Recently, ten authorities, including the National Development and Reform Commission ("NDRC"), have jointly issued the Implementing Opinions on Expanding the Reform of Delinking Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce from Administrative Organs in All Aspects (the "Opinions"), immediately effective from the date of issuance.
The Opinions clearly state that subjects involved in the delinking reform are all levels of administrative bodies and the industry associations and chambers of commerce that are established or administered by them, run under their contact, or affiliated to them. And then the Opinions state that industry associations and chambers of commerce that bear three features will be covered by this delinking reform. To be more specific, members of the industry association or the chamber of commerce are entities and practitioners engaged in economic activities of the same nature, or are economic organizations located in the same region; its name ends with such terms as "industry association", "association", "chamber of commerce" and "(literally translated) association for the same business"; and it is registered with the department of civil affairs as a legal-person social organization. In addition, the Opinions call for cutting ties between administrative organs and industry associations and chambers of commerce that are established or administered by them, run under their contact, or affiliated to them, adding that industry associations and chambers of commerce will be registered directly and operated independently according to law, and there will be no competent authorities in charge of their business. Furthermore, fiscal funds directly allocated to industry associations and chambers of commerce will be cancelled, and their development will be backed by means of government's purchase of services or otherwise.