Notice of the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on Further Simplifying the Import Procedures for Used Electromechanical Equipment

[Issued by] Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China

[Release Document No.] Shang Chanfa [2009] No. 166

[Release Date] 2009-04-10

The competent commercial departments of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities under separate state planning, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the import and export offices of mechanical and electrical products of all departments; the Guangdong branch, all directly affiliated customs; all directly affiliated entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureaus:

In order to implement the requirements of the State Council on maintaining the stable growth of foreign trade, serve the adjustment and revitalization plan of the ten major industries such as steel, automobiles, and electronic information, and promote the steady and rapid development of my country's economy, after research, enterprises (including various research institutions, colleges and universities, etc.) Imported for their own use for production, research and development or exhibition of old electromechanical equipment with high technical level, reasonable quantity, and long service life, implement the following facilitation measures:

1. simplify the application procedures for import certificates of old mechanical and electrical equipment

(I) old mechanical and electrical equipment that involves automatic import license management and does not require pre-inspection before shipment, the enterprise may apply directly to the import management department of mechanical and electrical products for automatic import license with the import contract and other information; if pre-inspection before shipment is required, it shall still be handled in accordance with the existing regulations. The processing time limit shall not exceed 5 working days.

(II) old mechanical and electrical equipment involving import license management shall still be handled in accordance with the existing provisions. If the manufacturing life of the equipment does not exceed 5 years, after the enterprise submits complete application materials, the import management departments of mechanical and electrical products at all levels shall handle it as soon as possible, and the processing time shall not exceed 10 working days.

2. provides customs clearance convenience for import enterprises of old mechanical and electrical equipment

The customs shall classify and manage the old mechanical and electrical equipment import enterprises according to their categories, and provide corresponding customs clearance facilities for AA and A enterprises according to the catalogue of enterprise classification management measures.

3. to facilitate inspection and quarantine of imported old mechanical and electrical equipment

According to the application materials, the (I) can determine that the equipment is in good condition and the safety, health and environmental protection risks are small, and the old mechanical and electrical equipment can be exempted from pre-shipment inspection and only the arrival inspection.

According to the application materials, the (II) determines that the old mechanical and electrical equipment with greater risks in terms of safety, health or environmental protection, as well as large-scale complete sets of equipment such as papermaking, chemical industry and metallurgy, shall carry out pre shipment inspection according to the existing provisions.

If it is really necessary to carry out pre-shipment inspection, the overseas inspection agency shall overcome difficulties and complete the inspection within the shortest working time. The arrival inspection is still carried out in accordance with the existing regulations to ensure that the imported old mechanical and electrical equipment is free of environmental pollution, safety hazards and other problems.

The import administrative departments shall not accept the import documents, inspection and customs declaration applications of the old mechanical and electrical products listed in the catalogue of prohibited import goods (second batch). The old mechanical and electrical equipment referred to in this notice does not include electronic and electrical products for living, office or consumption, or all kinds of mechanical and electrical products for sale.

Notice is hereby given.

Ministry of Commerce

General Administration of Customs

AQSIQ

April 10, 2009