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Type: Decree
Responsible Agency: Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism
Issuing Date: 2016-01-21
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Contents
Article 3 Definitions of Terms
Article 4 State Policy on Sign related Activities
Article 5 Principles for Operation of Sign-related Business
Chapter 2:Types and Sorts of Varieties of Sign
Article 10 Sign for Advertisement
Article 14 Drawing, Sculpting, and Curving Sign
Chapter III:Operation of Sign-related Business
Article 15 Operation of Sign-related Business
Article 16 Requirement for Operation of Sign-related Business
Article 17 Persons who Operates Business relating to Sign
Article 18 Responsibility of Sign-related Business Owner
Article 19 Changings of Sign-related Business
Chapter 4:Contents, background Color, Letter and Size of Sign
Article 20 Contents of the Sign
Article 21 Color of Background and Alphabet of the Sign
Chapter 5:Content Inspection, Sign Using Term, Import-export and Installation of Sign
Article 23 Inspection of the Sign Content
Article 25 Seeking Authorization for Sign Import-Export
Article 27 Prohibition for Person who Operates Sign-related Business
Article 28 Prohibition for Government Official
Chapter 7:Responsibilities in Implementation of Sign-related Task
Article 29 Responsibilities of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism
Article 30 Responsibilities of the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism
Article 31 Responsibilities of the Information, Culture and Tourism Office
Article 32 Responsibilities of the Public Works and Transport Sector
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity
~~~~~~~
Government No. 36/GO
Vientiane Capital, Date 21/01/2016
Decree on Sign
- Pursuant to the Law on the Government of the Lao PDR No. 69/NA, dated 15 December 2015;
- Pursuant to the Law on Mass Media No. 01/NA, dated 25 July 2008;
- Pursuant to a Letter of Proposal of the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism No. 10/MICT, dated 11 January 2016.
The Government Issues a Decree:
General Provisions
This Decree determines the principles, regulations and measures in the management, monitoring and inspection of the operation of sign-related business to ensure its patriotic, advanced and public features with the aim to enable the orderliness and uniformity of such business operation throughout the country, to guarantee the independence, sovereignty and security of the nation, and to be accordant with the fine tradition of the nation and the ethnic minority, to contribute to the national protection and development, and to be able to integrate with regional and international stages.
Sign is a product created in order to disseminate intellectual value, imagination through letters, pictures, drawings, lights and colors in order to indicate the place for education on the information technology related to goods product, services and others to be acknowledged by the society.
Article 3 Definitions of Terms
The terms used in this Decree shall have the meanings as follows:
- Advertisement Sign refers to a production that brings specific names, drawings, pictures, languages, symbols, color and electronic that form into a sign;
- Sign Business refers to a task involving a design, production and installation of sign;
- Production of Sign refers to the production of varieties of sign from the original version of a complete design;
- Person who Checks Sign’s Content refers to technical organization in the field of editing the content, format and color of the signs to ensure its accuracy and completeness;
- Sign Product Distributor refers to individuals, legal entities and organizations that operate business for trading of printing products advertised through the sign;
- Owner of Sign Structure refers to individuals, legal entities and organizations that were granted authorization to do the design, production and installation of sign.
Article 4 State Policy on Sign related Activities
The state protects the legitimate rights and interests of individuals, legal entities and organizations in operating sig-related business through setting of condition for the use of sciences and technical equipment, modern technology in the design, production and development of sign in order to have various format and colors in accordance with the laws and regulations.
Article 5 Principles for Operation of Sign-related Business
Person who operates sign-related business shall comply with the principles as follows:
- To ensure that the business is operated in line with the direction, policy laws, regulations and fine traditional culture of the nation as well as to be in conformity with the market economic mechanism and can be integrated with the international level;
- To ensure the benefits in the national protection and development, provide knowledge, information technology, service, and entertainment for the benefit of the society;
- To ensure the use of its contents, formats, colors and suitable rules of languages;
- To guarantee the environment, attractiveness, safety of the structure and the sign installation shall not cause any negative impacts to the society;
This Decree applies to individuals, legal entities and organizations, both as local and foreign, that involve in the operation of sign-related business throughout the country.
