Law No. LA-91 “On consumer cooperation”.

This Law establishes organizational and legal bases of consumer cooperatives, the procedure and conditions for the establishment and operation of consumer cooperatives and their associations, as well as the principles of their relations with state bodies. Consumer cooperative shall be intended a voluntary association of shareholders meeting the demand of members for commodities and services, presenting their interests and implementing them for the benefit of shareholders. Consumer cooperative does not pursue the purpose of gaining profit as the profits shall be used only for the achievement of its statutory goals. Organizational forms of consumer cooperatives shall be consumer enterprises, consumers and associations of consumer cooperatives. Consumer cooperatives, in accordance with statutory goals thereof, shall be authorized to perform trade, vending, production, processing, manufacturing, external trade and other activities envisaged by the legislation. Consumer cooperative is a voluntary association composed of not less than 30 members (shareholders), formed on their monetary and other material investments and holding the status of legal entity. The state shall support consumer cooperatives and their economic independence. Consumer cooperatives, consumer enterprises and associations thereof shall be subject to mandatory state registration. Property of consumer cooperatives shall be protected by the state.