China notifies new rules on registration of imported food

25 Nov 2020

China has issued a TBT notification on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufactures of Imported Food - original document and the English translation.

The new rules, according to the TBT, are aimed at improving China’s requirements for the registration and management of overseas manufactures of imported food on the basis of existing regulations. They include:

• Specific Conditions and Procedures for Registration (Article 5) for overseas producers of imported food, including compliance with inspection and quarantine requirements of the GACC, and approval of the producer.
• According to Article 6, which includes fresh vegetables, the local competent authority of the country (region) where the producer locates shall review and confirm that the producer meets the registration requirements and then recommend it to GACC with the following application materials submitted:

(I) Letter of recommendation provided by the competent authority of the country (region) where the producer locates;

(II) List of producers and their applications for registration;

(III) Legal qualification for the producer, such as the business license approved by the competent authority of the country (region) where the producer locates;

(IV) Declaration that the competent authority of the country (region) where the producer locates promises that the recommended producer meets the requirements of these Measures;

(V) The review report of the competent authority of the country (region) where the producer located on the review and inspection of the producer;

When necessary, GACC may require the producers’ documents of food safety, sanitation and protection system, the plan of factory, workshop and refrigerator, and the process flow chart.

If risk analysis or evidence shows changes in the risk of certain foods, GACC may adjust the registration and application method and application materials of overseas producers of the corresponding food.

• Article 7, covering other foods not mentioned in the previous article (e.g. fresh fruit), notes that overseas producers shall, by themselves or their agencies, propose an application for registration to GACC and submit the following application materials:

(I) Producer’s application for registration;

(II) Legal qualification of the producer, such as the business license approved by the competent authority of the country (region) where the producer is located;

(III) Declaration that the producer promises to comply with the requirements:

• GACC shall organise the evaluation and review personnel or entrust relevant institutions to organize such personnel to form a review group of 2 or more people to evaluate and review the overseas producers of imported foods applying for registration through written inspection, video inspection, on-site inspection and any combination of such forms.