Decree No.15 of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
 
No.15

 The Administrative Measures for the Archiving of Commercial Franchises have been deliberated and adopted at the 6th executive meeting of Ministry of Commerce on April 6 2007. They are hereby promulgated and shall enter into force as of May 1, 2007.
 
Minister Bo Xilai
April 30, 2007
 
Administrative Measures for Archiving Commercial Franchises
 Article 1 For the purpose of intensifying administration on commercial franchises, regulating market order of franchises, these Measures are formulated according to the relevant provisions in Regulations on Administering Commercial Franchises (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations).
 Article 2 These Measures apply to commercial franchise activities within the territory of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as within the territory of China).
 Article 3 The competent commercial departments under the State Council and at provincial, autonomous region and municipality directly under the Central Government level are the organs for archiving commercial franchises. Where commercial franchise activities are conducted within a province, an autonomous region or a municipality directly under the Central Government, files shall be archived in the competent commercial department in the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where a franchiser is located; Where commercial franchise activities are conducted in another province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government, files shall be archived in the competent commercial department of the State Council.
 Commercial franchise archiving shall be operated through internet across China. Franchisers conforming to the provisions in Regulations on Administering Commercial Franchises, shall archive files via government website. (Website: www.mofcom.gov.cn )
 Article 4 All organizations or individuals have the right to report to the archiving organs where there are behaviors in violation of these Measures.
 Article 5 A franchiser applying for archival filing shall submit the following documents to the archiving organ:
 1, basic information on the commercial franchise,
 2, information on the distribution of all the stores of the franchisee within the territory of China.
 3, the franchiser's Commercial Prospectus,
 4, one photocopy of business license of the enterprise as legal person, or one photocopy of other qualification certificate,
 5, photocopies of registration certificates of trademark right, patent right and other business resources related to franchise activities.
 6, certificates issued by a competent commercial department of a city divided into districts based on the provision in Paragraph 2 of Article Seven; where direct sales stores owned by the franchiser are located beyond the territory of China, the franchiser shall provide business certificates thereof (including Chinese translation ) and the certificates shall be notarized by a local notarization institution and certified by the Chinese embassy and consulate stationed in the local area.
 The proceeding paragraph does not apply to the franchiser that does not engage in the franchise activities prior to May 1 2007, but the first franchise contract between the franchiser and the franchisee within the territory of China shall be submitted.
 7, Sample of franchise contract
 8, Catalogue of franchising operational manual (the number of pages of each chapter, and the total pages of the manual shall be noted, where this kind of manual is provided on the internal network of the franchise system, the estimated number of pages printed shall be provided)
 9, As regards the products and services that may not be franchised without approval under the laws and regulations, the franchiser must submit approval documents issued by the competent departments; and
 10, The franchiser's commitment signed and sealed by the legal representative.
 The documents as mentioned in items 1 through 3 shall be filled in on the internet, and electronic documents in items 4 through 10 shall be submitted on the internet in the form of PDF.
 Article 6 A franchiser shall apply for archival filing with an archiving organ within 15 days after having concluded a franchise contract with the franchisee within the territory of China for the first time. The franchiser that has been engaged in franchise activities prior to May 1 2007 shall archive files with competent commercial department in accordance with these Measures within one year since the Regulations is put into effect.
 Article 7 Where there is any alteration in the archival information of a franchiser, the franchiser shall apply for alteration with the archiving organ within 30 days from the date the alteration occurs.
 Article 8 A franchiser shall report to the archiving organ the information on the signing, canceling, renewing and altering of franchise contract prior to March 31 every year.
 Article 9 A franchiser shall fill in all the information on archival filing, and ensure the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of the content filled.
 Article 10 An archiving organ shall archive the files and materials complying with the provision in Article 5 within 10 days from the date a franchiser submit them, and shall issue an announcement on the website of the Ministry of Commerce.
 Where the files or materials submitted by a franchiser are incomplete, the archiving organ may demand him/her to submit the remaining files or materials within seven days. The archiving organ shall archive the documents within 10 days from the date the documents are complete.
 Article 11 If a franchiser who has finished archival filing has one of the following practices, the archiving organ may cancel the archival filing, and issue an announcement on the website of the Ministry of Commerce:
 1, a franchiser's business license is cancelled by the competent registration organ because of illegal operation.
 2, the archiving organ receives from the judicial organ judicial advice on canceling the archival filing because a franchiser conducts illegal operation.
 3, if investigation on a franchiser hiding relevant information or providing false information is verified, and
 4, if a franchiser cancels the archival filing by him/herself.
 Article 12 All competent commercial departments at provincial, autonomous region, municipality directly under the Central Government levels shall provide feedback on archival filing and cancellation of archival filing to the Ministry of Commerce within 10 days.
 Article 13 While the archiving organ finishes the archival procedures, it shall archive file and keep the documents on a franchiser's archival filing, and keep commercial secrets for the franchiser according to law.
 Article 14 The public may access to the following information via the website of the Ministry of Commerce:
 1, enterprise name of a franchiser, registered trademark of franchise business, enterprise logo, patent, exclusive technology, and other business resources,
 2, time of archival filing of a franchiser,
 3, address and contact of a franchiser's legal business site, the name of the legal representative, and
 4, business address of a franchisee within the territory of China.
 Article 15 Where a franchiser fails to archive file based on the Regulation and the provisions in these Measures, the competent commercial department under the State Council and the competent commercial departments of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the franchiser is located shall order him/her to archive the documents within a prescribed time limit, and impose a fine of no less than 10 000yuan but no more than 50 000yuan; if the franchiser still fails to archive the documents within the prescribed time limit, a fines of no less than 50 000yuan and no more than 100 000yuan shall be imposed, and an announcement shall be made.
 Article 16 Where a franchiser violates the provision in Article Eight, the archiving organ shall order him/her to make an correction, and may impose a fine of no more than 10 000 yuan thereupon; if the circumstances are serious, a fine of no less than 10 000 yuan and no more than 50 000 yuan shall be imposed thereupon, and an announcement shall be issued.
 Article 17 An overseas franchiser shall follow these Measures to conduct franchise activities within the territory of China. A franchiser from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan region shall follow these Measures.
 Article 18 National Industrial Association shall assist competent department of the government on archival filing, give full play to the coordinating role of the industrial association, and strengthen industrial self-discipline.
 Article 19 The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China is responsible for the interpretation of these Measures.
 Article 20 These Measures shall enter into force as of May 1 2007.
 
