FAOLEX Database

Lao People's Democratic Republic - Country Profiles

Constitution of Laos.
Date of text: 1991 (22 March 2025)

Policies

Lao PDR Forestry Strategy to 2035 and Vision to 2050.
Date of text: 01 May 2024
The 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan Financing Strategy (2023-2025).
Date of text: 01 September 2023
National Policy on Crop Production Promotion of the Lao PDR.
Date of text: 01 June 2023
Health National Adaptation Plan (H-Nap) for Building Climate Resilient Health Systems.
Date of text: 2023
National Resilience Framework 2022-2025.
Date of text: 01 November 2022

Legislation

Agricultural and rural development

Law on Agriculture No. 01-98/NA.
Date of text: 10 October 1998
Law on Irrigation.
Date of text: 25 June 2025
Law on Cooperatives (No. 54/NA, 2024).
Date of text: 28 June 2024
Decision on organic agriculture standards.
Date of text: 11 April 2022
Decree on farmer group and cooperatives.
Date of text: 26 November 2020

Climate change

Decree on Climate Change.
Date of text: 18 September 2019
Decree on carbon credit.
Date of text: 28 May 2025
Decision No. 4565/MAF on Forest Carbon Management.
Date of text: 06 September 2024

Cultivated plants

Law No. 13/NA on Plant Protection and Quarantine.
Date of text: 15 November 2016
Decree No. 155/PM on Natural resource for medicines (Pharmaceutical Natural resource).
Date of text: 30 September 2003
Arrété sur le phytosanitaire en R.D.P. Lao, nº 66 PM.
Date of text: 21 March 1993
Ministerial Decision on Crop Protection Net.
Date of text: 16 July 2025
Decree of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry no. 2897 of 2023 on the management of fertiliser factory.
Date of text: 14 June 2023

Disaster risk management

Law no. 71/NA on Disaster Management.
Date of text: 24 June 2019

Environment

Environmental Protection Law.
Date of text: 12 March 2024
Law No. 36/NA on Meteorology and Hydrology.
Date of text: 13 November 2017
Law 07/NA on Chemical Management.
Date of text: 10 November 2016
Law No. 09/NA on State Assets.
Date of text: 12 October 2002 (19 August 2022)
Decree of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment no. 389 of 2022 on environmental impact assessment.
Date of text: 20 October 2022

Fisheries and aquaculture

Decree No. 097/PS of the President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on the Promulgation of the Law on Aquatic and Fisheries (Amended).
Date of text: 17 July 2023
Law on wild animals.
Date of text: 30 August 2023
Ordonnance royale nº 34 fixant le régime de pêche.
Date of text: 04 March 1949
Ministerial Instruction No. 2806/MONRE on Strengthening the Implementation of Aquatic and Wildlife Animal Management Nationwide.
Date of text: 30 May 2016
Decision on quality marks for animal and aquatic animals.
Date of text: 19 July 2024

Food and nutrition

Presidential Decree No. 172/PR on the Promulgation of the Law No. 33/NA on Food (Amended).
Date of text: 20 August 2013
Law on Food No. 33/NA (Amended).
Date of text: 24 July 2013
Ministerial Regulation No. 518/MoH on the basic principles in the application of sanitary and technical measures for food safety management.
Date of text: 18 March 2009
Decision on quality marks for animal and aquatic animals.
Date of text: 19 July 2024
Decision No.4288 on management, development and processing rubber.
Date of text: 17 September 2023

Forestry

Forestry Law No. 64/NA.
Date of text: 13 June 2019
Order No. 17/PM on Strengthening the Forest Management, Protection and Coordination of Forest Management and Forestry Business.
Date of text: 22 September 2008
Decision No. 1248/MSE on Organisation and Functionality of Department of Forestry.
Date of text: 12 September 2025
Decision on Tourism in Forest Areas.
Date of text: 03 June 2025
Prime Minister's Order on Recognition of Tenure Rights in Forestlands.
Date of text: 05 November 2024

