Describes the country's standards landscape, identifies the national standards and accreditation bodies, and lists the main national testing organization(s) and conformity assessment bodies.
Last Published: 7/15/2019

Overview

Although no specific law exists to regulate imports and exports, decrees issued by the Office of the Government and Ministry of Industry and Commerce provide guidance regarding imports and exports.  For example, the Decree on Import and Export of Goods No. 114/GoL and Decree On Import Licensing Procedures No. 180/PM, issued by Prime Minister Office.

Standards

Laos currently has no independent standards organizations.  In 2011, the Department of Standards and Metrology in the Ministry of Science and Technology was established as an independent department alongside the Department of Intellectual Property.  In 2014, Laos passed the Law on Standards and USAID’s LUNA Lao II project seeks to assist the Lao in implementing regulations for the law.

Testing, inspection and certification

Conformity Assessment
The Department of Standards and Metrology would lead any conformity assessment.

Product Certification

The Department of Standards and Metrology would lead any product certification.

Accreditation

Regulations in the area of accreditation are under revision.

Publication of Technical Regulations

Laos currently does not publish technical regulations with regularity, although the Electronic Official Gazette, designed to publish all proposed and enacted legislation, is a potential model for publishing such information in the future.

Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to notify to the WTO proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures that could affect trade. Notify U.S. (www.nist.gov/notifyus) is a free, web-based e-mail registration service that captures and makes available for review and comment key information on draft regulations and conformity assessment procedures. Users receive customized e-mail alerts when new notifications are added by selected country(ies) and industry sector(s) of interest, and can also request full texts of regulations.  This service and its associated web site are managed and operated by the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point housed within the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
  

Contact Information

Department of Standards and Metrology:  Department of Intellectual Property. 
 

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