Between 18th-19th October 2017, Department of Import and Export (DIMEX) as the Trade Facilitation Secretariat (TFS) organized the training on Data Collection Methodology, Classification, Review and Assessment of Non-Tariff Trade Measures (NTMs) in Lao Plaza Hotel, Vientiane. Mr. Khemdeth Sihavong, Deputy Director General of DIMEX, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) and Mr. Michael Kleine, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Laos successfully chaired this training with the support from the LUNA II Laos. There were 42 participants, who are NTMs focal points from all lined departments. Mr. Khemdeth Sihavong mentioned in the training “The NTMs aims to protect human or animal life as well as environment, but the unwarranted application of these measures will consequently create the Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). Therefore, it is important to consolidate, classify and review these NTMs that currently issued and enforced by line departments”. The objective of this training is to enhance the understanding of NTMs focal points and other responsible government officials regarding the importance of NTMs assessment and classification under UNCTAD’s principal as well as the effective method for NTMs review and assessment. This is one of priority tasks for NTMs Unit in DIMEX. In this training, the significance and the overall NTMs assessment were presented by Mr. Vilavong Soutthanilaxay, Deputy Head of Trade Facilitation Division, DIMEX, which illustrated the background of NTMs assessment since 2013. Since then, several important activities had been implemented such as NTMs trainings and consultations, classification of 253 NTMs from 80 regulations introduced by line departments and addressed private sector’s issues related to NTMs. In addition, the vehicle and petroleum import approval processes, which are under the administration of DIMEX, had been simplified.
Moreover, Ms. Chi Le Ngo, the NTMs expert from UNCTAD presented data collection methodology and classification base on the UNCTAD’s handbook and guideline in the trainning. According to UNCTAD, there are 3 main groups of NTMs including: Technical measures, Non-technical measures and Export measures, which each one consists of several sub-groups listed from A to P. Besides the theoritical framework, the expert used number of case studies for participants to test their understanding. In the training, Mr. Paul Schmit, NTMs expert also presented about the approach for reviewing and assessing the importance and necessity of NTMs application as well as the advantages and disadvantages of NTMs on economic development especially the impacts to consumers.
In the final session of the training, participants worked on the practical exercises in order to gain practical knowledge, and the training distributed the certificates for all participants to mark the achievement of this training.
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