徐州市水上交通安全管理条例(2004年修正)
江苏省徐州市人大常委会
徐州市人民代表大会常务委员会关于修改《徐州市水上交通安全管理条例》的决定
(2004年7月16日徐州市第十三届人民代表大会常务委员会第十五次会议通过 2004年8月20日江苏省第十届人民代表大会常务委员会第十一次会议批准 2004年8月27日徐州市人民代表大会常务委员会公告第22号公布 自2004年9月1日起施行)
徐州市第十三届人民代表大会常务委员会第十五次会议决定对《徐州市水上交通安全管理条例》作如下修改:
一、删除第十四条。
二、删除第十八条第三项。
三、将第十九条修改为:“有下列行为之一的,由海事机构责令改正,拒不改正的,按照以下规定处以罚款:
(一)违反第六条、第九条、第十条、第十四条第一项、第二项、第四项、第六项、第十六条第二项、第三项、第八项、第十七条第五项规定的,可以处一百元以上五百元以下罚款;
(二)违反第八条第三款、第十六条第七项规定的,可以处一千元以上一万元以下罚款;
(三)违反第七条规定的,可以处一万元以上十万元以下罚款。”
四、将第二十条修改为:“违反第十四条第三项、第五项、第十七条第二项、第三项、第四项规定的,由海事机构责令改正,拒不改正的,可以处二万元以上十万元以下罚款。”
五、将第二十一条修改为:“有下列行为之一的,由海事机构责令改正,拒不改正的,可以处五千元以上五万元以下罚款:
(一)违反第十二条规定,未经海事机构审核同意占用通航水域岸线从事船舶修造作业的;
(二)违反第十三条规定,未经海事机构审核同意从事水上水下施工作业或者开展活动的;
(三)违反第十六条第五项规定非法占据航道采沙的;
(四)违反第十七条第一项规定船舶无船名、船籍港的。”
此外,根据本决定对条文顺序作相应修改。
本决定自2004年9月1日起施行。
《徐州市水上交通安全管理条例》根据本决定作相应修改,重新公布。
附:徐州市水上交通安全管理条例(2004年修正本)
(2001年7月31日徐州市第十二届人民代表大会常务委员会第二十七次会议制定 2001年8月24日江苏省第九届人民代表大会常务委员会第二十五次会议批准 根据2004年7月16日徐州市第十三届人民代表大会常务委员会第十五次会议通过,2004年8月20日江苏省第十届人民代表大会常务委员会第十一次会议批准的《关于修改〈徐州市水上交通安全管理条例〉的决定》修正)
第一章 总则
第一条 为了维护水上交通秩序,保障水上交通安全,根据《中华人民共和国内河交通安全管理条例》、《江苏省内河交通管理条例》等法律、法规的规定,结合本市实际,制定本条例。
第二条 本条例适用于在本市行政区可以通航水域内航行、停泊、作业的船舶、设施以及与水上交通安全有关的单位和人员。
第三条 市、县(市)交通行政管理部门设置的海事机构是本行政区域内水上交通安全监督管理的主管机关。
第四条 船舶、设施以及与水上交通安全有关的单位和人员应当接受海事机构依法进行的检查。除交通行政管理部门依法查处严重违章,海关缉私,公安、工商部门依法查处违法犯罪行为外,其他单位和个人不得拦截检查正常航行的船舶,不得扣留海事机构、船舶检验机构签发的船舶、船员证书。
第二章 航行 停泊 作业
第五条 在枯水期或者汛期泄洪航段,海事机构应当掌握有关航行信息,并公布限航特别规定。限航特别规定应当报同级交通行政管理部门备案,并通知公安、水利等有关部门。
船舶航行应当遵守限航特别规定。
第六条 船队在通过狭窄航段或者通航宽度受限制的桥梁、施工工地等航段时,不得使用偏缆拖带,不得并列行驶。
禁止人力船、挂桨机船攀吊航行中的其他船舶。
第七条 机动船应当按照国家规定配备船员。
除无人驳外,每艘驳船配备船员不得少于两人。
第八条 船舶在海事机构划定的停泊区停泊或者待闸、待通过交通管制航段停泊,应当遵守停泊管理规定。
在未作停泊限制的航段停泊,应当在不妨碍其他船舶正常航行和不危及设施、堤防安全的情况下,沿岸边顺靠,靠泊宽度自岸边水线向航道内不得超过航道水面宽度的四分之一。
停泊船舶向通航一侧航道内抛开锚时,不得妨碍其他船舶的正常航行,并应当在锚伸出的方向显示信号。
船舶在靠泊、离泊或者编解船队时,不得妨碍航行的船舶。
第九条 装运危险货物的船舶,应当在专供装运危险货物船舶停泊的码头、停泊区或者海事机构指定的地点停泊。
船舶停泊不得傍靠装运危险货物的船舶。
第十条 禁止船舶在下列区域停泊:
(一)桥梁、涵闸、抽水站以及城镇水源取水口等依法划定的禁泊区域;
(二)狭窄、弯曲航道;
(三)渡口上下游各五十米范围内;
(四)影响助航标志、交通安全标志效能的区域;
(五)禁泊标志标示的区域。
第十一条 船队在汛期泄洪航段或者在大风天气可能危及船舶安全情况下停泊的,拖轮应当保持备航状态,并不得与所拖船分开停靠。
第十二条 占用通航水域岸线从事船舶修造作业的,应当报经海事机构审核同意。依法应当办理其他审批手续的,按照有关规定办理。
船舶修造作业时不得妨碍其他船舶航行。
