Recently, in order to implement the arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, to further improve the quality, competitiveness and reputation of domestically produced infant formula milk powder, a notice on The Action Plan for Promoting Domestic Infant Formula Milk Powder (hereinafter referred to as the PLAN) was jointly issued by 7 ministries, including National Development and Reform Commission, National Health Commission and Ministry of Commerce.

Among which, clauses about imported infant formula and cross-border e-commerce channel are as follows: 

Ø Strengthen the registration management of overseas infant formula milk powder manufacturers;

Ø Strictly implement the filing system and sales record system for import agents;

Ø Strictly prohibit the action of importing bulk infant formula and conducting the domestic packaging, strictly prohibit the import of infant formula milk powder without approval of formulation registration;

Ø For infant formula milk powder imported via cross-border e-commerce channel, cross-border e-commerce enterprises shall take the main responsibility of product quality and safety. Cross-border e-commerce enterprises shall establish a product quality and safety risk prevention and control system and establish a complete logistics and trace system. 

Global Foodmate also has summarised few other key points about the PLAN:  

Ø Implement the “Quality improvement, Industrial upgrading, brand cultivation" action plan for domestic infant formula, steadily increase the production of domestic infant formula, to better meet the growing domestic demand and to achieve the self-sufficiency rate of infant formula at more than 60%;

Ø Improve the sampling system, strictly crack down on illegal addition of non-edible substances, excessive use of food additives, label falsification and the false and exaggerated content in labels;

Ø Strictly crack down on all kinds of false propaganda, prohibit advertising dairy products for infants that claim to replace breast milk in whole or in part in public media or public places, prohibit advertising infant formulas that are for 0-12 months old infants;

Ø Strictly implement the Rules for the Examination of Production Approval of Infant Formula Milk Powder, strictly exam the production approval for infant formula milk powder;

Ø Promote mergers and acquisitions, encourage fair competition between domestic and foreign enterprises, support domestic enterprises to acquire and build raw milk bases abroad to reduce the costs of raw material.