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2011-07-01 | All chapters

European Chamber Welcomes the Ministry of Finance’s Announcement on Abolishing Indigenous Innovation-Related Policies

Beijing, June 30th, 2011- The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China welcomes the Ministry of Finance’s (MOF) repeal of three national indigenous innovation-related policies. Released on the MOF’s website on 28thJune, the statement will become effective as of 1st   July.

These three documents, the Innovation Product Government Procurement Contract Measures, the Indigenous Innovation Product Government Procurement Budget Measures, and the Indigenous Innovation Product Government Procurement Evaluation Measures, are key implementation policies underpinning the link between indigenous innovation and government procurement. They included, among other guidelines, instructions to all levels of government to develop specific procurement plans encouraging indigenous innovation or to potentially lose procurement funds. As such, they obstructed the access of European companies to the government procurement market in certain areas.

“The repeal should be welcomed as a step forward towards leveling the playing field in the government procurement market in China,” said Davide Cucino, the President of the European Chamber. “The European Chamber has continuously promoted the de-coupling of indigenous innovation from government procurement policy, and the repeal represents another step forward following clarification from the Chinese government to the European Chamber in December 2009 that indigenous innovation policies were never intended to be discriminatory.”

For European companies invested in China, it will not only ensure that products manufactured under license from their parent company are able to compete, but should also go some way towards increasing the confidence of foreign-invested enterprises to continue partnering with Chinese domestic companies, especially in research and development. This will in turn promote China’s goals of advancing its technical innovation capabilities and will allow European companies to further contribute to China’s macro goals by providing high-tech and green products.

“We support China’s efforts towards developing its own technology and innovation. However, science and technology development plans aimed at encouraging innovation, should not be developed in ways that distort fair market practices,” said Cucino, “Innovation without discrimination.”

Paul Ranjard, the Chair of the IPR Working Group of the European Chamber commented that “the announcement solidifies Premier Wen Jiabao’s official statement last year that there will be no discrimination on the basis of indigenous IP for government procurement. The repeal of these three measures is especially important because it is addressed to all levels of government departments, including provincial and municipal levels. This should hopefully ensure that indigenous IP will not be used as a preferential criterion for government purchasing throughout the country.”

For further information, please contact:

Effie Wu

Press Officer

Mobile: 134 8888 1345
Tel: +86 (10) 6462 2066 ext. 22
Fax: +86 (10) 6462 2067
Email: ewu@euccc.com.cn
Website: www.europeanchamber.com.cn

中国欧盟商会欢迎财政部关于停止执行《自主创新产品政府采购预算管理办法》等三个文件的通知

北京，2011年6月30日-中国欧盟商会欢迎财政部《关于停止执行<自主创新产品政府采购预算管理办法>等三个文件的通知》 （下简称《通知》）。《通知》于6月28号发布在财政部网站，7月1日起生效。

《通知》中涉及的《财政部关于印发〈自主创新产品政府采购预算管理办法〉的通知》、《财政部关于印发〈自主创新产品政府采购评审办法〉的通知》和《财政部关于印发〈自主创新产品政府采购合同管理办法〉的通知》，是使自主创新和政府采购挂钩的三个主要文件。文件指示各级政府编报自主创新产品政府采购预算和计划，对采购人未或不按预算采购自主创新产品的，财政部门视情况可以拒付采购资金。这在事实上阻碍了欧洲企业在某些领域中进入政府采购市场。

“我们认为《通知》是中国在政府采购领域提供公平竞争环境的一大进步，”中国欧盟商会主席大卫先生评论道，“欧盟商会一直致力于促成自主创新政策与政府采购的脱钩。2009年12月商会曾向中国政府咨询自主创新相关政策，中国政府表示该政策从未有歧视外资企业的意图。本月发布的《通知》进一步证明了该观点。”

对于在华投资的欧洲企业来说，这不仅仅意味着母公司授权生产的产品可以参与竞争，而且将会增强外资企业与中国本地公司继续合作的信心，特别是在产品研发领域。 这一举动将进而促进中国发展技术创新能力，并让欧洲企业通过提供高科技、绿色产品为中国宏观发展目标进一步做出贡献。

“我们支持中国在发展自身科技和创新能力上的努力，然而，旨在促进创新的科技发展规划不应扰乱公平的市场环境，”大卫说。

中国欧盟商会知识产权工作组主席康保罗认为，“《通知》巩固了温家宝总理去年关于政府采购计划不会根据是否为自主知识产权而区别对待的声明。《通知》的对象是各级政府部门，其中包括省级和市级政府，这让《通知》具有重要的意义。希望这将保障在全国范围内自主知识产权不会在政府采购中被当作一个优先条件。”

如需更多信息，请联系：

吴冕

中国欧盟商会新闻官

电话: +86 10 6462 2066 - 22

传真: +86 10 6462 2067

手机: +86 134 8888 1345

E-mail: ewu@euccc.com.cn

网址: www.europeanchamber.com.cn

中国欧盟商会简介

中国欧盟商会于2000年10月19日由51家在华经营的欧洲企业发起成立。中国欧盟商会的建立旨在为来自各行业、在中国各地区经营的欧洲企业提供共同的声音。成立十年以来，中国欧盟商会如今有1600多家会员企业，并活跃在包括北京、成都、南京、珠江三角洲（广州和深圳）、上海、沈阳和天津等八个城市和地区。中国欧盟商会的工作深受欧盟委员会和中国政府的认可，被誉为欧洲在华企业可信赖的、独立的声音。

中国欧盟商会的工作围绕35个工作组和论坛展开，汇聚各领域高层，开展从市场准入到商业环境变化等一系列战略性讨论。通过中欧政府间的频繁对话，商会积极致力于向相关政策制定者及时反映欧盟企业在华经营中所遇到的问题，并提供相关建议。

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