RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.3 
26 May 2010 
 
 (10-2884) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of the 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 17 May 2010, is  being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
 
_______________ WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.3 
Page 2  
 
  Issues Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Technical Assistance 
Provided/Sought 
Regulation on Bottled Drinking Water, No. 585/MOH, dated 
12 May 2006 Adopted in 2006 TA including 
recommendations received 
from FAO and WHO. 
Regulation on Production, 
Exported-Imported Safe Food, 
No. 586/MOH, dated 12 May 2006 Adopted in 2006 TA including 
recommendations received 
from FAO and WHO. 
National Policy on Food Safety, 
No. 028/PM dated 3 February 2009 Adopted in 2009 TA including 
recommendations received from FAO and WHO. 
 
TA requested from Trade Development Facility 
(TDF) for publication, 
dissemination and training for all stakeholders. 
Regulation on Basic Principles in 
Application of Sanitary and 
Technical Measures in Food Safety Management in accordance with 
the SPS Agreement (formerly 
referred to as Decree on Implementation of Food Law) Adopted in 2009 Recommendations received 
from FAO and WHO. 
 TA to be requested from 
TDF for publication, 
dissemination and training for all stakeholders. 
Regulation on Labelling of 
Pre-Packaged Food  Adopted in 2009 TA received from WHO on 
drafting. 
Regulation on Food Inspection 
(formerly referred to as Regulation 
on Food Control System) Regulation being 
drafted by MOH 
and to be adopted 
by 2011 TA received from WHO 
and FAO in drafting 
regulation and to be 
requested from TDF and WHO for finalizing the 
regulation and guidelines 
as well as training for food inspector. 
Regulation on Food Additives Expect to be 
adopted in 2011. 
The assessment 
and gathering data 
on additive use in 
Lao PDR is 
ongoing. TA to be requested from 
TDF, FAO and WHO for 
drafting and finalizing the regulation. 
Adopting Codex Alimentarius 
Standards for Lao PDR Priority standards 
have been 
selected. Adoption 
is ongoing. TA to be requested from 
TDF for translation, 
publication, training and implementation. 
Establishment of an independent 
food laboratory Deferred No funding. 1.  Food Safety 
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.3 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Issues Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Technical Assistance 
Provided/Sought 
Livestock Production and Veterinary Law No. 03/NA, dated 
25 July 2008 (formerly referred to 
as the Veterinary Law) Adopted in 2008 Recommendations received 
from FAO and EU. 
 
TA requested from FAO 
and TDF for publication, 
dissemination and training for all stakeholders. 
Law on Fisheries Adopted in 2009 TA to be requested for 
publication, dissemination 
and training for all stakeholders. 
Ministerial Decision on Meat 
Inspection (formerly referred to as 
Decree on Meat Inspection) To be adopted in 
2010 Recommendations received 
from EU. 
The amendment of Decree on 
Inspection of Live Animals on 
Import and Transit To be adopted in 
2010 Recommendations received 
from EU. 
The amendment of Decree on Animal Epidemic Diseases To be adopted in 
2010 Recommendations received 
from EU. 
Decree on Livestock Production Management Decree is 
unnecessary as 
required 
provisions already 
included in 
Livestock 
Production and 
Veterinary Law N/A 
Decree on Animal Qu arantine Decree is 
unnecessary as 
required 
provisions already 
included in 
Livestock 
Production and 
Veterinary Law N/A 
Establishment of a diagnostic 
laboratory Design finished in 
2010 Implementation funding  
requested from the World 
Bank. 
Identification of animal disease free 
areas To begin in 
September 2010 TA to be requested. 2.  Animal 
Health 
Regulation on Criteria for 
Livestock Production and 
Veterinary Business  To be adopted in 
2010 N/A 
Law on Plant Protection and 
Quarantine (formerly referred to as 
Law on Plant Protection and Plant 
Quarantine) Adopted in 2008 Recommendations received 
from FAO legal experts, 
practices of neighbouring 
countries.  
TA received from TDF for 
publication, dissemination and training for all 
stakeholders. 3.  Plant Health 
Regulation on Plant Quarantine to 
be updated To be drafted by 
2011 TA requested from TDF for 
drafting the update. WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.3 
Page 4  
 
  Issues Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Technical Assistance 
Provided/Sought 
Regulation on Plant Inspection and Certification To be drafted by 
2011 TA requested from TDF for 
drafting the regulation. 
Establishment of a laboratory on 
plant diseases and pests Deferred No funding.  
Identification of pest and disease 
free areas To be completed 
in 2010 TA to be requested.  
Regulation on Pesticide 
Management Adopted in 2010 TA requested from TDF.  
Decree on the SPS and TBT 
Notification Centre and Enquiry Points To be adopted in 
2010 TA received from EU on 
drafting and to be requested from USAID and ADB for 
implementation. 
Establishment of the SPS Enquiry 
Point at the Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture 
and Forestry Operational upon 
accession TA to be requested from 
USAID and ADB for implementation. 4.  Information      Procedures 
Establishment of the SPS and TBT 
Notification Centre at the Foreign Trade Policy Department, Ministry 
of Industry and Commerce  Operational upon 
accession TA to be requested from 
USAID and ADB for implementation. 
 
Note:  Lao PDR has requested a transitional period until 2012 for the full implementation of the SPS Agreement 
based on technical assistance and national capacity.  
Technical assistance on SPS is being elaborated under a multi-donor trust fund, the Trade Development Facility, 
under the Integrated Framework.  The key components of the project are the strengthening of SPS capacity, 
focussing on: 
 (i) Strengthening SPS institutional, legal and regulatory framework; 
(ii) Determining risk-based policies and control measures for SPS; and 
(iii) Strengthening the role of the private sector in the SPS regime.  
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