[Regulations and Policies] Shanghai Exhibition and Convention Industry Regulations

Shanghai Exhibition Industry Regulations

(Passed by the 18th session of the 15th Shanghai People's Congress Standing Committee on March 19, 2020)

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Article 1To promote the development of the exhibition and convention industry, standardize exhibition and convention activities, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of all parties involved, and to serve and support the China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as "the Expo") and other exhibition and convention activities, to establish Shanghai as an international exhibition hub, and to further optimize the business environment and promote the construction of Shanghai's "Five Centers," this regulation is established in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations, and in consideration of the actual conditions of this city.

Article 2The promotion, services, and regulation of exhibition and convention activities within the administrative area of this city are governed by this ordinance.

The national regulations pertaining to the management of trade shows and related activities shall be adhered to.

Article 3For the purposes of this regulation, "exhibition industry" refers to the comprehensive industry that promotes the development of sectors such as trade, technology, tourism, culture, sports, and education through the organization of exhibition and convention activities.

For the purposes of this regulation, "exhibition activity" refers to activities organized by an exhibitor, conducted within a specific venue and for a defined period, involving the display of goods, technology, services, or the holding of conferences related to the exhibition theme, providing participants with services such as promotion, negotiation, and exchange. This excludes activities primarily focused on on-site retail sales.

Article 4The development of the exhibition and convention industry in this city adheres to the principles of market operation, government guidance, fair competition, and industry self-regulation. It maintains a focus on internationalization, specialization, branding, and informatization, strengthens industry collaboration, enhances the city's capabilities, and promotes high-quality economic development.

Article 5The municipal government should strengthen the overall planning and coordination of the exhibition and convention industry, improve the public service system for exhibition and convention activities, and organize relevant municipal departments and local governments to implement various measures to promote, serve, and guarantee the industry.

The municipal government shall establish a mechanism for coordinating the development of the exhibition and convention industry, to centrally promote the formulation of major policies for the industry, coordinate major issues in the development of the industry, and coordinate the work of providing services and support for major exhibition activities.

The local People's Government shall, based on the actual economic and social development of its administrative area, take measures to support and guide the development of the exhibition and convention industry.

Article 6The municipal Department of Commerce is the primary regulatory body for the exhibition and convention industry in the city, responsible for coordinating, guiding, and ensuring the quality and service standards of the industry. District Departments of Commerce carry out relevant work related to the exhibition and convention industry within their respective administrative areas, in accordance with their defined responsibilities.

The following departments and international trade promotion agencies, including: Development and Reform, Economic and Informationization, Finance, Public Security, Emergency Response, Firefighting, Market Supervision, Education, Science and Technology, Human Resources and Social Security, Planning and Resource Management, Housing and Urban Construction Management, Transportation, Culture and Tourism, Health and Wellness, Statistics, Sports, Urban Greening and Beautification, Intellectual Property Rights, Urban Management Enforcement, and Customs, will carry out relevant work to promote the development and standardization of the exhibition and convention industry, in accordance with their respective responsibilities.

Article 7The relevant industry associations, promotional agencies, and other industry organizations (hereinafter referred to as "Exhibition and Convention Industry Organizations") participating in this city are required to strengthen self-regulation and credit building, conduct market research, develop standards, provide business training, and conduct relevant evaluations, promote information exchange and cooperation within the industry, guide members to operate in accordance with regulations, and promote fair competition and orderly development of the industry.

Chapter 2: Fostering and Developing

Article 8The municipal Commerce Bureau, in collaboration with relevant municipal departments, shall develop a plan for the development of the city's exhibition industry. After obtaining approval from the municipal People's Government, this plan shall be incorporated into the city's national economic and social development plan, and made publicly available for implementation.

9.The municipal commerce department, in collaboration with departments such as the municipal planning and resource department, shall prepare exhibition venue layout plans. Upon approval according to established procedures, these plans shall be incorporated into relevant land and space planning.

Municipal departments responsible for housing and urban construction, transportation, commerce, culture and tourism, and economic and information technology should support the construction of exhibition and convention venues that align with the city's positioning and industrial characteristics, in accordance with the requirements for venue layout planning. They should also ensure the development of comprehensive supporting facilities around the venues, including transportation, catering, accommodation, and communication services.

