[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-109004-en":3,"doc-seo-109004-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},109004,687197207919,"Theodora","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/a000253d6f5f7c60be?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779446848396160552",8,"Research & Report","Regulatory framework and policy support for certification, timber legality and sustainability in Lao PDR - Policy Note","The policy note explains how the Lao PDR forestry sector can transition toward a greener, more resilient economy by strengthening sustainable forest management (SFM) and enabling verified legal and sustainable timber products for higher-value markets. It summarizes results from a technical background report under the World Bank Green Growth Advisory Program’s Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA). The note outlines progress in the legal framework, including reforms to the Forestry Law, issuance of POM15, supporting regulations for exports and confiscated timber, and steps toward a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) and TLAS with the EU. It further details prioritized actions to improve legality assurance, enforcement in high-risk areas, and operational guidance, as well as to address policy gaps affecting forest management certification.","Public DisclosureGreen GrowthAuthorizedAdvisory Public Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Pub lic Disclosure Authorized Programme for Lao PDR  \nRegulatory framework and policy support for certification, timber legality and sustainability in Lao PDR  \nPolicy Note  \nCover photo is Wood processing factory in Saysetha Development Zone, Vientiane Capital. Photo credit: Dalaphone Sihanath.  \nStumps and waste/unusable woods from funiture factory and the village at wood carving/engraving manufacturing microenterprise, Sayabury district, Sayabury Province. Photo credit: Dalaphone Sihanath.  \n1  \nRegulatory framework and policy support for certification, timber legality and sustainability in Lao PDR  \nAdvisory services and analytics on sustainability of Lao PDR’s forests  \nIntroduction  \nLao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is in the early stages of a transition to agreener, more resilient economy. The country has embarked on an ambitious reform agenda for the forestry sector including with respect to progressing sustainable forest management (SFM). To support the reform process and raise complementary public and credible private investment in forestry, the Government of Lao PDR (GoL) and the World Bank Group (WBG) have together engaged in the Advisory Services and Analytics (ASA) on Sustainability of Lao PDR’s Forests to enhance understanding and implementation of SFM. This policy note summarises the results of one of the six technical background reports underthe ASAwhich focused on the policies and supporting regulatory framework for timber legality assurance, certification and partnerships in the forest sector.  \nThe need for verified legal and sustainable forest products is increasing as prerequisites for access to more astute markets capable of paying higher prices. To participate, Lao PDR will need clear and supportive regulations to keep pace with these new market opportunities. The GoL and the forest and wood products industry must work together to create the right policy environment and implement this in a stepwise approach using the range of available tools-timber legality, forest certification, supply chain control, chain of custody certification, and the formation of groups and partnerships that bring in people as active participants and beneficiaries. These need to be proactively communicated to send a clear signal to market.  \n2 World Bank Lao PDR Green Growth Advisory Program Policy Note  \nTimber Legality Assurance  \nThe GoL has already made significant progress towards improving the legal framework for forests and timber through: reforming the Forestry Law (promulgated in July 2019); issuing and implementing Prime Minister Order No. 15 (POM15) to strengthen the strictness of management of timber harvesting and inspection of timber transport and businesses; introducing new and improved supporting regulations for key issues including the export of wood products and the management of confiscated timber; and working towards a negotiated Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) and Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS) with the European Union (EU). With support from the WBG a Ministerial Instruction on Timber Legality Assurance was issued in 2018.  \nMore can be done for the assurance of the legality of forest products including:  \n• Supporting dissemination of the new Forestry Law (2019) and supporting the development of implementation guidelines and other operational documents to fully implement the law.  \n• Ratifying the VPA and developing the TLAS.  \n• Increasing enforcement of high-risk areas and products.  \n• Systematically managing, monitoring and reviewing regulations, including across and between sectors.  \n• Improving guidance for wood sales and royalty management through auctions, and more efficient revenue collection and management systems.  \n• Developing policies and regulations that are supportive of micro, small and medium enterprises and smallholders.  \n• Developing and enforcing clear reg","cbCaiv6moBbywWNY","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiv6moBbywWNY","pdf",10584558,4,1,12,"English","en",105,"# Introduction\n# Timber Legality Assurance\n## Progress and existing measures\n## Further actions\n# Forest Management Certification\n## Certification challenges and needed policy support","[{\"question\":\"Why does Lao PDR need verified legal and sustainable forest products?\",\"answer\":\"Verified products are increasingly required as prerequisites for access to more discerning markets that pay higher prices. Clear, supportive regulations are needed to keep pace with these market opportunities.\"},{\"question\":\"What progress has Lao PDR already made to improve timber legality assurance?\",\"answer\":\"Lao PDR has reformed the Forestry Law (2019), issued POM15 to strengthen harvesting and timber transport/business inspection, introduced improved supporting regulations (including for exports and confiscated timber), and progressed toward a negotiated VPA and TLAS with the EU, with a Ministerial Instruction issued in 2018.\"},{\"question\":\"What issues limit the success of forest management certification in Lao PDR?\",\"answer\":\"Past success has been limited by market demand that did not require legal or certified wood products. As markets become more demanding, certification may be required, but the legal framework contains elements inconsistent with certification standards or that make certification difficult.\"}]","Regulatory framework and policy support for certification, timber legality and sustainability in Lao PDR - Policy Note | PDF",1784475780,30,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":87,"head_meta":89,"extra_data":91,"updated_unix":29},"regulatory-framework-and-policy-support-for-certification-timber-legality-and-sustainability-in-lao-pdr-policy-note","",{"@graph":37,"@context":86},[38,54,69],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,49,52],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":50,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":53,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/regulatory-framework-and-policy-support-for-certification-timber-legality-and-sustainability-in-lao-pdr-policy-note/109004/",{"url":53,"name":13,"@type":55,"author":56,"headline":13,"publisher":58,"fileFormat":61,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":62,"datePublished":63,"encodingFormat":61,"isAccessibleForFree":64,"interactionStatistic":65},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":57},"Person",{"url":42,"name":59,"@type":60},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-03","2026-07-19",true,{"@type":66,"interactionType":67,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":68},"ViewAction",{"@type":70,"mainEntity":71},"FAQPage",[72,78,82],{"name":73,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":75},"Why does Lao PDR need verified legal and sustainable forest products?","Question",{"text":76,"@type":77},"Verified products are increasingly required as prerequisites for access to more discerning markets that pay higher prices. Clear, supportive regulations are needed to keep pace with these market opportunities.","Answer",{"name":79,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":80},"What progress has Lao PDR already made to improve timber legality assurance?",{"text":81,"@type":77},"Lao PDR has reformed the Forestry Law (2019), issued POM15 to strengthen harvesting and timber transport/business inspection, introduced improved supporting regulations (including for exports and confiscated timber), and progressed toward a negotiated VPA and TLAS with the EU, with a Ministerial Instruction issued in 2018.",{"name":83,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":84},"What issues limit the success of forest management certification in Lao PDR?",{"text":85,"@type":77},"Past success has been limited by market demand that did not require legal or certified wood products. As markets become more demanding, certification may be required, but the legal framework contains elements inconsistent with certification standards or that make certification difficult.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":53,"og:type":88,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":59,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":90,"canonical":53},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":93},[94,98,102,106,111,116,121,123,128,131,135],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":48,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":99,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":101},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":118,"show_sort_weight":119,"slug":120},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":30,"slug":122},"research-report",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":127},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":126,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":130},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":132,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":133,"show_sort_weight":132,"slug":134},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":136,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":137,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":138},19,"General","general"]