Lawyer's opinion

Lu Lucian: Circular of the Ministry of Commerce and the State Environmental Protection Administration of China on Enhancing the Environmental Monitoring over Export Enterprises
21 october 2009, 13:34 (GMT +8)

各省、自治区、直辖市、计划单列市及新疆生产建设兵团商务主管部门、环保局（厅）：

The commerce departments and the environmental protection bureaus (departments) of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and cities specifically designated in the state plan, as well as Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:

为贯彻落实国务院关于节能减排工作的要求，发挥各类出口企业在环境保护方面的带动作用，有效控制“两高一资”产品出口，加快转变外贸增长方式，促进贸易平衡，现就推动出口企业率先提高环保水平的有关问题通知如下：

For the purpose of carrying out the requirements of the State Council for the work on saving energy and reducing emission, play the leading role of various kinds of export enterprises regarding environmental protection, restrict severely the export of "high-pollution, high-energy-consuming and resource-dependent" products, accelerate changing foreign trade growth mode, and advancing balanced trade, the related issues about promoting export enterprises to improve their awareness to strengthen environmental protection level are hereby notified as follows:

一、充分认识加强出口企业环境监管的重要意义

1. Completely comprehending the significance of enhancing environmental monitoring over export enterprises.

从总体上看，绝大多数出口企业能够执行国家环保法律法规，注重环境保护。但是，也有部分企业为降低出口成本，违法排污，超标、超总量排污，非法侵占环境资源。一方面，加大资源环境压力，产品出口国外而污染留在国内；另一方面，出口产品价格不能真实反映社会成本，加剧贸易摩擦，助长贸易顺差的不合理增长，给中国产品的形象造成损害。加强出口企业环境监管，促使企业严格遵守国家环保法律法规，不但是实现节能减排工作目标，全面建设环境友好型社会的要求，也是保护国家环境利益，促进贸易增长方式转变的需要。各级商务、环保部门要从落实科学发展观，构建和谐社会的高度充分认识加强出口企业环境监管的重要性和迫切性，切实加大工作力度，紧密配合，务求实效。

In general, a lot of export enterprises can carry out state environmental protection laws and regulations, and attach great importance to the environmental protection. While there are some enterprises that unlawfully discharge pollutants, discharge pollutants violating standards or overall volume, or unlawfully use environmental resources so as to decrease export costs. Firstly, the said phenomenon improves the pressure on resources and environment, as a result, the pollution their products caused is left at home but their products are exported abroad; secondly, in view of the said phenomenon, the price of export products is unable to accurately mirror social costs, elevate trade friction, accelerates the irrational development in the trade surplus and ruins the image of Chinese products. To enhance the environmental monitoring over export enterprises and make such enterprises strictly comply with state environmental protection laws and regulations will not only be the demands for obtaining the goals of energy saving and emission reduction and comprehensively building an environmentally-friendly society, but also the requirements of protecting state environmental interests and promoting the change of trade growth mode. In light of carrying out the scientific concept of growth and establishing a harmonious society, the commerce departments and the environmental protection departments at various levels shall fully comprehend the significance and urgency of enhancing environmental monitoring over export enterprises, effectively improve the intensify of the work, work together with each other closely, and realize practical results.

二、加大对出口企业环境监管力度

2. Improving the intensity of environmental monitoring over export enterprises

各级环保部门要切实加大对有出口产品的排污企业，尤其是“两高一资”企业的环境监管力度。

The environmental protection departments at various levels shall practically strengthen the environmental monitoring over pollutant discharging enterprises that export goods, particularly, over the "high-polluting, high-energy-consuming and resource-dependent" enterprises.

一要根据当地实际，集中力量对这类排污企业开展一次专项环境执法检查，对于检查中发现的环境违法行为要按照法律规定给予处罚。

First, the environmental protection departments shall implement a special environmental law complying with examination to the aforesaid type of enterprises in light of the actualities, and put punishments in accordance with legal provisions upon discovering any environmental violation in the examination;

二要加强对这类企业的日常环境监管，按照重点污染源的监管要求，加大日常巡查和监督性监测频次，保障其稳定达标排放。

secondly, they shall enhance daily environmental monitoring over the aforesaid type of enterprises, and improve the frequency of daily examination and checking according to the regulatory demands for main pollution sources, and guarantee that the discharge of pollutants always meeting the standards;

三要加强对出口企业环境违法案件的管理，在查清企业的数量、出口产品的品种和数量、产生的主要污染物、排放达标情况及环境违法行为处罚情况的基础上，建立出口企业环境执法档案管理数据库，对其环境违法行为的处罚和整改实施动态管理。

thirdly, they shall enhance the administration of environmental cases regarding export enterprises, set up an environmental law compliance files administration database of export enterprises on the basis of making clear the number of enterprises, varieties and quantities of export products, key pollutants as produced, pollution discharge conditions and punishments against environmental violations, and implement a dynamic administration of punishments against and rectifications of environmental violations.

