Regulations on Administration of Printing Industry -- china.org.cn

(Adopted at the 43rd Executive Meeting of the State Council on July 26, 2001, promulgated by Decree No.315 of the State Council of the People's Republic of China on August 2, 2001, and effective as of the date of promulgation)

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 These Regulations are formulated for the purpose of strengthening administration of printing industry, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of printing operators and social and public interests, and promoting socialist cultural and ethical progress and material progress.

Article 2 These Regulations apply to printing business activities with regard to publications, packaging and decorating printed matter, and other printed matter.

"Publications" referred to in these Regulations include newspapers, periodicals, books, maps, Spring Festival paintings, painted cards, wall calendars, pictorials, and covers of audiovisual products and electronic publications, etc.

"Packaging and decorating printed matter" referred to in these Regulations include representations of trade marks, advertising materials and printed matter such as paper, metal and plastic used for package and decoration of products.

"Other printed matter" referred to in these Regulations include documents, data and information material, charts, tickets and coupons, certificates, name cards, etc.

"Printing business activities" referred to in these Regulations mean business activities such as typesetting, platemaking, printing, binding, reprography, photomechanical printing and typing.

Article 3 Printing operators must abide by the relevant laws, administrative regulations and rules, and pay attention to social benefits.

It is prohibited to print publications, packaging and decoration printed matter, or other printed matter that contain reactionary, obscene or superstitious contents or other contents explicitly prohibited by the State.

Article 4 The publication administration department of the State Council takes charge of the supervision and administration of printing industry throughout the country. The administrative department responsible for the administration of publication under the local people's government at or above the county level (hereinafter referred to as the publication administration department) is responsible for the supervision and administration of printing industry within its own administrative region.

The department of public security, the department for industry and commerce administration and other relevant departments of the people's government at or above the county level are responsible for the supervision and administration with regard to printing industry within their respective functions and duties.

Article 5 A printing operator shall establish and improve such systems as the system of verification of print undertaking, the system of registration of print undertaking, the system of storage of printed matter, the system of delivery of printed matter, and the system of destruction of defective products and substandard products, etc. The specific measures shall be formulated by the publication administration department of the State Council jointly with the public security department of the State Council.

When finding any illegal or criminal act in printing business activities, a printing operator shall promptly report to the public security department or the publication administration department.

Article 6 Social organizations of the printing industry shall, under the guidance of the publication administration department, carry out self-regulated management in accordance with their articles of association.

Chapter II Establishment of Printing Enterprises

Article 7 The State implements a system of licensing printing businesses. No unit or individual may engage in printing business without acquiring a permit for printing business according to these Regulations.

Article 8 The following conditions shall be met in establishing a printing enterprise:

(1) possession of a name of the enterprise and its articles of association;

(2) possession of a well-defined scope of business;

(3) possession of production and business premises that can meet the needs of its scope of business, and of necessary capital, equipment and other production and business conditions as well;

(4) possession of the organizational structure and staff that can meet the needs of its scope of business; and

(5) other conditions stipulated by the relevant laws and administrative regulations.

In addition to the provisions stipulated in the preceding paragraph, the approval of the establishment of a printing enterprise shall also conform to the planning of the State for the total number, structure and distribution of printing enterprises.

Article 9 Where a printing enterprise that engages in printing business activities with regard to publications, packaging and decorating printed matter and other printed matter is to be established, an application shall be made to the local publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government; where an enterprise that solely engages in printing name cards is to be established, an application shall be made to the local publication administration department of the people's government at the county level. Upon examination and approval, the applicant shall obtain a permit for printing business; on the basis of this permit, the applicant shall apply to the public security department in accordance with the relevant provisions of the States and, upon verification and approval, obtain a special industry permit; on the basis of the permit for printing business and the special industry permit, the applicant shall apply to the department for industry and commerce administration for registration and obtain a business license.

