市场准入制度的宗旨和原则/赵庆庆

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市场准入制度的宗旨和原则
市场准入制度的合理与否对经济发展具有重要的影响。制度的松紧程度直接影响着市场主体进入市场的成本和难易程度,影响着市场秩序和交易安全,影响着经济效率和活跃程度。经济发展水平、市场和市场主体发育程度、国际参与度、决策者和社会对经济的认识程度、国家干预经济的水平以及政治和民主的灵活度等都是影响市场准入制度的因素。但是从根本上来讲,建立什么样的市场准入制度应该取决于市场安全与经济效率成本之间的平衡点。
现在,法律在经济方面的任务是以市场经济为基础,规范和保护市场主体资格,创造公开、公正、公平的市场竞争环境,鼓励和促进市场的发展,提高经济效率,保护社会公共利益。从我国现状和国际趋势看,市场准入制度的改革必须以进一步完善社会主义市场经济体制为目标,参照国际惯例,促进提高经济效率,积极鼓励各类资源参与经济活动,注重市场主体行为的监管,积极培育和规范市场主体,努力创造公开、公平、公正的竞争环境,为经济社会发展提供重要的微观基础。市场准入制度应该体现以下的宗旨和原则。
(一)公开
公开是现代法制最重要的特点,公开的法律更加具有公信力,能够得到市场参与者的信任和遵守。
市场准入资格既是对市场主体进入市场的约束,又是引导和鼓励市场主体进入市场确定性的表示。市场准入制度通过法律的形式向社会公开,宣布了国家对市场主体资格的态度,明确了禁止什么,限制什么和鼓励什么,使欲进入市场的主体能够对政府行为,甚至间接对其他市场主体的性质状况抱有一定确定的合理预期。相反,市场的不稳定性和人们心理的不安全感很大程度上来自人们对他人行为包括政府行为的不可预期。人生来具有追求自由、平等和安全的权利和欲望,人是不安分的动物,愿意和喜欢冒风险(因为所选择的任何行为其结果都将发生在未来,而不确定性是未来的本质),但安全感也是人不可缺少的(对未来的合理预期能够带给人情绪上的平静和安全感),社会是人们在安全中不断挑战进步的。
中国的经济改革以前所未有的速度和广度进行着,人们既对未来充满了期望和信心,又对改革的持续、深入和稳定持谨慎态度,尤其是在人们过去经历了太多法律、政策的动荡和反复。在这种情况下,法律制度包括市场准入制度的公开对增强人们的信心是十分必要的。
公开市场准入制度,不仅仅是制度内容的公开,更是程序的公开,市场准入的程序、结果、依据以及有关机构和人员的职责、权限都要公开,未经公开的,不得作为依据,建立便于公民、法人和其他组织监督的制度。接受社会监督,让市场主体能够平等地通过此程序获得市场主体资格,在市场上进行竞争。随意性的市场准入制度会损害政府的形象,造成寻租现象,滋生了腐败。
(二)合法
市场准入制度赋予政府重要的行政权力,直接涉及公民、法人和其他组织的合法权益,关系到社会主义市场经济的发展。市场准入制度的立法和执法应当遵循我国的立法体制和依法行政的要求,符合法定权限和法定程序。
法律、行政法规可以设定市场准入制度,地方法规可以在不与上位法抵触的条件下制定关于本行政区域的市场准入制度,其他效力级别的法律都无权设定市场准入。
政府严格执行依法行政,没有法律依据,任何限制市场主体进入的行为都是非法的。与此相比,我国从传统计划经济向市场经济转变过程中,许多本来有法律依据的“市场准入”将随着改革逐渐被取消和完善,但还有市场准入从一开始就没有法律依据,是行政部门任意设置的,这是人治行政的做法。
美国的政府管制和行政审批制度需要接受严格的司法审查。中国现行行政诉讼法规定,人民法院只能受理针对行政行为提起诉讼的案件,在审理案件中,只能审查具体行政行为的合法性,但不能审查抽象行政行为的合法性,以后我国要完善行政法,健全对政府权力的监督和制约机制。
(三)必要(有效,不可替代,适度原则)
市场准入不一定能够弥补市场失灵,也不一定是不能为市场机制、行为监管替代的最佳方法。设定市场准入制度要符合经济规律,符合社会主义市场经济发展的要求,监管者要加强研究论证,避免任意性,注重事中监管,尽量发挥市场机制本身的作用,充分利用市场主体、民间机构的自律和辅助监管作用。避免政府在市场准入问题上掌握过度的控制权同时又流于形式。
凡是通过市场机制能够解决的,应当由市场机制去解决;通过市场机制难以解决,但通过公正、规范的中介组织、行业自律能够解决的,应当通过中介组织和行业自律去解决;通过事中事后监督能更好地解决问题的,不采取市场准入的方式规制;对既有的不符合上述要求的有关市场准入的规定,应当取消。概括起来就是“市场优先”、“自律优先”、“事后机制优先”的原则。
市场准入的产业主要涉及资源利用、交通、电信、电力等公用事业以及原材料、建筑工程承包、零售、外贸、金融、中介服务、高度危险业、新闻出版和文化建设等这些关系到公共安全、人民生命财产安全的行业。
竞争性行业的市场准入实行准则制,加强事中和事后的监管;不完全竞争领域实行核准制,加强资格审查和事中和事后监管;非竞争性领域实行审批制,全面重视全程的监管。
(四)效能
市场准入制度是存在制度的成本的,这不仅包括立法成本、执法成本,还包括市场准入制度给市场主体行为带来的成本以及给社会造成的成本。所以市场准入制度的建立和执行必须是经济的,收益要实质地高于成本。
企业设立法制中具体制度的选择需要考虑设立人的效率,也需要考虑未来相关交易主体及社会为此效率支出的成本。从具体设立制度来看,设立人的私人成本主要受制于如下变量:设立程序上的支出,设立条件准备上的支出等。设立人在特定制度下完成设立行为导致的外部性及相关市场主体防范机会主义的支出,主要包括如下几个方面:(1)相关市场主体调查、了解企业资信所需的费用支出;(2)相关市场主体为防御债权难于保障的意外设置保护措施而作的特别支出;(3)市场管理主体——政府如实施设立制度下监管设立行为所作的管理成本。此外,制度资源的稀缺性要求人们在考虑选择某种制度产品而非另一种制度产品所放弃的机会成本,机会成本也应纳入设立制选择中考虑因素。
合理划分和调整执行市场准入制度的部门的职责,简化程序,减少环节,加强和改善管理,提高效率,强化服务。各部门应当有明确的对外受理申请的“窗口”,方便申请人申请;涉及几个部门的,应当相互协调,合理化工作流程,便利当事人和部门的工作;市场准入制度的执行要严格遵守工作期限,提高工作效率。执行机构要努力为当事人提供便利的条件,尤其是利用现代化的网络环境对传统的工作程序进行改造,实现信息流的畅通和快捷。
从社会成本的最小化及政府管制的固有缺陷来看,企业设立法制不宜突出政府在防御机会主义中的地位和作用,而应突出设立制度(尤其是法定条件)的内部完善和相关法制的健全和配套,以实现外在成本的内部化和机会成本的最小化,从而真正使企业设立制度保证市场主体效率和社会效率并举。
(五)责任
列宁说:借口集体领导而无人负责,是最危险的祸害
对市场准入制度的进行合理分解,明确规定执行的领导决策层、可行性考核层、实际执行层的职责和权限,形成一个权力合理分配、行使相互监督的管理体系,防止少数人权力过分集中又缺乏内部监督、搞暗箱操作的弊端。
在赋予行政机关市场准入的行政权时,要规定其相应的责任。执行机关不但要对相对人的市场进入进行规制,还应当依法对市场主体动态的市场行为实施有效监督,并承担相应责任。行政机关不按规定的市场准入条件、程序行政,越权、滥用职权、徇私舞弊,以及对相对人不依法履行监督责任或者监督不力、对违法行为不予查处的,审批机关主管有关工作的领导和直接责任人员必须承担相应的法律责任。


