Lao government asks agencies to foster exports

People join traffic in Vientiane. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Lao government has instructed ministries to streamline procedures to facilitate trade and speed up freight transport and the export of goods, reported Xinhua news agency.

The move aims to facilitate trade and accelerate freight transport and the export of goods such as farm products, timber and non-timber forest products, and minerals.

The Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was assigned to work with relevant bodies to streamline procedures and the certification process, so that domestic transport and the export of products managed by the ministry would take place at a much faster pace, according to Lao economic daily.

The Lao government advised the relevant bodies to devise clear and streamlined regulations to shorten all the related processes and cut spending, thus speeding up the movement of freight.

In addition, authorities were told to formulate legislation to regulate products such as wooden furniture and handicrafts being sold at fairs and electronics markets.

The shipment of commercial crops including rice, coffee, beans and vegetables no longer requires transporters to seek permission from the authorities. However, in the event of a plant or animal disease outbreak, transport will be prohibited.

The Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines was tasked with streamlining similar procedures and mechanisms to speed up the export of mineral products, while the Ministry of Finance with continuing to install a computerised customs management system, and to expand the Lao National Single Window (for tariff declaration) in order to facilitate and quicken procedures.

Laos’s total trade value in April amounted to 950 million USD, of which 424 million USD were exports and 526 million USD were imports./.