Source: China Standards Information Service Network
To earnestly carry out General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directives on coordinating COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development, and to help self-employed businesses cope with the impact of the epidemic, resume work and production in an orderly manner as quickly as possible, and stabilize and expand employment, with the approval of the State Council, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Commerce, and the People's Bank of China have recently jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Increasing Support for Self-Employed Businesses to Address the Impact of the Epidemic".
The opinions state that self-employed businesses should be helped to resume work and production in an orderly manner as quickly as possible. Following the requirements of region- and grade-specific precision in resumption of work and production, resumption shall be advanced in an orderly manner by business type and form. The "Guidelines on COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures for Resumption of Work and Production by Enterprises and Public Institutions", issued by the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism, shall be earnestly implemented to ensure that compliant personnel can return to work in a timely manner. Flexible employment policies shall be adopted to promote prompt resumption of work and production by sectors such as express delivery. The role of e-commerce platforms shall be harnessed to provide supply-and-demand matching information services for online and offline self-employed businesses.
The opinions call for reducing the operating costs of self-employed businesses. Funding support shall be increased: financial institutions shall be guided to provide an additional CNY 300 billion in low-interest loans targeted at self-employed businesses. During the epidemic, social insurance contributions for self-employed businesses shall be reduced, waived, or deferred, and deferred social insurance registration shall be allowed. From 1 March to 31 May 2020, VAT reductions and exemptions shall apply to small-scale taxpayers, including self-employed businesses. Certification, accreditation, and testing fees during the epidemic shall be reduced or waived for self-employed businesses. Local authorities are encouraged to reduce or waive rents for self-employed businesses based on local conditions.
The opinions emphasize that market entry for self-employed businesses should be facilitated. Convenient and efficient services shall be provided to self-employed businesses, with effective coordination between business licence registration and relevant licensing approvals, and extended deadlines for annual reporting. Premises resources shall be further unlocked, and a negative-list management system for the business premises of self-employed businesses shall be established and improved. For self-employed retailers providing essentials for daily life, the scope of locations and operating hours shall be further expanded, with registration waivers granted in accordance with law.
The opinions require that services to self-employed businesses be enhanced. Electricity and gas supply for self-employed businesses shall be safeguarded; in the first half of 2020, "no service interruption for unpaid bills" shall apply to self-employed businesses in difficulty, and phased reductions in electricity and gas costs shall be implemented for related industries. The role of federations of industry and commerce and self-employed labour associations shall be brought into play through rights protection, public outreach, and other measures to provide services and address difficulties for self-employed businesses. Internet platform companies are encouraged to provide support for the resumption of work and production by self-employed businesses.
Going forward, the State Administration for Market Regulation will, in coordination with the relevant departments, strengthen guidance, support local authorities in introducing concrete measures based on local conditions, intensify policy outreach and interpretation, take a proactive and frontline service approach, and help self-employed businesses resume work and production in an orderly manner as quickly as possible.
