The Prime Minister has issued an Order No. 12/PM on import-export, temporary import, transit, and transfer goods in Lao PDR in order to improve the business environment and reduce trade barriers in the Lao PDR. The improvement aims to attract domestic and foreign investments that can contribute to create more careers and more income for the Lao people.
Domestic and international investors in Laos have given some feedbacks regarding the government procedures from central to provinces and international borders. The feedbacks claim to time and costs in requesting licenses, approvals, and permissions for import, export, temporary import, and transit, by comparing to neighboring countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Therefore, the discussion can summarize into three main factors: Firstly, the procedures and regulations are complicated and duplicated functions among relevant sectors such as to request more approvals from different sectors and steps that take time and costs. Secondly, delayed-release goods at checkpoints. Lastly, the movement of goods within the country to inspect inconsistent by regulations.
In improving the first factor which needs to review which regulations are unclear, complex procedures, high costs and spend a long time to permit in order to be amended and eliminated compactly at least 50% of costs and 30% of documentaries by 2020.
Addressing specific issues at international checkpoints: the structure, roles, rights and duties of the concerned agencies at the checkpoints are in accordance with Decree No. 558 / NRD, dated 31 December 2018.
Addressing the movement goods across the country: the setting up of checkpoints on the highways of some sectors that have been affected the transportation of goods. Therefore, there is specific purpose and task which assign to the security sector such as there should be only the traffic police for inspecting vehicles and drivers; the sector of public works and transport for inspecting weight and size vehicle checkpoints; and financial sector which need to inspect tariff duties in a necessary case of tax evasion from a reliable source of information.
The dissemination of the Order 12/PMO in Huaphanh Province on 28 January 2020 and Attapeu Province on 12h February 2020 that several sectors at the local level across the country understand their roles and duties. Due to the fact that their roles and duties are important in facilitating trade and attracting interest in domestic and international investors. Also, this can be seen as one mission that can contribute to the development of Laos.
In addition, Order 12/PM should be disseminated to the public all around the nation such as the military, police, students, and businessmen in order to understand the government procedures and regulations in the right direction. The advertisement should be on TV, radio, and broadcasting.
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