China: State Administration for Market Regulation opened consultation on draft guidelines on compliance of charging behaviour of online trading platforms

On 25 May 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) opened a public consultation on the Guidelines on Compliance of Charging Behaviour of Online Trading Platforms until 3 June 2025. The draft aims to regulate the fee practices of online trading platforms, safeguard the rights of platform-based operators, and promote the stable development of the platform economy. It comprises 28 articles covering guiding principles for charges, measures to ease the burden on platform operators, internal compliance and self-regulation mechanisms, standardised charging conduct, and oversight procedures. The draft outlines principles of fairness, legality, and good faith. Furthermore, it encourages preferential treatment for small and medium-sized merchants, and it requires platforms to establish internal compliance systems and to ensure charging rules are transparent and reasonable. It also identifies 8 categories of prohibited charging practices.