In recent years, with the development of economy and the continuous improvement of consumption ability, people's health consciousness is constantly enhanced, and more and more people choose health food to supplement dietary nutrition and regulate body function. The following is a brief introduction to the supervision process of customs clearance for imported health food, for the reference of enterprises.

Registration & Filing

Registration & Filing of Products

According to the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Administration Measures of Registration and Filing for Health Food, China implements strict supervision and administration for health food and other special foods. The imported health food should apply to the State Administration for Market Regulation for registration or record.

Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Health Food

When an overseas manufacturer of imported health food applies for registration, change, renewal or revoke, the competent authority of the country/region shall examine and inspect the manufacturer to be recommended for registration; after confirming that the manufacturer conforms with the registration requirements, the competent authority of the country/region recommends the producer to the GACC for registration, and submits the application materials. After receiving the materials, the GACC will make corresponding handling according to different circumstances, and report the acceptance situation to the competent authority of the country/region or the overseas manufacturer of imported food. If the materials are not complete or do not conform to the legal form, the GACC will notify all the contents that need to be corrected in one time within 20 working days from the date of receiving the application materials.

Record pf Importers of Imported Health Food

According to Article 19 of the Measures of the People’s Republic of China for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety, the Customs puts the importers of imported food under record management. Importers should apply to the local customs in advance for the record, and the enterprise may submit the record application on site, can also enter the “enterprise management and check” section to handle online through logining in the "Internet + Customs" integration platform (http://online.customs.gov.cn),; or login in the subsystem of "enterprise qualification" of "China International Trade Single Window" (http://www.singlewindow.cn) to handle. After the review by the Customs, those who meet the requirements will be put on record and the list of domestic importers will be disclosed; those who do not meet the requirements will be returned to the enterprises (the enterprises may revise the application information and submit it again).

Supervision of Customs Clearance

Import by General Trade Route

The Customs adopts a variety of conformity assessment activities, such as the inspection of an certificate of conformity, the verification of documentation, on-site inspection, supervisory sampling inspection, the inspection of import and sales records, to assess whether the imported health food meets the national food safety standards. According to the Announcement on the Online Verification of Five Kinds of Regulatory Documents including the "Registration Certificate of Food for Special Medical Purpose" jointly issued by the GACC and the State Administration for Market Regulation, the customs implements online verification of Registration Certificate or Record Certificate of Health Food in the process of customs clearance.

The imported health food assessed as qualified by the Customs will be approved for import, and the Inspection and Quarantine Certificate for Entry Goods should be issued. For the foods of non-conformity involving safety, health and environmental protection, the Customs Administration shall send a written notice to a food importer and order him or her to destruct or return the food involved. For non-conformity of other items, the food shall be permitted to import after having met the requirements stipulated in conformity assessment by means of technical treatment. For the corresponding imported health food that fails such technical treatment within a prescribed time period or still fails to meet the relevant requirements after the technical treatment, the Customs Administration shall order the food importer to destruct or return the food involved.

Import through Cross-Border E-Commerce

It should be noted that imported health food through cross-border e-commerce is in compliance with the quality, safety, hygiene, environmental protection, labeling and other standards or technical specifications of the country/place of origin, but there may be differences with China's standards. In addition, since the commodities are directly purchased from overseas, there may be no Chinese label.

Source: Hefei 12360 Customs Hotline

Note: This article is compiled by Antion, please indicate our source if reprint it.