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减持国有股筹集社会保障资金管理暂行办法

国务院


减持国有股筹集社会保障资金管理暂行办法

(国务院2001年6月12日)

第一条 为完善社会保障体制,开拓社会保障资金新的筹资渠道,支持国有企业的改革和发展,制定本办法。

第二条 本办法所称减持国有股(包括国家股和国有法人股,下同)是指向社会公众及证券投资基金等公共投资者转让上市公司(包括拟上市公司,下同)国有股的行为。

第三条 国务院代表国家统一行使国有股所有权。

本办法所称国有股东授权代表单位是指按照国有资产 “国家所有,分级管理,授权经营”的原则,被授权代表国家持有上市公司国有股的单位。

第四条 减持国有股所筹集的资金交由全国社会保障基金理事会管理,具体管理办法由财政部另行制定,报国务院批准后实施。

第五条 国有股减持主要采取国有股存量发行的方式。凡国家拥有股份的股份有限公司(包括在境外上市的公司)向公共投资者首次发行和增发股票时,均应按融资额的10%出售国有股;股份有限公司设立未满3年的,拟出售的国有股通过划拨方式转由全国社会保障基金理事会持有,并由其委托该公司在公开募股时一次或分次出售。国有股存量出售收入,全部上缴全国社会保障基金。

