2014年12月8日，商务部在其网站公布了三起案件的行政处罚决定书。上述案件并不是商务部首次就经营者集中申报中的涉嫌违法行为进行处罚的案件[1]，但却是商务部首次公布的处罚决定。本次公布并不突兀，除了反垄断法已有的规定外，2014年3月20日，商务部在其公开新闻上表示将对2014年5月1日后立案调查的未依法申报经营者集中案件，通过商务部网站向社会公布行政处罚决定[2]。
On December 8, 2014, MOFCOM published decisions on administrative penalty for three cases on its website. The said cases were not the ones in respect of which MOFCOM first imposed penalty regarding the illegal acts involved in the notification of concentration of business operators[1], but the penalty decisions first published by MOFCOM. It was not surprising for publishing the same, since in addition to the existing provisions of the Anti-monopoly Law, MOFCOM made a decision in its public press on March 20, 2014 that it would publish its decisions on administrative penalty for cases that were put on record for investigation after May 1, 2014 on the grounds of failure to notify concentration of business operators, by means of its official website[2].
1. 处罚决定内容
Contents of Penalty Decisions
本次公布的案件中一起为2014年8月12日商务部对紫光集团公司（以下简称“紫光”）2014年7月18日完成收购锐迪科微电子公司（以下简称“锐迪科”）交易但未依法申报的行为进行立案调查后的处罚决定。
One of the penalty decisions published by MOFCOM was the one dated August 12, 2014 regarding the case of transaction for the acquisition of RDA Microelectronics (hereinafter,“RDA”) by Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd. (hereinafter,“Unigroup”) dated July 18, 2014 that was put on record for investigation on the ground of failure to notify after completion of the transaction.
另外两起为商务部于2012年10月25日和2013年10月21日分别对西部数据公司因违反2012年3月2日《关于附加限制性条件批准西部数据收购日立存储经营者集中反垄断审查决定的公告》中第四部分第（一）项关于“维持Viviti公司[3]交易前的状态，确保Viviti公司维持独立的法人地位并独立开展业务”的规定的两起行为进行立案调查后作出的决定。其中，第一起为未经批准，于2012年3月8日将Viviti公司的美国子公司HGST美国公司，转移到西部数据科技公司旗下，成为西部数据科技公司的全资子公司；第二起为未经批准，于2013年1月撤销Viviti/HGST公司发展部门，并将有关员工转移至西部数据公司任职。
The other two decisions were made by MOFCOM on October 25, 2012 and October 21, 2013 respectively, in respect of the acts of Western Digital Corp in violation of the provisions of “maintaining Viviti’s[3] status as it was before the transaction, and ensuring Viviti to maintain its independent legal person status and carry out business operation independently”, as provided in Part IV Item 1 of the Announcement on Approval of Decisions on Anti-Monopoly Review against Concentration of Business Operators in the Acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies by Western Digital with Additional Restrictive Conditions dated March 2, 2012. In these two cases, the first one is that HGST, the
上述三起案件均被处以30万元人民币的罚款。此外，西部数据公司还应在处罚决定作出之日45天内，采取承诺的措施改正违法行为。
A penalty of 300,000 Yuan was imposed for each of the three cases respectively. In addition, Western Digital shall also take measures as it has promised to correct the illegal acts within 45 days from the date of the penalty decision.
2. 经营者集中申报中可能引起行政处罚的行为种类
Type of Acts that May Subject to Administrative Penalty in the Notification of Concentration of Business Operators
《中华人民共和国反垄断法》（以下简称“《反垄断法》”）第48条规定，经营者违反本法规定实施集中的，商务部可以进行相应的处罚。但该规定并没有对违法实施集中的种类进行详细列举。在实践中，违法行为可以大体分为如下几类：
According to Article 48 of the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter, “Anti-Monopoly Law”), if any business operator implements concentration in violation of the provisions herein, it may be given a corresponding penalty by MOFCOM. However, no details are specified in such provision in respect of the type of illegal implementation of concentration. In practice, the illegal acts may include the following in general:
（1）经营者集中的交易达到《国务院关于经营者集中申报标准的规定》设定的申报标准，但经营者未事先向商务部申报及批准而实施了集中。
Where transactions with concentration of business operators meet the threshold for notification as provided in the Provisions of the State Council on the Threshold for Concentration of Business Operators, but the business operator implements concentration without prior notification to and approval from MOFCOM.
