Good News! Enterprises Applying for HALAL or KOSHER Certification Can Enjoy National Subsidies!

To vigorously support China's small and medium-sized enterprises in earning foreign exchange, China has a considerable subsidy policy. When an enterprise applies for international Kosher and Halal certification, the state will give the applicant a 50%-70% subsidy as enterprise international market development funds. As long as the application conditions are met, an application can be made. The guidelines are as follows:

Administrative matter name: Application for SME International Market Development Funds

Administrative matter category: administrative permit

Service target: small and medium-sized enterprises and project organizing units

Legal basis: Measures for the Administration of SME International Market Development Funds, Cai Qi [2010] No. 87

Application conditions

1. Projects declared by SMEs should meet the following conditions:

(1) An enterprise legal person registered within the customs territory of the People's Republic of China that has legally obtained import-export operation qualifications or legally completed foreign-trade operator filing registration, with customs-statistics import-export volume of less than US$45 million in the previous year;

(2) No illegal or non-compliant behavior in the past three years in areas such as foreign economic and trade business management, financial management, tax management, foreign exchange management and customs management;

(3) Has professional personnel engaged in international market development, with a clear work arrangement and market development plan for developing international markets;

(4) Has not defaulted on fiscal funds due to be repaid.

2. Projects declared by project organizing units should meet the following conditions:

(1) Qualified to organize national, industry or local enterprises to participate in or hold economic and trade exhibitions abroad;

(2) Qualified, upon review by the management department, to organize SME training;

(3) The group projects applied for should aim to support SMEs in developing international markets and improving SMEs' international competitiveness;

(4) Has not defaulted on fiscal funds due to be repaid.

Application materials

1. Enterprise qualification application:

Enterprise registration form, business license or public-institution (association) legal-person certificate, organization code certificate, tax registration certificate, foreign-trade filing registration form (or relevant approval certificate), customs import-export goods consignor custody registration certificate, qualification documents for organizing national, industry or regional enterprises to hold economic and trade exhibitions abroad, etc. (one copy each, stamped with the unit seal).

2. Project application:

Project application form, legal vouchers of actually incurred expenses (one copy, stamped with the unit seal and unit financial seal), relevant materials reflecting project completion (one copy of produced publicity items, CDs, certification certificate copies, market analysis reports and other materials).

Processing procedure

1. User registration:

The declaring unit registers enterprise information in the SME funds system; after successful online submission, it prints the enterprise registration form and, together with other relevant written materials, submits it to the funds management department to which the declaring unit belongs. The management department reviews based on the registration information filled in by the declaring unit and the written materials submitted, and publishes the review results online.

2. Project declaration

Declaring units with declaration qualifications fill in project information in the SME funds system; after successful online submission, they print the project declaration form and, together with other relevant written materials, submit it to the funds management department to which the declaring unit belongs for review. The management department reviews the declaration information filled in by the declaring unit and the written materials submitted in accordance with the 'Administrative Measures' and relevant regulations, and publishes the review results online.

Notification method: results published online.

Processing time limit: according to the annual work notice of each locality.

Fee standard and basis: no charge

Acceptance time: normal office hours of each management department

Acceptance method: written acceptance and online acceptance

Administrative supervision

According to the 'Administrative Measures,' the finance department, together with the commerce department, supervises and inspects the use of SME funds.