In this issue, Global Foodmate brings you the "Country Level Access Approval" of the series of articles on "Exporting Food to China".

China implements "national access" requirements for some imported foods, one is to implement overseas national access for primary edible agricultural products through risk analysis of imported animals and plants and animal and plant products, and the other is to implement overseas national access for high-risk foods by assessing the completeness and effectiveness of the food safety management systems of foreign countries (regions) that intend to export food to China.

1.Assessment and Review of Food Safety Management Systems of Foreign Countries (regions) Exporting Food to China

In accordance with the principle of risk management, GACC evaluates the integrity and effectiveness of the food safety management system of the foreign country (region) to be exported to China, so as to determine whether the food safety management system and food safety status of the country (region) can meet the level required by China, and whether the food exported to China produced under the system can meet the requirements of China's laws and regulations and the requirements of national food safety standards.

At present, GACC mainly evaluates and examines imported foods of terrestrial animal origin, aquatic products, dairy products, and plant-derived foods through the assessment and review procedures for food exported to China. In addition, China has developed the "Food Catalogue Information System for Exporting to China from Countries or Regions that Meet the Assessment and Review Requirements and Have Traditional Trade" (http://43.248.49.223/index.aspx) for aquatic products, dairy products, and plant-derived foods. Bird's nest and other terrestrial animal-derived foods have formulated a list of products exported to China from countries or regions that meet the requirements for assessment and review (http://jckspj.customs.gov.cn/spj/xxfw39/cpjgzyxx/lsdwyxsp/fhpgscyqdgjhdqshrlcpmd/index.html). only products exported to China from countries or regions that meet the requirements of assessment and review and have traditional trade are allowed to enter China.

2.Risk Analysis of imported Animals and Plants and Their Products

For countries or regions that export certain animals and plants and their products to China for the first time or apply to China for lifting the ban on importation, their official plant quarantine departments shall submit a written application to the GACC, and only the animals and plants and their products that have been approved for entry through risk assessment can be exported to China.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Department of GACC is responsible for publishing the list of animals and plants and their products that are prohibited/allowed to enter the country, including the List of Animals and Their Products Prohibited from importing from Countries and Regions with Animal Disease Endemism, the List of Agricultural Products Permitted to Be imported, the List of imported Plant Quarantine Pests of the People's Republic of China, and the List of imported Plant Quarantine Prohibited Substances of the People's Republic of China, mainly involving grains (including seeds and tubers, oilseeds), fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, coffee beans and cocoa beans, seasonings and other animals and plants and their products.

List of Animals and Their Products Prohibited from importing from Countries and Regions with Endemic Animal Diseases:

http://dzs.customs.gov.cn/dzs/2746776/2753557/index.html

List of Agricultural Products Permitted for import:

http://dzs.customs.gov.cn/dzs/2746776/3062131/index.html

List of imported Plant Quarantine Pests of the People's Republic of China:

http://dzs.customs.gov.cn/dzs/2746776/3699554/index.html

List of imported Plant Quarantine Prohibited Substances of the People's Republic of China:

http://www.moa.gov.cn/ztzl/gjzwbhgy/jycs/201403/t20140304_3803271.htm

Summary

Overseas enterprises exporting the above food products to China for the first time should first check the above catalogue and list to determine the access status. If the access is not obtained, the competent authority of the country (region) where it is located may apply to the General Administration of Customs of China for the first export of such food (species).