Types and Sorts of Varieties of Sign
There are three main types of sign as follows:
- Sign for indication;
- Sign for education;
- Sign for advertisement.
Sign for indication is the sign with the content to tell the name of office, authority, enterprise, road, neighborhood, unit, village, district, province, capital city and both state and private premises in order to indicate those who need to receive the information and technology and to be able to find the destination.
Sign for education is a sign with the content to disseminate the party‘s direction and policy, the laws, regulations of the state through the use of letters, drawings, printed pictures and other know-how in order to educate and encourage patriotism, to gather solidarity among the public, strengthen the fine tradition of the nation in the protection and development of the country.
Article 10 Sign for Advertisement
Sign for advertisement is the sign with the content presenting goods, products and services in both quality and quantity in order to enable the public to acknowledge and understand the objectives of the advertisement.
Sign comprises of three main varieties as follows:
- Sign made through printing;
- Electronic sign;
- Sign from drawing, moulding, carving, sculpting and other.
Sign made through printing is the sign printed into sorts of materials which contain the information in the form of letters or pictures, painting or various trademarks.
Electronic sign is an electric sign that use screen, electricity cupboard decorated with lighst and colors, with moving or fixed pictures that contain the information in the form of letters or pictures or various trademarks.
Article 14 Drawing, Sculpting, and Curving Sign
Signs from drawing, moulding, carving and sculpting are the signs made from various materials that were designed on the background of the sign which are in the form of letters or pictures or trademarks.
Operation of Sign-related Business
Article 15 Operation of Sign-related Business
Individuals, legal entities and organizations, both in the local and foreign forms, who wish to operated sign-related business, such as the design, production and installation of sign, must be registered with the Division of Industry and Commerce in accordance with the Law on Enterprise. After obtaining Enterprise Registration Certificate, they must apply for business operation license from the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism based on the hierarchy provided in Article 29, 30, 31 of this Decree.
Article 16 Requirement for Operation of Sign-related Business
The operation of sign-related business shall meet with the requirement as follows:
- Name, objective, and its serving target;
- Place, vehicle, technical equipment, capital to guarantee its activities;
- Qualified staff, knowledge and ability in sign-related works;
- Obtain a license form the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism.
Article 17 Persons who Operates Business relating to Sign
The persons who operate sign-related business shall be individuals, legal entities (both local and foreign) who obtain a license to operate business related to sign in accordance with the laws and regulations.
Article 18 Responsibility of Sign-related Business Owner
The owner of sign-related business shall have the responsibilities as follows:
- Objectives, serving target, ranges of sign-related business;
- Boost, promote the use of modern science and technology into their design, production and installation of sign;
- Keep their signs in good shape, without tear and let them tear down at various places;
- Expand or cancel their own sign-related business;
- Have policy on labour fees payment for staff and colleagues in accordance with the laws and regulations;
- Be responsible before the law based on their roles, responsibilities, rights and duties.
Article 19 Changings of Sign-related Business
When business owners wish to change the sign serving in business or business purpose, they must seek authorization from the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism or other relevant sectors.
In case of moving of location or cancellation of sign-related business, a written notice shall be made to the Industrial and Commerce Sector and the Information, Culture and Tourism Sector within a period of fifteen business days starting from the date of moving to the new location or the cancellation date of the sign-related business onward.
Contents, background Color, Letter and Size of Sign
Article 20 Contents of the Sign
All types of sign shall be mainly made in Lao language and shall be in accurate with the Lao grammar, the Lao language must be written or printed on the upper side or left hand side while the foreign language must be placed on the right hand side or to print Lao language in larger size, and foreign language shall not be larger than two-third of the Lao language, except for official signs such as sign of embassies, representative offices, official delegation welcoming ceremony, official day celebration ceremony of foreign countries. The sign written in Lao and foreign languages shall have the same content and meanings.
Sign of enterprise name must indicate the location, information related to communication, number, Enterprise Registration Code issued by the Industrial and Commerce Sector.