Gender

Law on Gender Equality, No. 77/NA.
Date of text: 28 November 2019
Labor Law No. 43/NA (Amended)
Date of text: 24 December 2013
Women's Union Law.
Date of text: 2012
Law No. 08/NA on the Development and Protection of Women.
Date of text: 22 October 2004

Indigenous peoples

Decree No. 207 on Ethnic Groups.
Date of text: 20 March 2020

Land and soil

Land Law of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Amended), No. 70/NA
Date of text: 21 June 2019
Law No. 03-99/NA on Urban Plans.
Date of text: 03 April 1999
Law No. 03/90/PSA on Heritage and Basis of Inheritance.
Date of text: 27 June 1990
Decree of the Prime Minister relating to the transformation of State land use right and ownership on houses, vehicles and essential household equipment into Government personnel ownership and use right.
Date of text: 12 November 1994
Decree on Land.
Date of text: 19 December 1992

Livestock

Law on Animal Husbandry and Veterinary (Revised) No. 08 / NA.
Date of text: 11 November 2016
Decree no. 199/GOL on Veterinary Medicines.
Date of text: 13 March 2020
Decree No. 228/GoL on the Prevention and Control of Animal Epidemic Disease.
Date of text: 31 May 2012
Decision no.4848 on Management of Veterinary Medicine production factories.
Date of text: 02 October 2024
Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry no. 174 of 2022 on Slaughter of Animals, Destruction of Animal Remains and Compensation.
Date of text: 31 May 2022

Mineral resources and energy

Presidential Decree No. 291/PR on the Promulgation of the Law on Minerals (Amended) (No. 31/NA).
Date of text: 13 December 2017
Law on Electricity.
Date of text: 31 May 1997
Law No. 19/NA on Electricity (Amended).
Date of text: 09 May 2017
Government Decree No.246 on Community Development Funds from Mineral Businesses.
Date of text: 03 August 2020
Government Decree No.252 on Mine Closure.
Date of text: 26 May 2020

Sea

Law no. 34/SNP of 2022 on waterways.
Date of text: 29 December 2022

Social protection

Law on Social Security.
Date of text: 26 July 2013
Decision 1700/MAF on Village Development Funds in Poor Districts.
Date of text: 14 March 2023

Water

Law on Water and Water Resources (Amended) 2017.
Date of text: 11 October 1996 (11 May 2017)
Law No. 36/NA on Meteorology and Hydrology.
Date of text: 13 November 2017
Law no. 34/SNP of 2022 on waterways.
Date of text: 29 December 2022
Law No. 09/NA on State Assets.
Date of text: 12 October 2002 (19 August 2022)
Decree on Water Reservation Zones and Water Resources.
Date of text: 2024

Wild species and ecosystems

Law on wild animals.
Date of text: 30 August 2023
Loi nº 26 sur droits de capture, d'immatriculation et de mutation des éléphants au Laos.
Date of text: 08 January 1949
Decree No. 155/PM on Natural resource for medicines (Pharmaceutical Natural resource).
Date of text: 30 September 2003
Décret fixant le régime de chasse, modifié et complété par ceux du 27-6-1934 et du 7-4-1938.
Date of text: 07 February 1927
Executive Decree no. 348 on the Management of International Trade in Aquatic Animals, Wild Animals and Endangered Wild Plants.
Date of text: 11 November 2022 (05 June 2024)

Miscellaneous

Penal Code No13/NA.
Date of text: 15 May 2017
Law on Trade Union (Revised) No. 39/NA.
Date of text: 15 November 2017
Civil Code.
Date of text: 18 January 2019
Law No. 48/NA on Processing Industry (Amended Version).
Date of text: 27 December 2013
Decree No. 138/PR on the Promulgation of the Law No.81 on Customs (Revised).
Date of text: 29 June 2020

International Agreements

Vientiane Declaration on Innovation and Cooperation for a Water Secure and Sustainable Mekong.
Date of text: 05 April 2023
Decision on Green Industry, No. 0141/MOIC.DIH.
Date of text: 03 February 2022
Memorandum of Understanding under the Joint Working Group on Water Resources Cooperation of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation on the Provision of Hydrological Information of the Lancang River Throughout the Year by China to the Other Five Member Countries.
Date of text: 01 November 2020

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