RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1 
20 July 2007 
 
 (07-3088) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Legislative Action Plan  
 
Revision  
   The following submission, dated 9 July 2007, is being circulated at the request of the 
Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
 
_______________ WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1 
Page 2 
 
 
  Introduction  
 
This document is divided into two sections.  The first section provides an overview of recent progress 
in adoption of legislation in Lao PDR to bring th e country's legislative framework into conformity 
with WTO provisions.  The second section outlines an agenda for enacting and implementing laws 
and/or adopting regulations/decrees for WTO conformity in Lao PDR.  
Section I:  Progress in Adoption of Legislation
 
 The following are either new or amended laws that  have some relevance to international trade and 
have recently been approved by the Lao PDR National Assembly:  - Decree Law on Foreign Exchange  and Precious Metals (2002); 
- Law on the People's Courts (2003); - Law on Civil Procedure (2004); 
- Law on Judgement Enforcement (2004); 
- Law on the Promotion of Domestic Investment (2004); - Law on the Promotion of Foreign Investment (2004); - Food Law (2004); - Customs Law (2005); 
- Tax Law (2005); 
- Enterprise Law (2005);  - Law on Resolution of Econ omic Disputes (2005); and 
- Value Added Tax Law (2006).  
The following Decrees, Regulations and Notifications relevant to international trade have also been 
released:  - Decree on Goods Trading Business (2001); - Prime Minister's Decree on Admini stration of Export and Import (2001); 
- Decree on the Protection of Patents, Petty  Patents and Industrial Designs (2002); 
- Regulation on the Registration of Tr ademarks (2002), latest amendments; 
- Prime Ministerial Notification on Export of Forestry Products (2002); - Decree on Border Trade Zone at Bane Dansavanh (2002); - Decree on Border Trade Zone at Bo ten, Luangnamtha Province (2002); 
- Presidential Decree on Fees and Services Charging (2002); 
- Decree of the Prime Minister on Special Economic Zone at Sava n-Seno, Savannakhet 
Province (2003); 
- Regulation on the Implementation of the Patents Decree (2003); - Instruction on Implementation of Decree Law on Management of Foreign Currency and 
Precious Metals (2003); 
- Ministerial Instruction of the Implementation of the Presidential Decree of the Lao PDR on 
the Registration and Other Services Fees (2003); 
- Decree on Trade Competition (2004); - Ministerial Guidelines on Lao PDR Organic Standard (2005); - Prime Minister's Instruction on Streamlini ng Investment Project Approval Procedure and 
Investment Promotion (2005); 
- Decision on Determined List of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursor 
Chemicals (2005); 
- Prime Minister's Decree on Implementation of the Law on the Promotion of Domestic 
Investment (2005); 
- Prime Minister's Decree on Implementati on of the Law on the Promotion of Foreign 
Investment (2005);  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1 
 Page 3 
 
 
  - Prime Minister’s Order on the Implementation of Enterprise Law (2006); 
- Ministerial Instruction on Implem entation of Enterprise Law (2006); 
- Notification on the List of Controlled Goods for Import and Export (2006); - Regulation on the Control on Production,  Exported-Imported Safe Food (2006); 
- Notification on the Enhancement of Border Check Point (2007); and 
- Ministerial Order on Import Export Facilitating Procedure (2007).  
  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1 
Page 4 Section II:  Legislative Action Plan  
 
Current Status of and Agenda for Lao PDR's Process for Ensuring Conformity of Legislation with WTO Provisions  
 
No. Laws and Decrees Relevant WTO 
Agreement Status of Draft/Intended Actions Expected Approval Date 
by National Assembly 
(if applicable) Technical Assistance Requirements 
Trade in Goods 
1 Implementing Decree of 
the Customs Law Customs Valuation  
Rules of Origin Preparation by the Ministry of 
Finance  
To be adopted by the Prime 
Minister in June 2008 Not applicable Assistance is required for raising 
awareness, automating customs clearance, training customs enforcement officers and 
strengthening anti-smuggling program. 
 Transition period is required. 
2 Implementing Decree of 
the VAT Law  Article III GATT 1994 Preparation by the Ministry of 
Finance by 2007 
 To be adopted by the Ministry of 
Finance in January 2009 Not applicable  
3 Revising Decree Law and 
Regulation on Foreign 
Exchange GATT Article XV To be revised by the Bank of 
Lao PDR 2008  
4 Decree on Technical 
Regulations TBT The draft Degree to be prepared 
and finalized by the Science Technology and Environment 
Agency by 2008 Not applicable Assistance is required to further work on 
the draft. 
5 Law on Standards  TBT and SPS Basic draft Law has been 
prepared by the Science Technology and Environment 
Agency 
 To be adopted by the Government 
by 2007 
 To be approved by the National 
Assembly by 2009  
  
 
  
 
 2009 
 Assistance is required to further work on 
the draft Law.  
Further assistance is needed for 
publication, dissemination, training, and establishing testing facilities. 
 