Article 21 Color of Background and Alphabet of the Sign
Coloring of background and alphabet of the sign shall follow these steps:
- The sign of the party’s office premise, national defense sector, security sector, people’s court, public prosecution authority must be made in red background and white letter. In case of foreign language, the English shall be applied.
- The sign of international organizations, embassies, residence of foreigners who have official mission must be made in white background and blue letter. Any foreign languages or language of concerned countries can be used;
- The sign of state enterprise must be made in white background, red letter and any foreign languages may be used;
- The sign of private enterprise must be made in yellow background, red letter and any foreign languages of languages of countries involved in such business may be used.
In case that individuals, legal entities and organizations (in both local and foreign forms) wish to create a sign that is colorful and has their own identities, they must obtain authorization from the Information, Culture and Tourism Sector.
Road crossing sign must be made in the size which is suitable with the width and narrowness of the road and the length shall not exceed the width of the road.
For advertising sign of the state and private sectors in the city, the largest size shall not exceed 4m x 8 m, for sign located in the outskirt of the town or suburb shall not exceed 6m x 12 m.
The sign of any front-shops, buildings shall not exceed the limit of 3m x 6 m, sign hanging on electricity pole shall not exceed 60 cm x 150 cm.
Content Inspection, Sign Using Term, Import-export and Installation of Sign
Article 23 Inspection of the Sign Content
Inspection of sign content shall follow the steps below:
- Inspection of the content of all types of sign at the central level such as the sign of office premise, party-state organizations, legislative authority, justice authority, arm forces, mass organizations, embassies, representative offices, international organizations and any types of sign involved in business operation at the central level shall be submitted to the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism;
- Inspection of the content of sign in all types as provided in Item 1 of this Article and any business operation signs at the provincial, city levels shall be submitted to the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism of province, city level;
- Inspection of the content of sign in all types as provided in item 1 and item 2 of this Article, at district and village levels, shall be submitted to the Office of Information, Culture and Tourism at district and municipal level.
The term for using the sign shall be as follows:
- The sign that indicates premises of both state and private shall be used from the authorization date until any relocation or changes occurred to such premises which shall be the end of the term, followed by the removal and clean up, when having new premises an application for a license to issue new sign shall be made;
- The sign for any training courses and campaign shall be used based on each case and process. Slogan sign, drawing or photos with strategic features can be for long-term use.
- Advertising sign for announcement and invitation about goods and services shall have a use term no more than twelve months;
- Road crossing sign with the objective to serve any limited process such as conference, festival, visiting guests and others, the use term shall not exceed seven days.
Article 25 Seeking Authorization for Sign Import-Export
Individuals, legal entities and organizations who import-export any types of sign for official purposes or for business operation must submit an application together with relevant documentation in order to seek authorization from the Information, Culture and Tourism Sector based on the hierarchy provided in Article 29, 30, 31 of this Decree.
Individuals, legal entities and organizations who wish to install sign shall get the content inspected from the Information, Culture and Tourism Sector and from the Public Works and Transport Sector based on the hierarchy before being allowed to install.
Prohibition
Article 27 Prohibition for Person who Operates Sign-related Business
Those who operate sign-related business shall be prohibited from the following behaviors:
- Cause negative impact to the peace and security of the nation, the confidentiality of the state, the fine culture of the nation or the solidarity of the ethnic minority and international solidarity;
- Make any misrepresent campaigns that interfere in the dignity of other organizations and persons;
- Use any signs made in foreign language;
- Posting advertising sign to all types of care without obtaining authorization from the Information, Culture and Tourism Sector;
- Use human photo at road crossing sign, in addition to trade mark;
- Advertising of prohibited things and other discouragement;
- Install sign at unauthorized place;
- Use deceiving word to advertise, use too much exaggerated words about goods and services;
- Frighten or induce staff in charge of the management of sign;
- Have other behaviors that violate the laws and regulations.
Article 28 Prohibition for Government Official
State officials are prohibited from the following behaviors:
- Be an accomplice with sign entrepreneur in falsifying documents, signatures, seals and other self-interest actions which are immoral and violate the laws and regulations.
