On April 29, the Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China and the official website of the Chinese government's legal information issued the "Notice of the State Press and Publication Administration on Publicly Soliciting Comments on the "Regulations on the Qualifications of Printing Industry Operators (Draft for Comment)". This provision is the legal basis for printing operators to apply for a printing business license. Specifically, the new regulations (draft for comments) reflect the idea of "light approval and heavy supervision".

Further relax the approval conditions. In addition to the condition that the packaging and decoration printing products that have been abolished in the reform of "delegating power, delegating power, improving regulation and improving services" in the past few years require 2 sets of printing equipment produced within ten years and not included in the list of elimination catalogues (there are no requirements for the number of sets and age), this time The new regulations (draft for comments) once again relax the conditions for applying for printing publications. ① The required equipment is reduced from 2 to 1, and ② is relaxed from only automatic folio offset printing equipment to automatic folio offset, flexo printing equipment, or 1 production digital printing equipment.

Further strengthen regulatory measures. The new regulation (draft for comments) proposes to have a sound business management, financial management system and quality assurance system for the application for printing of publications, packaging and decoration printing, registration, storage, delivery, destruction, etc. and special licenses for typesetting, plate making, binding, etc., the old version already has requirements); at the same time, the new regulations (draft for comments) require that the batch quality of printing products produced by printing operators should meet national or industry standards. ② Submit the annual report through the annual report publicity platform. The new regulations (draft for comments) also propose that those who violate the above ① and ② requirements and fail to obtain the "Printing Regulations Training Qualification Certificate" shall be ordered to make corrections by the publishing management department of the local people's government at or above the county level. A fine of less than $100.

At present, the new regulations are in the public comment period (April 29, 2021 - May 29). If you have any comments, you can report them through the following three channels.

1. Log in to the Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China Legal Information of the Chinese Government (website: www.moj.gov.cn, www.chinalaw.gov.cn) and enter the "Legislative Opinion Collection" column on the main menu of the homepage to submit comments.

2. Mailing address: Printing and Distribution Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department, No. 40, Xuanwumenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, Postal Code: 100052, and the words “Consultation on the Qualification Requirements for Printing Industry Operators” should be marked on the envelope.

3. Email: ysfzc@sina.com.

National Press and Publication Administration

April 29, 2021

The full text of the draft is as follows:

"Regulations on the Qualifications of Printing Industry Operators (Draft for Comment)"

Article 1 In order to regulate the printing business activities of printing operators, establish a market environment for fair competition, improve the quality and level of printing supply, and promote the high-quality development of the printing industry, these Provisions are formulated in accordance with the "Regulations on the Administration of Printing Industry" and relevant laws and regulations .

Article 2 The "printing business operators" as mentioned in these Provisions include units engaged in publications, packaging and decoration printed matter, as well as special typesetting, plate making, binding and printing business activities, and units or individuals engaged in other printed matter printing business activities.

Article 3 To apply for engaging in publication printing business activities, the following conditions shall be met:

(1) It has completed industrial and commercial registration, has the status of a legal person, and its business scope includes engaging in printing business activities;

(2) Having a fixed production and operation site that meets business needs;

(3) Having the funds to maintain normal production and operation;

(4) Necessary publication printing equipment, with one or more automatic folio offset printing, flexographic printing and flexo printing produced in the last 10 years (as of the date of submitting the application) and not included in the "Industrial Structure Adjustment Guidance Catalogue Restricted and Eliminated". printing equipment, or 1 production digital printing equipment;

(5) It has the organization and personnel to meet the business needs;

(6) It has a sound business management, financial management system and quality assurance system for printing verification, registration, storage, delivery, and destruction.

Article 4 A foreign-invested enterprise applying to engage in publication printing business activities shall not only meet the conditions listed in Article 3 of these regulations, but also meet the special management measures for restrictive access stipulated in the negative list of foreign investment access.

In the pilot free trade zone, wholly foreign-owned enterprises can apply to engage in publication printing business activities.

Preferential opening-up measures for investment in the printing industry by investors from Hong Kong and Macao, investors from Taiwan or other special economic regions shall be implemented in accordance with relevant regulations.

