１９９４年８月，国家工商行政管理局根据国务院指示发布《关于制止多层次传销活动中违法行为的通告》。
In August of 1994, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, in accordance with State Council directives, issued the Circular Concerning the Curbing of Illegal Activities within Pyramid Retailing.

对此，个别地方没有认真落实，未对传销企业作清理检查，有的地方还陆续发展了一些传销企业，使非法传销活动又有所发展蔓延。
The localities have not conscientiously implemented this, failing to put in order and examine the pyramid retail industry, and some localities are still developing some pyramid retail enterprises, allowing illegal pyramid retailing activities to spread once again.

鉴于我国关于传销经营方式的法律、法规当前尚未建立健全，对传销活动很难规范和管理、加之广大消费者的消费心理还不够成熟，目前不具备开展多层次传销的条件。
In view that China’s laws and regulations concerning pyramid retail operations remain as yet incomplete, that the standardization and management of pyramid retailing is very difficult, and that the consumer psychology of the vast majority of consumers is not fully mature, conditions are not yet present for the development of the pyramid retail industry.

少数不法商人借此进行欺诈活动，严重侵害消费者的合法权益，对守法经营者构成不正当竞争，也使大多数传销员蒙受了经济损失，引发了社会问题，扰乱了经济秩序。
A minority of lawbreaking merchants have taken advantage of this to engage in deceitful practices which seriously infringe on the legal rights and interests of the consumers, constituting unfair competition towards legal operators, resulting in financial losses to the majority of retailers engaged in pyramid retailing, arousing social problems, and disturbing the economic order.

为遏制不正当的传销活动，打击不法商人的欺诈行为，保护消费者权益，保护公平竞争，维护社会主义市场经济秩序，国务院决定停止发展多层次传销企业，现就有关问题通知如下：
In order to halt unfair pyramid retailing activities, strike out against the deceitful behavior of lawbreaking merchants, protect the rights and interests of the consumers, protect fair competition, and preserve the order of the socialist market economy, the State Council has decided to halt the opening and development of all pyramid retail enterprises, in accordance with the provisions below:

一、立即停止批准成立多层次传销企业。
1. Immediately cease approving and establishing pyramid retail enterprises.

自本通知发布之日起，各地工商行政管理机关和其他有关行政机关一律停止批准、登记注册以传销方式开展经营活动的企业及个体工商户。
From the date of promulgation of this circular, the industrial and commercial administrative organs and other relevant administrative organs in every locality shall cease to approve and register any enterprise or private industrial or commercial outlets which intends to operate through pyramid retail..

二、对现有传销企业进行审查清理。
2. Inspect and rectify already existing pyramid retail enterprises.

对已注册营业的传销企业，必须在１个月内经原注册机关审核逐级上报国家工商行政管理局重新审查；
Pyramid retail enterprises which are already registered must, within one month, report step-by-step to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce for re-inspection by passing evaluation and approval by the original office which issued the registration;

对拒不接受审查的企业，由当地工商行政管理机关吊销营业执照。
those enterprises which do not pass evaluation shall have their retail business licenses revoked by the office of industrial and commercial administration in that locality.

在审查期间，传销企业必须停止发展传销员，不得扩大营业活动。
During the period of evaluation, pyramid retail enterprises must stop developing retail personnel and may not expand business activities.

对传销员已交款而传销企业未付商品的，由工商行政管理机关监督传销企业退款。
For those retail personnel who have handed over money but have not yet received goods from the pyramid retail enterprise, the pyramid retail enterprise shall return their money under the supervision of the office of industrial and commercial administration.

经审查合格的传销企业，只能在原注册地的行政区域内开展传销，严禁跨地区传销；
Pyramid retail enterprises which pass evaluation shall develop only within the administrative area of the original place of registration; trans-regional pyramid retailing is strictly forbidden;

其传销人员开展经营活动必须经工商行政管理机关批准，接受监督管理，并依法纳税。
pyramid retailers developing operational activities must be approved by the office of industrial and commercial administration, be subject to supervision, and pay taxes according to law.

外商不得从事以传销为经营方式的商业零售业务。
Foreign businesses may not engage in pyramid retail operational modes for professional commercial retailing.

经审查不合格予以注销的传销企业，要认真做好善后工作，自行清理债权债务。
Registered pyramid retail enterprises which do not pass evaluation shall conscientiously clean up their operational mess and settle any credit and debt obligations..

三、对未经工商行政管理机关审查批准，擅自开展多层次传销的企业，或违反《关于制止多层次传销活动中违法行为的通告》以及上述规定的企业，由当地工商行政管理机关坚决予以取缔，没收传销商品、销货款和非法所得，并按《中华人民共和国消费者权益保护法》等有关规定处以罚款。
3. Enterprises which have not been approved by the office for industrial and commercial administration and which have developed without authorization pyramid retail operations, or which have violated the Circular Concerning the Curbing of Illegal Activities within Pyramid Retailing or any of the above regulations shall be resolutely suppressed by office of industrial and commercial administration in that region, have the retail commodities and any illegal gains from the sale thereof confiscated, and be subject to a fine according to the Consumer Protection Law and other relevant stipulations.

传销企业或参与传销的组织、个人有偷税漏税、走私贩私、制售假冒伪劣商品等违法行为的，由有关行政执法机关依法处理；构成犯罪的，依法移送司法机关。
Any individual in a pyramid retail enterprise or group participating in pyramid retailing who withholds or evades taxes, engages in the smuggling or sale of contraband goods, manufactures or sells counterfeit or shoddy goods, or engages in other illegal activities shall be dealt with according to law by the relevant law enforcement offices; actions which constitute crimes shall be transferred to offices of justice administration in accordance with the law..

四、各级人民政府要切实加强对停止发展多层次传销企业的领导工作，工商行政管理、公安、税务、海关、内贸等部门要密切配合，做好有关善后处理工作。
4. The people’s governments at all levels shall strengthen practical leadership work in stopping the development of pyramid retail enterprises; the industrial and commercial administrations, public security offices, tax offices, customs, domestic trade administrations, and other offices shall work in close coordination to handle all problems arising from this work..

五、国家工商行政管理局要会同有关部门，根据本通知精神，尽快制定传销企业的审批管理办法和对传销人员的监督管理办法。
5. The State Administration for Industry and Commerce and related offices, in the spirit of this circular, shall quickly draw up examination and approval guidelines for pyramid retail enterprises and methods of supervision for pyramid retail personnel.