第六条 减持国有股原则上采取市场定价方式。

第七条 减持国有股由部际联席会议审议实施。部际联席会议由财政部负责召集,国家计委、国家经贸委、劳动保障部、中国证监会、全国社会保障基金理事会为成员单位,主要负责确定减持国有股的筹资计划和定价原则,研究解决国有股减持筹资工作涉及的其他重大问题。

第八条 部际联席会议办公室设在财政部,承担联席会议的具体事务。

第九条 部际联席会议确定减持国有股的,其股东授权代表单位需提供下列材料:

(一)国有股减持说明书(草案)及承销协议;

(二)国有股东授权代表单位、主承销机构对上缴减持收入的书面承诺;

(三)部际联席会议规定的其他材料。

第十条 中国证监会负责制定减持上市公司国有股的信息披露及市场监管规则。

第十一条 建立全国社会保障基金并设立理事会。

全国社会保障基金由国有股减持变现的资金和中央财政预算拨款以及其他方式筹集的资金构成。全国社会保障基金理事会主要职责是:

(-)管理通过减持国有股所获资金、中央财政拨入的资金及其他方式筹集的资金;

(二)根据财政部、劳动保障部共同下达的指令和确定的方式拨出资金;

(三)选择并委托国内外专业性投资管理机构对基金进行运作,以实现保值增值;

(四)向社会公布全国社会保障基金的资产、收益、现金流量等财务状况。

(五)承办国务院交办的其他事项。

第十二条 国有股存量发行收入由主承销机构在取得收入2日内负责将应缴收入缴入财政部预算设置的指定科目。财政部在5日内拨给全国社会保障基金理事会,并办理核减有关单位国有资本金的手续。

第十三条 受托对基金进行运作的专业性投资管理机构必须定期向全国社会保障基金理事会报告其经营状况和业绩,并由全国社会保障基金理事会向社会披露,接受监督。

第十四条 部际联席会议可以根据社会保障资金的需要和证券市场的发展状况,在采取国有股存量发行的同时,选择少量上市公司进行国有股配售及定向回购等方式的试点。试点方案经部际联席会议审议并报国务院批准后组织实施。

第十五条 本办法实施后,上市公司国有股协议转让,包括非发起人国有股协议转让,由财政部审核。协议转让时国有股权发生减持变化的,国有股东授权代表单位应按转让收入的一定比例上缴全国社会保障基金,具体比例以及操作办法由部际联席会议制定,并在报国务院批准后实施。证券登记公司依据财政部的批复文件办理股权过户手续。

国有股东授权代表单位将上市公司国有股用于银行贷款和发行企业债券质押担保,不得超过该上市公司国有股总额的50%,具体管理办法由财政部制定。

第十六条 本办法自印发之日起施行。

中华人民共和国加入议定书(英文本)

世界贸易组织法律文件


PROTOCOL ON THE ACCESSION OF
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA


Preamble

The World Trade Organization ("WTO"), pursuant to the approval of the Ministerial Conference of the WTO accorded under Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization ("WTO Agreement"), and the People's Republic of China ("China"),

Recalling that China was an original contracting party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1947,

Taking note that China is a signatory to the Final Act Embodying the Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations,

Taking note of the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China in document WT/ACC/CHN/49 ("Working Party Report"),

Having regard to the results of the negotiations concerning China's membership in the WTO,

Agree as follows:

Part I - General Provisions

1. General

1. Upon accession, China accedes to the WTO Agreement pursuant to Article XII of that Agreement and thereby becomes a Member of the WTO.

2. The WTO Agreement to which China accedes shall be the WTO Agreement as rectified, amended or otherwise modified by such legal instruments as may have entered into force before the date of accession. This Protocol, which shall include the commitments referred to in paragraph 342 of the Working Party Report, shall be an integral part of the WTO Agreement.

3. Except as otherwise provided for in this Protocol, those obligations in the Multilateral Trade Agreements annexed to the WTO Agreement that are to be implemented over a period of time starting with entry into force of that Agreement shall be implemented by China as if it had accepted that Agreement on the date of its entry into force.

4. China may maintain a measure inconsistent with paragraph 1of Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services ("GATS") provided that such a measure is recorded in the List of Article II Exemptions annexed to this Protocol and meets the conditions of the Annex to the GATS on Article II Exemptions.

2. Administration of the Trade Regime

(A) Uniform Administration

1. The provisions of the WTO Agreement and this Protocol shall apply to the entire customs territory of China, including border trade regions and minority autonomous areas, Special Economic Zones, open coastal cities, economic and technical development zones and other areas where special regimes for tariffs, taxes and regulations are established (collectively referred to as "special economic areas").

