Regulations on the Administration of Printing Industry (Revised in 2017)

Regulations on the Administration of Printing Industry (Revised in 2017)
Regulations on the Administration of Printing Industry (Revised in 2017)

Order of the State Council of the People's Republic of China No.676

March 1, 2017

(Promulgated by the Order of the State Council of the People's Republic of China No.315 on August 2, 2001; revised for the first time in accordance with the Decision of the State Council on Revising Certain Administrative Regulations on February 6, 2016; and revised for the second time in accordance with the Decision of the State Council on Revising and Repealing Certain Administrative Regulations on March 11, 2017)

Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1 These Regulations are formulated in order to strengthen the administration of printing industry, to protect the lawful rights and interests of the operators of printing industry and the public interests of the society, and to promote the socialist spiritual civilization and material civilization.

Article 2 These Regulations apply to the operations of printing publications, printed matters of package and decoration, and other printed matters.
Publications referred to in these Regulations include newspapers, journals, books, maps, New Year pictures, pictures, wall calendars, picture albums and the binding and layout, and cover of audio and video products and electrical publications, etc.
Printed matters of package and decoration referred to in these Regulations include trademark signs, advertisement publicity material and the printed matters of paper, metal, plastic, etc, which are used as product package or decoration.
Other printed matters referred to in these Regulations include documents, data, charts, tickets, certificates, visiting cards, etc.
Operations of printing referred to in these Regulations include operational activities of typesetting, plate making, printing, binding, copying, photographic reproducing, mimeographing, etc.

Article 3 The operators of printing industry must abide by the relevant laws, regulations and rules, and stress the social benefits.
Publications, printed matters of package and decoration and other printed matters that contain reactionary, pornographic or superstitious contents and other contents publicly prohibited by state orders shall be prohibited from printing.

Article 4 The administrative department of publishing of the State Council shall be in charge of the supervision and administration of the printing industry of the whole country. The administrative departments in charge of publishing administration of the people's governments at the county level and above (hereinafter referred to as administrative departments of publishing) shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of the printing industry within their respective administrative areas.
The public security departments, administrative departments and other relevant departments of industry and commerce of the people's governments at the county level and above shall be responsible for the relevant supervision and administration of printing industry within their respective scope of duties.

Article 5 The operators of printing industry shall establish and perfect the system of printing undertaking validation, the system of printing undertaking registration, the system of printed matter keeping, the system of printed matter delivery, and the system of destroying the shopworn and defective products produced in printing activities. The specific measures shall be formulated by the administrative department of publishing of the State Council jointly with the public security department of the State Council.
If the operators find illegal and criminal acts in the printing operations, they shall report timely to the public security departments or the administrative departments of publishing.

Article 6 The social organizations of printing industry shall, under the guidance of the administrative departments of publishing, adopt self-administration according to their articles of association.

Article 7 Printing enterprises shall submit annual reports to the administrative department for publications on a regular basis. The administrative department for publications shall promptly announce the relevant contents in the annual reports to the public pursuant to the law.

Chapter 2 Establishment of Printing Enterprises

Article 8 The state adopts the license system for printing operations. No unit or individual may undertake printing operations without obtaining the license for printing operations according to these Regulations.

Article 9 The following conditions are required to be met when an enterprise engages in printing business activities:
1. having the name and articles of association of the enterprise;
2. having definite business scope;
3. having the operating place and necessary operating conditions such as fund and equipment, etc, that meet the needs of the business scope;
4. having the organizational framework and personnel that meet the needs of the business scope; and
5. other conditions provided by the relevant laws and regulations.
For the examination and approval of an application for undertaking of printing business activities, the planning of the state on the total number, structure and layout of printing enterprises shall be observed in addition to the provisions prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

Article 10 An application for establishment of an enterprise to engage in the business of printing of publications shall be submitted to the administrative department for publications of the People's Government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under central government at the location. Upon examination and approval of the application, the applicant shall obtain a printing business permit, present the printing business permit to complete registration formalities with the administration for industry and commerce, and obtain a business license.
"Enterprises applying to engage in the business of printing of packaging materials and other printed matter shall present their business license to submit an application to the administrative department for publications of the local People's Government of the municipality divided into districts which shall issue a printing business permit upon examination and approval of the application.
"Individuals shall not engage in the business of printing of publications and packaging materials; individuals engaging in the business of printing of other printed matter shall undergo examination and approval formalities pursuant to the provisions of the second paragraph of this Article.

Article 11 The administrative department for publications shall decide on approval or non-approval within 60 days from receipt of an application submitted pursuant to Article 10 of these Regulations. A printing business permit shall be issued to successful applicants; for unsuccessful applications, the applicants shall be notified and the reason shall be stated.
The license for printing operations shall indicate the types of the printing operations that the printing enterprise is engaged in.
The license for printing operations shall not be sold, rent, lent or transferred through other means.

Article 12 If an operator of printing industry applies to operate concurrently or to change the printing operations of publications, printed matters of package or decoration or other printed matters, or to Attachment other operators of the printing industry to itself/himself, or to establish new operators of printing industry because of merger or division, he shall go through the procedures according to the provisions of Article 9 of these Regulations.
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