On 2nd March 2017 at Mercure Hotel, Vientiane Capital, Department of Import and Export as an office of Trade Facilitation Secretariat organized “The Meeting to Review Trade Facilitation Strategic Plan of Lao PDR for 2011-2015 and Discussion on a Draft of Trade Facilitation Roadmap of Lao PDR for 2017-2020” which is a technical meeting to prepare for the 6th Trade Facilitation Secretariat Meeting that will be held in the near future. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Khemdeth Sihavong, Deputy Director General of Import and Export Department, attended by 45 representatives from both public and private sector.
The purpose of this meeting is to review the Trade Facilitation Strategic Plan of Lao PDR for 2011-2015 and to present the draft of Trade Facilitation Roadmap of Lao PDR for 2017-2020. The review of Trade Facilitation Strategic Plan of Lao PDR for 2011-2015 demonstrates success in various areas, which include facilitating custom clearance, the supply of materials and facilities, the completion of Lao PDR’ obligations under WTO, ASEAN and GMS agreement, and the establishment of national trade facilitation committee. However, there are some works that need to be improved. For example, the coordination between relevant departments in central level, the coordination between public and private sector, and the coordination between central and local levels in completing trade facilitation strategic plan. In addition, the compliance and harmonization on the implementation of trade regulations are also needed to be focus on as well as the increasing of Non-Tariff Measures that lead to trade barriers such as the numbers of checkpoints along the roads and many existing fee collection checkpoints.
The Trade Facilitation Roadmap for 2017-2020 aims for Lao PDR to gain benefits on trade competition by reducing time and costs in business operation through implementing one stop inspection, nation single window service, Authorised Economic Operator, and linking customs clearance with neighbor countries. Moreover, it will focus on fully implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement by 2020 as the agreement will reduce of 19% of trade cost. This will be completed by improving coordination especially in local level and the close coordination with private sector to ensure that they will gain expected benefits from trade facilitation measures.
The draft of the Trade Facilitation Roadmap for 2017-2020 stipulates 06 strategic plans that includes: (1) the Developing institutional mechanism for effective coordination among line departments; (2) Strengthening governance structure at sub-national level for improved communication, monitoring and implementation of the trade facilitation measures; (3) Cross-border cooperation and regional integration; (4) Collaboration with the private sector; (5) Priority measures for publication of Service Charters, simplification of procedures, like Single Window, One Stop Inspection and One Point Payment; (6) Full implementation of TFA in an accelerated time-bound manner.
The participants of the meeting had shared their opinion on the review of Trade Facilitation Strategic Plan of Lao PDR for 2011-2015 and discussion on a draft of Trade Facilitation Roadmap of Lao PDR for 2017-2020 in direct and creative ways. The majority agreed to revise coordination mechanism between relevant departments in central level, and between central and local level for more effective result. The comments of the participants will be useful for the review of Trade Facilitation Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 and the draft of Trade Facilitation Roadmap for 2017-2020 in the future as its will be used to report to the Trade Facilitation Secretariat to consider and approval for the next step.
Please share your feedback below and help us improve our content.