LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY

Prime Minister           No. 48/PM
Vientiane Capital, dated, 26 July 2018

 Decision
on the operation of Trade Facilitation Committee

  • Pursuant to the government law (revision), No 04/NA, dated 8 November 2016;
  • Pursuant to the certification and promulgation of the Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2017-2022, No. 0051/TFSC, dated 25 September 2018;
  • Pursuant to the requested letter of Ministry of Industry and Commerce, No 0547/MOIC, dated 08 May 2018

Prime Minister has issues a Decision as following:

Art.1: Appoint National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) as follow:

  1. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Deputy Prime Minister as Head of the Committee;
  2. Minister of Industry and Commerce, Vice Head of the Committee and Standing Member;
  3. Vice Minister of Planning and Investment, Vice Head of the Committee;
  4. Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce, Vice Head of the Committee and Head of TF Secretariat;
  5. Vice Minister of Finance, Member of the Committee;
  6. Vice Minister of Public Work and Transportation, Member of the Committee;
  7. Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Member of the Committee;
  8. Vice Minister of Public Health, Member of the Committee;
  9. Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Member of the Committee;

Art. 2: NTFC has duties and rights as follow:

  1. Support the government in monitoring and assess the implementation of regulations as well as providing studies, research and recommendations for the government on policies, roadmap, strategies, regulations, international agreements that Laos act of Member States;
  2. Being focal point for public organizations and private sectors both central and local level to address trade issues, and implementing trade facilitation measures in a unify manner;
  3. Being focal point for foreign countries and international organizations regarding to joint negotiation on regional and International agreements and focal point for seeking capital resources and experts to develop trade facilitation;
  4. Study, enhance procedures and NTMs in relation to goods transportation, import-export and goods in transit on compliance with international commitments;
  5. Promotes the use of modern ICT in communication and exchange of trade information to increase the international integration;
  6. Support concerned sectors, both public and private, to encourage the collaboration in implementing strategies/trade facilitation roadmap as existing for the time period, as well as monitor and assess the implementation of trade facilitation and encourage other line agencies  to develop their own work that related to trade facilitation;
  7. Conduct studies and provide recommendations to concerned ministries to address problems and barriers to trade so that it is unified, convenient, fast, simple, transparent and complied with internal regulations and international commitments;
  8. Organize meeting between central and provincial committee 2 times a year to summarize, provide lessons learned and solicit advice from the government to implement trade facilitation, as well as provide training and raise awareness among public and private sectors about regulations and international commitments related to trade;
  9. Develop plan, monitor fiscal budget and use vehicle and other materials provided by the government in order to implement works related to trade facilitation;
  10. Appoint secretariat office with detailed rights and duties. The secretariat office shall be located at Department of Import and Export (DIMEX), Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC).
  11. Other duties assigned by the government or listed in relevant regulations.

Art. 3: Appoint Provincial/Capital Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC) as follow:

  1. Vice governor, Head of PTFC;
  2. Director of Department of Industry and Commerce,  Deputy head of PTFC;
  3. Director of Department of Public Works and Transport, Deputy head of PTFC
  4. Director of Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Deputy head of PTFC
  5. Director of Department of Health, deputy head of PTFC,
  6. Director of Department of Science and Technology,  Deputy head of PTFC
  7. Director of Department of Customs,  Deputy head of PTFC
  8. Deputy Director of Department of Energy and Mines, Member;
  9. Deputy Director of Department of Post, Telecommunications and Communications, Member;
  10. Deputy Director of Tax Department,  Member;
  11. Deputy Director of Department of Planning and Investment,  Member;
  12. Deputy Director of Department of Finance, Member;
  13. Deputy Director of Department of Foreign Affairs, Member;
  14. Deputy Director of Department of Foreign Affairs,  Member;
  15. Deputy Director of Department of General Affairs, Governor’s Office, Member;
  16. Deputy Director of Department of Natural Resource and Environment, Member;
  17. Deputy Director of Department of Economic Police Department, Member;
  18. Deputy Director of Traffic Police Department, Member;
  19. Vice President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Provincial level), Member;

Art. 4: Provincial/Capital Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC) has duties and rights as follow:

  1. Assist provincial and central authorities in monitoring and assess the implementation of regulations as well as providing studies, research and recommendations for the government on policies, road map, regulations, international agreements in relation to trade facilitation;
  2. Being focal point for public organizations and private sectors in the provincial level to address trade issues, and implementing trade facilitation measures in a unify manner;
  3. Being focal points in seeking funding and experts to implement works related to trade facilitation;
  4. Study, enhance procedures and NTMs in relation to goods transportation, import-export and goods in transit on compliance with international commitments;
  5. Promotes the use of modern ICT in communication and exchange of trade information to increase the international integration;
  6. Attend meetings with central authorities to summarize, provide lessons learned and solicit advice from the provincial and central authorities to implement trade facilitation as well as provide training and raise awareness among public and private sectors about regulations and international commitments related to trade;
  7. Report to the provincial authority and NTFC to consider the establishment or revision of regulations related to trade facilitation in the provincial level;
  8. Collaborate with concerned sectors, both public and private, in the provinces in order to implement strategies/trade facilitation roadmap;
  9. Conduct studies and provide recommendations to concerned ministries to address problems and barriers to trade so that it is unified, convenient, fast, simple, transparent and complied with regulations and international commitments;
  10. Develop work plan and fiscal budget to present to NTFC in order to get approval on the implementation of TF;
  11. Other duties assigned by the provincial authority.

Article. 5: NTFC is not a standing office. NTFC stands for National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC).

Article. 6: Official Seal

NTFC and PTFC has their own seal to represent their authority in implementing trade facilitation works.

Article. 7: - Trade Facilitation Committee, both provincial and central, shall discuss to precisely prescribe its principles and working methodologies, delegate tasks and responsibility within the committee.

  • Concerned ministries shall designate their officers as a focal point for works related to trade facilitation as prescribed in Article 1 and 3, and then inform Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Article. 8: The budget for 2018-2022 is derived from Lao PDR Competitiveness and Trade Project supported by the World Bank and other development partners. After the end of the project, the budget will be derived from the government.

Article. 9: Ministries and other sectors in the provinces and Vientiane Capital acknowledge this Decision and implement accordingly.

Article. 10: This Decision is an effective after its signature, all previous agreements that conflict with this decision have been annulled.

Prime Minister

Thongloun SISOULITH

 

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