第十三条 在水上、水下从事施工作业或者开展其他有碍交通安全活动的,应当按照国家有关规定向海事机构提出申请,海事机构应当按照规定作出审核决定,发布航行警告或者航行通告。大型文娱体育活动还应当按照规定报所在地公安部门批准。
施工作业或者开展活动应当在核定的期限和范围内进行。
施工作业或者活动结束后,申请人应当在海事机构规定的期限内清除碍航物。逾期不清除碍航物的,海事机构可以采取强制清除措施,所需费用由申请人承担。
第三章 安全保障
第十四条 禁止下列影响渡运安全的行为:
(一)渡船、渡工无渡船、渡工证书渡运的;
(二)在通航水域使用缆渡的;
(三)超员、超载渡运的;
(四)渡船横渡时抢越行驶中的他船船头的;
(五)渡船未按照规定配备安全设施的;
(六)在非渡口码头停靠上下乘客的。
第十五条 船舶因搁浅或者沉没造成航道堵塞、中断,其所有人或者经营人应当按照规定设置标志,及时向海事机构报告,并在限定的时间内清除。拒不清除的,海事机构可以采取卸载、拖出特定区域、破坏性打捞等必要紧急措施处置,费用和损失由船舶所有人或者经营人承担。
第十六条 禁止下列影响航行安全的行为:
(一)在干线航道上设置捕鱼、水产养殖网具及其他设施的;
(二)船舶向航道倾倒沙石和其他废弃物的;
(三)船舶在港内随意鸣放声号或者使用高音喇叭广播的;
(四)在装载易燃货物的船舶上违反规定使用明火的;
(五)非法占据航道采沙的;
(六)损坏交通安全标志、助航标志的;
(七)酒后驾驶船舶或者操作机械设备的;
(八)违反交通安全标志指示的。
第十七条 船舶不得有下列行为:
(一)无船名、船籍港、船舶证书的;
(二)超载、超额运输或者装载不符合安全技术要求的;
(三)未按《船舶安全检查通知书》要求纠正船舶缺陷的;
(四)夜间航行未按规定配备显示号灯的;
(五)船舶吨位、尺度或者拖带量不符合航道通航标准或者限航特别规定限制标准的;
(六)发生交通事故后,未经海事机构同意,擅自开航的。
第四章 法律责任
第十八条 有下列行为之一的,由海事机构责令改正,拒不改正的,按照以下规定处以罚款:
(一)违反第六条、第九条、第十条、第十四条第一项、第二项、第四项、第六项、第十六条第二项、第三项、第八项、第十七条第五项规定的,可以处一百元以上五百元以下罚款;
(二)违反第八条第三款、第十六条第七项规定的,可以处一千元以上一万元以下罚款;
(三)违反第七条规定的,可以处一万元以上十万元以下罚款。
第十九条 违反第十四条第三项、第五项、第十七条第二项、第三项、第四项规定的,由海事机构责令改正,拒不改正的,可以处二万元以上十万元以下罚款。
第二十条 有下列行为之一的,由海事机构责令改正,拒不改正的,可以处五千元以上五万元以下罚款:
(一)违反第十二条规定,未经海事机构审核同意占用通航水域岸线从事船舶修造作业的;
(二)违反第十三条规定,未经海事机构审核同意从事水上水下施工作业或者开展活动的;
(三)违反第十六条第五项规定非法占据航道采沙的;
(四)违反第十七条第一项规定船舶无船名、船籍港的。
第二十一条 违反第十六条第四项、第六项规定的,由公安机关依照《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚条例》的规定予以处罚。
第二十二条 对拒绝、阻碍海事机构管理人员依法执行公务的,由公安机关依照《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚条例》的规定予以处罚;构成犯罪的,由司法机关依法追究刑事责任。
第二十三条 当事人对海事机构给予的行政处罚决定不服的,可以依法申请行政复议或者提起行政诉讼。逾期不申请行政复议,也不提起行政诉讼,又不履行行政处罚决定的,由海事机构申请人民法院强制执行。
第二十四条 海事机构的管理人员玩忽职守、滥用职权、徇私舞弊、索贿受贿的,由所在单位或者上级主管机关给予行政处分;构成犯罪的,由司法机关依法追究刑事责任。
第五章 附则
第二十五条 本条例自2001年10月1日起施行。
Partnership - New option for foreign investment in China
Zhiguo Li
A new door to partnership is opened by the Chinese government to the foreign investors under this post-financial turmoil era in order to attract more foreign investment and provide more employment. On November 25, 2009, the State Council of the PRC promulgated the Measures for the Administration on the Establishment of Partnership