广东出台全国首部外商投资权益保护地方性法规，全力打造营商环境新优势

　　2022年2月22日，省人大常委会召开《广东省外商投资权益保护条例》（下称《条例》）专题新闻发布会，介绍了《条例》制定的背景、过程和主要内容，以及我省利用外资及下一步贯彻落实《条例》的意见。省有关部门负责人现场回答了记者的提问。

　　On 22nd February 2022, the Standing Committee of Guangdong Provincial People's Congress held a special press conference on the Regulations on Protection of Rights and Interests of Foreign Investors in Guangdong Province (hereinafter referred to as “the Regulations”) to introduce the legislation background, process and main content of the Regulations, the foreign capital utilization of Guangdong, and the opinions on the follow-up implementation of the Regulations. The responsible persons of relevant provincial departments answered questions from reporters.

　　《条例》共28条，内容包括明确政府职责及权益保护范围、营造公平竞争的市场环境、优化政务服务、完善外商投资企业投诉处理机制等。《条例》自2022年3月1日起施行。这是全国首个地方版外商投资权益保护条例，彰显了新时期广东继续扩大开放、积极有效利用外资的信心和决心，有利于营造稳定、透明、可预期和公平竞争的市场环境。

　　The Regulations consists of 28 articles and covers following contents: setting forth government responsibilities, the protection scope of rights and interests, creation of a business environment for fair competition, improvement of government services, the mechanism for handling complaints lodged by foreign-invested enterprises and so on. The Regulations shall come into force on 1st March, 2022. As the first local legislation on the protection of rights and interests of foreign investors in China, the Regulations demonstrates the confidence and determination of Guangdong to further expand opening-up and actively and effectively utilize foreign investments in the new era, which is conducive to the creation of a stable, transparent, predictable and fair business environment.

　　省商务厅副厅长陈越华表示，《条例》在知识产权、标准制定、政府采购、技术合作、外商投诉等方面，积极回应外商投资企业核心关切，有利于广东打造营商环境新优势。《条例》规定商务主管部门牵头负责外商投资权益保护工作，省商务厅将联合省有关部门推动相关措施的落地落实。下一步将着力提升利用外资水平，重点推动以下工作：一是持续优化外商投资环境，加强《条例》及“稳外资”政策的宣传解读；二是持续扩大高水平对外开放，支持服务业开放试点，加大先进制造业引资；三是持续抓好开放平台建设，落实《关于推进广东自贸试验区贸易投资便利化改革创新的若干措施》，办好经济技术开发区、海关特殊监管区、中外合作园区等开放平台；四是持续提升投资促进和服务保障水平，办好重大招商活动，狠抓重点项目落地，完善外商投诉工作机制。

　　Mr. Chen Yuehua, Deputy Director General of the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province said that the Regulations covers matters related to IPR, standard establishment, government procurement, technical cooperation, foreign investor complaints, etc., and it is an active response to foreign-invested enterprises’ key concerns and will further optimize Guangdong's business environment. The Regulations stipulates that the competent commerce department and bureaus shall take the lead in protecting the rights and interests of foreign investors, while the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province will coordinate and work with relevant provincial departments to ensure effective implementation of relevant measures. Next step, the Department of Commerce will focus on improving the level of foreign capital utilization and push forward the following tasks: 1. Consecutively improving foreign investment environment and strengthening the promotion and interpretation of the Regulations and the "Stabilizing Foreign Investment" policy; 2. Successively expanding high-level opening-up, supporting the pilot programmes of services industry, and increasing investment promotions in advanced manufacturing industry; 3. Continuing the construction of open platforms and fully implementing the Several Measures for Promoting the Trade and Investment Facilitation Reform and Innovation in Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone to ensure successful operations of open platforms such as economic and technological development zones, special customs supervision zones, and Sino-foreign cooperation parks; 4. Improving the capability of investment promotion and service, ensuring the success of major investment promotion events, intensifying efforts in implementing key projects, and improving the mechanism for handling complaints of foreign-invested enterprises.

　　《条例》的出台，受到各方面高度关注。驻粤外商投资机构和有关商协会对我省不断推进改革、建立更加有效的权益保护机制予以肯定。

　　The introduction of the Regulations has received all-round attentions. Foreign investment agencies and relevant business associations in Guangdong have acclaimed Guangdong's efforts in constantly promoting reform and establishing a more effective mechanism for rights and interests protection.