（2）经营者集中申报已经提交商务部，但在未获得批准的审查期间实施了集中。
Where the notification on concentration of business operators has been submitted to MOFCOM, but hasn’t been approved, the concentration is implemented during the review period.
（3）在附加限制性条件获得批准的案件中，经营者在实施限制性条件过程中有不依法履行条件的行为。
In cases of approval with additional restrictive conditions, a business operator fails to perform such restrictive conditions during implementation of restrictive conditions.
此外，在经营者集中审查或对违法行为进行调查过程中，经营者拒绝提供有关材料、信息，或者提供虚假材料、信息，或者隐匿、销毁、转移证据，或者有其他拒绝、阻碍调查行为的，也会导致处罚。
In addition, during the review of concentration of business operators or investigation of illegal acts, a business operator refuses to provide relevant materials, information or provides false materials or information, or conceals, destroys, transfers evidence, or has other acts of refusing or hindering the investigation, it would also be punished.
3. 违法行为的后果和影响
Consequences and Influence of Illegal Acts
从商务部公布的对紫光的处罚决定书来看，似乎企业的未依法申报的违法成本仅为30万元人民币，其实不然。我们对未依法申报可能产生的后果和影响概括如下。
From the penalty decision on Unigroup published by MOFCOM, it seems that the cost for violation of law arising from failure to notify by enterprises is only RMB 300,000. In fact that was not the case. We will summarize the consequence and influence arising from failure to notify as follows:
（1）行政处罚 Administrative Penalty
根据《反垄断法》的规定，对于违法实施集中行为，其处罚可以分为两类，即（1）恢复原状，包括责令停止实施集中、限期处分股份或者资产、限期转让营业以及采取其他必要措施恢复到集中前的状态；（2）罚款，其上限为五十万元人民币。
According to the provisions of Anti-Monopoly Law, penalties on illegal implementation of concentration may be classified in two categories, that is: (1) restitution, including an order to stop implementation of concentration, disposal of shares or assets within a specified period, transfer of the undertaking with a specified time limit and to take other necessary measures to restore to the status before concentration; (2) penalty, the ceiling is RMB 500,000.
对于阻碍调查的行为，其处罚包括责令改正和上限为一百万的罚款，其罚款对象也包括个人[4]。此外，该行为构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。
For acts of hindering the investigation, the penalties include an order to correct and a fine up to RMB 1,000,000, and the objects subject to penalty shall also include individuals[4]. In addition, if such act constitutes a crime, criminal liability shall be imposed in accordance with law.
（2）立案调查对交易时间成本和确定性的影响
Impact of Investigation on the Time Costs and Certainty of Transaction.
根据商务部的相关规定，对于对有初步事实和证据表明有未依法申报嫌疑的，商务部将予以立案，立案之后的调查分为初步调查和进一步调查两个阶段。各方在立案通知送达之日起30日内，向商务部提交有关资料，商务部在60日进行初步调查确定被调查交易是否属于应当申报而未申报违法实施集中的情形。如属于该情形，则进入进一步调查阶段，各方应当自收到书面通知时间起30日内，按照《经营者集中申报办法》的规定提交相关文件。商务部从收到这些文件之日起180日内，对被调查的交易是否具有或者可能具有排除、限制竞争效果进行评估，并作出调查决定。因此，配合调查提交文件的工作量和调查期限（最长可以达到240天，约8个月）并不会少于正式申报。
According to the relevant provisions of MOFCOM, for any act suspected of failure to legally notify as demonstrated by preliminary facts and evidence, MOFCOM will put it on record. Thereafter, there will be investigations in two phases including preliminary investigation and further investigation. The parties shall submit the relevant materials to MOFCOM within 30 days from the date of service of the notice on putting the case on record. MOFCOM will conduct preliminary investigation within 60 days to determine whether the transaction under investigation falls within the circumstance of illegal implementation of concentration that should be notified but fails to be notified. If so, it should enter the further investigation stage, and the parties shall submit the relevant documents in accordance with the Measures for Notification of Concentration of Business Operators within 30 days after receipt of the written notice. MOFCOM will make evaluation on whether the transaction under investigation has or may have the effect of excluding or restricting competition and make an investigation decision within 180 days from the date of receipt of such documents. Therefore, the workload for document submission during coordination with the investigation and the investigation period (up to 240 days at the maximum, about 8 months) would not be less than those for official notification.
