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。
外资投资审查委员会（FIRB）和澳大利亚涉农投资的一些基本规则
澳大利亚对外籍人士投资有一定的要求，在从事下列活动前要通知政府：
在澳大利亚的直接投资，
开始一项新的业务或
收购土地权益
从事下列活动前，外籍人士必须通知政府：
购买价值约2.44亿澳元以上的澳大利亚的生意或公司15％以上的股份
从事下列活动前，外籍人士必须获得政府批准：
购买某些类型的房地产;
购买价值2.44亿澳元以上的澳大利亚初级产业公司股份
农用土地
农业土地（农村土地）完全及只能用于进行初级生产业务。
作为初级产品生产企业，经营的业务必须是大型的，有商业目的或性质的。
出售的该等物业如果低于阈值给非政府机构的外国投资者是不受外国投资审查委员会审议的。
程序
购买或交易前提前向FIRB提出申请，或在购买协议上加上获取外商投资的审批条件。
申请程序需要足够的细节 - 即有关各方的信息，投资者拟投资（其性质，收购方法，投资额，时间表和是否是公共投资）意向声明（即时和持续的）及议的投资如何可能会影响国家利益。
财长有30天时间考虑申请并作出决定，但是财长可发布临时命令，延长90天的期限
评估
是否违反国家利益？
对于农业股权，政府将考虑：
（a） 澳大利亚的农业资源，包括水的质量和可用性；
（b） 土地使用权和使用；
（c） 农业生产和生产力；
（d） 澳大利亚农业生产作为一个可靠的供应商的能力，无论是对澳大利亚社会或其贸易伙伴；
（e） 生物多样性；以及
（f） 澳大利亚当地和区域社区的就业和繁荣。
西澳洲政策
西澳政府的政策是不批准牧场租约转移到有超过50％的外国所有权的实体（不是法定要求），除非可以证明，没有澳大利亚人感兴趣。
如果想获得批准出售租约给外国投资折，出售人需要提供证据表明已经做了努力来寻求澳大利亚买家。
一些外商投资可以获得有附加条件的批准。
免责声明
本报告旨在提供基本信息及监管要求，供海外投资者在澳大利亚涉农企业投资时参考，还包括一些有关在澳大利亚涉农企业的外国投资的一般规则，仅供参考。此信息不应依赖作为法律意见。针对你的具体情况以及更详细的专业意见，请联系我们。
表中的勾和叉表明代表某一特定行业是否需要有关许可证。无论是打勾还是打叉，都可能会出现必须考虑的个别情况来确定是否适用于特定的牌照，审批，许可，监管或税收。同样，必须考虑个别情况，以确定是否需要外国投资审查委员会批准外籍人士在澳大利亚涉农企业的任何投资。
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【专业干货——助您成功投资澳洲业务】
欲查阅之前我们发布的如下【在澳经商基本法律法规】主题系列以及与您生意相关的其他资讯，请进入订阅号点击右上角按钮，选择“查看历史消息”：
· 在澳大利亚成立公司须知
· 澳大利亚相关背景，例如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，例如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、环境法等
· 专业信息与见解，如对外商投资的监管要求等
（原创文章，欢迎转发，谢谢关注！未经授权，严禁转载！）
Some Common Regulatory Requirements for Australian Agriculture – Part I
Some Basic Principles about the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and investing in Australian Agribusiness
There are certain requirements for foreign persons to notify the Government before:
1.making a direct investment in Australia,
2.starting a new business or
3.acquiring an interest in land
A foreign person must notify the Government:
before acquiring an interest of 15% or more in an Australianbusiness or corporation that is valued about $244 million
A foreign person must be granted approval by the Government:
before acquiring an interest in certain types of real estate;
before buying an interest in a primary production business where the total assets of the business exceed $244 million.
Agricultural Land
Agricultural land (rural land) is that used wholly and exclusively for carrying on a business of primary production.
To be a business of primary production, the business must besubstantial and have a commercial purpose or character.
Sale of such properties to non-government foreign investors below the threshold value is not subject to FIRB scrutiny.
Process
Lodge an application to FIRB in advance of any transaction or make a purchase contract conditional on foreign investment approval.
Applications require sufficient detail – i.e. information about the parties, the proposed investment (its nature, methods of acquisition,the value of the investment, timetables and whether the investment is public),a statement of the investor’s intention (immediate and ongoing) and how the proposed investment may impact on the national interest.
Treasurer has 30 days to consider application and make adecision, however the Treasurer may extended the period by a further 90 days by publishing an interim order.
Assessment
Is the interest contrary to the national interest?
For agricultural interests, the government will consider:
the quality and availability of Australia’s agriculturalresources, including water;
land access and use;
agricultural production and productivity;
Australia’s capacity to remain a reliable supplier of agricultural production, both to the Australian community and our trading partners;
biodiversity; and
employment and prosperity in Australia’s local and regionalcommunities.
Western Australia Policy
The Western Australian Government maintains a policy (not astatutory requirement) of not approving the transfer of pastoral leases to entities with more than 50% foreign ownership, unless it can be shown that no Australian interest could be obtained.
To gain approval to sell the lease to a foreign interest,the vendor needs to provide evidence that genuine attempts have been made to find an Australian buyer.
Some proposed foreign investments are approved conditionally.
Disclaimer
This publication aims to provide a basic guide to the common regulatory requirements that foreign investors should consider when investing in Australian agribusiness and some general principles regarding foreign investment rules in Australian agribusiness. The information should not be relied upon as legal advice. Please contact us for a more detailed professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
The ticks and crosses in the table indicate whether the license is relevant to a particular industry. Although a tick or cross may appear, individual circumstances must be considered to determine if a particular licence, approval, permit, regulation or tax applies. Similarly, individual circumstances must be considered to determine if Foreign Investment Review Board approval is required to any investment by foreign persons in Australian agriculture.
【We provide excellent, expert advice to businesses wishing to invest in Australia.】
To view our previous news releases for Chinese investors and the following articles of the topic ‘Basic legal knowledge on doing business in Australia’, please click the upper-right button on our WeChat platform, and choose ‘view previous information’:
· Business set up in Australia, business structures, company administration, etc.
· Background information of Australia, including Australian government, legal system, and business structures, etc.
· Laws and regulations in various common areas, including protection of technology and intellectual property, anti-trust and consumer law, contract law, business migration, real property, public takeovers, and electronic commerce etc.
· Professional industrial updates and insights, such as regulation on foreign investment
