This study provides a comparative overview of the landscape of NTMs affecting Lao’s exports. It attempts to identify regulatory hurdles and other NTMs and related border costs that hamper the ability of the Lao PDR to reap the gains of deeper trade integration. In other words, this study seeks to gain a better understanding of the barriers faced by Lao PDR’s exporters.

To assess the size of NTMs and implications, this study have selected eight products, namely, banana, coffee, dried cassava, maize, rice, rubber, white charcoal and wood, all exported by Lao PDR. Although the NTM classification encompasses 16 chapters (A to P), the study considers only Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), based on United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) classification. All the eight products have potential for growth, both within the domestic and global markets, but all of them are hindered from doing so as a result of a number of policy and market based barriers. Interviews with 60 export firms and in addition 5 logistics firms were successfully conducted. This survey was conducted across the country. In addition to interviews with the firms, the relevant agencies were also consulted to obtain information on NTMs.

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