Business by Foreign Enterprises or Individuals in China adopted at the 77th executive meeting of the State Council on August 19, 2009, which shall come into effect as of March 1, 2010 (“the Foreign Partnership Measures”). The Foreign Partnership Measures is regarded as supplementary to the Partnership Business Law of the People's Republic of China (“the Partnership Law”), article 108 of which provides that the measures for the administration on the establishment of partnership business by foreign enterprises or individuals shall be formulated by the State Council. Therefore the Partnership Law is the basic law for foreign enterprises or individuals (collectively “foreign partners”) to establish the partnership business in China (“foreign partnership”).
The initial effort to formulate this kind of measures with the authorization of the Partnership Law can be tracked to January 2007 when the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOC), as requested by the Legislative Affair Office of the State Council, promulgated a draft of the Measures for the Administration on the Foreign Funded Partnership Business (“the Draft”) for public consultation. The Draft mostly reflect the intention of the MOC to remain the approval authority for the foreign partnerships as it does in the setup of the other three types of FIEs, such as equity joint venture, contractual joint venture and wholly foreign owned enterprise (i.e., EJV, CJV and WFOE, collectively FIEs). But the final Foreign Partnership Measures kick the MOC and its local branches (“the MOC local branches”) out from the charging authority with the replacement by the local authorized branch of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC local branch), which is unexpected to but welcome by the professionals and entrepreneurs. This article will do analysis on the Foreign Partnership Measures from four perspectives: foreign partnership models, foreign partners’ qualification, thresholds and registration of the foreign partnership, in aiming to describe a clear foreign partnership roadmap for foreign partners.
