INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE I. Basic Information Date prepared/updated: 03/29/2013 Report No.: AC6894 1. Basic Project Data Original Project ID: P101750 Original Project Name: Lao PDR Customs and Trade Facilitation Project Country: Lao People's Democratic Project ID: P144992 Republic Project Name: Lao PDR Customs and Trade Facilitation Project - Additional Financing Task Team Leader: Richard James Lowden Record Estimated Appraisal Date: March 12, 2013 Estimated Board Date: May 28, 2013 Managing Unit: EASPT Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Central government administration (100%) Theme: Trade facilitation and market access (50%);Administrative and civil service reform (25%);Other accountability/anti-corruption (25%) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0 IDA Amount (US$m.): 6.5 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.50 0.50 Environmental Category: C - Not Required Simplified Processing Simple [] Repeater [] Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) Yes [ ] No [X] or OP 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies) 2. Project Objectives The objective of the Project is to facilitate trade by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of customs administration and simplifying customs procedures to eliminate duplication and redundancy, reduce transactions costs and time to clear goods, and increase transparency and accountability. 3. Project Description The proposed Additional Financing (AF) operation will focus on providing further support in three key areas all designed to ensure full and effective implementation of the new Customs Law and its translation into modern and business friendly systems and procedures. The AF will continue to consist of two components, but with expanded scope to reflect enhanced ambition and progress achieved to date. Component A will focus on automation support (including implementation of the ASYCUDA World) and will include three separate but closely interrelated subcomponents. Component B will focus on organizational development (including customs modernization support) and will include five subcomponents, four of which are focused on furthering the customs reform agenda and one covering project management. Component A: Automation Support (including Implementation of ASYCUDA World). The effective deployment of ICT has become a major component of customs reform and modernization throughout the world and is critically important in supporting the adoptionof international standards and meeting regional integration commitments. While the ASYCUDA World system has been successfully implemented, the LCD's capacity to effectively manage and maintain the system as well as its overall ICT infrastructure and network needsto be further strengthened. Enhancing in-house capabilities will also contribute to supporting the design, development and integration of complementary ICT investments, such as those associated with the proposed Lao PDR National Single Window system. Component A is therefore focused on progressively shifting responsibility for the support and maintenance of the ASYCUDA system from the currentcontractor (UNCTAD) to LCD's own personnel and on building a strong in-house capacity to effectively manage current and future ICT systems and related infrastructure. Component B: Organizational Development (including Customs Modernization Support). This component is designed to consolidate and further extend the improvements achieved in customs work practices, procedures and organization that have progressively been implemented by the LCD over the past five years. It is also designed to finance a series of key activities that were initially planned to be conducted in the final year of the CTFP but were deferred due to a reallocation of priorities toward additional support for ASYCUDA and a funding shortfall resulting from depreciation of the value of SDRs. Subcomponents willfinance the establishment of a comprehensive professional development capability, assistance to develop the necessary enabling regulations and working practices to ensure full implementation of the new Customs Law, further support for the development of an in-house strategic planning and change management capacity, and intensive support for the adoption of a suite of modern approaches to customs administration in keeping with internationally agreed standards. A sub-component will also finance the ongoing operation of the high quality project management infrastructure established under the CTFP. 4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis Not applicable. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists () 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) X Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: The Project does not have any safeguard issues since it will only finance consulting services, goods, training and workshops. The project will not finance any civil works or any other activities that will have environmental implications. Given the nature of the project it also has no impact on social safeguards such as Involuntary Resettlement and Indigenous Peoples. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: None foreseen. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. Not applicable. 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. Not applicable. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. Not applicable. B. Disclosure Requirements Date Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other: Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? Date of receipt by the Bank Date of "in-country" disclosure Date of submission to InfoShop For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors Resettlement Action Plan/Framework/Policy Process: Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? Date of receipt by the Bank Date of "in-country" disclosure Date of submission to InfoShop Indigenous Peoples Plan/Planning Framework: Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? Date of receipt by the Bank Date of "in-country" disclosure Date of submission to InfoShop Pest Management Plan: Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? Date of receipt by the Bank Date of "in-country" disclosure Date of submission to InfoShop * If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: Not applicable. C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting) The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Bank's N/A Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public place in a N/A form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional responsibilities N/A been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in the project N/A cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include the N/A monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with the N/A borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? D. Approvals Signed and submitted by: Name Date Task Team Leader: Mr Richard James Lowden Record 03/14/2013 Environmental Specialist: Social Development Specialist Additional Environmental and/or Social Development Specialist(s): Approved by: Sector Manager: Mr Mathew A. Verghis 03/06/2013 Comments: