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。

此前我们发布有关FIRB的总体政策的文章。目前澳大利亚政府对相关政策有所调整。新版请见以下正文。

澳大利亚政府欢迎外国投资。外国投资由海外并购和收购法1975（联邦）和联邦政府的外国投资政策管辖。

投资政策就联邦政府如何实施外资投资法提供一般性指导，但它还确定某些类型的拟议外国投资必须通知政府，即使在法律中没有要求到。因此，重要的是，任何在澳大利亚的外国投资都要考虑该法令和政策。

解释、理解和协调此法律和政策可能是一个相当复杂的过程。Holding Redlich可以帮助指导外国投资者来理解领会此法和政策中复杂的技术问题。

该法令和政策规定的各项监管措施简短摘要如下。

法令和政策

根据该法，外国投资审查委员会 (FIRB) 负责需要评估的拟议外国投资，并告知联邦财长谁会最终负责法律实施和审批有关外商投资。

FIRB 还负责评估政策管辖范围内的有关外国投资，包括法律没有规定需要审批的投资。

法案适用于澳大利亚的所有外国利益的投资计划。外国利益是指并非通常居于澳大利亚的自然人，或并非居于澳大利亚的自然人有相当利益的公司或外国公司。

在任何公司、企业或信托中的相当利益通常是指：

· 非居民个人或外国公司和任何其同伙在该公司、企业或信托拥有15%或以上股份；或

· 两个非居民或外国公司和任何其同伙在该公司、企业或信托拥有40%或更多股份

相当利益会被‘跟踪’，如果在另一个公司或信托拥有相当利益，此公司或信托也会被视为是外资利益。

外国投资审批底线

外国投资是否必须经FIRB审批取决于：

• 外国投资者国籍；

• 拟议投资所选行业；和/或

• 拟议投资额。

2015年1月规定的限额如下：

• 所有外国政府或其机构（包括国有企业）的直接投资，不论大小 ；

• 收购市值2.52亿澳元（非美国投资者）或市值10.94亿澳元（美国投资者）以上的现有澳洲企业15%或以上股权 (包括股份或资产)；

• 收购市值2.52亿澳元以上的澳大利亚海外子公司；

这项政策表明，如果外国投资者不能确认是否受此法律或政策的管辖，他们应通知FIRB。

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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

（原创文章，欢迎转发，谢谢关注！未经授权，严禁转载！）

Regulation of Foreign Investment in China [Part I]

Our readers may have already read the article about FIRB regulations we have posted before. Recently the FIRB related policies have been updated. Please refer to the following new version.

Foreign investment in Australia, which is generally welcomed by Government, is regulated by the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975(Cth) (the Act) and the Commonwealth Government’s Foreign Investment Policy(the Policy).

The Policy provides general guidance about how the Commonwealth Government will administer the Act, but it also identifies certaintypes of proposed foreign investments that must be notified to the Government even though such notice may not appear to be required under the Act. It is important, therefore, to give careful consideration to both the Act and the Policy when considering any foreign investment in Australia.

Interpreting, understanding and reconciling the Act and the Policy can be a convoluted process. Holding Redlich can assist foreign investors to navigate and understand the often complex technical aspects of the Act andthe Policy.

Set out below is a brief summary of the regulatory controls applied under the Act and the Policy.

The Act and the Policy

Under the Act, the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) is required to assess proposed foreign investments notified to it, and to advise the Federal Treasurer who is ultimately responsible for administering the Actand approving relevant foreign investments.

FIRB also assesses proposals and provides advice in relation to foreign investments that fall within the jurisdiction of the Policy, but that are not required to be notified under the Act.

The Act applies to proposed investments in Australia by‘foreign interests’. A ‘foreign interest’ means either a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia, or a corporation in which a natural person not ordinarily resident in Australia, or a foreign corporation, has a substantial interest.

A substantial interest in any corporation, business or trustis generally regarded as:

· a holding of 15% or more by a single,non-resident person or foreign corporation and any of their associates in that corporation, business or trust; or

· aggregate holdings of 40% or more by two or more non-resident persons or foreign corporations (whether or not connected orrelated to one another other) and any of their associates in that corporation,business or trust.

Substantial interests are ‘traced’ such that if asubstantial interest is held in another corporation or trust, then that second corporation or trust is also deemed to be a foreign interest.

Thresholds for notification of proposed foreign investments (excluding land)

Whether a proposed investment by a foreign investor must be notified to FIRB depends on:

• the nationality of the foreign investor;

• the industry sector in which the proposed investment is to be made; and/or

• the value of the proposed investment.

Examples of these thresholds as at January 2015 are as follows:

• all direct investments by foreign governments or their agencies (including State Owned Enterprises), irrespective of size;

• an acquisition of an interest (including shares or assets) of 15 per cent or more in an existing Australian business that is valued at A$252 million (for non US investors) or A$1094 million (for US investors);

• takeovers of offshore companies whose Australian subsidiaries or gross assets are valued at more than A$252 million;

The Policy indicates that a foreign investor should notify FIRB of a proposed investment if they have doubts as to whether that particular proposed investment should in fact be notified under the Act or the Policy.

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【We provideexcellent, 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.