Foreign Partnership Models
Foreign partners can set up the foreign partnership in China in three models: a. with the other foreign partners; b. with the Chinese individuals, legal persons and the other organizations registered and located in Mainland China; c. through participating the existing domestic partnership.
In the models above, the foreign partners have the option to take the form of general partnership, limited liability partnership or limited partnership stipulated by the Partnership Law, among which the limited liability partnership is only for the professional institutions such as law firms and accounting firms. Comparing with model a and b, model c seems more feasible and time-and-cost saving for the foreign partners. A complete due diligence will be conducted in order to minimize the risk from the operation of the domestic partnership before the participation date of the foreign partners. In consideration of the current administration and nature of the partnerships, lack of credibility and the other elements in China, it will be difficult to get a complete due diligence report satisfied with the foreign partners. Therefore, models a and b are highly recommended. Which model of a or b take needs the consideration and balance of the foreign partners based on their business plan, legal structuring, such as whether foreign partners themselves intend to do the business competing with the foreign partnership and how to exit by transferring the contribution in the partnership, ect., and the thresholds discussed below.
Foreign Partners’ Qualification
The difference in the expression on the partners from overseas and China should be noted. Foreign partners only include foreign enterprises and individuals. The Chinese partners include Chinese individuals, legal persons and the other organizations. There is no unified legal interpretation on the “enterprise”, though mostly it refers to the profitable organizations. This uncertainty may come from the prudency of the legislator of China on the qualifications of foreign partners. Under article 184 of the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues concerning the Implementation of the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China for Trial (“the Opinions”), this expression of “enterprise” on the foreign partners allow the SAIC local branch more discretion to judge whether the foreign partner is a qualified “enterprise” or not in accordance with the relevant Chinese laws. In this scenario, the foreign partners need to note that they should not fall into the types of entities prescribed in article 3 of the Partnership Law if they aim to be a general partner, which says that wholly state-funded company, state-owned company, listed company, public-welfare-oriented institution or social organization may not become a general partner.
Regarding the foreign individuals, they must have full capacity for civil conduct in accordance with article 14 of the Partnership Law. The international private law problem will also be involved here. Pursuant to article 180 of the Opinions, the foreign individuals who conduct civil activities in the territory of China, shall be regarded as having full capacity for civil conduct if they have that in accordance with China laws, no matter what their national laws requires for their capacity for civil conduct. Foreign individuals at or above the age of 18 years old are qualified to be the foreign partners if they are not mentally ill.
Thresholds for Foreign Partnership
Some thresholds, such as the approval by the MOC, imposed on the FIEs are lifted for foreign partnership. This means that the foreign partnership and the domestic partnership will be treated with unified threshold in the aspect of approval, which will definitely reduce the criticism from the international community, but may cause more from the domestic public (including those FIEs). But it does not mean that there will be no thresholds review on foreign partnership.
Article 3 of the Foreign Partnership Measures lists the general thresholds for the foreign partnerships. The establishment of foreign partnership shall abide by the Partnership Law and the other relevant laws, regulations and rules, and comply with the industrial policies for foreign investment. These general thresholds need to be analyzed together with the reference to the other relevant laws, regulations, rules and policies.
First, the threshold provided by the Partnership Law is the pre-approval on the business scope. Where the business cope of a foreign partnership contains any item, for example oil distribution, that is subject to approval prior to registration according to laws or regulations, such approval shall be sought in advance and submitted at the time of registration with SAIC local branch. These pre-approvals involve , but not limited to, the Ministry of Land, the Ministry of Transport, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the China Banking Regulatory Commission and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, etc., which depends on the business of the foreign partnership.
Second, the Provisions on Guiding the Orientation of Foreign Investment (2002) and the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries (revised in 2007) (collectively “foreign investment industrial policies”) set up the industrial threshold for the foreign partnerships, which are the industrial policy basis for the SAIC local branch to review registration application to establish foreign partnership in China. This will obviously increase the working load of the SAIC local branches since they are lack of the experience in this kind of foreign investment industrial policies review. We may also anticipate that there might be different explanation and implementations on the above two documents, which will be the problem faced by those foreign partners who submit the application in the first half year after the Foreign Partnership Measures comes into force on March 1, 2010.
