NOTE: This translation was originally published on the China Copyright and Media blog, a project of DigiChina’s Prof. Rogier Creemers of the University of Leiden. It has not been edited, double-checked, or standardized with DigiChina’s original content. Read more.
General Administration of Press and Publications of the People’s Republic of China
General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China
Decree No. 53
The “Audiovisual Product Import Management Rules” were passed in March 2011 by the first admiinistration meeting of the General Administration of Press and Publications and General Administration of Customs, are hereby promulgated, and take effect on the day of promulgation
General Administration of Press and Publications
General Administration of Customs
6 April 2011
Audiovisual Product Import Management Rules
Article 1: In order to strengthen audiovisual product import management, promote international cultural exchange and cooperation, enrich the popular masses’ cultural life, according to the “Audiovisual Product Management Regulations” and relevant State regulations, these Rules are formulated.
Article 2: Audiovisual products as named in these Rules, refers to audiotapes, videotapes, records, laser audio discs, laser videodiscs, etc. with recorded content.
Article 3: These Rules apply to all finished audiovisual products imported from abroad and audiovisual products imported for publishing use or other purposes.
Publishing as named in the previous article, includes utilization of information network publishing.
Where audiovisual products are used for radio or television broadcasts, radio and television laws and administrative regulations apply.
Article 4: The General Administration of Press and Publications is responsible for work concerning nationwide audiovisual product import such as supervision, management, content examination, etc.
County-level or higher local People’s Government administrative press and publications departments according to these Rules are responsible for imported audiovisual products supervision and management work within their administrative areas.
All levels’ Customs are responsible for audiovisual product import supervision and management work within their professional scope.
Article 5: Audiovisual product import business activities shall obey the Constitutions and relevant laws and regulations, persist in the orientation of serving the people and serving Socialism, disseminate thoughts, virtues, science and technology, and cultural knowledge beneficial for economic development and social progress.
Article 6: The State prohibits import of audiovisual products with the following content:
(1) content contradicting the basic principles determined in the Constitution;
(2) content endangering the unity of the nation, sovereignty or territorial integrity;
(3) content that divulges State secrets, endangers national security or damages State honour or interests;
(4) content that incites ethnic hatred or discrimination, undermines the solidarity of the ethnicities, or infringes upon ethnic customs and habits;
(5) content that propagates evil cults or superstition;
(6) content that disturbs public order or destroys public stability;
(7) content that propagates obscenity, gambling, violence or instigates crimes;
(8) content that insults or slanders others, or infringes upon the lawful rights and interests of others;
(9) content that endangers public ethics or excellent folk cultural traditions;
(10) other content prohibited by laws, regulations or State provisions.
Article 7: The State implements a permit system for establishment of finished audiovisual product import work units.
Chapter II: Import work units
Article 8: Finished audiovisual product import business is conducted by General Administration of Press and Approved-approved finished audiovisual product import work units; without approval, no work unit or individual may engage in finished audiovisual product import.
Article 9: For establishment of a finished audiovisual product import business work unit, the following conditions shall be met:
(1) having the name and articles of association of a finished audiovisual product import business work unit;
(2) having a sponsoring work unit and a controlling authority conforming to General Administration of Press and Publications accreditation conditions;
(3) having a fixed business scope;
(4) having capacity for preliminary screening of imported audiovisual product content;
(5) having funds corresponding to audiovisual product import business;
(6) having fixed business premises;
(7) other conditions provided by laws, administrative regulations and State provisions
Article 10: For establishment of a finished audiovisual product import business work unit, an application shall be put to the General Administration of Press and Publications, after examination and approval, and obtaining the General Administration of Press and Issued-issued audiovisual product import business permit, a business permit must be obtained from the administrative industry and commerce management entities according to the law on the basis of the permit.
For establishment of an audiovisual product import business work unit, corresponding formalities must also be conducted according to the provisions of foreign trade laws and administrative regulations.