三、加强出口管理环节企业环保达标审核

3. Enhancing the environmental protection compliance inspection of the enterprises at the export administration link

地方环保部门依据环境保护法律、法规和规章的规定，对查处属实的环境违法行为进行行政处罚并公开，同时责令企业改正或限期改正违法行为。

According to the laws, regulations and rules on environmental protection, a local environmental protection department shall impose administrative punishments against the administrative violations as investigated and verified, and announce such punishments, and demand the enterprises to make correction or correct their unlawful acts at the same time within the prescribed time.

地方环保部门定期向地方商务主管部门通报上述违法违规企业的情况，提供相应处罚决定书，并通过省级环保部门上报环保总局，环保总局汇总后通报商务部。

A local environmental protection department shall issue a circular on a regular basis about the conditions regarding the aforesaid enterprises that commit unlawful or wrongful acts to the local commerce department, offer corresponding written punishment decisions, and present the conditions to the State Environmental Protection Administration of China via the provincial environmental protection department. The State Environmental Protection Administration of China shall present the conditions to the Ministry of Commerce upon collection thereof.

商务部将环保总局通报的违法违规企业名单及相应的处罚决定书下发地方商务主管部门，并授权地方商务主管部门，依据环保部门提供处罚决定书，暂停受理有关企业出口业务申请，包括：出口配额和许可证申请，加工贸易合同或项目审批及出具加工贸易经营状况及生产能力证明，全国性、区域性出口商品交易会、博览会参展和摊位申请等。

The Ministry of Commerce will spread the list of the enterprises that commit unlawful or wrongful acts and the corresponding written punishment decisions to the local commerce departments, and grant them to stop receiving the export business applications filed by the aforesaid enterprises in accordance with the written punishment decisions made by the environmental protection departments, and such applications cover: applications for export quotas and licenses, examination and approval of processing trade contracts or projects, release of the certificates on processing trade situation and productivity, national and regional export commodity fairs and expos booths, etc.

地方商务主管部门通过省级商务主管部门将该企业出口业务申请情况上报商务部，商务部根据《外贸法》第三十四条和第六十三条的规定，可中止该企业在一年以上三年以下期限内从事对外贸易经营活动，并将处罚决定下发地方商务主管部门，地方商务主管部门据此在相应期限内中止受理有关企业出口业务申请。

The local commerce department shall present the conditions about export business applications filed by the aforesaid enterprises to the Ministry of Commerce via the provincial commerce department. In accordance with the Articles 34 and 63 of the Foreign Trade Law, the Ministry of Commerce may forbid the aforesaid enterprises to perform foreign trade for more than one year but less than three years, and spread the written punishment decisions to the local commerce departments, and based thereon, the local commerce departments shall stop the acceptance of export business applications filed by the aforesaid enterprises within the corresponding terms.

被环保部门行政处罚的企业改正违法违规行为并通过环保部门验收后，环保部门及时向商务主管部门通报。

If an enterprise on which the environmental protection department imposes administrative punishments has corrected its unlawful or wrongful act and is discovered to be qualified upon check and acceptance of the environmental protection department, the environmental protection department shall timely issue a circular about it to the commerce department.

商务主管部门收到通报后，恢复受理未被禁止从事对外贸易经营活动企业的出口业务申请。

Once such a circular is received, the commerce department shall resume the acceptance of export business applications filed by the enterprise that has not been forbidden from foreign trade.

申请人以外贸代理方式出口的，地方商务主管部门在受理出口业务申请时应审查出口货物来源证明（生产企业出具的发票），如申请人所代理出口的货物系上述环保违法企业生产的，亦按照上述办法暂停受理相关申请。

In case an applicant exports products by foreign trade agency, the local commerce department shall check the document testifying on the source of export goods (the invoice issued by production enterprises) when receiving the export business application, and in case the goods exported by the applicant under foreign trade agency are produced by the aforesaid enterprises violating the environmental protection laws, the local commerce department shall also stop receiving related applications in accordance with the aforesaid methods.

各级出口配额和许可证发证机关发放出口配额和许可证时，如发现申领企业（以外贸代理方式出口的审查货物生产企业出具的发票）为环保违法企业的，不予发证，并将有关情况通报当地商务主管部门。

In case an export quota and license issuing organ at various level finds when releasing export quotas or licenses that an application enterprise (the invoice that is released by the production enterprise shall be checked in the case of the export through foreign trade agency) is an enterprise in violation of the environmental protection laws, it shall not give the certificate, and shall present the related conditions to the local commerce department.

四、开展企业环境监督员制度试点

4. Carrying out the pilot system of enterprise environmental supervisors

冶金、化工、水泥、纺织、轻工等行业顺差规模大、增长快，环境问题突出，可率先在这些行业推行企业环境监督员制度。

Since the metallurgical, chemical, cement, textile and light industries, etc. have a lot of trade surplus, are in fast development and whose environmental problems are outstanding, therefore the pilot system of enterprise environmental supervisors may be propelled first in these industries.