The third threshold is that the verification is required if the project invested by the foreign partners falls into the scope described in the Provisional Measures Governing Verification of Foreign Invested Projects. The charging authority is the National Development and Reform Commission and its local branches, which depending on the amount of the total investment and the nature of the project.
It is necessary to note the forth threshold hidden in the important expression in article 3 of the Foreign Partnership Measures, which put the “rules” as the legal basis for the establishment of foreign partnerships. In the legal system of China, it indicates that the State Council authorizes the ministries or departments under the State Council (“the Ministries”) to issue necessary “rules” applicable to foreign partnerships. It also reflects that the existing valid “rules” issued by the Ministries, including those applicable to the representative offices opened by foreign law firms in China, are still the barrier for the foreign partners to access the local market in China.
The final threshold comes from the commitment of China in its WTO accession. Although the State Council encourages those foreign partners who have advanced technology and management experience to establish foreign partnership in China with the purpose to facilitate the development of the modern service industry, at this stage, the services industries may only limited to those listed in the Schedule of Specific Commitments on Services (Annex 9 of the Protocol on the Accession of the People’s Republic of China) and the openness will not be wider than the commitments therein.
Registration of the Foreign Partnership
In the FIEs regime, all investments by foreign investors need the pre-approvals of the MOC or MOC local branches. In the approval process, the MOC or MOC local branches will review, but not limited to, the content of the application, the article of associations of FIEs and contracts signed by the parties if any. Generally, this approval procedure will take 5 working days to 90 working days depending on the nature and total investment of the project. In this regard, the cancel of this approval for the foreign partnership will significantly escalate the speed of the establishment in the procedural stage and to a great extent reduce the uncertainty from the MOC or MOC local branches.
The Foreign Partnership Measures stipulates that the representative or agent of all the partners shall submit the establishment application only to the SAIC local branch and not the SAIC. The submission shall include, besides the documents required by the Regulations on the Administration of Registration of Partnership Business (revised in 2007, “Partnership Registration Regulation”), the explanation on compliance of the foreign partnership with the foreign investment industrial policies, which will ease the review by the SAIC local branch. In this regard, the review may not be limited to the formality as provided in article 16 of Partnership Registration Regulation. It seems impossible for the SAIC local branch to issue the license to the foreign partnership on the spot. In this scenario, the SAIC local branch shall make a decision on whether to issue the license to the foreign partnership within 20 working days after the date it accepts the complete application.
The Foreign Partnership Measures is the second case for MOC and MOC local branches to lose approval authority in the recent years. The first case is for the representative office opened by most of foreign enterprises in China since 2004. Although the loss of approval authority, the MOC local branches at the same level with the SAIC local branches accepting the application for establishment of foreign partnership shall be advised the registration information (including the establishment, alteration and cancel) of the foreign partnerships by the latter.
Conclusion
For those foreign partners not interested in establishing professional foreign partnerships such as law firms in China, they are now can access the Chinese market with a presence in the option of partnership. The approval procedures involved with the MOC or its local branches as set up for FIEs has been removed. The minimum investment (registered capital) requirement for FIEs has been reduced to RMB30,000 (RMB100,000 for one-person limited liability company) by the Company Law of the People's Republic of China (revised in 2005), the Foreign Partnership Measures leave the minimum investment open to the partners. The foreign partners can contribute with the currency (freely exchanged foreign currency or legally earned RMB), in kind, IPR, land use right, the other properties or labor service (limited to general partners) to the foreign partnerships. All these will minimize the cost for foreign partners to achieve their goal of profit maximization in China. But those enterprises focusing on the investment business, such as the foreign-funded venture capital investment enterprises and foreign-funded investment companies, are excluded from the Foreign Partnership Measures due to lack of experience in administrating this kind of enterprises by the government.