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Policy-makers get lessons in regulatory impact assessment

The government is conducting regulatory impact assessment (RIA) training for policy-makers working at the national and provincial levels.
The training is taking place in Vientiane from March 13-15. Its goal is to ensure that Laos develops a well-functioning regulatory system which protects the community and the environment and supports economic and social development.
A key focus is improving the regulatory environment for business, particularly for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Growing business drives economic growth, which then drives rising living standards for the community.
The Ministry of Justice, supported by a loan from the Asian Development Bank for phase 2 of the Private Sector and SME Development Project, is conducting the training.
Director General of the ministry’s Legislation Department, Mr Inthapanya Khieovongphachanh, said “The rule of law in Laos requires that government policy-makers must get the balance right between providing necessary protection for communities and the environment and allowing the business sector to grow in driving economic and social development.
This requires a new professionalism in the way we develop and implement regulations.
This training is focused on helping policy officers to think more critically in their policy making and review, with deeper and more valuable consideration of the purpose, impacts and compliance and enforcement requirements of regulations.”
The need for a more professional approach to regulation-making is evidenced by the recent poor performance of Laos in the global Ease of Doing Business rankings.
Laos dropped 13 places to 154th (out of 190 economies around the world) despite the government’s efforts to improve the business environment.
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, recognising the negative impact this will have on investment and economic growth, ordered ministries to improve the situation.
International Regulatory Expert and Consultant, Mr Peter McKenna, who is leading the training programme, said “The prime minister’s order is wonderful leadership. Building policy and skills and knowledge across the whole government sector will help with achieving this goal.
These skills should have a strong focus on making sure that we consider the impact of regulations on SMEs and entrepreneurs – it’s more difficult for them to comply because they don’t have the money or time. Entrepreneurs and SMEs need to participate in the economic growth of Laos.”
“Regulation also needs to be enforceable by government. That is, government has the budget and resources to implement each regulation. Policy officers will be trained to think more critically with deeper consideration about what regulations they are proposing and how it impacts the big picture. In developed and developing countries around the world, this focus on building regulatory environments that support entrepreneurs and SMEs in innovation, productivity and competitiveness is a key priority of government.”
The training will encourage better government engagement and collaboration with industry, such as the LNCCI, in the making and review of regulations, and remind policy officers that the policy context must now include reference to regional economic integration.
This week’s training programme involves the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Bank of the Lao PDR.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update March 14, 2019)


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