　　日本贸易振兴机构广州代表处清水显司所长表示，《条例》涉及标准、政府采购、高端及专业人才的工作许可办理等相关规定，强化了对外国投资者和外商投资企业权益的保护，保障他们与中国企业享有相同的投资环境；对第七条明确规定省负责知识产权保护的主管部门按职责建立跨区域、跨部门知识产权快速协同保护机制予以点赞。日本贸易振兴机构广州代表处将与广东省政府保持紧密、良好的合作关系，今后继续为支援在粤投资的日资企业进一步发展作出贡献。

　　Mr. Kenji Shimizu, Director General of the Guangzhou Office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), said that the Regulations sets out rules with respect to standards, government procurement, and the application procedures of work permits for high-end and professional talents, strengthens the protection of rights and interests of foreign investors and foreign-funded enterprises, and ensures that they share the same investment environment as Chinese enterprises. He also highly praised Article 7 for stipulating that the provincial competent departments responsible for IPR protection shall, according to their duties, establish a trans-regional and trans-departmental mechanism for rapid and collaborative IPR protection. JETRO Guangzhou Office would continue working closely with the Guangdong Government to facilitate the further development of Japanese enterprises in Guangdong.

　　华南美国商会哈利会长表示，《条例》涵盖了外商投资企业关注的方方面面，包括商会会员企业一向十分重视的知识产权和应对纠纷方面的问题。另外，《条例》不仅突出平等保护，规定在外商投资准入负面清单之外的领域，不得针对外商投资设置准入限制，完善了保护外国投资者知识产权的相关政策，还建立健全多元化纠纷解决机制，维护外商投资企业合法权益。

　　Mr. Harley Seyedin, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China), said that the Regulations covers all aspects of foreign-invested enterprises’ concerns. They include the IPR and dispute handling issues to which the member enterprises of AmCham South China have always attached great importance. In addition, the Regulations highlights the equal protection of foreign investment, stipulates that access restrictions shall not be set for foreign investment in areas other than the negative list of access, and improves relevant policies to protect the IPR of foreign investors. It also establishes and improves a diversified dispute resolution mechanism to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign-invested enterprises.

　　中国欧盟商会副会长、华南董事会主席高志豪先生对《条例》的出台表示热烈欢迎，认为该《条例》是解决广东省本土企业与外资企业待遇差异的非常关键的一步，为欧盟商会会员企业提供了更多商业机遇。《条例》能否成功践行将在很大程度上取决于各级人民政府及有关部门如何有效地协调和建立健全机制来落实和执行，中国欧盟商会已做好准备在《条例》的落实过程中向广东省各级人民政府提供相应的支持与建议。

　　Mr. Klaus Zenkel, Vice President of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (European Chamber) and Chair of South China (Guangzhou & Shenzhen) Chapter Board, welcomed the Regulations and recognized it as a crucial step in addressing the differences in treatment between Chinese and foreign enterprises in Guangdong and could pave the way for greater opportunities for their member enterprises. Much of the success of the Regulations will be determined by how effectively provincial and municipal governments can coordinate and put in place sound mechanisms to facilitate and safeguard investment into Guangdong. The European Chamber stands ready to provide support and recommendations to people's governments at all levels of Guangdong Province for the implementation of the Regulations.

　　广东外商投资企业协会陈江副秘书长表示，《条例》起草过程中，协会应邀参加了多场立法调研座谈会，并代表会员企业积极反馈意见建议，相关意见建议得到起草部门的重视，立法过程本身就是认真落实《外商投资法》的过程。相信《条例》的正式实施，将进一步促进外商投资广东，也让更多外资企业放心、安心在中国经营和发展。

　　Mr. Chen Jiang, Vice Secretary General of Guangdong Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (GDAEFI), said that during the drafting process of the Regulations, GDAEFI was invited to attend several legislation research seminars and offered many opinions and suggestions on behalf of its member enterprises. Many opinions and suggestions have been highly valued by the drafting department. The legislative process itself is actually the process of implementing the Foreign Investment Law of PR.China. I believe that the formal enforcement of the Regulations would further stimulate foreign investment in Guangdong and reassure foreign-funded enterprises as they operate and thrive in China.

　　文件链接：广东省外商投资权益保护条例（中英文版）

　　Document link: Regulations on Protection of Rights and Interests of Foreign Investors in Guangdong Province (Chinese and English Versions)

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