 
  Ministry of Commerce 2007-04-30   

 
中华人民共和国商务部令
 
第15号

《商业特许经营备案管理办法》已于2007年4月6日经中华人民共和国商务部第六次部务会讨论通过，现予以公布，自2007年5月1日起施行。
 
商务部部长 薄熙来
二〇〇七年四月三十日

商业特许经营备案管理办法

 第一条 为加强对商业特许经营活动的管理，规范特许经营市场秩序，根据《商业特许经营管理条例》（以下简称《条例》）的有关规定，制定本办法。
 第二条 在中华人民共和国境内（以下简称中国境内）从事商业特许经营活动，适用本办法。
 第三条 国务院商务主管部门及省、自治区、直辖市人民政府商务主管部门是商业特许经营的备案机关。在省、自治区、直辖市范围内从事商业特许经营活动的，向特许人所在地省、自治区、直辖市人民政府商务主管部门备案；跨省、自治区、直辖市范围从事特许经营活动的，向国务院商务主管部门备案。
 
商业特许经营的备案工作实行全国联网。符合《商业特许经营管理条例》规定的特许人，都应当通过政府网站进行备案（网址为www.mofcom.gov.cn）。
 第四条 任何单位或者个人对违反本办法规定的行为，有权向备案机关举报。
 第五条 申请备案的特许人应当向备案机关提交以下材料：
 （一） 商业特许经营基本情况。
 （二） 中国境内全部被特许人的店铺分布情况。
 （三） 特许人的市场计划书。
 （四） 企业法人营业执照复印件或其他主体资格证明的复印件。
 （五） 与特许经营活动相关的商标权、专利权及其它经营资源的注册证书复印件。
 （六） 由设区的市级商务主管部门开具的符合《条例》第七条第二款规定的证明文件；直营店位于境外的，特许人应当提供直营店营业证明（含中文翻译件），并经当地公证机构公证和中国驻当地使领馆认证。
 