Article 10Local and district-level governments should allocate funds to support the development of the exhibition and convention industry within their respective fiscal budgets, with a focus on supporting the cultivation of brand exhibitions, the promotion and dissemination of the exhibition and convention industry, and the integration of the exhibition and convention industry with related industries.

Local and district-level special funds can provide guidance and support for the development of the exhibition and convention industry in the city, thereby promoting its high-quality development.

Article 10Encourage the utilization of social capital through the establishment of exhibition and convention industry investment funds, providing financial support for the concentration of the exhibition and convention industry and the development of related service industries.

Article 12We encourage domestic and international organizations, venues, and exhibition service providers to establish headquarters within the city, and to receive support in accordance with regulations regarding customs clearance procedures, talent recruitment, financial settlements, investment incentives, and personnel entry/exit.

This city has established a coordinated mechanism for attracting and hosting international trade fairs. Departments such as Commerce and Culture and Tourism, as well as trade fair organizations, should strengthen international cooperation and actively attract internationally recognized trade fair organizations and international trade fairs.

Article 13The municipal government and relevant departments shall establish policies and measures to foster demonstration enterprises with market competitiveness, and support enterprises in developing large-scale exhibition and convention industry market entities through market-oriented methods such as acquisition, mergers, and joint ventures.

Article 14The relevant trade association in this city should strengthen guidance for organizers, venues, and exhibition service providers, encouraging them to join internationally recognized exhibition industry organizations. It should also support the city's exhibition projects in obtaining international certifications, enhancing their global reach and service capabilities, and improving the international reputation of the city's exhibition brand. Furthermore, the association should actively promote and support overseas self-organized exhibitions, thereby enhancing the overseas organizers' ability to plan and execute exhibitions.

This city supports foreign organizations in independently organizing international trade and technology exhibitions within designated convention venues.

Article 15The municipal government and relevant departments should establish policies and measures, create resource-sharing platforms, and promote the integration and development of the exhibition and convention industry with industries such as manufacturing, commerce, tourism, culture, and sports, thereby expanding the spillover effects of the exhibition and convention industry.

Article 16"Support local exhibition and convention organizers in the Yangtze River Delta (hereinafter referred to as "the Delta") region to host a series of exhibitions, promoting regional collaboration within the exhibition industry through partnerships and management cooperation."

Encourage local exhibition and convention industry organizations to establish collaborative development mechanisms within regions such as the Yangtze River Delta, and to build specialized exhibition and display platforms within these regions. Furthermore, promote the organization of regional collaborative themed exhibition and convention events.

Article 17The municipal commerce department should, in collaboration with the municipal human resources and social security department, establish and refine a market-oriented talent evaluation mechanism that aligns with the development of the city as an international convention and exhibition hub. This mechanism should also include the development of relevant policies and measures.

Encourage organizers, venues, and exhibition service providers to leverage market mechanisms to attract high-level and in-demand exhibition professionals from both domestic and international sources.

Local and district-level government departments shall, in accordance with relevant regulations, provide preferential treatment to high-level and in-demand exhibition and convention professionals who have been recruited, including facilitating the issuance of household registration and residence permits, as well as providing housing support.

Article 18The municipal education department should support local higher education institutions in aligning their curricula and talent development programs with the evolving needs of the exhibition and convention industry. This includes optimizing the relevant academic disciplines and talent training structures to cultivate high-level, multi-disciplinary exhibition professionals. The department should also support qualified higher education institutions in offering integrated exhibition and convention professional development programs.

The municipal commerce department should, in collaboration with departments such as education, establish a platform for school-enterprise cooperation, guiding the city's higher education institutions to strengthen cooperation with event organizers, venues, and exhibition service providers. This includes establishing exhibition and training bases and promoting collaborative education and training between schools and enterprises.

Article 19Encourage organizers, venues, and exhibition service providers to leverage modern information technologies to drive service and management innovation, promote the development of emerging forms such as online exhibitions, and achieve an organic integration between online and offline exhibition activities.

Supports convention and exhibition venue operators in implementing smart venue construction, leveraging information technology to integrate various security and prevention measures and exhibition and convention service resources, thereby enhancing the technical level and service capabilities of exhibition and convention activities.