特别是在进一步调查阶段，经营者应暂停实施集中，交易各方将目标公司“冻结”在交易前的状况显然不利于交易的确定性。而且，对于已经支付价款的买方，其受到不利影响程度更高。
Especially during the further investigation stage, a business operator shall suspend implementation of concentration, and it would be obviously disadvantageous to the certainty of the transaction if the parties to the transaction should “froze” the target company before transaction. Moreover, it would have a greater adverse effect to the buyer who has paid the price.
因此对于依法应申报的交易而言，主动提起申报相对于事后接受调查更为安全和节省交易成本。
Therefore, it would be safer and save the transaction cost to file a notification proactively than accepting subsequent investigation for those transactions that shall be notified according to law.
（3）公布处罚决定对于经营者的商誉可能造成负面影响。
The announcement of the penalty decisions may have negative impact on the business reputation of the business operators.
（4）未依法申报的历史性问题的潜在风险和对新交易的不利影响
Potential risks of historical issues in respect of failure to notify and its adverse effect on new transactions
尽管目前商务部仅公布2014年5月1日之后立案调查的案件，但对于2014年5月1日之前立案的未依法申报案件，如经调查需要予以行政处罚的，仍会依照法律给予相应的处罚，并不是对之前的行为予以处罚豁免[5]。经营者历史上未依法申报的案件仍然存在被调查的潜在风险，特别是当经营者在相同相关市场时进行新交易而提起新申报时，更可能对新交易的审查造成不利影响。
Although MOFCOM only published the cases that were put on record for investigation after May 1, 2014, it would still impose penalty in accordance with law on cases that were put on record before May 1, 2014 on the ground of failure to notify if any administrative penalty should be imposed after investigation, so it is not an exemption from the penalties imposed on the previous acts[5]. Historical cases failed to be notified by a business operator are still exposed to the potential risk of being investigated, especially when a business operator files a new notification on any new transaction at the same and relevant market, it is more likely to have adverse effect to the review of the new transaction.
此外，尽管目前中国尚没有先例，如果违法实施集中行为导致第三方遭受损害，其也可能对经营者提起诉讼。
In addition, although there is no precedent in
4. 实践中需要注意的问题
Issues Needs Attention in Practice
首先，目前法律尚没有对于“实施集中”的明确的定义。由于交易前准备工作复杂多样，经营者需要特别注意避免那些可能构成实施集中的行为。而且对于一些特殊情况，例如，多家买方设立合资工具公司进行收购的行为尽管在形式上可能触发实施集中的情形，但实际上并不会市场竞争造成影响，是否可以作为例外的情形加以规定，也期待主管部门对此的进一步澄清。
Firstly, the expression “implementation of concentration” hasn’t been clearly defined in the current laws. Because of the complexity of the preparatory work before transaction, a business operator needs to pay special attention to avoid those acts that may constitute implementation of concentration. Moreover, under special circumstances, for example, the merger by several buyers through establishing a joint venture vehicle company may trigger the implementation of concentration in terms of its form. However, it actually would not affect market competition. Can such circumstance be provided as an exception? We also expect the competent authority to make further clarification with regard thereto.
