The State Administration for Market Regulation ("SAMR") has recently issued the Circular on Matters Concerning the Implementation of the Decision of the State Council on Further Shortening the Catalog of Administration on Production License of Industrial Products and Streamlining Procedures for the Examination and Approval (the "Circular").

The Circular outlines arrangements in four aspects, including "working firmly and effectively on canceling the administration of production license for 14 types of industrial products", "ensuring a smooth transition for delegating the power to examine and approve license applications and an effective implementation of such delegation", "fully streamlining formalities for the examination and approval" and "further intensifying in-process and ex-post regulation". The Circular requires that, all provincial quality supervision authorities (or market regulators) and relevant product license examination institutions shall, from the date when the Decision of the State Council on Further Shortening the Catalog of Administration on Production License of Industrial Products and Streamlining Procedures for the Examination and Approval is released, cease accepting, examining and approving applications filed for production licenses for certain products, including the fastenings used to build steel pipe scaffolds and the artificial boards, and shall not, in any form, continue with the licensing directly or in a disguised manner. Meanwhile, from December 1, 2018, provincial quality supervision authorities will take charge of examining applications for and issuing production licenses, for four types of products, including internal combustion engines.

(Source: SAMR)