RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.2 
9 May 2008 
 
 (08-2199) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of the Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Legislative Action Plan  
 
Revision  
  
 The following submission, dated 22 April 2008, is being circulated at the request of the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
 
 
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 WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.2 
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: 
 - Agriculture Law (1998); - Decree Law on Foreign Exchange  and Precious Metals (2002); 
- 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); - Law on the Promotion of Domestic Investment (2004); - Law on the Promotion of Foreign Investment (2004); - Food Law (2004); 
- Law on Handling Petitions (2005); 
- Customs Law (2005); - Tax Law (2005); - Enterprise Law (2005);  - Law on Resolution of Economic Disputes (2005);  
- Value Added Tax Law (2006);  
- Law on Forestry (2007); - Law on Intellectual Property (in progress); and - Law on Standards (in progress).  The following Decrees, Regulations and Notifications relevant to international trade have also been 
released: 
 - 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 Manage ment and Use of Fertilizer (2000); 
- Ministerial Regulation on Manage ment and Use of Pesticide (2000); 
- 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); 
- Presidential Ordinance on Legal Act Drafting (2003); 
- 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);  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.2 
 Page 3 
 
 
  - 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); 
- 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);  - Ministerial Order on Import Export Facilitating Procedure (2007); and - Decree on implementing the Customs Law (2007).   
  WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.2 
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 
 Adopted by the Prime Minister in October 2007 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 Law on Investment 
  Preparation by the Ministry of Planning 
and Investment by June 2010 2010  
4 List of goods required 
approval and prohibition for Import-Export  The revised list is to be prepared by the 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce by 2008 Not applicable  
5 Revising Decree Law and 
Regulation on Foreign 
Exchange GATT Article XV Revised by the Bank of Lao PDR in 
2005-2008 Not applicable  
6 Law on Standards  TBT and SPS Law was prepared by the National 
Science and Technology Authority  Adopted by the Government by 2007  Approved by the National Assembly in November 2007  
Promulgated by 2008  
    2007 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 Decree on implementing 
the Law on Standards  TBT and SPS The draft Degree to be prepared and 
finalized by the National Science and Technology Authority by 2010 Not applicable Assistance is required to further work on the 
draft.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.2
 Page 5No. Laws and Decrees Relevant WTO 
Agreement Status of Draft/Intended Actions Expected Approval Date 
by National Assembly 
(if applicable) Technical Assistance Requirements 
8 Law on Metrology TBT and SPS Basic draft Law has been prepared by 
the National Sc ience Technology 
Authority 
 
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. 
9 Veterinary Law  
 SPS Draft Law was prepared by the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  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. 
10 Law on Plant Protection 
and Plant Quarantine 
 SPS To be drafted by the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Forestry 
 To be adopted by the Government by 2010  To be approved by the National Assembly by 2010  
 
    2010 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. 
11 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.2 
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 
12 Regulation on the 
establishment of the SPS/TBT notification point SPS and TBT Notification point to be established 
within Foreign Trade Policy Department of Ministry of Industry and 
Commerce  
 It would be operational upon accession Not applicable Assistance has 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. 
13 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 National Science and Technology Authority  It would be operational upon accession Not applicable Assistance has 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 
14 Law on Intellectual 
Property TRIPS Prepared by National Science and  
Technology Authority  
Adopted by the Government  
 Approved by the National Assembly in November 2007  Promulgated by 2008  
  
 
 2007 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 officials and judges for effective enforcement.   Transition period is required to adhere to the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. 
15 Decrees implementing the 
Law on Intellectual 
Property    TRIPS To be prepared by the National Science 
and  Technology Authority during 
2010-2012 Not applicable Capacity building is needed for awareness 
raising and train officials and judges for 
effective enforcement.  
 Transition period is required to adhere to the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement  
   WT/ACC/LAO/9/Rev.2
 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 
16 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 and to be operational upon accession. Not applicable  Capacity building, 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 Industrial Development Organization  WIPO  World Intellectual Property Organization WTO  World Trade Organization  
 
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