在2007年5月1日前已经从事特许经营活动的特许人不适用于上款的规定，但应当提交特许人与中国境内的被特许人订立的第一份特许经营合同。
 （七） 特许经营合同样本。
 （八） 特许经营操作手册的目录（须注明每一章节的页数和手册的总页数，对于在特许系统内部网络上提供此类手册的，须提供估计的打印页数）。
 （九） 国家法律法规规定经批准方可开展特许经营的产品和服务，须提交相关主管部门的批准文件。
 （十） 经法定代表人签字盖章的特许人承诺。
 
上述第（一）至（三）项材料直接在网上填报，第（四）至（十）项应当在网上提交便携文件格式（PDF）的电子版材料。
 第六条 特许人应当在与中国境内的被特许人首次订立特许经营合同之日起的15天内向备案机关申请备案。在2007年5月1日前已经从事特许经营活动的特许人，应当自《条例》施行之日起1年内，依照本办法的规定向有关商务主管部门申请备案。
 第七条 特许人的备案信息有变化的，应当自变化之日起30日内向备案机关申请变更。
 第八条 特许人应当在每年3月31日前将其上一年度订立、撤销、续签与变更的特许经营合同情况向备案机关报告。
 第九条 特许人应认真填写所有备案事项的信息，并确保所填写内容真实、准确和完整。
 第十条 备案机关应当自收到特许人提交的符合本办法第五条规定的文件、资料之日起10日内予以备案，并在商务部网站予以公告。
 
特许人提交的文件、资料不完备的，备案机关可以要求其在7日内补充提交文件、资料。备案机关在特许人材料补充齐全之日起10日内予以备案。
 第十一条 已完成备案的特许人有下列行为之一的，备案机关可以撤销备案，并在商务部网站予以公告：
 （一） 因特许人违法经营，被主管登记机关吊销营业执照。
 （二） 备案机关收到司法机关因为特许人违法经营而做出的关于撤销备案的司法建议书。
 （三） 特许人隐瞒有关信息或者提供虚假信息经查证属实的。
 （四） 特许人自行注销的。
 第十二条 各省、自治区、直辖市人民政府商务主管部门应当将备案及撤销备案的情况在10日内反馈商务部。
 第十三条 备案机关在完成备案手续的同时，应当完整准确地记录和保存特许人的备案信息材料，依法为特许人保守商业秘密。
 第十四条 公众可通过商务部政府网站查询以下信息：
 （一） 特许人的企业名称及特许经营业务使用的注册商标、企业标志、专利、专有技术等经营资源。
 （二） 特许人的备案时间。
 （三） 特许人的法定经营场所地址与联系方式、法定代表人姓名。
 （四） 中国境内的被特许人营业地址。
 第十五条 特许人未按照《条例》和本办法的规定办理备案的，由国务院商务主管部门及特许人所在地省、自治区、直辖市人民政府商务主管部门责令限期备案，处1万元以上5万元以下罚款；逾期仍不备案的，处5万元以上10万元以下罚款，并予以公告。
 第十六条 特许人违反本办法第八条规定的，由备案机关责令改正，可以处1万元以下的罚款；情节严重的，处1万元以上5万元以下的罚款，并予以公告。
 第十七条 境外特许人在中国境内从事特许经营活动，按照本办法执行。香港、澳门特别行政区及台湾地区特许人参照本办法执行。
 第十八条 国家行业协会应协助政府主管部门做好企业备案工作，充分发挥行业协会的协调作用，加强行业自律。
 第十九条 本办法由中华人民共和国商务部负责解释。
 第二十条 本办法自2007年5月1日起实施。
 
 
商务部 2007年04月30日  颁布