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On January 20, 2025, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) released a draft announcement titled "Announcement on Matters Related to the Registration of Import and Export Traders of Imported Food (Draft for Comments)". The announcement aims to further standardize the registration management of import and export traders of imported food, streamline registration procedures, and ensure the safety of imported food. The new regulations are scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2025. Stakeholders are invited to submit their feedback online by January 27, 2025.
Key Changes
The draft announcement introduces several significant changes to the registration process for import and export traders of imported food:
1. Simplified Documentation Requirements
For overseas exporters or agents, the required information in "Information Form of Food Exporter/Agent" is reduced to a minimum of 10 entries, including basic information such as the company name, address, country (region), and contact details. Information such as company type, postal code, traded food types are no longer needed. For a sample of Information Form of Food Exporter/Agent, please refer to Annex 2 of the draft announcement.
For domestic importers, the registration process now only requires the submission of the "Information Form of Food Importer". Three previously required documents are removed. In addition, the information to be filled out by domestic importers is simplified, focusing on essential information such as the company name, unified social credit code, address, contact person, and legal representative.
Proposed required documents |
1. Information Form of Food Importer (Refer to Annex 3 of the draft announcement) 2. Documents pertaining to the organizational structure, departmental functions, and position responsibilities related to food safety 3. Documentation detailing the types of food products intended for trade and the information regarding their storage locations 4. If involved in food import, processing, or sales in the past two years, provide details on food types and quantities |
2. Reduced Processing Time
The customs processing time for the registration of import and export traders of imported food has been standardized to three working days from five working days, improving efficiency and predictability in government services.
3. Streamlined Registration Process
Leveraging the "Customs Administrative Relative Unified Management Subsystem (Version 3.0)", the new process allows for the one-time collection of basic registration information, eliminating the need for businesses to repeatedly enter the same data.
Businesses can now apply for food importer registration simultaneously when completing customs declaration unit registration, enabling "one-time registration for multiple matters."
4. Enhanced Registration Management
In accordance with the "Administrative Measures for the Safety of Imported and Exported Food of the People's Republic of China," the draft announcement emphasizes the responsibility of businesses and clarifies requirements for updating registration information.
A new exit mechanism is introduced, allowing customs to deregister food importers in cases where the company has been deregistered, had its business license revoked, or has ceased operations due to dissolution, bankruptcy, or other legal reasons.
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