Article 11: Work units such as libraries, audiovisual material libraries, scientific institutions, schools, etc., importing finished audiovisual products for research or teaching reference, shall entrust conducting of import examination and approval formalities to a General Administration of Press and Publications-approved finished audiovisual product import business work unit
Article 12: Audiovisual publishing work units may engage in imported audiovisual product publishing business within their approved publishing business scope
Chapter III: Import examination
Article 13: The State implements a permit management system over imported audiovisual products, which shall be reported to the General Administration of Press and Publications for content examination before import, and may only be imported after examination, approval and obtaining permit documents.
Article 14: The General Administration of Press and Publications establishes an audiovisual product content examination committee, to be responsible for examining imported audiovisual product content. Under the committee, an office is established, to be responsible for daily work concerning imported audiovisual product content examination.
Article 15: For importing finished audiovisual products, the audiovisual products import business work unit puts forward an application with the General Administration of Press and Publications and submits the following documents and materials:
(1) an imported audio or video product reporting form;
(2) an import agreement draft or order form;
(3) programme samples, Chinese and foreign language lyrics;
(4) other materials required for content examination.
Article 16: Importing audiovisual products for publishing use, shall be applied for with the General Administration of Press and Publications and the following documents and materials are to be submitted:
(1) an imported audio or video product reporting form;
(2) Chinese and foreign language text drafts of a copyright trade agreement, a copyright authorization letter and National Copyright Administration registration documents;
(3) programme samples;
(4) Chinese and foreign language songbooks, lyrics or dialogue;
(5) other materials required for content examination.
Article 17: For importing audiovisual products used in exhibitions or shows, the exhibiting or show activity organizing work units puts forward an application, and reports the audiovisual product catalogue and samples to the General Administration of Press and Publications for content examination. Customs will manage this as temporarily imported goods.
Article 18: Import work units may not change the original name and content of the sample submitted to the General Administration of Press and Publications for content examination without authorization.
Article 19: The General Administration of Press and Publications makes a decision of approval or non-approval within 30 days of the day of receiving the audiovisual product import application. To those approved, an audiovisual product import approval note is issued; to those not approved, the reasons shall be explained.
The content of an audiovisual product import approval not may not be changed, where change is required, it shall be conducted again. The audiovisual product import approval note is valid for use in customs declarations once, and may not be used multiple times. More specifically, where it concerns finished audiovisual products, the approval note is valid in that year; where it concerns audiovisual products used for publication, the term of validity of the approval note is one year.
Chapter IV: Import management
Article 20: Audiovisual products imported without examination or approval, may not be published, reproduced, wholesaled, retailed, rented or commercially screened by any work unit or individual.
Article 21: No work unit or individual may conduct commercial reproduction, wholesale, retail, rental or commercial screening of audiovisual products imported for research or teaching reference, or use in exhibitions or shows.
Where audiovisual products imported for use in exhibitions or shows are needed to be sold or donated domestically, before sale or donation, approval formalities must be conducted again as import of finished products according to these Rules.
Article 22: Audiovisual product import agreements or contracts concluded by import work units with foreign parties shall conform to the provisions of Chinese laws and regulations.
Article 23: Publishing of imported audiovisual products, shall conform to the requirement of the General Administration of Press and Publications approval document, the name of the programme and programme content may not be changed without authorization, and the approved Chinese programme name must be used; foreign language programmes shall indicate the Chinese and foreign language names on a clear location on the audiovisual product and its packaging; published imported audiovisual products must indicate the National Copyright Administration registration document number and the General Administration of Press and Publications import approval number on a clear location on the audiovisual product and its packaging; imported audiovisual products that are published through information networks must indicate the above information on the corresponding webpage.
Article 24: Within the period of authorization of publishing audiovisual products of which import was approved, audiovisual product import business work units may not import finished products of the said audiovisual product.
Article 25: The spoken and written language of published imported audiovisual products shall conform to State-issued spoken and written language standards.