No individual may engage in any printing business activities with regard to publications and packaging and decorating printed matter; any individual who intends to engage in the printing business activity of other printed matter go through the examination and approval formalities according to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 10 The publication administration department that undertakes an application for establishing an enterprise engaging in printing business activities shall, within 60 days from the date of receipt of the application, make a decision of approval or disapproval. If the application for the establishment is approved, a printing permit shall be granted to the applicant; if the application for the establishment is not disapproved, the publication administration department shall notify the applicant and give the reasons.

A printing permit shall indicate the category of the printing business activity in which a printing enterprise engages.

A printing permit shall not be sold, rent, lend or assigned in other manners.

Article 11 Where a printing operator applies for a concurrent business or to make a change to the printing business activities with regard to publications, packaging and decorating printed matter or other printed matter, or to incorporate other printing operators, or to establish a new printing operator as a result of merger or division, formalities shall be gone through according to the provisions of Article 9 of these Regulations.

Where a change is to be made to any main registration item such as the name, legal representative or responsible person, domicile or premise, or the printing business activities are to be terminated, the printing operator shall have the change or cancellation registered with the public security department and the department for industry and commerce administration that made the original registration, and shall report for the record to the publication administration department that originally approved the establishment.

Article 12 The State allows the establishment of Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures and Chinese-foreign contractual joint ventures that engage in printing business, foreign capital enterprises that engage in printing business activities with regard to packaging and decorating printed matter are also allowed. The specific measures shall be formulated by the publication administration department of the State Council jointly with the competent department of foreign economic relations and trade of the State Council.

Article 13 A unit that intends to establish an internal printing factory (shop) shall go through registration formalities with the publication administration department of the local people's government at or above the county level of the place where it is located, and shall apply to the public security department for the record according to the relevant provisions of the State; if an internal printing factory (shop) established by a unit involves printing of printed matter of State secrets, it shall also go through registration formalities with the secret-guarding department.

An internal printing factory (shop) established by a unit shall not engage in printing business activities; it shall go through formalities in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter when engaging in printing business activities.

Chapter III Printing of Publications

Article 14 The State encourages enterprises engaged in printing business activities with regard to publications to print promptly publications that embody the latest best cultural accomplishments both at home and abroad, and to attach great importance to the printing of excellent works of traditional culture and valuable academic writings.

Article 15 Enterprises engaged in printing business activities with regard to publications shall not print publications explicitly prohibited by the State or published by non-publishing units.

Article 16 Where publications are to be printed, the unit commissioning the printing and the printing enterprise shall conclude a printing contract in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State.

Article 17 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission from a publishing unit to print books or periodicals, it shall verify and keep the letter of commission with the seal of the publishing unit, and, before the printing begins, report for the record to the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the publishing unit is located; where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print books or periodicals from a publishing unit outside the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where it is located, the letter of commission shall be reported for the record in advance to the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the printing enterprise is located. The format of the letter of commission shall be unified by the publication administration department of the State Council and be printed unitarily by the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government.

Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission from a publishing unit to print newspapers, it shall verify the newspaper publication license; where it undertakes a commission from a publishing unit to print a supplement to a newspaper or periodical, it shall also verify the documents issued by the competent publication administration department to approve the publication of the supplement.

Article 18 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print publications of internal information, it shall verify the printing permit issued by the publication administration department of the people's government at or above the county level.

Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print publications of internal information with religious contents, it shall verify the documents of approval issued by the religious affairs administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government and the printing permit issued by the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government.

The publication administration department shall decide whether to issue the printing permit or not within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application for printing publications of internal information or publications of internal information with religion contents, and notify the applicant; if the publication administration department makes no decision within the time limit, its consent shall be deemed to have been given.

Article 19 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print overseas publications, it shall, on the basis of legal certifying documents relating to copyright, acquire approval from the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government; such printed publications shall all be transported overseas and shall not be issued and distributed within the territory.

Article 20 The unit commissioning printing must, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State, indicate on the publications printed under commission the name and address of the publishing unit, book number, periodical number or edition number, date of publication or number of issue, the actual name and address of the enterprise that undertakes the commission to print publications, and other relevant items.