其次，目前法律尚没有对于申报标准中的“上一会计年度”营业额的起算标准进行明确规定。例如，是按照集中协议签署日，还是按照集中完成日计算。从紫光案来看，商务部在调查时考虑的是集中完成日的上一会计年度的营业额。
Secondly, there is no express provision in the current law in respect of the threshold for commencing on the calculation of the turnover of the “previous fiscal year” as provided in the Notification Threshold. For example, is it calculated from the date of execution of the concentration agreement or from the concentration completion date? As seen from the Unigroup Case, what MOFCOM considered during investigation was the turnover of the previous fiscal year on the concentration completion date.
第三，根据法律和商务部的相关规定，对于对法人或其他组织处以5万元以上罚款的，做出处罚决定之前，当事人有权要求听证，在公开新闻中没有显示上述案件中当事人是否要求听证或是否曾进行听证。听证制度在经营者集中调查中的作用还有待未来实践的检验。
Thirdly, according to the relevant provisions of law and MOFCOM, in the case of a penalty on a legal person or other organization in the amount of more than RMB 50,000, the parties shall have the right to request hearing before the penalty decision is made. However, the news published by MOFCOM did not state whether the parties in the above cases had requested hearing or had attended the hearing. The role of the hearing system in the investigation of concentration of business operators shall still be subject to examination in future practice.
第四，由于西部数据公司的两次处罚均围绕一项限制性条件进行，目标主体涉及Viviti公司及HGST美国公司，涉案行为涉及将两公司的发展部门员工和将HGST公司转到西部数据公司。从行政处罚法一事不二罚的原则[6]角度考虑，期待主管部门对上述行为分别作出两项处罚的原因进一步澄清，例如，是否由于行为发生在不同时间段，行为之间具有分离性，是否考虑对多次违法行为的加重情节等。
Fourthly, since both penalties on Western Digital were centered on a restrictive condition, the target subjects involved Viviti and HGST [6], we expect the competent authority to further clarify the reasons for the two penalties imposed on the said acts respectively, e.g., whether such acts were separate from each other since they occurred in different timelines, and whether the aggravating circumstances on repeated illegal acts should be taken into consideration.
第五，根据《反垄断法》的规定，对经营者集中附加限制性条件的决定应当向社会公布，西部数据公司的附加限制性条件批准的公告中曾经披露了限制性条件的细节，本次处罚中提及了西部数据公司对纠正其行为的提议和采取相关措施改正违法行为，但并没有公布细节。从提高透明度角度考虑，如果此类处罚可能涉及对原有限制性条件的修改，是否也可以考虑公布更多细节。
Fifthly, according the provisions of the Anti-Monopoly Law, any decision on concentration of business operators with restrictive conditions shall be announced to the public. Details of the restrictive conditions have been disclosed in the announcement on approval for Western Digital with restrictive conditions. However, the penalty decision only states the Western Digital’s proposal for correction of its act and for taking relevant measures to correct the illegal act, without any details. Considering from improving the transparency, if such penalty may involve modification to the original restrictive conditions, whether publishing more details should also be considered.
第六，由于经营者集中申报制度本质上并不是对抗性制度，绝大多数交易不会引起竞争问题，从目前实践来看，商务部可能不会轻易采取恢复原状的处罚。由于对于经营者集中申报违法行为的罚款并不是按照营业额比例计算，而是有固定上限，实践中，确实存在一些经营者可能出于种种原因考虑作出所谓的先上车后买票的决定（即先实施集中，待商务部调查时再申报和缴纳罚款），可能影响了执法的权威。紫光调查案的行政处罚决定书也过于简单，其中并未提到调查期间，企业是否被要求恢复原状或是否并如何被责令停止集中等，仅仅是有限的罚款，无法起到对违法者的震慑作用。在现行法规的框架下，主管部门也许可能采取更为严格的执法措施，例如，提高罚金额度，加强对暂停实施集中的监督等。
Sixthly, since the system of notification of concentration of business operators is not an adversary system in its nature, no competition issue will arise in most transactions. From the current practice, MOFCOM may not easily impose a penalty of restitution. Since the penalty on illegal act in notification of concentration of business operators is not calculated in proportion to the turnover, but has a fixed ceiling, in practice, there are really certain business operators who would make a decision of so called “buying ticket after getting on board” (i.e., implementation of concentration first, and notification and payment of penalty after investigation by MOFCOM) for various reasons, which may affect the authority of the law enforcement. The decision of administrative penalty for the Unigroup investigation case is also too simple, and does not mention whether the enterprise was required to restitute or whether and how it is ordered to stop concentration during the investigation, but only the limited penalty, which is not capable of deterring the offender. Under the framework of current regulations, the competent authority may also take stricter law enforcement measures, such as increasing the amount of penalty, and strengthening supervision over the suspension of implementation of concentration.
