European Chamber submitted comments on Draft Foreign NGO Management Law Go back »
2015-06-04 | Beijing
To access the comments, please click here.
Foreign NGOs play an integral part in our members’ daily operations in China. Our members frequently work with foreign industry associations, universities, environmental organisations, science and technology institutes and other NGOs as widely defined under the draft Foreign NGO Management Law. Our members rely on such organisations for information sharing, research, market development and innovation creation, among other reasons. These foreign NGOs also play an important role in their corporate social responsibility activities.
European Chamber President Joerg Wuttke stated, “The increase in the administrative burdens and related costs for foreign NGOs is set to be significant. Foreign NGOs will find it ever less appealing to stay in China, depriving the Chinese marketplace of an important catalyst and international businesses of a trusted partner.”
President Wuttke further stated, “While it is understandable that the Chinese Government wants to regulate the activities of foreign NGOs, further deliberation should be given as NGOs are important partners in a civil society. As such, the current opportunity to give comments is appreciated by foreign stakeholders.”
Specific examples include: submission of annual activity plans; restrictions on branches (unless exceptionally provided by the State Council); a prohibition on fund-raising (unless exceptionally provided by the State Council); and the inability for non-registered NGOs to commission other legal organisations to carry out their activities.
