Notice of the Ministry of Finance and the People’s Bank of China on Issues concerning the Administration of Zero-balance Accounts

财政部、中国人民银行关于零余额账户管理有关事项的通知

Promulgating Institution: Ministry of Finance; People’s Bank of China

Document Number: Cai Ku [2009] No. 47

Promulgating Date: 06/02/2009

Effective Date: 06/02/2009

颁布机关: 财政部; 中国人民银行

文      号: 财库[2009]47号

颁布时间: 06/02/2009

实施时间: 06/02/2009

Relevant departments under the Communist Party of China Central Committee, all ministries, commissions and institutions directly under the State Council, all units of the armed police, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the General Office of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the General Office of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, relevant people's organizations, centrally-administered enterprises concerned, the departments (bureaus) of finance of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and cities specifically designated in State plan, the Shanghai Headquarters of the People's Bank of China, all branches and business administrative departments of the People's Bank of China, all central branches of the People's Bank of China in the provincial (regional ) capital cities, the central branches of the People's Bank of China in the cities of Dalian, Qingdao, Ningbo, Xiamen and Shenzhen, and the centralized receipt and payment correspondent banks of the national treasury: 

For the purposes of pushing forward the reform of the centralized receipt and payment system of the national treasury and further regulating the administration of zero-balance accounts, relevant issues concerning the administration of zero-balance accounts are hereby notified as follows in accordance with the Reform Plan for National Treasury Management System (Cai Ku [2001] No. 24), as is approved by the State Council, as well as the Notice of the Ministry of Finance on Printing and Distributing the "Administrative Measures for Pilot Fund Payment in the Reform of National Treasury Management System of Organizations Directly under the Central Government (Cai Ku [2002] No. 28), the Administrative Measures for Renminbi Settlement Accounts (Order of the People's Bank of China [2003] No. 5) and in light of the actual conditions of the administration of bank accounts in China:

    党中央有关部门,国务院各部委、各直属机构,各武警部队,新疆生产建设兵团,全国人大常委会办公厅,全国政协办公厅,高法院,高检院,有关人民团体,有关中央管理企业,各省、自治区、直辖市、计划单列市财政厅(局),中国人民银行上海总部、各分行、营业管理部、省会(首府)城市中心支行及大连、青岛、宁波、厦门、深圳市中心支行,各国库集中收付代理银行:

    为深化完善国库集中收付制度改革,进一步规范零余额账户管理,根据国务院批准的《财政国库管理制度改革方案》(财库[2001]24号)以及《财政部中国人民银行关于印发〈中央单位财政国库管理制度改革试点资金支付管理办法〉的通知》(财库[2002]28号)、《人民币结算账户管理办法》(中国人民银行令[2003]5号),结合我国目前银行账户管理的有关情况,现就零余额账户管理有关事项通知如下:

1. On setting up zero-balance accounts

A zero-balance account is a bank settlement account opened by the finance authorities or budget institutions at a centralized receipt and payment correspondent bank of the State treasury or an correspondent bank for the collection of non-tax revenues, subject to approval by competent finance authorities, and for the purpose of the centralized receipt and payment of State treasury. Zero-balance accounts are primarily divided into the following three categories: 

(1) Zero-balance accounts of the finance authorities;

(2) Zero-balance accounts of the budget institutions; and 

(3) Zero balance accounts for fiscal transfer and payment (i.e., special accounts for fiscal transfer and payment.)

Of the abovementioned three categories of zero-balance accounts, accounts in category one and category three are special deposit accounts while those in category two are either basic deposit accounts or special deposit accounts. Where a budget institution fails to open a basic deposit account, or the former basic deposit account of the institution has been cancelled after the reform of the centralized payment of the State treasury, as has been required by competent finance authorities, the zero-balance account(s) of the budget institution may, subject to approval by finance authorities at the same administrative level as the budget institution, be used as the basic deposit account(s) of the budget institution. Under circumstances other than the foregoing one, the zero-balance account of the budget institution shall be used as special deposit account(s).

       一、零余额账户的设置

    零余额账户是指财政部门或预算单位经财政部门批准,在国库集中支付代理银行和非税收入收缴代理银行开立的,用于办理国库集中收付业务的银行结算账户。主要包括以下三类:

    (一)财政部门零余额账户。

    (二)预算单位零余额账户。

    (三)财政汇缴零余额账户(即财政汇缴专户)。

    上述三类零余额账户中,财政部门零余额账户和财政汇缴零余额账户的性质为专用存款账户;预算单位零余额账户的性质为基本存款账户或专用存款账户。预算单位未开立基本存款账户,或原基本存款账户在国库集中支付改革后已经按财政部门要求撤销的,经同级财政部门批准,预算单位零余额账户作为基本存款账户;除上述情况外,预算单位零余额账户作为专用存款账户。

2. On the administration of zero-balance accounts

The opening of a zero-balance account by a department or institution shall be subject to the approval by the competent finance authority at the same administrative level with the department or institution. The People's Bank of China, after reviewing the certification documents issued by the said finance authority and forwarded by the opening bank, will issue the license for the opening of the zero-balance account. 