- Procrastinate documents, deceive, cheat, frighten sign entrepreneur in order to seek interest for one-self, family and group;
- Make self-decision to use, modify and change the sign content and format of entrepreneur without any discussion and seeking comment from the owner of the sign;
- Have other behavior that violates the laws and regulations.
Responsibilities in Implementation of Sign-related Task
Article 29 Responsibilities of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism
Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism shall be in charge of implementing the sign-related tasks as follows:
- Study and materialize the strategic direction, policy plan, plan, program and project related to sign;
- Campaign, disseminate legislative related to sign and implement;
- Scrutinize and determine standard, content, format and color of the sign and apply modern sciences and technology into the sign-related activities;
- Inspect the content of sign in all types at the central level as stated in Article 23, Item 1 of this Decree;
- Allow and dissolve the import-export of all types of sign;
- Survey, collect sign-related statistic, issue, withdraw and cancel license on sign;
- Guide, boost, monitor the activities of the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism at provincial and capital city level in the implementation of any laws, plans, and business involved the sign.
- Coordinate with Public Works and Transport Sector, provincial/city administrative authority, and other sectors in granting authorization for sign installation;
- Summarize, report and evaluate the implementation of sign-related activities to the Government;
- Perform other duties as provided in the laws and regulations.
Article 30 Responsibilities of the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism
The Division of Information, Culture and Tourism at provincial/city level shall be in charge of the implementation of this sign-related activities as follows:
- Disseminate and implement the laws, regulations, notification related to sign business;
- Survey and collect information on sign-related business in its province, city;
- Inspect the content of sign in province, city as specified in Article 23, Item 2 of this Decree;
- Issue, withdraw and revoke license involving sign business, sign removal, and destroy unsuitable signs found in its province/city;
- Guide, boost the Office of Information, Culture and Tourism at its district, municipality, province and city to implement the sign-related activities;
- Remedy any proposals and deter any sign-related business activities that contradict with the laws and regulations being enforced in its province, capital city;
- Coordinate with public works and transport sector in order to seek authorization for sign installation and to other relevant sectors in the management, inspection of sign-related business;
- Review, report and collect statistic, evaluate the implementation of activities involved in sign business before reporting to its higher authority;
- Perform such other duties as specified in the laws and regulations.
Article 31 Responsibilities of the Information, Culture and Tourism Office
The Information, Culture and Tourism Office at district/municipality level shall be in charge of the implementation of the sign-related activities as follows:
- Implement the laws, regulations, plan, program and project related to sign business;
- Survey, collect information and listing into a database system for sign-related business in its district, municipality;
- Inspect the content of the sign at district, municipality level as specified in Article 23, Item 3 of this Decree;
- Issue, withdraw and revoke a license on sign business, remove, destroy unsuitable signs in its district, municipality;
- Coordinate with Public Works and Transport Sector, other relevant sectors in granting authorization for sign installation and managing, inspecting sign-related business;
- Review, report and evaluate the implementation of activities involving in sign business before reporting to its next higher authority;
- Perform such other duties as specified in the laws and regulations.
Article 32 Responsibilities of the Public Works and Transport Sector
The Public Works and Transport Sector shall be responsible for consideration and authorization of sign installation based on the regulations and the delegation of responsibilities in accordance with the rules of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and shall coordinate with the relevant Information, Culture and Tourism Sector based on the hierarchy.
Final Provisions
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Public Works and Transport shall be proactive in coordinating with relevant sectors to implement this Decree in an effective manner.
Ministries, equivalent organizations, local administrative authorities and other relevant sectors shall acknowledge and strictly implement this Decree.
This Decree shall be effective from the date it is signed and after being posted in the official gazette for fifteen days onward.
Any regulations, provisions that contradict with this Decree shall be annulled.
The Government of the Lao PDR
Prime Minister
[Signature and seal]
Thongsing Thammavong
Download English:Decree on Sign No. 36/GO, dated 21 January 2016