Three Challenge Facility Proposals are now approved and ready to support Doing Business in Laos and implementation of Trade Facilitation Agreement
In order to strengthen Government ownership in business environment reform and enhance responsiveness in provision of targeted technical assistance to multiple agencies in charge of specific reform area, two challenge facilities are established under the Lao Competitiveness and Trade (LCT) Project, namely: 1) Doing Business (DB) Challenge Facility to support line agencies to implement broad reform based on PM Order No. 02 and WBG’s Ease of Doing Business Report; and 2) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) Challenge Facility to support key technical departments to implement specific reforms identified for the implementation of the TFA provisions.
In order to strengthen Government ownership in business environment reform and enhance responsiveness in provision of targeted technical assistance to multiple agencies in charge of specific reform area, two challenge facilities are established under the Lao Competitiveness and Trade (LCT) Project, namely: 1) Doing Business (DB) Challenge Facility to support line agencies to implement broad reform based on PM Order No. 02 and WBG’s Ease of Doing Business Report; and 2) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) Challenge Facility to support key technical departments to implement specific reforms identified for the implementation of the TFA provisions.
Recently Program Executive Committee (PEC) – Supervisory Body of the LCT Project and other TRTA in Laos approved the following project proposals:
- DB Challenge Facility.
Strengthening the Insolvency Regime Project aims to improve the business environment in Lao PDR by working to strengthen the insolvency framework. The efforts will be directed to assist in the revision of the 1994 Lao Bankruptcy Law, through conducting series of stakeholder consultations. This project will be implemented by the Ministry of Justice through the Bankruptcy Law Drafting Committee
Link to the Proposal - TFA Challenge Facility.
Improving Customs Clearance through WTO-TFA implementation project aims to: expedite Customs clearance and control by Category C implementing measures of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA); assist the border agencies (LCD, FDD, DOA and DOLF); establish the integrated risk management framework and joint border examination and strengthen the post-clearance audit; draft and revise key legislations; provide necessary tools and equipment for testing; deliver capacity building for concerned officials; and other related activities. Implementation of this project will be led by Lao Customs Department of MOF.
Link to the Proposal
Developing risk-based inspection capacity for border clearance and establishing post-clearance audit for strengthening regulatory compliance in food safety project aims to reduce border clearance time for Bureau of Food and Drug Inspection (BFDI) by developing and using an integrated risk management framework in collaboration with Customs and Quarantine and by establishing a post-clearance audit framework to improve regulatory control on food safety. Implementation of this project will be led by Food and Drug Department of MOH.
Link to the Proposal
