On May 2, MEE issued its second decree which is about the abolishment of one departmental rule and 27 regulatory documents on the charging of the pollution fee.

The decision came after the fact that the Environmental Protection Tax Law and its implementation rules had entered into effect as of Jan. 1, 2018, the exact date on which the Administrative Regulations on the Collection and Use of Pollution Fee promulgated by the State Council on Jan. 2, 2003 was abolished.

The decree put an end to the pollution charging system which had been implemented for nearly four decades.

The Environmental Protection Law (on trial) promulgated in September 1979 established the pollution charging system. However, China started to levy environmental protection tax as of Jan. 1, 2018 to replace the pollution charging, when led to the abolishment of relevant rule and regulatory documents.