provide neces sary equipment; 
3) Provide relevant trainings and stud y visits on risk assessment staff; 
4) Establish the National SPS Committee;  
5) Assign the national representatives to par ticipate in the WTO SPS committee meeting; 
6) Organize an annual national revi ew on the implementation of ne wly adopted SPS 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 SPS committee mee ting and other relevant WTO meetings; 
4) Organize an annual national review on the im plementation of the SPS legislations; and 
5) Exchange experiences on SPS matters with other Members. 
 
  
Note:  Lao PDR will ensure that its legal framework on food safety,  animal and plant health is in compliance with the SPS Agree ment by 31 December 2012.  
Full implementation of the SPS Agreement is 31 December 2014, taki ng into consideration of national capacity and the provision of technical assistance 
mentioned above. 
 
 
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