最后，上述处罚决定并没有在商务部网站反垄断局子网站公布，而是在条约法律司子网站公布。目前并不清楚是否是考虑条约法律司行政复议的职能，以及是否将其作为未来有关处罚案件的公布平台。
Finally, the said penalty decisions were not published on the sub-website of the Anti-Monopoly Bureau of the MOFCOM website, but on the sub-website of the Department of Treaty and Law. For the time being, we are not clear whether MOFCOM was considering the function of the Department of Treaty and Law in administrative reconsideration and whether it would use the sub-website as a platform for publishing the decisions of administrative penalties for relevant cases in the future.
[1] 例如，根据商务部2013年网站信息，截至10月底，商务部已经对9起未依法申报案件进行了调查，其中2起调查处理完毕。见《2013年商务工作年终述评之三：努力做好经营者集中反垄断审查维护公平竞争秩序》，来自http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/ae/ai/201312/20131200412789.shtml。
For example, according to MOFCOM’s website information in 2013, by the end of October, MOFCOM had investigated 9 cases on the ground of failure to legally notify concentration, of which investigation and punishment on two cases had been completed. Please see “Annual Review of MOFCOM’s Work for 2013 (III): Making Best Efforts to Improve the Anti-Monopoly Review on Concentration of Business Operators and Maintaining a Fair Competition Order”. From
http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/ae/ai/201312/20131200412789.shtml
[2] 见《商务部将公布违法实施经营者集中的行政处罚决定》，来自http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/ae/ai/201403/20140300524145.shtml。
Please see the “MOFCOM to Publish Decision on Administrative Penalty Regarding the Illegal Concentration of Business Operators”, from http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/ae/ai/201403/20140300524145.shtml。
[3] Viviti Technologies Ltd.为日立公司全资子公司（以下简称“Viviti公司”），2012年，西部数据收购了Viviti公司全部股权。Viviti公司作为控股公司直接持有Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.公司，并通过该公司间接持有Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Singapore Pte.Ltd.等公司从事硬盘业务。
Viviti Technologies (hereinafter, “Viviti”) is the wholly owend subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd.. In 2012, Western Digital Corp purchased all the equity interest of Viviti. As a holding company,Viviti holds all the equity interest of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. directly and is engaged in hard disk business indirectly through such company which holds all the equity interest of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Singapore Pte.Ltd. etc..
[4]对个人可以处二万元以下的罚款，对单位可以处二十万元以下的罚款；情节严重的，对个人处二万元以上十万元以下的罚款，对单位处二十万元以上一百万元以下的罚款。
An individual may be imposed a fine of no more than RMB 20,000, and an entity may be imposed a fine of no more than RMB 200,000; if the circumstance is serious, an individual may be imposed a fine of RMB 20,000 up to RMB 100,000, and an entity may be imposed a fine of RMB 200,000 up to RMB 1,000,000.
[5] 见《商务部召开“反垄断工作”专题新闻发布会》，来自http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/ae/slfw/201404/20140400542574.shtml
Please see the Special Press Conference of MOFCOM on “Anti-Monopoly Work”, from
http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/ae/slfw/201404/20140400542574.shtml.
[6]行政处罚法第24条，对当事人的同一个违法行为，不得给予两次以上罚款的行政处罚。
According to Article 24 of the Administrative Penalty Law, no party shall be given administrative penalty twice or more for the same offence.