China has a multi-layered food regulatory system to ensure the quality and safety of imported food items. Every year, however, a large amount of food imported into the country is either returned or destroyed due to lack of compliance or irregularity in food quality.
This causes a significant loss to both the importing and exporting companies. In times of greater transgression, the import license may be revoked and the companies may be barred from future trade.
I. China’s regulatory environment
Regulations on import vary across types of food, and may not be consistently applied and enforced by different ports, bureaus, and individual officers. Therefore, companies are advised to allow for additional time and money to resolve unexpected issues and work closely with reliable partners.
Some of the common laws and regulations that companies must comply with are: the food safety law, the import and export commodity inspection law, the imported food importers and exporters filing regulations, and the imports and export animal and plant quarantine law, amongst others.
II. Procedures for Food Products Export to China
Keeping in mind the high business risks involved, companies must stay abreast of the latest food regulations and ensure the conformity of the products to the necessary import procedures.
Step 1: Complete exporters and importers registration
As an overseas manufacturer and exporter of food, you must register with the State Certification and Accreditation Administration (CAA) if the food product being exported is on the ‘List of Food Imports Subject to Enterprise Registration’. Some of the food products that have heightened safety requirements such as meat and health products require additional registration. The registration is valid for 4 years and is extendable.
Step 2: Complete documentation and pre-import licensing
China has strict and complex documentation requirements for the majority of food products imported into the country. Before the shipment of products, you are required to submit documents on products’ quality, quarantine, origin, and import control, along with a detailed packaging list and a description of the packaging material, among other documents.
These documents are reviewed only after the shipment reaches China. Therefore, you must ensure that all your documents are complete and authentic to avoid any delay and storage cost.
Step 3: Ensure label compliance
Every food product imported in China must be labelled in simplified Chinese characters to complete the Customs clearance. The general rules of the labelling of pre-packaged food, GB7718-2011, specifies the labelling requirements on layout and content of pre-packaged foods in China.
All labels must be approved by the Chinese Inspection and Quarantine Service (CIQS). As label standards in China are subject to change, you are advised to consult experts to ensure compliance with the updated label requirements.
Step 4: CIQ food sanitary inspection and customs clearance
Once the shipment arrives in China, the food products are inspected by Customs officials for review of relevant shipping documentation and labelling requirements. The CIQ sanitary certificate is issued only if the documents are complete. This certificate is issued for every shipment of product.
If the shipment is missing any documents and custom seizes it, you may either provide a CIQ declaration or provide the missing documents. To obtain a CIQ declaration, you must provide the following documents: your business license, importing license, quota certificate, safety compliance declaration, an introduction to your company, and product information in detail.
Contact Us
If you have further inquires, please do not hesitate to contact Tannet at anytime, anywhere by simply visiting Tannet’s website english.tannet-group.com, or calling Hong Kong hotline at 852-27826888 or China hotline at 86-755-82143422, or emailing to tannet-solution@hotmail.com. You are also welcome to visit our office situated in 16/F, Taiyangdao Bldg 2020,Dongmen Rd South, Luohu , Shenzhen, China.
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