The “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Imported Food Overseas Production Enterprises” will be implemented on January 1, 2022. Some food manufacturers are worried that their products may not be able to enter the Chinese market.
The “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Imported Food Overseas Production Enterprises” promulgated in April stipulate that all overseas production enterprises of imported food must apply for registration in order for their products to enter the Chinese market. However, the interpretation of the “Regulations” was not released until November.
According to the latest interpretation, overseas production, processing, and storage companies exporting food to China are required to apply for registration. 18 categories of imported food, including meat and meat products, aquatic products, and dairy products, need to be registered as recommended by the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located. Imported foods of categories other than category 18 can be registered by enterprises.
However, according to Reuters, a website that allows companies to register on their own did not go live until last month.
China has been trying to implement new regulations involving food imports for many years, but it has met with opposition from exporters. The General Administration of Customs of China has hardly explained why all foods, even those considered low-risk such as wine, flour and olive oil, are included in the new regulations.
Experts said the move is to better monitor the large quantities of food arriving at Chinese ports and to delegate the responsibility for food safety to producers, not the government.
Although the company’s self-registered website is online, there are still some problems. Li Xiang, business development manager of CIRS Ireland, said: “The Chinese system is now operating, but the English system is still in the trial phase.” CIRS is helping companies with the registration process.
Since there is no grace period, if you have trouble registrating as a food manufacturer, here is a service you can hire.
One of our content consultant, Kaya Xu, is an expert in cross-border business between China and the West. She has helped some businesses registered.
“I know how the China government’s website system works,” Kaya said, “Depending on the product, there are certain certificates you have to upload. I assist people overcome with the language barrier, explain the procedure, and help do the actual registration process.”
This service charge is $200 one time payment, but it won’t be refundable if you lack the necessary papers to finalize the process.
For consultation and more details, please email to: naturalfoods.expo(at)gmail(.)com for assistance to register. (remove brackets, change “at” to “@”)