A printing enterprise shall, within two years from the date of accomplishment of the printing of a publication, keep a sample of the publication printed under commission for checking.

Article 21 A printing enterprise shall not pirate publications, shall not sell, print more than the commissioned amount or print for a third party the publications printed under commission, and shall not sell, rent, lend or in any other manner transfer to any other unit or individual the paper matrixes or printing negatives of the publications printed under commission.

Article 22 A printing enterprise shall not solicit orders for or sell publications, and shall not counterfeit or usurp the name of other persons to print or sell publications.

Chapter IV Printing of Packaging and Decorating Printed Matter

Article 23 An enterprise engaged in printing business activities with regard to packaging and decorating printed matter shall not print counterfeit or forged representations of registered trade marks, and shall not print advertising materials or printed matter used to package or decorate a product by which consumers may be easily misled.

Article 24 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print the representation of a registered trade mark, it shall verify the copy of the Trade Mark Registration Certificate with the seal of the department for industry and commerce administration at the county level in the place where the trade mark registrant is located, and check the drawing of the registered trade mark provided by the commissioning party; where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission from the licensee of a registered trade mark to print the representation of the registered trade mark, it shall also verify the licensing contract of the registered trade mark. The printing enterprise shall keep for two years the copy of the Trade Mark Registration Certificate with the seal of the department for industry and commerce administration, the drawing of the registered trade mark and the copy of the licensing contract of the registered trademark for examination and verification.

Where the State has separate provisions on the printing of the representation of registered trade mark, printing enterprises shall also comply with these provisions.

Article 25 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print advertising materials or printed matter used to package or decorate a product, it shall verify the business license of the unit or the resident identity card of the individual commissioning the printing; where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission from an advertising operator to print advertising materials, it shall also verify the advertising qualifications certificate.

Article 26 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print packaging and decorating printed matter, it shall deliver all the finished products, semi-finished products, waste products and printing plates, paper matrixes, negatives and original manuscripts to the unit or individual commissioning the printing, and shall not retain any of them without permission.

Article 27 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print overseas packaging and decorating printed matter, it shall, before the printing begins, report for the record to the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where it is located; such printed packaging and decorating printed matter shall all be transported overseas and shall not be sold within the territory.

Chapter V Printing of Other Printed Matter

Article 28 Printing of documents, materials, charts, tables and other matter on which categories of secrecy are marked shall be in compliance with the provisions of the relevant laws, regulations or rules of the State.

Article 29 For printing public notices, circulars, staff identity cards or passes for major activities, or coupons circulated for use in the society, the unit commissioning the printing shall present the certification issued by its competent department, and, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State, go through formalities for approval of printing at the public security department of the place where the printing enterprise is located and the printing shall be conducted by a printing enterprise designated by the public security department. The printing enterprise designated by the public security department shall verify the certification issued by the competent department and the printing-approval certification issued by the public security department and keep for two years the copy of the certification issued by the competent department and the copy of the printing-approval certification issued by the public security department for examination and verification, and shall not further commission other persons to print the above-mentioned printed matter.

For printing valuable or non-value coupons to be used internally within an agency, a social organization, a military unit, an enterprise or an institution, or for printing special printed matter such as introduction letters, employee cards, membership cards, passes, academic degree certificates, educational qualification certificates or other academic certificates bearing the name of a unit, the unit commissioning the printing shall present a printing commission certification. The printing enterprise shall verify the certification.

The enterprise undertaking the printing shall not retain any sample copy or specimen page of the printed matter referred to in the preceding two paragraphs; where it is necessary indeed to retain the sample copy or specimen page for professional reference purposes, consent shall be obtained from the unit commissioning the printing and the retained printed matter shall be stamped with "sample copy "or "specimen page", and be properly preserved and shall not be lost.

Article 30 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print religious articles, it shall verify the documents of approval issued by the religious affairs administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government, and the printing permit issued by the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government; the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall decide whether to issue the printing permit or not within 10 days from the date of receipt of the application for printing the religious articles and notify the applicant; if the publication administration department makes no decision within the time limit, it shall be deemed to have given its consent.