Transition period is required to adhere to the provisions of the TBT and SPS 
Agreements.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1
 Page 5No. Laws and Decrees Relevant WTO 
Agreement Status of Draft/Intended Actions Expected Approval Date 
by National Assembly 
(if applicable) Technical Assistance Requirements 
6 Law on Metrology TBT and SPS Basic draft Law has been 
prepared by the Science 
Technology and Environment 
Agency  
To be adopted by the Government 
by 2007  
To be approved by the National 
Assembly by 2009  
 
 
  
 
  
2009 Assistance is required to further work on 
the draft Law.  
 
Further assistance is needed for publication, dissemination, training, and 
establishing testing facilities. 
 Transition period is required to adhere to 
the provisions of the TBT and SPS 
Agreements. 
7 Veterinary Law  SPS Basic draft Law has been 
prepared by the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Forestry and 
needs amendments  
To be endorsed by the 
Government by 2008 
 
To be approved by the National Assembly by 2009  
 
 
  
 
 
 
2009 Technical assistance is required to further 
work on the draft Law.  
 
Further technical and financial assistance is needed for capacity building, human 
resources training and infrastructure 
development and investment as per the 
recommendations in the Action Matrix of 
the Integrated Framework in Lao PDR.  
Transition period is required to adhere to 
the provisions of the SPS Agreement. 
8 Law on Plant Protection 
and Plant Quarantine SPS To be drafted by the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Forestry by 2009 
 
To be adopted by the Government by 2010 
 
To be approved by the National Assembly by 2011  
 
 
  
 
2011 Technical and financial assistance is 
required to draft the Law.  
 
Further technical and financial assistance is needed for capacity building, human 
resources training and infrastructure 
development and investment as per the recommendations in the Action Matrix of 
the Integrated Framework in Lao PDR.   
 Transition period is required to adhere to 
the provisions of the SPS Agreement. 
9 Regulations to 
implementing the Food Law SPS To be drafted and adopted by the 
Ministry of Health during 2008-2010 Not applicable Assistance is needed on drafting regulation 
and guidelines, and training.  
  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1 
Page 6 No. Laws and Decrees Relevant WTO 
Agreement Status of Draft/Intended Actions Expected Approval Date 
by National Assembly 
(if applicable) Technical Assistance Requirements 
10 Regulation on the 
establishment of the 
SPS/TBT notification 
point SPS and TBT Notification point to be 
established within Department of 
Intellectual Property 
Standardization and Metrology of the Science Technology and 
Environment Agency 
 It would be operational upon 
accession Not applicable Assistance ha s been received from UNIDO 
to establish online database on 
TBT measures.  
 Further assistance is required for raising 
awareness and disseminating on SPS and 
TBT measures. 
11 Regulation on the 
establishment of SPS/TBT enquiry point SPS and TBT Enquiry point to be established 
within Department of Intellectual Property Standardization and 
Metrology of the Science 
Technology and Environment Agency 
 
It would be operational upon 
accession Not applicable Assistance ha s been received from UNIDO 
to establish online database on TBT measures. 
 
Further assistance is required for raising awareness and disseminating on SPS and 
TBT measures.  
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights 
12 Law on Intellectual 
Property TRIPS Under preparation by Science 
Technology and Environment Agency 
 
To be adopted by the Government by 2009 
 
To be approved by the National Assembly by 2010  
  
 
  
 
2010 Assistance has been received from WIPO 
to prepare the Model Law which forms the basis for drafting the IP Law. EC-ASEAN 
Project Phase 2 provided comments on the 
draft Law.  
Capacity building is needed for awareness 
raising and train offi cials and judges for 
effective enforcement.  
 
Transition period is required to adhere to the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. 
13 Decrees implementing the 
Law on Intellectual 
Property    TRIPS To be prepared by the Science 
Technology and Environment 
Agency by 2011 Not applicable Capacity building is needed for awareness 
raising and train offi cials and judges for 
effective enforcement.   
Transition period is required to adhere to 
the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement  
   WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.1
 Page 7No. Laws and Decrees Relevant WTO 
Agreement Status of Draft/Intended Actions Expected Approval Date 
by National Assembly 
(if applicable) Technical Assistance Requirements 
Trade in Services 
14 Regulation to establish a 
GATS enquiry point GATS Enquiry point to be established 
within Foreign Trade Policy 
Department of the Ministry of 
Industry and Commerce Upon accession Capacity buildin g, including training and 
equipping, is needed for establishing the 
enquiry point.  
 
Organisation Acronyms:  ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations EC  European Community 
FAO  Food and Agriculture Organization 
UNDP  United Nations Development Programme UNIDO  United Nations Industria l Development Organization  
WIPO  World Intellectual Property Organization WTO  World Trade Organization  
 
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