Article 26: Import work units conduct audiovisual product import reporting formalities with Customs holding the General Administration of Press and Publications audiovisual product import approval note.
Article 27: Individuals’ bringing audiovisual products into or outside of the borders, or sending them by mail, shall be limited to personal use and reasonable limits, and is dealt with according to relevant Customs regulations.
Article 28: These rules do not apply to audiovisual products imported together with machine facilities as well as re-exported together with machine facilities after import, recording content such as operating systems, equipment instructions, specialized software, etc., Customs examines contracts, invoices and other effective certification provided by importing work units and allows it to pass.
Chapter V: Punishment provisions
Article 29: Those engaging in finished audiovisual product import business activities without approval or authorization, will be subject to punishment according to the relevant provisions of Article 39 of the “Audiovisual Product Management Regulations”
Article 30: Those conducting one of the following activities, will be subject to order of cessation of the unlawful activity issued a warning, an have their unlawful audiovisual products and unlawful income confiscated by the county-level or higher administrative press and publications department; where the unlawful business income exceeds 10000 Yuan, a fine of five times or more but less than 10 times the unlawful business income is additionally imposed; where the unlawful business income is lower than 10000 Yuan, a fine of less than 50000 Yuan is additionally imposed; where circumstances are grave, business cessation for rectification will be ordered or the original permit-issuing organ cancels permits:
(1) publishing imported audiovisual products not approved by the General Administration of Press and Publications without authorization;
(2) wholesaling, retailing, renting or screening imported audiovisual products not approved by the General Administration of Press and Publications;
(3) wholesaling, retailing, renting or screening audiovisual products imported for research or teaching reference, or for use in exhibitions or shows.
Article 31: Those publishing imported audiovisual products without indicating the content provided in these Rules in violation of these Rules, will be ordered to rectify this by the provincial-level or higher administrative press and publications department, and issued a warning, where circumstances are grave, business cessation for rectification will be ordered or the original permit-issuing organ cancels permits.
Article 32: Those conducting one of the following activities, in violation of these Regulations, will be ordered rectify this by the provincial-level or higher administrative press and publications department, and issued with a warning, a fine of 30000 Yuan or less may additionally be imposed:
(1) publishing imported audiovisual products that use spoken or written language that does not conform to State-published spoken and written language standards;
(2) published imported audiovisual products and changing the programme name or changing programme content without authorization in violation of these Rules;
where changing the content of audiovisual products that are examined and approved for import leads to their containing content prohibited by the provisions of Article 6 of these Rules, punishment will be imposed according to the relevant articles of the “Audiovisual Product Management Regulations”.
Article 33: those violating customs laws and relevant management regulations, will be punished by customs according to the law.
Chapter VI: Supplementary provisions
Article 34: Audiovisual product import from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan Region, will be carried out with reference to these Rules.
Article 35: Electronic publication import will be carried out with reference to these Rules.
Article 36: The General Administration of Press and Publications has the responsibility for interpreting these Rules. Where they involve customs functions, interpretation is the responsibility of the General Administration of Customs.
Article 37: These Rules take effect on the day of promulgation, the “Audiovisual Product Import Management Rules: promulgated by the Ministry of Culture and the General Administration of Customs on 1 June 2002 are abolished at the same time.