企业要设立环境管理机构、指派专门人员担任环境监督员，检查记录企业环境运行指标，定期向当地商务、环保部门报告并随时准备接受检查和抽查，定期向社会发布企业环境运行情况报告，接受社会舆论监督。

An enterprise shall establish an environmental management organization and appoint special persons to be the environmental supervisors for examining and setting down its environmental operation indicators, present reports to the local commerce department and the local environmental protection department, be ready for receiving examination and spot check at any time, regularly publicize its environmental operational conditions to the public, and receive the supervision by public opinions.

五、加强对出口企业环境保护法律法规和政策的宣传与培训

5. Enhancing the publicity and training on laws, regulations and policies for environmental protection of export enterprises

各地商务、环保部门要广泛开展环境保护法律法规的宣传教育，充分调动公众参与环境监管的积极性，发挥行业协会、商会等中介组织在规范企业环境行为方面的重要作用。

The local commerce department and the local environmental protection department at any level shall fully implement publicity and education of the laws and regulations on environmental protection, extensively encourage the initiatives of the general public to participate in environmental monitoring, and bring into play the important roles of trade associations, chambers of commerce and other intermediary organizations in the regulation of enterprise environmental acts;

要组织环保优秀出口企业经验交流，加大舆论宣传力度，适时推出一批在环境保护方面表现优秀的企业，曝光一批违法违规排放、污染严重的企业。

arrange export enterprises that have conspicuous performance in respect of environmental protection to exchange their experiences, improve the intensity of media publicity, timely publicize many enterprises that have conspicuous performance in the aspect of environmental protection, expose a number of enterprises that unlawfully discharge pollutants and lead to serious pollution;

要联合制定对出口企业的环境保护培训方案，定期组织对本地区出口企业及其负责人环境守法的专项培训，切实增强出口企业守法意识，不断提高履行环境保护义务的能力。

jointly define an environmental protection training scheme for export enterprises, regularly arrange special environmental law-abiding trainings to local export enterprises and their persons in charge, effectively enhance the law-abiding awareness of export enterprises, and continually increase their capability to accomplish the obligation of environmental protection.

六、加强部门协作

6. Enhancing the departmental cooperation

省（市）、地（市）两级商务、环保部门要成立联合工作小组，指定专门机构负责协调解决工作中存在的问题，建立商务和环保部门的信息共享机制。

The commerce departments and the environmental protection departments at two levels of province (municipality) and prefecture (city) shall set up a joint working panel, appoint a special organization to settle the problems in the related work, and set up an information sharing mechanism between them.

商务部门审核会对环境保护带来重大影响行业的企业出口业务申请时，应主动征询环保部门的意见，环保部门要在两周内予以回复。

A commerce department shall voluntarily ask the opinions of the environmental protection department, and the environmental protection department shall give a reply within two weeks when a commerce department is checking the export business applications filed by the enterprises in an industry that will lead to significant influence on environmental protection.

环保部门要定期将查处违法违规的情况通报商务部门，作为商务部门受理企业业务申请时的审核依据（企业无需向商务部门提供环保达标证明）。

The environmental protection department shall regularly present the conditions about investigation and handling of unlawful and wrongful acts to the commerce department as the basis for the latter to check the business applications filed by the enterprises (the enterprises need not offer the environmental protection compliance certificates to the commerce department).

环保部门认为应当依法采取综合手段予以处罚的，应将有关案件材料通报商务部门，商务部门根据有关规定及时予以处理，并在两周内将有关处理结果反馈环保部门。

The environmental protection department shall send the related case files to the commerce department, if the environmental protection department considers it necessary to impose punishments by comprehensive means. And the commerce department shall timely settle it in accordance with the related provisions, and give a reply the handling results to the environmental protection department within two weeks.

各地商务、环保部门要根据本地区实际情况，密切配合，抓紧制定联合工作小组工作规划和落实方案，并于2007年10月底前上报商务部和环保总局。

In accordance with their actualities, the commerce departments and the environmental protection departments of all the regions shall work together with each other closely, lose no time setting down the working plans for the joint working panel and the implementation plans, and present them to the Ministry of Commerce and the State Environmental Protection Administration of China prior to the end of October 2007.

联系人：

Contact persons:

商务部综合司陈广龙

The Comprehensive Department under the Ministry of Commerce: Chen Guanglong

联系电话：65197260

Tel: 65197260

环保总局环境监察局阎景军

The Environmental Monitoring Department under the State Environmental Protection Administration of China: Yan Jingjun

联系电话：66556449

Tel: 66556449

商务部

Ministry of Commerce

国家环境保护总局

State Environmental Protection Administration of China

二○○七年十月八日

8-Oct-07

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