Article 5 To apply for engaging in printing business activities of packaging and decoration printed matter, the following conditions shall be met:

(1) It has completed industrial and commercial registration, has the status of a legal person, and its business scope includes engaging in printing business activities;

(2) Having a fixed production and operation site that meets business needs;

(3) Having the funds to maintain normal production and operation;

(4) Necessary packaging and decoration printing equipment;

(5) It has the organization and personnel to meet the business needs;

(6) It has a sound business management, financial management system and quality assurance system for printing verification, registration, storage, delivery, and destruction.

Article 6 To apply for engaging in other printed matter printing business activities, the following conditions shall be met:

(1) It has completed industrial and commercial registration, and its business scope includes printing business activities;

(2) Having a fixed production and operation site that meets business needs;

(3) Having the funds to maintain normal production and operation;

(4) Having production equipment suitable for business needs;

(5) It has the organization and personnel to meet the business needs;

(6) It has a sound business management, financial management system and quality assurance system for printing verification, registration, storage, delivery, and destruction.

Article 7 To apply for engaging in special typesetting, plate making and binding business activities, the following conditions shall be met:

(1) It has completed industrial and commercial registration, has the status of a legal person, and its business scope includes engaging in printing business activities;

(2) Having a fixed production and operation site that meets business needs;

(3) Having the funds to maintain normal production and operation;

(4) It has necessary typesetting, plate making and binding equipment, and has more than one pre-press or press-printed product that has been produced in the last 10 years (as of the date of submission of the application) and is not included in the "Industrial Structure Adjustment Guidance Catalogue Restricted and Eliminated". post-processing equipment;

(5) It has the organization and personnel to meet the needs of the business;

(6) It has a sound business management, financial management system and quality assurance system for printing verification, registration, storage, delivery, and destruction.

Article 8 A printing business operator who engages in various types of printing business activities shall meet the qualifications of the corresponding category at the same time.

Article 9 The publication management department shall make a decision of approval or disapproval within 20 working days from the date of receipt of the application. If the application is approved, a printing business license shall be issued, and the types of printing business activities engaged in by the printing enterprise shall be indicated in the business scope. Among them, those who apply for engaging in printing business activities with production-type digital printing presses shall indicate in the business scope "printing of publications, packaging and decoration printed matters and other printed matters by means of digital printing". If the application is not approved, the applicant shall be notified and the reasons shall be explained.

Article 10 The publication management department must examine and approve applications for engaging in printing business activities in accordance with these regulations, and those that do not meet the requirements of these regulations shall not be approved. Among them, the application for engaging in publication printing business activities, or the application for engaging in printing business activities with production-type digital printing presses, shall be subject to the examination and approval of the publication management department of the provincial people's government. The application for engaging in the business activities of packaging and decoration printed matter printing, engaging in other printed matter printing business activities, and engaging in the business activities of special typesetting, plate making, and binding shall be subject to the approval of the publication administration department of the people's government at the city level divided into districts.

Article 11 The examination and approval of applications for engaging in printing business activities shall, in addition to complying with these regulations, also comply with other conditions stipulated by the publication management department regarding the total number, structure, layout planning of printing enterprises, and laws and regulations.

Article 12 A printing business operator engaged in printing business activities shall meet the following conditions in addition to the above provisions:

(1) The legal representative of the enterprise and the main person in charge of production and operation must receive legal training in accordance with the requirements of the publishing management department, and obtain the "Printing Regulations Training Qualification Certificate";

(2) The batch quality of printing products produced by printing operators shall meet the national or industry standards;

(3) According to the requirements of the publication management department, submit the annual report on time through the annual report publicity platform.

For those who violate the provisions of this article, the publication management department of the local people's government at or above the county level shall order it to make corrections, give a warning according to the seriousness of the circumstances, and impose a fine of not more than 30,000 yuan.

Article 13 The administrative examination and approval items related to printing that are included in the scope of the reform of "separation of licenses and licenses" shall be implemented in accordance with relevant regulations.

Article 14 The publishing management departments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate detailed implementation rules in accordance with these regulations and in light of the actual situation of printing industry management in their respective regions.

Article 15 These regulations shall come into force as of the date of promulgation. On November 9, 2001, the former General Administration of Press and Publication issued the "Interim Regulations on the Qualifications of Printing Industry Operators", and on January 29, 2002, the former General Administration of Press and Publication and the former Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation issued the "Establishment of Foreign-invested Printing Enterprises". The Interim Regulations and its series of supplementary regulations shall be repealed at the same time.