Circular on Delegating Matters Concerning the Examination and Approval of Foreign-invested Commercial Enterprises

关于下放外商投资商业企业审批事项的通知

The Circular states that, with certain exceptions, the investment in and establishment of commercial enterprises by foreign investors shall be subject to the examination of the provincial-level departments in charge of commerce.

Clp Reference: 5400/08.09.12 Promulgated: 2008-09-12 Effective: 2008-09-12

(Issued by the Ministry of Commerce, and effective as of, September 12 2008.)

(商务部于二零零八年九月十二日发布执行。)

Shang Zi Han [2008] No.51

商资函 [2008] 51号

Departments in charge of commerce of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government, cities with independent development plans and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corp, and state-level economic and technology development zones:

各省、自治区、直辖市、计划单列市、新疆生产建设兵团商务主管部门、国家级经济技术开发区：

With a view to thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Second Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, further transforming the work functions of government and improving the examination and approval of foreign investment, pursuant to the State Council, Decision on Abolishing or Adjusting a Fourth Batch of Items Subject to Administrative Examination and Approval (Guo Fa [2007] No.33), we hereby notify you concerning relevant matters as follows:

为贯彻落实党的十七届二中全会精神，进一步转变政府工作职能，改进外商投资审批工作，根据《国务院关于第四批取消和调整行政审批项目的决定》（国发[2007]33号），现就有关事项通知如下：

1. The investment in and establishment of commercial enterprises by foreign investors and the changes to existing foreign-invested commercial enterprises shall be subject to the examination of the provincial-level departments in charge of commerce (except where the matters specified in Article 2 are involved).

一、 外商投资设立商业企业及已设立的外商投资商业企业的变更由省级商务主管部门审核（第二条涉及事项除外）。

2. The Ministry of Commerce shall continue to be responsible for the examination and approval of enterprises that make their sales without physical shops through means such as television, telephone, mail order, the internet, vending machines, etc. and enterprises that engage in the wholesale of audio and video products or the sale of books, newspapers and periodicals.

二、 通过电视、电话、邮购、互联网、自动售货机等无店铺方式销售的企业或从事音像制品批发，图书、报纸、期刊销售的企业继续由商务部负责审批。

3. Provincial-level departments in charge of commerce shall carry out the examination of foreign-invested commercial enterprises in strict accordance with relevant state laws and regulations and relevant industrial policies, and submit relevant official replies to the Ministry of Commerce for the record in a timely manner.

三、 省级商务主管部门应严格按照国家有关法律法规规定和相关产业政策审核外商投资商业企业，并及时将有关批复报商务部备案。

4. This Circular shall be effective as of the date of issuance.

clp reference:5400/08.09.12prc reference:商资函 [2008] 51号promulgated:2008-09-12effective:2008-09-12

四、 本通知自发布之日起执行。

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