Article 31 An individual engaged in printing business activities with regard to other printed matter shall not print documents, materials, charts, tables or other printed matter on which categories of secrecy are marked, shall not print public notices, circulars, staff identity cards or passes for major activities, or coupons circulated for use in the society, shall not print valuable or non-value coupons to be used internally within an agency, a social organization, a military unit, an enterprise or an institution, shall not print special printed matter such as introduction letters, employee cards, membership cards, passes, academic degree certificates, educational qualification certificates or other academic certificates bearing the name of a unit, and shall not print religious articles.

Article 32 Where a printing enterprise undertakes a commission to print other printed matter from overseas, it shall, before the printing begins, report for the record to the publication administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where it is located; such other printed matter shall all be transported overseas and shall not be sold within the territory.

Article 33 A printing enterprise and an individual engaged in printing business activities with regard to other printed matter shall not pirate other persons' other printed matter, shall not sell, print more than the commissioned amount or print for a third party the other printed matter printed under commission, and shall not sell, rent, lend, or in any other manner transfer to any other unit or individual the paper matrixes or printing negatives of the other printed matter printed under commission from a publishing unit.

Chapter VI Penalty Provisions

Article 34 Anyone who, in violation of the provisions of these Regulations, establishes a printing enterprise without authorization or engages in printing business activities without authorization shall be banned by the public security department and the department for industry and commerce administration according to their statutory functions and powers; the printed matter, illegal income and the devices and equipment specially used for the purpose of the illegal activities shall be confiscated; if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than five times but not more than 10 times the amount of the illegal operations shall be concurrently imposed; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; if the act constitutes a crime, the criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

Where an internal printing factory(shop) established by a unit engages in printing business activities without going through the formalities provided for in Chapter II of these Regulations, it shall be punished according to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 35 Where, in violation of the provisions of these Regulations, a printing operator commits any one of the following acts, the publication administration department of the people's government at or above the county level shall order him to stop illegal activities, and suspend the business for rectification, confiscate the printed matter and illegal income, and concurrently impose a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations if the amount of the illegal operations is not less 10,000 yuan; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; if the circumstances are serious, the permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department; if the act constitutes a crime, the criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

(1) without acquiring the permit issued by the publication administration department, operating a concurrent business or making a change to the printing business activities with regard to publications, packaging and decorating printed matter or other printed matter, or incorporating other printing operators;

(2) establishing a new printing operator as a result of merger or division without going through the formalities according to the provisions of these Regulations; or

(3) selling, renting, lending the printing business license or assigning it in other manners.

Article 36 Where a printing operator prints publications, packaging and decorating printed matter or other printed matter which, it or he knows clearly or ought to know, contain the contents prohibited by the provisions of Article 3 of these Regulations, or prints publications explicitly prohibited by the State or published by non-publishing units, the publication administration department and public security department of the people's government at or above the county level shall order to suspend business for rectification according to their statutory functions and powers, confiscate the printed matter and illegal income, and concurrently impose a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; if the circumstances are serious, the permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department; if the act constitutes a crime, the criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

Article 37 Any printing operator, if committing any one of the following acts, shall be ordered to make corrections and given a warning by the publication administration department and the public security department of the people's government at or above the county level; if the circumstances are serious, it or he shall be ordered to suspend business for rectification or its or his permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department:

(1) failure to establish the systems such as the system of verification of print undertaking, the system of registration of print undertaking, the system of storage of printed matter, the system of delivery of printed matter;

(2) failure to report promptly to the public security department or publication administration department illegal or criminal acts found in printing business activities;

(3) failure to report for the record to the publication administration department that originally approves the establishment where a change is to be made to any main registration item such as the name, legal representative or responsible person, domicile or premise, or the printing business activities are to be terminated;

(4) failure to keep the documents for examination and verification according to the provisions of these Regulation.

