Decree on Mutual Aid Groups and Cooperatives
关于互助组与合作社的法令
ດຳລັດ ວ່າດ້ວຍ ກຸ່ມ ແລະ ສະຫະກອນ
Summary
This decree stipulates principles, regulations, and measures for the establishment, activities, management, and supervision of mutual assistance groups and cooperatives, covering types, establishment, rights and duties, organizational structure, merger, division, dissolution, asset audit, promotion policies, prohibitions, management responsibilities at all levels, and measures against violators. It is under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and replaces the Cooperative Decree No. 136/Government.
Articles
Article 1
Purpose. This Decree stipulates principles, regulations, and measures regarding the establishment, activities, management, and monitoring of mutual assistance groups and cooperatives, in order to promote and develop production, service, and business operations, enabling them to grow and develop robustly, aiming to alleviate poverty and improve the living standards of the multi-ethnic people of Laos, and to participate in the national socio-economic development.
Article 2
Mutual Aid Groups and Cooperatives. A mutual aid group is a voluntary association established by Lao citizens engaged in agriculture, handicrafts, trade, services, or other occupations, aimed at mutual assistance and cooperation among members and their families in production and/or services. A cooperative is a joint business organization voluntarily established by persons engaged in agriculture, handicrafts, trade, services, or other occupations, aimed at mutual assistance and cooperation in capital, experience, and technology in the operation of production, trade, or services.
Article 3
Interpretation of Terms. The terms used in this Decree shall have the following meanings: 1. Production and service mutual assistance groups classified by sector refer to mutual assistance groups established and operating based on the activities of each sector; 2. Financial service mutual assistance groups refer to savings groups, village funds, or village banks that provide savings, time deposits, loans, welfare benefits, and financial services to their members; 3. Savings groups refer to savings and credit groups that raise funds from member deposits or subsidies and provide deposit-taking and lending services to their members; 4. Agricultural and forestry cooperatives refer to joint business organizations of persons engaged in cultivation, animal husbandry, fisheries, processing, and agricultural and forestry services; 5. Credit and savings cooperatives refer to joint business organizations voluntarily established by persons engaged in the same or other occupations; 6. Trade cooperatives refer to joint business organizations voluntarily established by buyers, sellers of goods, and service providers, aiming at mutual cooperation in the purchase, sale of goods, and services; 7. Handicraft and processing cooperatives refer to joint production and business organizations that process raw materials or semi-finished products into goods through processing procedures using manual labor and/or machinery; 8. Service cooperatives refer to voluntary joint organizations of persons engaged in transport, tourism, construction, medical, or other service professions; 9. Share refers to the portion into which the capital of a cooperative is divided, the value of which may be unequal or equal depending on the form of cooperative as prescribed in this Decree; 10. Innovation refers to the application of scientific knowledge, capabilities, production techniques, and experience to research, create, serve, and develop high-quality products and goods, introducing them to society in new forms.
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