on 15 February 20022, the Department of Import and Export, on behalf of the Trade Facilitation Committee organized the 2nd Workshop of trade facilities at the provincial level throughout the country. The workshop was held at Mittaphap Hotel, Xay District, Udomxay Province. Ms. Chansouk Sengphachanh, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Deputy Head of Central trade facilitation committee, was the chair with Mr. Onkeo Ounaloum, Vice Governor of Udomxay Province, Trade Facilitation Committee at the Provincial level, and more than 100 invited guests across the nation.
The purpose of this workshop was to increase deepen understanding of the Provincial Trade Facilitation Committee, in order to strengthen the implementation of duties in future trade facilitation work. In addition, participants were informed to listen to the progress reports, solutions of private-sector problems, and raised to discuss and exchange lessons with each other.
The Provincial Trade Facilitation Committees have learned more on the basics of service, improvement procedures, and time to issue certification of import-export and movement of goods that were related to 07 which are Ministry of Industry and Commerce (Department of Import and Export and Department of Standards and Metrology), Ministry of Public Health (Department of Food and Drug), Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Department of Transport), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Department of Agriculture, Department of Livestock and Fisheries) and Ministry of Energy and Mines (Department of Mining Management). In addition, the participants exchanged lessons learn from other provinces that have been resolved and have not been resolved but have an impact on the business sector. Encouragement to understanding the importance of resolving business issues related to trade facilitation at the provincial level, also known as internal effects. The meeting also introduced the issues of the business sector affected by external factors, especially the issue of exports that must comply with the policy conditions of the destination countries. This can be seen as non-tariff trade measures such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, registration and export issues, and issues.
The workshop was held for one day and can be observed that the participants discussed and asked questions, exchanging lessons directly with each other, resulting in good understanding and practice. The Head of Trade Facilitation Committee was joyful to see that the participants paid their attention and engagement to the workshop. Although there were many unresolved issues, we as on behalf of the Trade Facilitation Committee should take more serious steps to work with the relevant sectors to make Lao PDR's exports more convenient.
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