Lao PDR Reviews Implementation of the National Single Window ASYCUDA Plus (NSWA+) and Sets 2026–2027 Work Plan
Vientiane Capital, 6 October 2026 – The Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, acting as the Secretariat Office of the National Trade and Transport Facilitation Committee (NTTFC), convened the second meeting to review the implementation of the National Single Window ASYCUDA Plus (NSWA+) system and discuss the work plan for 2026–2027.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Mouavixay PALEE, Deputy Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade, and attended by Mr Vongvanpheng Phoumsavanh, Deputy Director General of the Customs Department, together with representatives from relevant central government authorities, the Vientiane Capital Department of Industry and Commerce, BIVAC, and the business sector.
The implementation of NSWA+ forms part of Lao PDR’s efforts to fulfil its commitments under the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA) and to implement the National Trade and Transport Facilitation Roadmap 2025–2030, which promotes the wider use of electronic systems for import and export permits and other trade-related procedures.
The NSWA+ system is an electronic single-window platform developed through cooperation between the Ministry of Finance, particularly the Customs Department, and BIVAC. It enables relevant government authorities and businesses engaged in import, export and transit activities to electronically exchange information and documents through a single platform and to process applications and approvals in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of each responsible authority. The Department of Foreign Trade was among the first government agencies to apply the system for the issuance of import permits in 2019, followed by the transport sector in 2020 and the food and drug sector in 2023. The system was further expanded to the industry and commerce sector at the local level in February 2026.
NSWA+ is currently used for customs declarations at 27 international checkpoints nationwide, with more than 5,000 companies registered to use the system.
Another important development took place on 1 October 2026, when the Customs Department and the Department of Agriculture signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the implementation of NSWA+. This represents an important step towards transforming the processing of import permits for plants and other agricultural, livestock and forestry-related products from paper-based procedures to electronic processing through the NSWA+ system.
The implementation review indicated that most technical issues identified during the operation of the system have already been addressed. However, a number of issues still require further improvement in order to enhance the system’s operational efficiency.
The expansion of NSWA+ to additional government authorities has also progressed more slowly than initially targeted. This is mainly due to the number of preparatory and coordination processes required, including the collection and mapping of information on document-processing procedures, system design and development, the signing of MOUs, verification of permit forms, designation of revenue accounts, approval of specimen signatures, and the issuance of implementation notices.
Under the work plan for the fourth quarter of 2026, the expansion of NSWA+ is expected to cover permits related to plants and plant products under the Department of Agriculture; animals, aquatic animals and animal feed under the Department of Livestock and Fisheries; heavy agricultural machinery under the Department of Transport; and rice and timber under the Department of Foreign Trade.
For 2027, the planned expansion will include
- chemicals under the Department of Manufacturing Industry;
- minerals under the Department of Geology and Mines;
- goods covered by CITES under the Department of Forestry; and
- radio-frequency communication and ICT equipment under the relevant radio-frequency and digital technology authorities.
These planned activities will provide the basis for the continued expansion of electronic import and export permit procedures through NSWA+ during 2026–2027, in support of Lao PDR’s broader trade facilitation and digitalization agenda.
**Contact Information:**
Trade Facilitation Division, Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
Tel: [+856-21 454224]; Email: [ [email protected] ] [ [email protected] ]
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