Local municipal departments responsible for commerce, economic and information technology, as well as relevant government authorities in the jurisdiction where exhibition venues are located, should promote the intelligent management and provision of public services for exhibition activities.

Article 20This city adheres to the principles of reduction, reuse, and recycling, actively promoting green exhibitions. It establishes and refines relevant standards for green exhibitions, promotes the use of various energy-saving and efficiency-enhancing equipment, and encourages all parties involved in exhibitions ("exhibition stakeholders") – including organizers, venues, exhibition service providers, and exhibitors – to utilize green materials and implement low-carbon, environmentally friendly technologies.

Chapter 3: Services and Guarantees

Article 21The city has established a unified service window for exhibitions and conventions ("Platform Service Window") on the government service "One-Stop" platform. Business departments should collaborate with departments such as Public Security, Fire Protection, Urban Greening and Landscaping, and Planning and Resources to strengthen business processing and optimize government service procedures.

Organizers, venue operators, and exhibition service providers can apply for and obtain administrative permits, registrations, and approvals related to the safety, fire prevention, outdoor advertising, and map review of large-scale public events through the platform's service window. All administrative decisions and outcomes related to these matters, issued by relevant departments in accordance with the law, will be submitted through the platform's service window.

The municipal commerce department shall, through the designated platform, provide public access to information regarding trade show activities and other public services, in accordance with applicable national and local regulations, ensuring the confidentiality of any commercially sensitive information involved.

Article 22When an organizer is hosting an exhibition event, they must submit the event name, dates, and location to the local Commerce Bureau before publishing the call for exhibitors.

Approved exhibition events allow organizers to apply to customs and other relevant departments for services such as streamlined import clearance for exhibition products and guarantees for large-scale events.

The specific procedures for registering exhibition activities are determined by the municipal Department of Commerce.

Article 23Customs authorities should optimize the customs clearance procedures and regulatory processes for exhibition products, enhancing the level of convenience. In accordance with regulations, the temporary import period for relevant exhibition products should be extended. After the exhibition, compliant temporary imported exhibition products should be permitted to enter designated special customs supervision areas and bonded warehouses, and be eligible for clearance and closure.

"Immigration and customs authorities should facilitate the entry and exit of personnel from all participating entities involved in well-organized and reputable trade shows and conventions."

Article 24The local business department responsible for the venue of the exhibition and convention activity should collaborate with departments such as public security, emergency response, fire protection, market regulation, urban management enforcement, and health and hygiene to conduct joint on-site inspections of the exhibition and convention activity, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the event.

The local government of the venue hosting the exhibition activity should establish a mechanism for responding to emergency situations related to the exhibition activity, and promptly organize relevant departments to handle such emergencies.

Article 25The municipal and district-level governments should establish a comprehensive mechanism to ensure the safety and smooth operation of large-scale exhibition and convention activities. This includes organizing relevant departments to handle tasks such as security, traffic coordination, personnel management, and emergency response.

The event, with an anticipated daily attendance of over 50,000 visitors, can be organized by exhibitors who can submit a request for security support to the relevant district commerce department. If the district commerce department deems it necessary, they should forward the request to the district government to initiate the district-level security mechanism.

The local government believes that if any exhibition or convention activity exceeds the local government's capacity to provide support, it should promptly request the municipal government to initiate the municipal-level support mechanism.

Article 26The municipal government should strengthen the mechanism for protecting intellectual property rights in exhibition and convention activities, and fully utilize the diverse dispute resolution methods, such as mediation and arbitration, to address intellectual property disputes.

Relevant authorities responsible for intellectual property management should strengthen guidance and supervision of intellectual property protection efforts within the exhibition and convention industry, ensuring swift resolution of any intellectual property-related violations.

This city is strengthening the legal protection of intellectual property rights for exhibition and convention activities, refining the procedures for handling intellectual property-related litigation, and enforcing stricter penalties for infringement.

Article 27: The organizer shall establish a dispute resolution mechanism for intellectual property rights related to trade shows and conventions, in accordance with relevant regulations. This mechanism shall be composed of personnel from the organizer, relevant industry professionals, and legal professionals. If necessary, relevant intellectual property management departments may, at the request of the organizer, dispatch personnel to provide guidance.