2. China shall apply and administer in a uniform, impartial and reasonable manner all its laws, regulations and other measures of the central government as well as local regulations, rules and other measures issued or applied at the sub-national level (collectively referred to as "laws, regulations and other measures") pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, services, trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights ("TRIPS") or the control of foreign exchange.

3. China's local regulations, rules and other measures of local governments at the sub-national level shall conform to the obligations undertaken in the WTO Agreement and this Protocol.

4. China shall establish a mechanism under which individuals and enterprises can bring to the attention of the national authorities cases of non-uniform application of the trade regime.

(B) Special Economic Areas

1. China shall notify to the WTO all the relevant laws, regulations and other measures relating to its special economic areas, listing these areas by name and indicating the geographic boundaries that define them. China shall notify the WTO promptly, but in any case within 60 days, of any additions or modifications to its special economic areas, including notification of the laws, regulations and other measures relating thereto.

2. China shall apply to imported products, including physically incorporated components, introduced into the other parts of China's customs territory from the special economic areas, all taxes, charges and measures affecting imports, including import restrictions and customs and tariff charges, that are normally applied to imports into the other parts of China's customs territory.

3. Except as otherwise provided for in this Protocol, in providing preferential arrangements for enterprises within such special economic areas, WTO provisions on non-discrimination and national treatment shall be fully observed.

(C) Transparency

1. China undertakes that only those laws, regulations and other measures pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, services, TRIPS or the control of foreign exchange that are published and readily available to other WTO Members, individuals and enterprises, shall be enforced. In addition, China shall make available to WTO Members, upon request, all laws, regulations and other measures pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, services, TRIPS or the control of foreign exchange before such measures are implemented or enforced. In emergency situations, laws, regulations and other measures shall be made available at the latest when they are implemented or enforced.

2. China shall establish or designate an official journal dedicated to the publication of all laws, regulations and other measures pertaining to or affecting trade in goods, services, TRIPS or the control of foreign exchange and, after publication of its laws, regulations or other measures in such journal, shall provide a reasonable period for comment to the appropriate authorities before such measures are implemented, except for those laws, regulations and other measures involving national security, specific measures setting foreign exchange rates or monetary policy and other measures the publication of which would impede law enforcement. China shall publish this journal on a regular basis and make copies of all issues of this journal readily available to individuals and enterprises.

3. China shall establish or designate an enquiry point where, upon request of any individual, enterprise or WTO Member all information relating to the measures required to be published under paragraph 2(C)1 of this Protocol may be obtained. Replies to requests for information shall generally be provided within 30 days after receipt of a request. In exceptional cases, replies may be provided within 45 days after receipt of a request. Notice of the delay and the reasons therefor shall be provided in writing to the interested party. Replies to WTO Members shall be complete and shall represent the authoritative view of the Chinese government. Accurate and reliable information shall be provided to individuals and enterprises.

(D) Judicial Review

1. China shall establish, or designate, and maintain tribunals, contact points and procedures for the prompt review of all administrative actions relating to the implementation of laws, regulations, judicial decisions and administrative rulings of general application referred to in Article X:1 of the GATT 1994, Article VI of the GATS and the relevant provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. Such tribunals shall be impartial and independent of the agency entrusted with administrative enforcement and shall not have any substantial interest in the outcome of the matter.

2. Review procedures shall include the opportunity for appeal, without penalty, by individuals or enterprises affected by any administrative action subject to review. If the initial right of appeal is to an administrative body, there shall in all cases be the opportunity to choose to appeal the decision to a judicial body. Notice of the decision on appeal shall be given to the appellant and the reasons for such decision shall be provided in writing. The appellant shall also be informed of any right to further appeal.

3. Non-discrimination

Except as otherwise provided for in this Protocol, foreign individuals and enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises shall be accorded treatment no less favourable than that accorded to other individuals and enterprises in respect of:

(a) the procurement of inputs and goods and services necessary for production and the conditions under which their goods are produced, marketed or sold, in the domestic market and for export; and

(b) the prices and availability of goods and services supplied by national and sub-national authorities and public or state enterprises, in areas including transportation, energy, basic telecommunications, other utilities and factors of production.

4. Special Trade Arrangements

Upon accession, China shall eliminate or bring into conformity with the WTO Agreement all special trade arrangements, including barter trade arrangements, with third countries and separate customs territories, which are not in conformity with the WTO Agreement.

