State Council Calls for Decoupling Business Licenses from Operation Permits in Pilot Free Trade Zones(FTZs)

国务院在自由贸易试验区开展“证照分离”改革全覆盖试点

The State Council released a Notice on November 15, 2019 to fully decouple business licenses from operation permits in the pilot free trade zones nationwide and usher in a list-based administrative mode to regulate government approval items relating to business operations, in a bid to help enterprises start business with high efficiency.

2019年11月15日，国务院印发了《关于在自由贸易试验区开展“证照分离”改革全覆盖试点的通知》，在涉及企业经营许可事项，引进清单管理模式，提高企业运营效率。

The State Council instructed departments concerned to constantly streamline administration and delegate powers, clarify duties of the government and enterprises, sort out government approval items relating to business operations, improve transparent rules for market entry, grant enterprises more autonomy in business operations, and step up regulation and oversight, in an effort to create a world-class and market-oriented business environment, boost micro market entities' vitality, and propel high-quality economic development.

国务院要求相关各部委不断厘清行政审批权限，明晰政府和企业责任，全面清理涉企经营许可事项，完善简约透明的行业准入规则，进一步扩大企业自主经营权，加强事中事后监管，打造国际化和市场化的营商环境，激发微观主体活力，推动经济高质量发展。

The reform list-based administrative mode will be piloted in FTZs in current 18 provincial regions including Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin, Fujian, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hainan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Guangxi, Hebei, Yunan, and Heilongjiang as from November 1, 2019.

清单管理模式改革将于2019年12月1日起，在上海、广东、天津、福建、辽宁、浙江、河南、湖北、重庆、四川、陕西、海南、山东、江苏、广西、河北、云南、黑龙江18个自由贸易试验区试行。

Operation permits will cover all government approval items relating to business operations with a list-based administrative mode introduced. The list should be regularly adjusted and disclosed to the public to maintain complete transparency. Items unlisted should not be used to deny or restrict enterprises' access to related industries. And enterprises with business licenses should be able to launch business with full autonomy.

对所有涉企经营许可事项实行全覆盖清单管理。清单要定期调整更新并向社会公布，以保持完全公开透明。清单之外不得违规限制企业进入相关行业或领域，企业取得营业执照即可自主开展经营。

Reform will be carried out in multiple ways, such as canceling, approval converging into record-filling management, pre-commitment of compliance, and optimizing approval services.

对所有涉企经营许可事项按照直接取消审批、审批改为备案、实行告知承诺、优化审批服务等四种方式分类推进改革。

When it comes to approval items that deem unnecessary, or can be efficiently adjusted by market mechanism and autonomously regulated by industries or intermediate agencies, they should be rendered obsolete and canceled.

对设定必要性已不存在，或者市场机制能够有效调节、行业组织或中介机构能够有效实现行业自律管理的涉企经营许可事项，直接取消审批。

For items that should be kept valid, enterprises can pledge the fulfillment of their operation in accordance to corresponding permitting requirements, and departments concerned can engage supervision during and after business operations.

对于确需要保留的涉个经营许可事项，企业可就符合经营许可条件做出承诺，有关部门通过事中事后监督的方式对企业进行监管。

Additionally, items regarding national security, public security, financial security, and alike call for optimization in approval services.

对涉及国家安全、公共安全、金融安全、生态安全和公众健康等重大公共利益的经营许可事项，应当采取切实措施优化审批服务。

According to the notice, the reform calls for improvement in related policies. The scope of business registration should be well linked with business license application. Market regulators should notify enterprises with the approval items relating to business operation in accordance with their business scopes. Regulators should also present the information of permit applicants to administrators concerned via a national administrative information sharing platform; the latter should issue permits in a timely manner and inform market regulators of the results.

根据该通知要求，要完善改革配套政策措施。企业登记经营范围应与申办经营许可衔接。市场监管部门应明确涉企经营许可事项对应的经营范围表述。市场监管部门将需申请许可的企业信息通过政务信息共享平台推送至有关主管部门，有关主管部门要及时办理相关经营许可，并将办理结果推送至市场监管部门。

Further efforts should be made to constantly improve the quality and efficiency in approval services. Internet plus government services should work in full sail to streamline the whole process of business permit application.

持续提升审批服务质量和效率。加快推进“互联网+政务服务”，推动涉企经营许可的全流程。

Departments concerned should engage an overall implementation of interdepartmental oversight conducted through the random selection of both inspectors and inspection targets. Cutting-edge technologies, emerging industries, new forms and models of business are privileged with inclusive and prudent supervision, and high-risk industries and fields are key regulatory targets.

相关部门要全面推行“双随机、一公开”监管、跨部门联合监管。对新技术、新产业、新业态、新模式实行包容审慎监管，对高风险行业和领域实行重点监管。

Reform will be conducted constantly in accordance with laws. Within 3 years, 6 laws such as International Trade Law, and 6 administrative regulations such as Certification and Accreditation Ordinance will be applied based on an adjusted manner for the time being in the FTZs.

坚持依法推进改革。在3年内在各自由贸易试验区暂时调整适用《中华人民共和国对外贸易法》等6部法律有关规定；同时，在各自由贸易试验区暂时调整适用《中华人民共和国认证认可条例》等6部行政法规。