RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.5 
29 March 2011 
 (11-1546) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of the Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Legislative Action Plan  
 
Revision  
 
  The following submission, dated 16 March 2011, is  being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
  
_______________ WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.5 
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 the country's legislative framework into 
conformity with WTO provisions.  The second section outlines an agenda for enacting and 
implementing laws and/or adop ting 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 been approved by  the Lao PDR National Assembly: 
Laws Year of Adoption 
Agriculture Law 1998 
Law on the People's Courts 2003 
Law on the Office of the Public Prosecutor 2003 
Law on Civil Procedure 2004 
Law on Judgement Enforcement 2004 
Food Law 2004 
Law on Handling Petitions 2005 
Customs Law 2005 
Tax Law 2005 
Enterprise Law 2005 
Value Added Tax Law 2006 
Law on Forestry 2007 
Law on Intellectual Property 2007 
Law on Standardization 2007 
Law on Livestock Production and Veterinary Matters 2008 
Law on Plant Protection 2008 
Law on Investment Promotion 2009 
Law on Fisheries 2009 
Law on Metrology 2010 
Law on Economic Dispute Resolution  2010 
 
 The following Decrees, Regulations and Notifications  relevant to international trade have also 
been released: 
Decrees/Notifications Year of Adoption 
Prime Minister's Decree on  Plant Quarantine 1993 
Ministerial Regulation on Plant Quarantine 1993 
Decree on Trademarks 1995 
Ministerial Regulation on Management and Use of Planting Material and Seed 1997 
Ministerial Regulation on Management and Use of Fertilizer 2000 
Ministerial Regulation on Management and Use of Pesticide 2000 
Decree on Goods Trading Business 2001 
Decree on the Import and Export Management 2001 
Decree on the Protection of Patents, Petty Patents and Industrial Designs 2002 
Regulation on the Registration of Trademarks 2002 
Prime Ministerial Notification on Export of Forestry Products 2002 
Decree on Border Trade Zone  at Bane Dansavanh 2002 
Decree of the Prime Minister on Special Economic Zone at Savan-Seno, Savannakhet 
Province 2003 
Regulation on the Implementation of the Patents Decree 2003  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.5 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Decrees/Notifications Year of Adoption 
Decree on Trade Competition  2004 
Ministerial Guidelines on Lao PDR Organic Standard  2005 
Decision on Determined List of Narcotic Dr ugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursor 
Chemicals  2005 
Prime Minister's Order on the Implementation of Enterprise Law  2006 
Ministerial Instruction on Implementation of Enterprise Law  2006 
Regulation on Bottled Drinking Water  2006 
Regulation on Production, Exported-Imported Safe Food  2006 
Regulation on the Use of Standard Mark for Lao Products 2006 
Notification on the Enhancement of Border Check Point  2007 
Ministerial Order on Import Export Facilitating Procedure  2007 
Decree on Implementing the Customs Law  2007 
Presidential Decree on Fees and Services  Charges (2002) and amendments 2008 
Presidential Decree Law Governing the Management of Foreign Exchange and Precious 
Metals 2008 
National Policy on Food Safety  2009 
Guidelines implementing Decree on Implementation of Customs Law  2009 
Ministerial Regulation on the Basic Principles in the Application of Sanitary and 
Technical Measures for the Food Safety Management  2009 
Regulation on Labelling of Pre-Packaged Food  2009 
Regulation on the Quality Inspection of Goods 2009 
Presidential Ordinance on Conclusion, Accession and Implementation of Treaties 2009 
Decree on Import Licensing Procedures  2009 
Decree on Implementing Law of Value Added Tax 2009 
Notification on List of Goods Required Non-Automatic Import and Export Licensing 
(replaced Notification on the Li st of Controlled Goods for Im port and Export of 2006)  2009 
Decree on Rules of Origin  2010 
Instruction on Implementation of Decree Law on Management of Foreign Currency and 
Precious Metals 2010 
Regulation on Criteria for Livestock Production and Veterinary Business 2010 
Regulation on Good Agriculture Product 2010 
Regulation on the Organisation and Activities of the National Standard Council  2010 
Regulation on Central Technical Committee 2010 
Decree on Prices of G oods and Services 2010 
Decree on Trade Related Information Notification and Enquiry  2010 
Regulation on Pesticide Management  2010 
Decree on Special Economic Zone and Specific Economic Zone 2010 
Decision on SPS and TBT Notification Unit 2011 
Decision on GATS Enquiry Point 2011 
  
  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.5 
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. Amendment to the 
Decree on the Import and 
Export Management 
(2001) GATT Article III, XI 
and Trading Rights Amendment prepared by the 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce. 
 