(1) Where a finance authority or budget institution has already opened a zero-balance account, competent finance authority shall, in accordance with this Notice, define the nature of such zero-balance account as soon as possible; where a budget institution applies for opening a zero-balance account, the competent finance authority shall, when reviewing such application, define the nature of the account in the certification document (s) in accordance with this Notice. The change, merger and cancellation of zero-balance account(s) of a finance department or budget institution shall be subject to the approval by the finance authority at the same administrative level with the department or institution, as well as to the procedures and other requirements prescribed by the National Treasury Management System. 

(2) As a general rule, competent finance authorities shall approve one zero-balance account per each budget institution and one fiscal transfer and payment zero-balance account per one revenue enforcement institution. Where it is absolutely necessary for a department or institution to open more than one zero-balance account due to special administrative requirements (for example, in the case of a non-legal person institution with office premises in different regions which conduct independent accounting), such department or institution shall apply to the competent finance authority at the same administrative level as the department or institution for approval. As a general rule, a finance department may open only one zero-balance account for finance department per correspondent bank.

(3) The quotas of the zero-balance accounts of the finance authorities or budget institutions shall have the same payment and settlement function as RMB deposit. The zero-balance accounts of finance authorities may be used for payment and settlement business, such as bank transfer; however, such accounts shall not be used for withdrawing cash. The zero-balance accounts of budget institutions may be used for such payment and settlement business, including bank transfer, exchange, entrusted collection, cash withdrawal, etc.

(4) The correspondent banks shall handle the payment and settlement business according to the quotas of the zero-balance accounts as are approved by competent finance authorities. Where there are corresponding quotas set on specific business items, the correspondent banks shall not refuse to handle the payment and settlement business prescribed herein. The correspondent banks shall keep records on basic information on the zero-balance accounts, including the opening, change, and cancellation thereof, and file such records to State treasury of the People's Bank of China at the same administrative level as the correspondent banks for record. Where an correspondent bank refuses to effect payment without due cause or fails to keep records on the zero-balance accounts and report such records to competent State treasury for record, the People's Bank of China shall, in conjunction with competent finance authority, instruct the correspondent bank to make necessary correction and shall deal with such case in accordance with applicable provisions and agency agreement. Where such offenses on the part of the correspondent bank are serious, the competent finance authorities shall revoke its qualification for the correspondent bank.

Ministry of Finance

People's Bank of China

June 2, 2009

       二、零余额账户的管理

    零余额账户需由同级财政部门批准开立，并出具证明文件，由开户银行报经中国人民银行核准后核发开户许可证。

    （一）财政部门和预算单位已经开立零余额账户的，财政部门应当按照本通知规定，尽快规范和明确账户性质;预算单位新开立零余额账户的，财政部门在批准开户时，应按本通知规定，在相关证明文件中明确账户性质。零余额账户的变更、合并与撤销须经同级财政部门批准，并按照财政国库管理制度规定的程序和要求执行。

    （二）财政部门原则上只能为预算单位开立一个预算单位零余额账户，为执收单位开立一个财政汇缴零余额账户。确因特殊管理需要（如存在异址办公并独立核算的非法人机构等情形），需要开立一个以上账户的，应当通过主管部门向同级财政部门提出申请，经同级财政部门批准后开立。财政部门在同一家代理银行原则上只能开立一个财政部门零余额账户。

    （三）财政部门零余额账户和预算单位零余额账户的用款额度具有与人民币存款相同的支付结算功能。财政部门零余额账户可以办理转账等支付结算业务，但不得提取现金。预算单位零余额账户可办理转账、汇兑、委托收款和提取现金等支付结算业务。

    （四）代理银行应当严格按照财政部门下达的用款额度办理支付结算业务，在有相应科目用款额度的情况下，不得违反规定拒绝办理本通知规定的各类支付结算业务。代理银行应当将零余额账户的开立、变更、撤销等基本情况报同级人民银行国库部门备案。对于代理银行无故拒付或者不按规定进行零余额账户报备的，人民银行将会同财政部门责成代理银行立即纠正，并按照有关规定及委托代理协议等进行处理。情节严重的，由财政部门取消代理资格。

财政部

中国人民银行

二○○九年六月二日