Where, in violation of the provisions of these Regulations, an internal printing factory (shop) is established by a unit without going through registration formalities with the publication administration department and the secret-guarding department of the local people's government at or above the county level of the place where it is located, and without reporting for the record to the public security department in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State, the publication administration department, the secret-guarding department and the public security department of the local people's government at or above the county level shall, according to their statutory functions and powers, order to make corrections and give a warning; where the circumstances are serious, the business shall be suspended for rectification.

Article 38 Any enterprise engaged in printing business activities with regard to publications, if committing any one of the following acts, shall be given a warning and have the illegal income confiscated by the publication administration department of the local people's government at or above the county level; if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations shall be concurrently imposed; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; if the circumstances are serious, it or he shall be ordered to suspend business for rectification or its or his permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department; if the act constitutes a crime, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law:

(1) undertaking a commission from another person to print publications without verifying the letter of commission, relevant certification or printing permit according to the provisions of these Regulations, or without reporting for the record the letter of commission to the publication administration;

(2) counterfeiting or usurping the name of other person to print publications;

(3) pirating publications of other person;

(4) illegally printing more than the commissioned amount or selling publications printed under commission;

(5) soliciting orders for or selling publications;

(6) renting, lending, selling or transferring in any other manner to other person without authorization the paper matrixes and printing negatives of publications printed under commission of a publishing unit; or

(7) undertaking a commission to print overseas publications without approval, or failing to transport all such printed publications overseas.

Article 39 Any enterprise engaged in printing business activities with regard to packaging and decorating printed matter, if committing any one of the following acts, shall be given a warning and have the illegal gains confiscated by the publication administration department of the local people's government at or above the county level; if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations shall be concurrently imposed; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; where the circumstances are serious, it or he shall be ordered to suspend business for rectification or its or his permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department; if the act constitutes a crime, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

(1) undertaking a commission to print the representation of a registered trade mark without verifying and checking, according to the provisions of these Regulations, the copy of the Trade Mark Registration Certificate with the seal of the department for industry and commerce administration, the drawing of the registered trade mark or the copy of the licensing contract of the registered trade mark;

(2) undertaking a commission to print advertising materials or printed matter used to package or decorate a product without verifying, according to the provisions of these Regulations, the business license of the unit or the resident identity card of the individual commissioning printing, or undertaking a commission from an advertising operator to print advertising materials without verifying the advertising qualifications certificate;

(3) pirating packaging and decorating printed matter of other person; or

(4) undertaking a commission to print overseas packaging and decorating printed matter without reporting for the record to the publication administration department according to the provisions of these Regulations, or failing to transport all printed matter overseas.

Where a printing enterprise violates the relevant provisions of the State on the administration of the printing of trade marks or advertisements when undertaking a commission to print representations of registered trade marks or advertising materials, it shall be given a warning and have the printed matter and illegal income confiscated by the department for industry and commerce administration; if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations shall be concurrently imposed; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed.

Article 40 Any enterprise or individual engaged in printing business activities with regard to other printed matter, if committing any on of the following acts, shall be given a warning and have the printed matter and illegal income confiscated by publication administration department of the local people's government at or above the county level; if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations shall be concurrently imposed; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; where the circumstances are serious, it or he shall be ordered to suspend business for rectification or its or his permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department; if the act constitutes a crime, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

(1) undertaking a commission to print other printed matter without verifying relevant certifications according to the provisions of these Regulations;

(2) further commissioning other person to print the other printed matter under a commission without authorization;

(3) renting, lending, selling or transferring in any other manner to other persons the paper matrixes and printing negatives of other printed matter printed under a commission;

(4) counterfeiting or altering official documents or certificates of State organs such as academic degree certificates, educational qualification certificates, etc., or official documents or certificates of enterprises, institutions or people's organizations, or pirating other printed matter of other person;

(5) illegally printing other printed matter more than the commissioned amount or selling other printed matter under a commission;

(6) undertaking an overseas commission to print other printed matter without reporting for the record to the publication administration department according to the provisions of these Regulations, or failing to transporting all such printed matter overseas;

(7) an individual engaged in printing business activities with regard to other printed matter exceeding the scope of his business.

