Guangzhou’s New NGO Rules Lack Controversial Measures Found in Draft

Gone is a stipulation that said organizations whose main sources of funding were overseas will be banned
By staff reporter Wang Jing

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(Guangzhou) – Guangzhou has revised a regulation covering foreign-funded non-governmental organizations after a stricter draft version triggered public concerns.
The government of the city in the southern province of Guangdong recently published the full text of the regulation for local NGOs. The regulation was signed by the city’s mayor, Chen Jianhua, on October 30 and it will take effect on January 1.
The final version says that NGOs that accept funding and donations from abroad should report to regulators 15 days before they accept the money. The groups are also required to provide details regarding their activities, personnel, funding and location when organizing projects with the participation of foreign partners.
The final version included major changes to the terms of the management of NGOs with foreign funding.
The draft, which was released on October 24, 2013, so the public could comment on it, said organizations that are mainly funded or have close links with foreign organizations will be banned.
Many NGOs said this was unacceptable, and several sources at NGOs said their groups get funds from overseas. They said the legitimacy of an organization should not be determined by its funding sources.
The new version also lacked a provision saying civil affairs administrations would reply to NGOs within five working days after they submit materials.
NGO sources said this meant the government is switching from an approval-based system to one that just involves registration. This would mean that the groups only needed to report information related to foreign funding and projects, but not have to wait for regulatory approval.
Also, a previous requirement on an annual qualification check of NGOs was eliminated. Instead, organizations are asked to submit an annual report to the government. A financial audit report is also no longer required.
(Rewritten by Han Wei Caixin.com)