The amendment has been approved 
in March 2011 and to be adopted by 
the Government in April 2011.  
 
 
Not required. TA is received from USAID.  
2. Revise lists of Automatic 
and Non-automatic 
Licensing Import, Export 
Licensing Procedures Lists prepared by the Ministry of 
Industry and Commerce 
 
To be approved by March 2011.  
 
 
Not required. Recommendation received from USAID and 
UNCTAD.  
3. Law on Laws  GATT Article X Draft to be prepared by the Ministry 
of Justice in June 2011. 
 
To be approved by the National 
Assembly by 2011.   2011. TA received from the USAID. 
4. Decree implementing the 
Law on Investment 
Promotion  TRIMS Draft prepared by the Ministry of 
Planning and Investment in June 
2010. 
 
To be approved by the Government 
by April 2011. Not required. TA received from the TDF. 
5. Decree on the 
Implementation of the 
Law on Standardizationi TBT Draft prepared by the National 
Authority for Science and 
Technology in January 2011. 
 
To be approved by the Ministry of 
Justice by June 2011 
 
To be approved by the Government 
by December 2011.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Not required. TA received from the TDF and USAID.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.5
 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. Amendment to Law on 
Agricultureii AOA Amendment prepared by the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. 
 
To be approved by National 
Assembly in 2011.  
 
 
2011 TA to be requested from the TDF. 
7. Amendment to Tax Law GATT Article III Amendment prepared by Ministry of 
Finance. 
 
To be submitted to the National 
Assembly for adoption by the end of 
2011.  
 
 
2011 TA received from the World Bank. 
8. Presidential Edict on 
Export Duties  GATT Draft prepared by Ministry of 
Finance.  
 
To be approved by National 
Assembly by 2011. 2011   TA received from TDF 
9. Ministerial Instructions 
to implement Decree on 
Customs Valuationiii CVA Draft prepared by Ministry of 
Finance.  
 
To be approved by 2012.  
 
 
Not required. TA received from the World Bank and IMF. 
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights 
10. Decree Implementing  
Law on Intellectual 
Propertyiv TRIPS Draft prepared by National Authority 
for Science and Technology. 
 
To be approved by Ministry of 
Justice by June 2011.  
 
To be approved by Government in 
2011.  
 
 
 
 
 
Not required. TA received from WIPO, EU (ECAP III 
Project) and USAID. 
11. Amendment to the 
Intellectual Property Law TRIPS Draft amendment to be prepared by 
National Authority on Science and 
Technology. 
 
To be approved by National 
Assembly in 2013.  
 
 
 
2013 TA to be sought from WIPO, EU (ECAP III 
Project) and USAID.  
  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.5 
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 
Trade in Services  
12. List of Essential utilities 
(services) subject to price 
administration GATS List prepared by the Ministry of 
Industry and Commerce 
 
To be approved by June 2011  
 
 
Not required   
  
Organisation Acronyms: 
 
ADB  Asian Development Bank 
EU  European Union 
FAO  Food and Agriculture Organization 
TDF  Trade Development Facility 
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 
USAID  United States Agency for International Development 
WIPO  World Intellectual Property Organization 
WTO  World Trade Organization 
 
 
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i See also details in the revised TBT Action Plan, document WT/ACC/LAO/14/Rev.4.  
ii See also details in the revised SPS Ac tion Plan, document WT/ACC/LAO/13/Rev.4. 
iii See also details in the revised CVA Action Plan, document WT/ACC/LAO/12/Rev.3. 
iv See also details in the revised TRIPS Action Plan, document WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.4.