On behalf of Trade Facilitation Committee Secretariat Office (TFCS), Department of Import and Export (DIMEX) held the consultation meeting on the implementation of Order No.02/PM, Trading across borders indicator and work plan 2019. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Keomorakoth Sidlakone, Deputy Director General of DIMEX, attracting more 33 persons from the private sector. The objective of this meeting is to present the improvement of Trading across border indicator and the work plan 2019.
Dr. Keomorakoth Sidlakone stated that “In the era of the international and regional economic integration, particularly the WTO and ASEAN, Laos is one of the member countries and shall revise the laws, measures, and procedures related to the import, export, transit and domestic movement of goods to comply with the laws and regulations of Lao PDR, the international conventions and treaties to which Lao PDR is a party”.
In the past, although the Government of Lao PDR has issued numerous measures and mechanisms to improve the business environment in Lao PDR, particularly Prime Minister’s Ordinance on Regulatory Amendment and Coordination Mechanism of Business Operations in Lao PDR. No 02/PMO, dated 01 February 2018. Trading across border indicator in Lao PDR has been a gradual improvement from 124 (2018) to 76 (2019) or achieved 38.7% (expected outcome is 50%), compared to ASEAN member countries (Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand), Lao PDR is now ranked 04. Time for documentary compliance to export and import decreased by 03 hours, for instance, Import decreased from 14 to 11 hours, Export decreased from 12 to 09 hours. Cost for border compliance to import and export, for instance, Import increased by US$ 71 (from US$ 153 to US$ 224). Export increased by US$ 67 (from US$ 73 to US$ 140).
Source: https://www.birminghambusinessalliance.com
In the meeting, TFCS also presented the Trade Facilitation work plan and Trading across border indicator in 2019, for instance, the launching of LNSW and e-CO system for the import and export license, centralization for tax, duty, fees and service charge related to import and export shall be paid via electronic system or smart tax card.
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