If the organizer or its affiliated trade show activity intellectual property complaint agency determines that the exhibited products constitute infringement, the organizer may, in accordance with the contract terms, take measures such as covering, removing, or canceling the exhibitor's participation, and transfer the matter to the relevant municipal intellectual property management department for legal handling.

Article 28Local commerce, standardization, and other relevant departments should: * Complete the standardization system for the exhibition and convention industry. * Strengthen the implementation and supervision of exhibition and convention standards. * Improve the quality and level of the exhibition and convention industry.

Local standardization departments and relevant authorities should organize the development of local standards specific to the exhibition and convention industry, and strengthen the promotion and implementation of these standards.

Encourage exhibition industry organizations and all parties involved in exhibition activities to participate in standardization efforts, including the development of standards for venue management, operational services, energy efficiency and environmental protection, and safe operations, for both groups and individual companies.

Article 29The municipal statistical department should collaborate with departments such as Commerce, Culture and Tourism to establish a system for collecting and analyzing data related to trade shows, refine the statistical indicators, optimize survey methods, create a database for trade show data, conduct big data analysis, and monitor and evaluate the development of the trade show industry.

Chapter 4: Regulations and Management

Article 30The relevant laws and regulations ensure fair competition for all parties involved in exhibition and convention activities. Venue operators and organizers are prohibited from abusing their market dominance and imposing unreasonable transaction terms.

Article 31The municipal commerce department should, in collaboration with departments such as market regulation, public security, and intellectual property rights, develop standardized contract templates for exhibition activities to guide all parties involved.

Article 32The name, logo, and theme of the exhibition activity must comply with relevant national and local regulations. It shall not harm national interests or public interests, violate public order and good customs, or have other adverse effects.

Organizers are prohibited from using similar event names and logos that could create confusion, leading attendees to mistakenly believe that the event is being organized by another entity or that it has a specific affiliation with another organizer.

This city encourages organizations to protect the names and other intangible assets associated with trade shows and conventions by registering trademarks and other intellectual property.

Article 33The organizing entity must publish exhibition information under its own name and ensure it aligns with the registration information for the exhibition activity. False or misleading information is prohibited.

If the name, venue, date, or area of an exhibition activity changes, the organizer must notify the participating exhibitors and the public in a timely manner, after submitting the updated information to the relevant authorities.

Article 34Venue operators must establish a venue safety management system, employ security personnel in accordance with the law, and install monitoring, fire prevention, and emergency response facilities and safety signage within the venue. They must also provide guidance to organizers, exhibitors, and event service providers on relevant safety management procedures.

Article 35The organizing unit is responsible for conducting a comprehensive pre-event risk assessment for the exhibition and convention activity. In accordance with relevant standards, they must implement appropriate measures for human, material, and technical safety, and are legally responsible for the safety of the exhibition and convention activity they are organizing.

The organizing entity must enter into a safety agreement with the venue operator, clearly defining the respective safety responsibilities and obligations, and establishing security measures and emergency response plans.

The organizers and exhibitors are responsible for constructing temporary facilities for the exhibition, and must engage qualified entities for design and construction, ensuring compliance with relevant safety management regulations and technical standards.

During exhibition and convention activities, if safety risks arise or unexpected events occur, the organizing entity must take immediate emergency measures and promptly report to relevant authorities, such as the police. All parties involved in the exhibition and convention activities must cooperate in implementing emergency response procedures.

Article 36Organizers and venue operators must comply with relevant administrative licensing requirements, install outdoor advertising facilities, and properly manage waste collection equipment in accordance with applicable regulations. They must also prioritize the sorting and recycling of waste generated during exhibitions and conventions, and promptly remove outdoor advertising facilities and dispose of waste at the conclusion of the event.

The departments responsible for urban greening, ecological environment, and municipal enforcement should provide guidance, establish standards, and manage the activities of exhibition and convention organizers regarding outdoor advertising placement, waste sorting and collection, and the prevention and management of environmental pollution.

Article 37Exhibitors displaying imported goods must obtain necessary customs clearance and comply with customs regulations.

Prior to the commencement of the exhibition, the organizing entity is responsible for verifying that participating exhibitors possess the necessary intellectual property certificates, customs clearance documents, and map exhibit identification numbers for their displayed items.

Article 38Exhibition Participation