关于公布《音像制品进口管理办法》
中华人民共和国新闻出版总署中华人民共和国海关总署第53号
《音像制品进口管理办法》已经2011年3月新闻出版总署第1次署务会议和海关总署通过，现予公布，自公布之日起施行。
新闻出版总署海关总署二〇一一年四月六日
音像制品进口管理办法
第一章总则
第一条为了加强对音像制品进口的管理，促进国际文化交流与合作，丰富人民群众的文化生活，根据《音像制品管理条例》及国家有关规定，制定本办法。第二条本办法所称音像制品，是指录有内容的录音带、录像带、唱片、激光唱盘、激光视盘等。第三条凡从外国进口音像制品成品和进口用于出版及其他用途的音像制品，适用本办法。前款所称出版，包括利用信息网络出版。音像制品用于广播电视播放的，适用广播电视法律、行政法规。第四条新闻出版总署负责全国音像制品进口的监督管理和内容审查等工作。县级以上地方人民政府新闻出版行政部门依照本办法负责本行政区域内的进口音像制品的监督管理工作。各级海关在其职责范围内负责音像制品进口的监督管理工作。第五条音像制品进口经营活动应当遵守宪法和有关法律、法规，坚持为人民服务和为社会主义服务的方向，传播有益于经济发展和社会进步的思想、道德、科学技术和文化知识。第六条国家禁止进口有下列内容的音像制品:(一)反对宪法确定的基本原则的;(二)危害国家统一、主权和领土完整的;(三)泄漏国家秘密、危害国家安全或者损害国家荣誉和利益的;(四)煽动民族仇恨、民族歧视，破坏民族团结，或者侵害民族风俗、习惯的;(五)宣扬邪教、迷信的;(六)扰乱社会秩序，破坏社会稳定的;(七)宣扬淫秽、赌博、暴力或者教唆犯罪的;(八)侮辱或者诽谤他人，侵害他人合法权益的;(九)危害社会公德或者民族优秀文化传统的;(十)有法律、行政法规和国家规定禁止的其他内容的。第七条国家对设立音像制品成品进口单位实行许可制度。
第二章进口单位
第八条音像制品成品进口业务由新闻出版总署批准的音像制品成品进口单位经营;未经批准，任何单位或者个人不得从事音像制品成品进口业务。第九条设立音像制品成品进口经营单位，应当具备以下条件:(一)有音像制品进口经营单位的名称、章程;(二)有符合新闻出版总署认定条件的主办单位及其主管机关;(三)有确定的业务范围;(四)具有进口音像制品内容初审能力;(五)有与音像制品进口业务相适应的资金;(六)有固定的经营场所;(七)法律、行政法规和国家规定的其他条件。第十条设立音像制品成品进口经营单位，应当向新闻出版总署提出申请，经审查批准，取得新闻出版总署核发的音像制品进口经营许可证件后，持证到工商行政管理部门依法领取营业执照。设立音像制品进口经营单位，还应当依照对外贸易法律、行政法规的规定办理相应手续。第十一条图书馆、音像资料馆、科研机构、学校等单位进口供研究、教学参考的音像制品成品，应当委托新闻出版总署批准的音像制品成品进口经营单位办理进口审批手续。第十二条音像出版单位可以在批准的出版业务范围内从事进口音像制品的出版业务。
第三章 进口审查
第十三条国家对进口音像制品实行许可管理制度，应在进口前报新闻出版总署进行内容审查，审查批准取得许可文件后方可进口。第十四条新闻出版总署设立音像制品内容审查委员会，负责审查进口音像制品的内容。委员会下设办公室，负责进口音像制品内容审查的日常工作。第十五条进口音像制品成品，由音像制品成品进口经营单位向新闻出版总署提出申请并报送以下文件和材料:(一)进口录音或录像制品报审表;(二)进口协议草案或订单;(三)节目样片、中外文歌词;(四)内容审查所需的其他材料。第十六条进口用于出版的音像制品，应当向新闻出版总署提出申请并报送以下文件和材料:(一)进口录音或录像制品报审表;(二)版权贸易协议中外文文本草案，原始版权证明书，版权授权书和国家版权局的登记文件;(三)节目样片;(四)中外文曲目、歌词或对白;(五)内容审查所需的其他材料。