本平台将致力于为您提供与您在澳洲的投资项目相关的法律信息与服务、同时也会将与中国企业及个人投资者热切关注的产业相关澳洲新闻、最新行业规定等讯息及时传递给您。

澳洲外商投资基本规则

澳大利亚政府的外商投资政策是通过联邦立法实施的，即1975年外商收购和接管法案（联邦）（FATA）。

根据FATA，外商投资审核委员会（FIRB）对提案进行评估，并向负责管理法规和审批属FATA管辖的外商投资的联邦财长提出意见。

FATA适用于外国权益提出的投资建议。外国权益包括非常住澳大利亚的自然人，以及非常住澳大利亚的自然人的公司或外国公司控股（实质性的）的公司。

在澳大利亚的公司、企业或信托中的实质性外国权益是指由单一外国权益及任何联营公司持有15%或以上，或由两个或以上外国权益及其任何联营公司（不论是否相互关联）合计持有40%或以上。实质性权益将被跟踪，因此如果一个实质性权益被另一个公司或信托持有，那么该第二个公司或信托也将被视为外国权益。

外商投资是否必须通知FIRB取决于投资者的国籍、该投资所属的行业板块以及投资价值。下文列出了截止于2014年2月的这些阈值的例子：

• 收购价值为2.48亿澳元的现有澳大利亚实体的实质性权益，对于美国投资者而言，此价值为10.78亿澳元，或对于在例如媒体、电信和运输等规定的敏感行业的美国投资者而言，此价值为2.48亿澳元。

• 接管澳大利亚子公司或总资产的价值超过2.48亿澳元的境外公司

• 外国政府或其代理机构的所有直接投资，不论大小（包括所有国有企业或SOE）

• 对涉及以下收购的城市土地权益的收购（包括通过租赁、融资和利润分配安排以及城市土地公司和信托权益的收购产生的权益）：

1. 估值不低于5400万澳元（对于美国和新西兰投资者，此价值为10.78亿澳元）的已开发的非住宅商业房地产，或价值不低于500万澳元的遗产

2. 价值不低于5400万澳元（对于美国和新西兰投资者，此价值为10.78亿澳元）的住宿设施

3. 空置房产，不论其价值是多少

4. 住宅房地产，不论其价值是多少

5. 澳大利亚城市土地公司或信托财产的股权或单位，不论其价值是多少

含有带有准权益性质的债务票据的融资安排将被视为外商直接投资。

通知包含递交与若干其他资料一起递交法定表格。申请正式递交至FIRB后，将有30天的审查期以及10天的通知期。一旦超过这一期限，FIRB将失去其阻止该交易或附加额外条件的权利。然而，对于比较复杂的提案，该审查期可以被延长至90天。

一般情况下，只要提案不被判定为违背国家利益，都可以通过审批。

_______________________________

【专业干货——助您成功投资澳洲业务】

以下是我们将在最近即将为您带来的专题信息：

· 澳大利亚税收政策

后续还将陆续为您带来以下主题及更多与您生意相关的资讯：

· 澳大利亚背景篇：包括澳大利亚政府制度、法律制度、企业结构

· 其他常见领域法律与规定：技术与知识产权保护、反垄断和消费者保护法、合同法、公开接管、电子商务、商业移民和雇主担保签证、房地产、环境法、气候变化相关规定

（原创文章，欢迎转发，谢谢关注！未经授权，严禁转载！）

Foreign Investment in Australia

The Australian Government’s foreign investment policy is implemented through Commonwealth legislation, namely the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (Cth) (FATA).

Under the FATA, the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) assesses proposals and provides advice to the Federal Treasurer who is responsible for administering the regulations and approving foreign investmentsthat fall within the jurisdiction of the FATA.

The FATA applies to investment proposals by foreign interests. A foreign interest includes a natural person not ordinarily residentin Australia and a corporation in which either a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia, or a foreign corporation, has a controlling(substantial) interest.

A substantial foreign interest in an Australian corporation,business or trust is recognised as a holding of 15% or more by a single foreign interest and any associates, or holdings of 40% or more in aggregate by two ormore foreign interests and any of their associates (whether or not connected toeach other). Substantial interests are traced so that if a substantial interestis held in another corporation or trust, then that second corporation or trustis also deemed to be a foreign interest.

Whether an investment by a foreign interest must be notified to FIRB depends on the nationality of the investor, the industry sector in which the investment is to be made and the value of the investment. Examples ofthese thresholds as at February 2014 are as follows:

· acquisition of a substantial interest of anexisting Australian entity that is valued at A$248 million or, for US investors, that is valued at A$1,078 million or for US investors making aninvestment in a prescribed sensitive sector such as media, telecommunications or transport, is valued at A$248 million

· takeovers of offshore companies whose Australian subsidiaries or gross assets are valued at more than A$248 million

· all direct investments by foreign governments or their agencies, irrespective of size (which includes all state-ownedenterprises or SOEs)

· acquisitions of interests in urban land (including interests that arise via leases, financing and profit sharing arrangements and the acquisition of interests in urban land corporations and trusts) that involve acquisition of:

1. developed non-residential commercial real estatewhere the property is valued at A$54 million or more (or A$1,078 million for USor NZ investors) or if subject to a heritage listing, valued at A$5 million ormore

2. accommodation facilities, valued at A$54 millionor more (or A$1,078 million for US or NZ investors)

3. vacant real estate, irrespective of value

4. residential real estate, irrespective of value

5. shares or units in Australian urban land corporations or trust estates, irrespective of value.

Funding arrangements that include debt instruments havingquasi-equity characteristics will be treated as direct foreign investment.

Notifications involve lodging a statutory form together withcertain additional information. A 30 day examination period as well as a 10 day notification period applies to applications once they are formally lodged with FIRB. FIRB loses its ability to block or impose conditions on a transaction once this time period has elapsed. However for more complex proposals, the examination period can be extended for up to 90 days.

Generally, approval is granted unless the proposal is judgedto be contrary to the national interest.

_______________________________

【We provideexcellent, expert advice to businesses wishing to invest in Australia.】

The coming topicsinclude:

· Tax

We will also bring you many more valuableinformation and news relevant to your investment in Australia in our laterrelease, such as:

· Background information of Australia, includingAustralian government, legal system, and business structures, etc.

· Laws and regulations in various common areas,including protection of technology and intellectual property, anti-trust andconsumer law, contract law, business migration, real property, publictakeovers, and electronic commerce etc.