Decree No. 112/PM on Environmental Impact Assessment.

This Decree, consisting of 42 articles divided into nine Parts, regulates the Environmental Impact Assessment. It has the following objectives: disseminate and implement Environmental Protection, in relation to Environmental Impact Assessment; lay down principles and rules, and adopt measures on establishment, functions, management and monitoring environmental impact assessment; ensures that all investment projects of the State and private sector, both domestic and foreign, operating in Lao PDR which create or will create adverse environmental and social impacts, are designed with the right and appropriate environmental and social impact prevention and mitigation measures or environmental management and monitoring plans (EMMP) and social management and monitoring plans (SMMP); effectively prevent, minimise and resolve adverse environmental and social impacts derived from investment projects; contribute to the national socio-economic development, to make it sustainable.
This Decree is applicable to all investment projects which are divided into two categories, in which the Water Resources and Environment Administration shall review and improve the categorisation accordingly from time to time, in collaboration with line ministries. Category 1: Investment projects which are small or create less impacts on environment and society, but require initial environmental examination. Category 2: Big sized investment projects which are complicated or create substantial impacts on environment and society, requiring environmental impact assessment. The Decree is divided as follows: General Provisions (I); Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure (II); Management and Monitoring (III); Investment Project Steering Committee and Implementation of Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plans (IV); Change of Investment Project Owner (V); Information Disclosure (VI); Settlement of Environmental and Social Disputes (VII); Policies Towards Persons with Outstanding Compliances and Measures for Violators (VIII); Final Provisions (IX);.