第十七条进口用于展览、展示的音像制品，由展览、展示活动主办单位提出申请，并将音像制品目录和样片报新闻出版总署进行内容审查。海关按暂时进口货物管理。第十八条进口单位不得擅自更改报送新闻出版总署进行内容审查样片原有的名称和内容。第十九条新闻出版总署自受理进口音像制品申请之日起30日内作出批准或者不批准的决定。批准的，发给进口音像制品批准单;不批准的，应当说明理由。进口音像制品批准单内容不得更改，如需修改，应重新办理。进口音像制品批准单一次报关使用有效，不得累计使用。其中，属于音像制品成品的，批准单当年有效;属于用于出版的音像制品的，批准单有效期限为1年。
第四章 进口管理
第二十条未经审查批准进口的音像制品，任何单位和个人不得出版、复制、批发、零售、出租和营业性放映。第二十一条任何单位和个人不得将供研究、教学参考或者用于展览、展示的进口音像制品进行经营性复制、批发、零售、出租和营业性放映。用于展览、展示的进口音像制品确需在境内销售、赠送的，在销售、赠送前，必须依照本办法按成品进口重新办理批准手续。第二十二条进口单位与外方签订的音像制品进口协议或者合同应当符合中国法律、法规的规定。第二十三条出版进口音像制品，应当符合新闻出版总署批准文件要求，不得擅自变更节目名称和增删节目内容，要使用经批准的中文节目名称;外语节目应当在音像制品及封面包装上标明中外文名称;出版进口音像制品必须在音像制品及其包装的明显位置标明国家版权局的登记文号和新闻出版总署进口批准文号;利用信息网络出版进口音像制品必须在相关节目页面标明以上信息。第二十四条在经批准进口出版的音像制品版权授权期限内，音像制品进口经营单位不得进口该音像制品成品。第二十五条出版进口音像制品使用的语言文字应当符合国家公布的语言文字规范。第二十六条进口单位持新闻出版总署进口音像制品批准单向海关办理音像制品的进口报关手续。第二十七条个人携带和邮寄音像制品进出境，应以自用、合理数量为限，并按照海关有关规定办理。第二十八条随机器设备同时进口以及进口后随机器设备复出口的记录操作系统、设备说明、专用软件等内容的音像制品，不适用本办法，海关验核进口单位提供的合同、发票等有效单证验放。
第五章罚则
第二十九条未经批准，擅自从事音像制品成品进口经营活动的，依照《音像制品管理条例》第三十九条的有关规定给予处罚。第三十条有下列行为之一的，由县级以上新闻出版行政部门责令停止违法行为，给予警告，没收违法音像制品和违法所得;违法经营额1万元以上的，并处违法经营额5倍以上10倍以下的罚款;违法经营额不足1万元的，并处5万元以下罚款;情节严重的，并责令停业整顿或者由原发证机关吊销许可证:(一)出版未经新闻出版总署批准擅自进口的音像制品;(二)批发、零售、出租或者放映未经新闻出版总署批准进口的音像制品的;(三)批发、零售、出租、放映供研究、教学参考或者用于展览、展示的进口音像制品的。第三十一条违反本办法，出版进口音像制品未标明本办法规定内容的，由省级以上新闻出版行政部门责令改正，给予警告，情节严重的，并责令停业整顿或者由原发证机关吊销许可证。第三十二条违反本办法，有下列行为之一的，由省级以上新闻出版行政部门责令改正，给予警告，可并处3万元以下的罚款:(一)出版进口音像制品使用语言文字不符合国家公布的语言文字规范的;(二)出版进口音像制品，违反本办法擅自变更节目名称、增删节目内容的。擅自增删经审查批准进口的音像制品内容导致其含有本办法第六条规定的禁止内容的，按照《音像制品管理条例》有关条款进行处罚。第三十三条违反海关法及有关管理规定的，由海关依法处理。
第六章附则
第三十四条从中国香港特别行政区、澳门特别行政区和台湾地区进口音像制品，参照本办法执行。第三十五条电子出版物的进口参照本办法执行。第三十六条本办法由新闻出版总署负责解释。涉及海关业务的，由海关总署负责解释。第三十七条本办法自公布之日起施行，2002年6月1日文化部、海关总署发布的《音像制品进口管理办法》同时废止。
