LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY

Ministry of Industry and Commerce                                                                                                                                                                  No. 3990/MOIC

Vientiane Capital, dated 28 October 2026

ORDER

on the Restriction of Business Competition and

the Creation of Barriers to the Circulation of Goods

-Pursuant to the Law on Business Competition No. 60/NA, dated 14 July 2015;

-Pursuant to the Decree on the Organization and Activities of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce No. 550/GOV, dated 01 September 2025;

-Pursuant to the Order on the Elimination of Barriers to the Circulation of Goods No. 0359/MOIC, dated 25 February 2011;

-Pursuant to the Decision on the Appointment of the Lao Competition Commission No. 67/PM, dated 04 October 2018.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in its capacity as Chair of the Lao Competition Commission, exercises its rights and duties under the Law on Business Competition and the Order on the Elimination of Barriers to the Circulation of Goods. In the past, there have been notices, orders or measures that may have had the effect of restricting business competition or obstructing the circulation of goods, such as compelling the purchase or sale of goods from a single supplier or distributor, unfairly restricting the quantity or price of goods, and prohibiting or restricting the movement of goods from district to district and from province to province. Therefore, in order to ensure that business operations are conducted freely, fairly and in accordance with the law.

The Minister of Industry and Commerce hereby orders:

1. The Provincial and Vientiane Capital Departments of Industry and Commerce and the District and Municipal Offices of Industry and Commerce are prohibited from issuing any notices, orders or measures that have the effect of restricting or obstructing business competition, as follows:

1) Compelling or specifying that goods be purchased, sold or supplied only from or to a single enterprise;

2) Restricting quantities, sources of procurement, distribution areas or trading conditions in a manner that reduces competition;

3) Restricting or prohibiting the import, export or movement of goods within the country in a manner inconsistent with the relevant laws and regulations;

4) Issuing measures that are applied selectively or that grant special privileges to any particular business operator, thereby affecting competition.

2. The movement of goods shall be facilitated, and the establishment of checkpoints or inspection points of any kind shall not be permitted, in accordance with the Order on the Elimination of Barriers to the Circulation of Goods No. 0395/MOIC, dated 25 February 2011. Inspections of goods that are necessary under specific laws shall be conducted appropriately and without discrimination, and shall not be used as a measure to obstruct the circulation of goods;

3. The relevant departments of the Ministry are assigned to take the lead in coordinating with the Provincial and Vientiane Capital Departments of Industry and Commerce to review the legal instruments and implementation measures previously issued by the industry and commerce sector that are deemed to obstruct the circulation of goods and are inconsistent with this Order, and to coordinate with the Cabinet Office of the Ministry in submitting them to the Ministry's leadership for consideration and revision;

4. Business operators affected by any notice, order or measure that is inconsistent with this Order may submit their feedback to the Department of Domestic Trade or to the Provincial or Vientiane Capital Department of Industry and Commerce for consideration and resolution in accordance with the Law on Business Competition;

5. The relevant parties shall cooperate in monitoring, inspecting and rectifying measures that are inconsistent with the law and this Order. Violators of this Order shall be subject to measures in accordance with the Law on Business Competition and the relevant regulations;

6. The Provincial and Vientiane Capital Departments of Industry and Commerce, in coordination with the District and Municipal Offices of Industry and Commerce and the relevant parties, shall report on the implementation of this Order to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce every six months and annually. Any violation or measure found to restrict competition or obstruct the circulation of goods shall be reported to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce immediately, together with copies of the relevant documents and supporting information;

7. The Offices, Departments and Institutes, the Provincial and Vientiane Capital Departments of Industry and Commerce, and the District and Municipal Offices of Industry and Commerce shall acknowledge and jointly implement this Order strictly;

8. This Order shall enter into force from the date of its signature.

                                                                                                                       Minister

Phouthavanh Nanthavong

Copies to:

#	Title	Download
1	ORDER on the Restriction of Business Competition and the Creation of Barriers to the Circulation of Goods, No. 3990/MOIC, Vientiane Capital, dated 28 October 2026.	PDF
2	ຄຳສັ່ງ ກ່ຽວກັບການຈຳກັດການແຂ່ງຂັນທາງທຸລະກິດ ແລະ ການສ້າງສິ່ງກີດຂວາງທີ່ເປັນອຸປະສັກຕໍ່ການຈໍລະຈອນສິນຄ້າ ສະບັບເລກທີ 3990/ອຄ, ລົງວັນທີ 28 ຕຸລາ 2026.	PDF

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