6. Registration Processes

General Foods
China

This section provides information on any product notification or registration and manufacturing site registration processes.

6.1 Product Notification

According to the “Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China” [1], only special food needs to be notified before placing on the market.

General Foods do not need to be notified before being placed on the Chinese market. It is the responsibility of the business operator to ensure the product complies with Chinese regulations and standards.

6.2 Product Registration

According to the “Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China” [1], only special food needs to be registered before launch.

General Foods do not need to be registered before being placed on the Chinese market. It is the responsibility of the business operator to ensure the product complies with Chinese regulations and standards.

6.3 Other Notes or Requirements

Product Notification

N/A

Product Registration

N/A

6.4 Manufacturing Site Registration

According to the “Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety” [2] and “Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food” [3], all overseas food manufacturers must register with GACC before importation.

According to “Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food” [3], there are 18 food categories that shall be recommended by the competent authorities from the country (region) of origin. Of the 18 food categories, 17 are General Foods: meat and meat products, casings, aquatic products, dairy products, bird’s nest, and bird’s nest products, bee products, eggs and egg products, edibles fats and oils, stuffed pasta, edible grains, grain milling industrial products and malt, fresh and dehydrated vegetables as well as dried beans, seasonings, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans, foods for special dietary uses. 

Manufacturers of other food categories shall do the registration by themselves or through a 3rd-party agency.

The registration of overseas production enterprises of imported foods is valid for 5 years. Enterprises that have been approved for registration shall label the registration number in China or the registration number approved by the competent authority in the country (region) where they are located on the inner and outer packaging of the foods exported to China.

The overseas food manufacturers' GACC registration portal link (the optional language is Chinese or English): https://cifer.singlewindow.cn/

6.4.1 Standard/Rules for Manufacturing Site

According to “Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food” [3], The General Administration of Customs shall, on its own or by entrusting relevant agencies, organize a review team to conduct evaluation and review to overseas production enterprises of imported food applying for registration through written inspections, video inspections, on-site inspections, etc., and combinations thereof. 

The General Administration of Customs shall, based on the evaluation and review, approve the registration, offer the registration number in China, and notify the overseas production enterprise of imported foods or the competent authority in the country (region) where it is located in written form for those meeting the registration requirements; for those rejected for registration, the General Administration of Customs shall notify the overseas production enterprise of imported foods or the competent authority in the country (region) where it is located in written form.

For the inspection points of the 18 food categories that shall be recommended by the competent authorities in the country (region), please refer to the GACC Guideline on Registration of overseas producers of imported food: http://online.customs.gov.cn/static/pages/treeGuide.html 

There are no mandatory inspection points for the other self-registration food categories. Therefore, according to “Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food” [3], the food safety management system of the country (region) where the enterprise is located shall be subject to the equivalence evaluation and review of the General Administration of Customs. Therefore, the customs will conduct the evaluation and the manufacturing site inspection based on the equivalence evaluation and review agreement.

6.4.2 Other Notes or Requirements for Manufacturing Site Registration

The list of approved overseas manufactures of imported food can be searched at https://ciferquery.singlewindow.cn/

Please make sure the manufacturer registration information is already published before importation.

6.5 References

1. Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China 

https://www.samr.gov.cn/zw/zfxxgk/fdzdgknr/fgs/art/2023/art_6bff4ef87291497fa72949e1fc88efb5.html

2. Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety

http://www.customs.gov.cn//customs/302249/302266/302267/3625391/index.html

3. Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food

http://jckspj.customs.gov.cn/spj/zcfg18/bmgz91/3979122/index.html