5. Right to Trade

1. Without prejudice to China's right to regulate trade in a manner consistent with the WTO Agreement, China shall progressively liberalize the availability and scope of the right to trade, so that, within three years after accession, all enterprises in China shall have the right to trade in all goods throughout the customs territory of China, except for those goods listed in Annex 2A which continue to be subject to state trading in accordance with this Protocol. Such right to trade shall be the right to import and export goods. All such goods shall be accorded national treatment under Article III of the GATT 1994, especially paragraph 4 thereof, in respect of their internal sale, offering for sale, purchase, transportation, distribution or use, including their direct access to end-users. For those goods listed in Annex 2B, China shall phase out limitation on the grant of trading rights pursuant to the schedule in that Annex. China shall complete all necessary legislative procedures to implement these provisions during the transition period.

2. Except as otherwise provided for in this Protocol, all foreign individuals and enterprises, including those not invested or registered in China, shall be accorded treatment no less favourable than that accorded to enterprises in China with respect to the right to trade.

6. State Trading

1. China shall ensure that import purchasing procedures of state trading enterprises are fully transparent, and in compliance with the WTO Agreement, and shall refrain from taking any measure to influence or direct state trading enterprises as to the quantity, value, or country of origin of goods purchased or sold, except in accordance with the WTO Agreement.

2. As part of China's notification under the GATT 1994 and the Understanding on the Interpretation of Article XVII of the GATT 1994, China shall also provide full information on the pricing mechanisms of its state trading enterprises for exported goods.

7. Non-Tariff Measures

1. China shall implement the schedule for phased elimination of the measures contained in Annex 3. During the periods specified in Annex 3, the protection afforded by the measures listed in that Annex shall not be increased or expanded in size, scope or duration, nor shall any new measures be applied, unless in conformity with the provisions of the WTO Agreement.

2. In implementing the provisions of Articles III and XI of the GATT 1994 and the Agreement on Agriculture, China shall eliminate and shall not introduce, re-introduce or apply non-tariff measures that cannot be justified under the provisions of the WTO Agreement. For all non-tariff measures, whether or not referred to in Annex 3, that are applied after the date of accession, consistent with the WTO Agreement or this Protocol, China shall allocate and otherwise administer such measures in strict conformity with the provisions of the WTO Agreement, including GATT 1994 and Article XIII thereof, and the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, including notification requirements.

3. China shall, upon accession, comply with the TRIMs Agreement, without recourse to the provisions of Article 5 of the TRIMs Agreement. China shall eliminate and cease to enforce trade and foreign exchange balancing requirements, local content and export or performance requirements made effective through laws, regulations or other measures. Moreover, China will not enforce provisions of contracts imposing such requirements. Without prejudice to the relevant provisions of this Protocol, China shall ensure that the distribution of import licences, quotas, tariff-rate quotas, or any other means of approval for importation, the right of importation or investment by national and sub-national authorities, is not conditioned on: whether competing domestic suppliers of such products exist; or performance requirements of any kind, such as local content, offsets, the transfer of technology, export performance or the conduct of research and development in China.

4. Import and export prohibitions and restrictions, and licensing requirements affecting imports and exports shall only be imposed and enforced by the national authorities or by sub-national authorities with authorization from the national authorities. Such measures which are not imposed by the national authorities or by sub-national authorities with authorization from the national authorities, shall not be implemented or enforced.

8. Import and Export Licensing

1. In implementing the WTO Agreement and provisions of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, China shall undertake the following measures to facilitate compliance with these agreements:

(a) China shall publish on a regular basis the following in the official journal referred to in paragraph 2(C)2 of this Protocol:

- by product, the list of all organizations, including those organizations delegated such authority by the national authorities, that are responsible for authorizing or approving imports or exports, whether through grant of licence or other approval;

- procedures and criteria for obtaining such import or export licences or other approvals, and the conditions for deciding whether they should be granted;

- a list of all products, by tariff number, that are subject to tendering requirements, including information on products subject to such tendering requirements and any changes, pursuant to the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures;

- a list of all goods and technologies whose import or export are restricted or prohibited; these goods shall also be notified to the Committee on Import Licensing;

- any changes to the list of goods and technologies whose import and export are restricted or prohibited.

Copies of these submissions in one or more official languages of the WTO shall be forwarded to the WTO for circulation to WTO Members and for submission to the Committee on Import Licensing within 75 days of each publication.

(b) China shall notify the WTO of all licensing and quota requirements remaining in effect after accession, listed separately by HS tariff line and with the quantities associated with the restriction, if any, and the justification for maintaining the restriction or its scheduled date of termination.

(c) China shall submit the notification of its import licensing procedures to the Committee on Import Licensing. China shall report annually to the Committee on Import Licensing on its automatic import licensing procedures, explaining the circumstances which give rise to these requirements and justifying the need for their continuation. This report shall also provide the information listed in Article 3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.

