In order to preserve some business types that are essential and necessary for all Lao ethnic people to do business, create job opportunities and sustainable earnings, provide solutions for better living conditions and in order to provide simplification for Lao people and (domestic/foreign) investors when considering starting a business in Lao PDR to know types of business in term of the definition of each business categories, The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (in consultation and with recommendation from related sectors) has issued Notification on Reserved Business Category List for Lao People, Conditioned Business Category List for Foreign Investor, and Prohibited Business Category List, as detailed below.
1. Notification on Reserved Business Category List for Lao People, No. 1328/DERM, dated 13 July 2013
A reserved business type for Lao People is a type of traditional business which has been part of the culture of ethnic groups for a long time, is symbolic of the nation, creates employment activities and sustainable earnings, providing solutions for better living conditions for Lao ethnic people. The business types reserved for Lao people have been defined in List C 02-2015.
A business type that is conditional for foreign investor is a business where there is no injunction for foreigners but where there is some necessity, such as to define a minimum or maximum of capital registered or define the proportional share of an investor in the enterprise or the other condition. The business types that are conditional for foreign investor has been defined in List D 02-2015.
3. Notification on Prohibited Business Category List No. 1592.DERM, dated 26 August 2013
A prohibited business is a type of business that is banned from being established and is forbidden to run in Lao PDR. Prohibited Businesses have been defined in List B 01-2013.
Please share your feedback below and help us improve our content.