The State Council has recently issued the Decision on Revising Some Administrative Regulations (the "Decision"), immediately effective from the date of issuance.
According to the Decision, improvements in four respects are made for the institutional reform. First, the market regulation and law enforcement mechanisms are improved via revisions to 29 administrative regulations, including the Regulations on Place of Origin for Imported and Exported Goods and the Administrative Measures for Invoices. Second, the administrative system for public services is optimized through modifications introduced to eight administrative regulations, including the Interim Measures for Social Assistance. Third, the administrative systems for natural resources and ecology and environment are reformed by revising four administrative regulations, including the Regulations on the National General Survey of Pollution Sources. And fourth, the assignment of functions among macro regulators are made more appropriate as a result of revisions to four administrative regulations, including the Implementing Regulations of the Tendering and Bidding Law. In addition, the Decision expressly states that as for the reform of "delegating power, improving regulation and upgrading services", modifications are made to: 1. cancel some administrative approval items; 2. optimize the examination and approval processes; 3. improve the environment for foreign-related technology transfer; and 4. cancel relevant certification items. Among others, the Decision brings revisions to the Implementing Regulations of the Law on Sino-Foreign Equity Joint Ventures, for instance, removing a previous requirement that the term of a technology transfer agreement shall not exceed ten years in general.