(d) China shall issue import licences for a minimum duration of validity of six months, except where exceptional circumstances make this impossible. In such cases, China shall promptly notify the Committee on Import Licensing of the exceptional circumstances requiring the shorter period of licence validity.

2. Except as otherwise provided for in this Protocol, foreign individuals and enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises shall be accorded treatment no less favourable than that accorded to other individuals and enterprises in respect of the distribution of import and export licences and quotas.

9. Price Controls

1. China shall, subject to paragraph 2 below, allow prices for traded goods and services in every sector to be determined by market forces, and multi-tier pricing practices for such goods and services shall be eliminated.

2. The goods and services listed in Annex 4 may be subject to price controls, consistent with the WTO Agreement, in particular Article III of the GATT 1994 and Annex 2, paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Agreement on Agriculture. Except in exceptional circumstances, and subject to notification to the WTO, price controls shall not be extended to goods or services beyond those listed in Annex 4, and China shall make best efforts to reduce and eliminate these controls.

3. China shall publish in the official journal the list of goods and services subject to state pricing and changes thereto.

10. Subsidies

1. China shall notify the WTO of any subsidy within the meaning of Article 1 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures ("SCM Agreement"), granted or maintained in its territory, organized by specific product, including those subsidies defined in Article 3 of the SCM Agreement. The information provided should be as specific as possible, following the requirements of the questionnaire on subsidies as noted in Article 25 of the SCM Agreement.

2. For purposes of applying Articles 1.2 and 2 of the SCM Agreement, subsidies provided to state-owned enterprises will be viewed as specific if, inter alia, state-owned enterprises are the predominant recipients of such subsidies or state-owned enterprises receive disproportionately large amounts of such subsidies.

3. China shall eliminate all subsidy programmes falling within the scope of Article 3 of the SCM Agreement upon accession.

11. Taxes and Charges Levied on Imports and Exports

1. China shall ensure that customs fees or charges applied or administered by national or sub-national authorities, shall be in conformity with the GATT 1994.

2. China shall ensure that internal taxes and charges, including value-added taxes, applied or administered by national or sub-national authorities shall be in conformity with the GATT 1994.

3. China shall eliminate all taxes and charges applied to exports unless specifically provided for in Annex 6 of this Protocol or applied in conformity with the provisions of Article VIII of the GATT 1994.

4. Foreign individuals and enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises shall, upon accession, be accorded treatment no less favourable than that accorded to other individuals and enterprises in respect of the provision of border tax adjustments.

12. Agriculture

1. China shall implement the provisions contained in China's Schedule of Concessions and Commitments on Goods and, as specifically provided in this Protocol, those of the Agreement on Agriculture. In this context, China shall not maintain or introduce any export subsidies on agricultural products.

2. China shall, under the Transitional Review Mechanism, notify fiscal and other transfers between or among state-owned enterprises in the agricultural sector (whether national or sub-national) and other enterprises that operate as state trading enterprises in the agricultural sector.

13. Technical Barriers to Trade

1. China shall publish in the official journal all criteria, whether formal or informal, that are the basis for a technical regulation, standard or conformity assessment procedure.

2. China shall, upon accession, bring into conformity with the TBT Agreement all technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures.

3. China shall apply conformity assessment procedures to imported products only to determine compliance with technical regulations and standards that are consistent with the provisions of this Protocol and the WTO Agreement. Conformity assessment bodies will determine the conformity of imported products with commercial terms of contracts only if authorized by the parties to such contract. China shall ensure that such inspection of products for compliance with the commercial terms of contracts does not affect customs clearance or the granting of import licences for such products.

4. (a) Upon accession, China shall ensure that the same technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures are applied to both imported and domestic products. In order to ensure a smooth transition from the current system, China shall ensure that, upon accession, all certification, safety licensing, and quality licensing bodies and agencies are authorized to undertake these activities for both imported and domestic products, and that, one year after accession, all conformity assessment bodies and agencies are authorized to undertake conformity assessment for both imported and domestic products. The choice of body or agency shall be at the discretion of the applicant. For imported and domestic products, all bodies and agencies shall issue the same mark and charge the same fee. They shall also provide the same processing periods and complaint procedures. Imported products shall not be subject to more than one conformity assessment. China shall publish and make readily available to other WTO Members, individuals, and enterprises full information on the respective responsibilities of its conformity assessment bodies and agencies.

(b) No later than 18 months after accession, China shall assign the respective responsibilities of its conformity assessment bodies solely on the basis of the scope of work and type of product without any consideration of the origin of a product. The respective responsibilities that will be assigned to China's conformity assessment bodies will be notified to the TBT Committee 12 months after accession.

14. Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

China shall notify to the WTO all laws, regulations and other measures relating to its sanitary and phytosanitary measures, including product coverage and relevant international standards, guidelines and recommendations, within 30 days after accession.

15. Price Comparability in Determining Subsidies and Dumping

Article VI of the GATT 1994, the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 ("Anti-Dumping Agreement") and the SCM Agreement shall apply in proceedings involving imports of Chinese origin into a WTO Member consistent with the following:

(a) In determining price comparability under Article VI of the GATT 1994 and the Anti-Dumping Agreement, the importing WTO Member shall use either Chinese prices or costs for the industry under investigation or a methodology that is not based on a strict comparison with domestic prices or costs in China based on the following rules:

(i) If the producers under investigation can clearly show that market economy conditions prevail in the industry producing the like product with regard to the manufacture, production and sale of that product, the importing WTO Member shall use Chinese prices or costs for the industry under investigation in determining price comparability;

(ii) The importing WTO Member may use a methodology that is not based on a strict comparison with domestic prices or costs in China if the producers under investigation cannot clearly show that market economy conditions prevail in the industry producing the like product with regard to manufacture, production and sale of that product.

(b) In proceedings under Parts II, III and V of the SCM Agreement, when addressing subsidies described in Articles 14(a), 14(b), 14(c) and 14(d), relevant provisions of the SCM Agreement shall apply; however, if there are special difficulties in that application, the importing WTO Member may then use methodologies for identifying and measuring the subsidy benefit which take into account the possibility that prevailing terms and conditions in China may not always be available as appropriate benchmarks. In applying such methodologies, where practicable, the importing WTO Member should adjust such prevailing terms and conditions before considering the use of terms and conditions prevailing outside China.

(c) The importing WTO Member shall notify methodologies used in accordance with subparagraph (a) to the Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices and shall notify methodologies used in accordance with subparagraph (b) to the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.

(d) Once China has established, under the national law of the importing WTO Member, that it is a market economy, the provisions of subparagraph (a) shall be terminated provided that the importing Member's national law contains market economy criteria as of the date of accession. In any event, the provisions of subparagraph (a)(ii) shall expire 15 years after the date of accession. In addition, should China establish, pursuant to the national law of the importing WTO Member, that market economy conditions prevail in a particular industry or sector, the non-market economy provisions of subparagraph (a) shall no longer apply to that industry or sector.

16. Transitional Product-Specific Safeguard Mechanism

1. In cases where products of Chinese origin are being imported into the territory of any WTO Member in such increased quantities or under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause market disruption to the domestic producers of like or directly competitive products, the WTO Member so affected may request consultations with China with a view to seeking a mutually satisfactory solution, including whether the affected WTO Member should pursue application of a measure under the Agreement on Safeguards. Any such request shall be notified immediately to the Committee on Safeguards.

2. If, in the course of these bilateral consultations, it is agreed that imports of Chinese origin are such a cause and that action is necessary, China shall take such action as to prevent or remedy the market disruption. Any such action shall be notified immediately to the Committee on Safeguards.

3. If consultations do not lead to an agreement between China and the WTO Member concerned within 60 days of the receipt of a request for consultations, the WTO Member affected shall be free, in respect of such products, to withdraw concessions or otherwise to limit imports only to the extent necessary to prevent or remedy such market disruption. Any such action shall be notified immediately to the Committee on Safeguards.

4. Market disruption shall exist whenever imports of an article, like or directly competitive with an article produced by the domestic industry, are increasing rapidly, either absolutely or relatively, so as to be a significant cause of material injury, or threat of material injury to the domestic industry. In determining if market disruption exists, the affected WTO Member shall consider objective factors, including the volume of imports, the effect of imports on prices for like or directly competitive articles, and the effect of such imports on the domestic industry producing like or directly competitive products.

5. Prior to application of a measure pursuant to paragraph 3, the WTO Member taking such action shall provide reasonable public notice to all interested parties and provide adequate opportunity for importers, exporters and other interested parties to submit their views and evidence on the appropriateness of the proposed measure and whether it would be in the public interest. The WTO Member shall provide written notice of the decision to apply a measure, including the reasons for such measure and its scope and duration.

6. A WTO Member shall apply a measure pursuant to this Section only for such period of time as may be necessary to prevent or remedy the market disruption. If a measure is taken as a result of a relative increase in the level of imports, China has the right to suspend the application of substantially equivalent concessions or obligations under the GATT 1994 to the trade of the WTO Member applying the measure, if such measure remains in effect more than two years. However, if a measure is taken as a result of an absolute increase in imports, China has a right to suspend the application of substantially equivalent concessions or obligations under the GATT 1994 to the trade of the WTO Member applying the measure, if such measure remains in effect more than three years. Any such action by China shall be notified immediately to the Committee on Safeguards.

