Search

The 2016 amended Law on Investment Promotion provides for a controlled business list, containing businesses that are sensitive to national security, public order, "national fine tradition" and socio-environmental impact. (…)

An environmental management system to supervise, monitor, control and inspect processes including to control and limit pollution, emissions in the processes to ensure the performance with standards and the laws and regulations related to the environment. (...)

List of Concessions, 2019
No. ISIC Business activities Investment conditions Management level Relevant legislation Responsible ministries
Central Provincial
Railway construction, goods and (...) - Conduct social-economic and environmental Law on Environmental Protection No. 29/NA, 18
passenger transportation activities impact assessments of the project; November 2012

In line with its commitment under the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), Lao PDR's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) (2016-25), (...) provides broad recommendations to contribute to global, and achieve national, biodiversity targets. The 2016 National Agro-Biodiversity Programme and Action Plan II (NABP II 2015-25) supports three major development goals: achieving food security; reducing poverty; and enhancing government capacity to ensure the sustainable management and use of natural resources. It acts as a framework for a coordinated, multi-sector approach to better manage, utilize and conserve agro-biodiversity in order to support the three aforementioned goals. It is to improve the conservation and utilization of agro bio diversity (ABD), which is to be measured through five indicators: national on-farm genetic diversity, ABD-related green value chains, increasing the export of ABD products, increasing the use of endemic plant and animal genetic materials in national breeding programmes, and breeding climate resilient crop/animal varieties.

Since 2005, a Rural Electricity Fund (REF), designed on a revolving capital principle with funding support from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), has been in place to enable larger uptake of renewable energies for off-grid electrification. In practice, until 2015, the REF was mainly limited to supporting solar home-based solutions. A REF hire-purchase scheme, administered by the IREP and involving an upfront installation fee and then monthly payments to repay the balance within between five and ten years, made solar home systems (SHSs) affordable for rural households.

According to the 8th National Socio-economic Development Plan (NSEDP) (Section 2.2.2), the authorities envisage real average annual GDP growth of 7.5% during FY 2016/20. (…) Inclusive growth is also one of the main goals of the 8th NSEDP, which explicitly integrated the sustainable development goals (SDGs), with specific targets set by the National Assembly for spending on health and education in 2018. (…)

Export prohibitions
HS code Goods Purpose Regulation Supervising authority
2834 Bat guano/manure For the protection of natural resources Article 29 of the Agriculture Law, No. 01/98.NA, dated 10 October 1998;
Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry on the Control and Use of Bat Guano in the Country, No. 0613/MoAF.05, dated 8 July 2005 MAF (Agriculture Department)

Under the 8th NSEDP, Lao PDR's energy policy is focussed on hydropower development, thermal electric power, solar energy and industrial plant energy to turn the power sector into a sustainable income-generating sector to support various production activities and to address poverty issues. Its objective for a strategy and development plan for energy in the context of Vision 2030 includes: developing energy and ensuring its sustainability; helping build capacity; and enhancing electricity supply for the development of energy and mines in order to increase greener energy.

Controlled Business List, 2019
No. ISIC Business activities Investment conditions Management level Relevant legislation Responsible ministries
Central Provincial
Recycling (reproducing all types of waste: electronic waste, Refer to regulations of relevant sectors Relevant laws and regulations
electronic devices, old batteries, plastic, and others)

The Decree on the Approval of the Controlled Business List and Concession Businesses of Lao PDR No. 03/PM, 10 January 2019 sets the current framework of these businesses. It consolidates specific rules for businesses that affect national security, social customs and traditions, the environment, society, and nature. (...)