Article 41 Where any of the following acts is committed, a warning shall be given by the public security department, and the printed matter and illegal income shall be confiscated; if the amount of the illegal operations is not less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than five times but not more than ten times the amount of the illegal operations shall be concurrently imposed; if the amount of the illegal operations is less than 10,000 yuan, a fine of not less than 10,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan shall be concurrently imposed; where the circumstances are serious, the business shall be suspended for rectification or the special industry permit hall be revoked:

(1) printing public notices, circulars, staff identity cards or passes for major activities, or coupons circulated for use in the society without verifying the certification issued by the competent department and the printing permit issued by the public security department, or further commissioning other persons to print the above-mentioned printed matter;

(2) printing public notices, circulars, staff identity cards or passes for major activities, or coupons circulated for use in the society without being designated by the public security department;

(3) a printing operator counterfeits or alters official documents or certificates of State organs such as academic degree certificates, educational qualification certificates, etc., or official documents or certificates of enterprises, institutions or people's organizations;

For printing public notices, circulars, staff identity cards or passes for major activities, or coupons circulated for use in the society, if the unit commissioning the printing fails to acquire the certification issued by its competent department, or fails to go through the formalities for approval of printing according to the provisions of the State with the public security department of the place where the printing enterprise is located, or fails to have the printing conducted at a printing enterprise designated by the public security department, it shall be imposed a fine not less than 500 yuan but not more than 5,000 yuan by the public security department of people's government at or above the county level.

Article 42 Where, in violation of the provisions of these Regulations, a printing operator commits any one of the following acts, it or he shall be ordered to make corrections and given a warning by the publication administration department of the local people's government at or above the county level; where the circumstances are serious, it or he shall be ordered to suspend business for rectification or its or his permit shall be revoked by the original issuing department:

(1) an enterprise engaged in printing business activities with regard to packaging and decorating printed matter retains without permission the finished products, semi-finished products, waste products and printing plates, paper matrixes, negatives or original manuscripts of the packaging and decorating printed matter printed under commissioned;

(2) an enterprise or individual engaged in printing business activities with regard to other printed matter retains without permission the sample copy or specimen page of the other printed matter; or fails to stamp the retained printed matter with "sample copy "or "specimen page".

Article 43 Where a printing operator is imposed the administrative penalty of revoking of its or his permit, it or he shall, according to the relevant provisions of the State, have the change(s) or cancellation registered with the department for industry and commerce administration; if it or he fails to do so after expiration of the time limit, its or his business license shall be revoked by the department for industry and commerce administration.

Article 44 Where a printing enterprise is imposed the administrative penalty of revoking of its permit, its legal representative or responsible person shall not hold the same post in any printing enterprise within ten years from the date of revocation of its permit.

Where an individual engaged in printing business activities with regard to other printed matter is imposed the administrative penalty of revoking of his permit, he shall not engage himself in printing business activities within ten years from the date of revocation of its permit.

Article 45 The administrative punishment imposed according to the provisions of these Regulations shall, in accordance with the relevant laws and administrative regulations, exercise the separation of decision making and fine collecting, and the fine collected shall all be turned over to the State Treasury.

Article 46 Where a publication administration department, a public security department, a department for industry and commerce administration or any other relevant departments, in violation of the provisions of these Regulations, approves the establishment of a printing enterprise that does not meet the conditions for establishment, or fails to perform its functions and duties of supervision, or fails to investigate and deal with illegal acts, thus resulting in serious consequences, the person in charge who is responsible and the other person who is directly responsible shall be given a administrative sanction of demotion or dismissal from office; if a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Article 47 Those printing enterprises established according to law before the effectiveness of these Regulations shall renew their Permit for Printing Business with the publication administration departments within 180 days from the date of effectiveness of these Regulations.

For issuing permits according to these Regulations, no other fees shall be charged other than the cost of the permits charged according to statutory standards.

Article 48 These Regulations shall be effective as of the date of promulgation. The Regulations on Administration of Printing Business promulgated by the State Council on March 8, 1997 shall be repealed simultaneously.

(State Council)