7. In critical circumstances, where delay would cause damage which it would be difficult to repair, the WTO Member so affected may take a provisional safeguard measure pursuant to a preliminary determination that imports have caused or threatened to cause market disruption. In this case, notification of the measures taken to the Committee on Safeguards and a request for bilateral consultations shall be effected immediately thereafter. The duration of the provisional measure shall not exceed 200 days during which the pertinent requirements of paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 shall be met. The duration of any provisional measure shall be counted toward the period provided for under paragraph 6.

8. If a WTO Member considers that an action taken under paragraphs 2, 3 or 7 causes or threatens to cause significant diversions of trade into its market, it may request consultations with China and/or the WTO Member concerned. Such consultations shall be held within 30 days after the request is notified to the Committee on Safeguards. If such consultations fail to lead to an agreement between China and the WTO Member or Members concerned within 60 days after the notification, the requesting WTO Member shall be free, in respect of such product, to withdraw concessions accorded to or otherwise limit imports from China, to the extent necessary to prevent or remedy such diversions. Such action shall be notified immediately to the Committee on Safeguards.

9. Application of this Section shall be terminated 12 years after the date of accession.

17. Reservations by WTO Members

All prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and other measures maintained by WTO Members against imports from China in a manner inconsistent with the WTO Agreement are listed in Annex 7. All such prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and other measures shall be phased out or dealt with in accordance with mutually agreed terms and timetables as specified in the said Annex.

18. Transitional Review Mechanism

1. Those subsidiary bodies1 of the WTO which have a mandate covering China's commitments under the WTO Agreement or this Protocol shall, within one year after accession and in accordance with paragraph 4 below, review, as appropriate to their mandate, the implementation by China of the WTO Agreement and of the related provisions of this Protocol. China shall provide relevant information, including information specified in Annex 1A, to each subsidiary body in advance of the review. China can also raise issues relating to any reservations under Section 17 or to any other specific commitments made by other Members in this Protocol, in those subsidiary bodies which have a relevant mandate. Each subsidiary body shall report the results of such review promptly to the relevant Council established by paragraph 5 of Article IV of the WTO Agreement, if applicable, which shall in turn report promptly to the General Council.

2. The General Council shall, within one year after accession, and in accordance with paragraph 4 below, review the implementation by China of the WTO Agreement and the provisions of this Protocol. The General Council shall conduct such review in accordance with the framework set out in Annex 1B and in the light of the results of any reviews held pursuant to paragraph 1. China also can raise issues relating to any reservations under Section 17 or to any other specific commitments made by other Members in this Protocol. The General Council may make recommendations to China and to other Members in these respects.

3. Consideration of issues pursuant to this Section shall be without prejudice to the rights and obligations of any Member, including China, under the WTO Agreement or any Plurilateral Trade Agreement, and shall not preclude or be a precondition to recourse to consultation or other provisions of the WTO Agreement or this Protocol.

4. The review provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2 will take place after accession in each year for eight years. Thereafter there will be a final review in year 10 or at an earlier date decided by the General Council.

Part II - Schedules

1. The Schedules annexed to this Protocol shall become the Schedule of Concessions and Commitments annexed to the GATT 1994 and the Schedule of Specific Commitments annexed to the GATS relating to China. The staging of concessions and commitments listed in the Schedules shall be implemented as specified in the relevant parts of the relevant Schedules.

2. For the purpose of the reference in paragraph 6(a) of Article II of the GATT 1994 to the date of that Agreement, the applicable date in respect of the Schedules of Concessions and Commitments annexed to this Protocol shall be the date of accession.

Part III - Final Provisions

1. This Protocol shall be open for acceptance, by signature or otherwise, by China until 1 January 2002.

2. This Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following the day of its acceptance.

3. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Director-General of the WTO. The Director-General shall promptly furnish a certified copy of this Protocol and a notification of acceptance by China thereof, pursuant to paragraph 1 of Part III of this Protocol, to each WTO Member and to China.

4. This Protocol shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Done at Doha this tenth day of November two thousand and one, in a single copy, in the English, French and Spanish languages, each text being authentic, except that a Schedule annexed hereto may specify that it is authentic in only one or more of these languages.

1 Council for Trade in Goods, Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Council for Trade in Services, Committees on Balance-of-Payments Restrictions, Market Access (covering also ITA), Agriculture, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade, Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, Anti-Dumping Measures, Customs Valuation, Rules of Origin, Import Licensing, Trade-Related Investment Measures, Safeguards, Trade in Financial Services.