Imported Food Go back »

2025-07-23 | All chapters

Background:

For more than a decade, the Chinese authorities have applied different implementation dates for domestically produced food and food produced overseas whenever new standards have been released, resulting in operational problems and higher costs for overseas producers.

The European Chamber’s Agriculture, Food and Beverage Working Group, Dairy Industry Desk,  Paediatric Nutrition Desk and Food for Special Medical Purposes Advisory Committee have carried out long-term advocacy on this issue. In 2022, an advocacy success was achieved when the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) released Announcement No. 136, which clarified that five imported food categories would enjoy the same reference date as domestically produced products.

The working groups welcomed this development and continued advocating to expand the use of production date as a reference for implementation to all food categories to secure a level playing field for imported food.

Since then, several national food safety standards have been released. In order to promote fair trade and a smooth inspection process, relevant working groups have closely followed up on the implementation of each standard by submitting comments, advocacy letters and Position Papers to the relevant authorities, while regularly communicating with GACC officials to find a solution that can benefit all imported food.

Advocacy Success:

On 19^th June 2025, the GACC issued Announcement No. 126 of 2025 (Regarding the Repeal of Certain Normative Documents Related to Imported Food), which overturned the 2012 announcement that had obliged authorities to treat imported food differently. Its repeal ensures that the reference dates for the implementation of new national food safety standards for both imported and domestically produced food will be consistent, effectively reducing costs and operational pressures on overseas manufacturers and helping to level the playing field for the imported food industry.

Advocacy Highlights:

• 2^nd July 2024: Communicated with the relevant GACC authority and suggested applying the measures in Announcement No. 136 to all imported food categories to optimise the business environment.
• 30^th July 2024: Sent an advocacy letter to the relevant GACC authority, recommending clarifying the reference date of implementation for the soon-to-be-effective National Food Safety Standard Milk Powder and Modified Milk Powder (GB 19644-2024), and received positive feedback.
• 1^st November 2024: Sent another advocacy letter to the relevant authority of the GACC to emphasise the importance of expanding the practice to all imported food categories.
• Jan–June 2025: Regularly communicated with the relevant authority about the feasibility of repealing Announcement No. 41 (2012) to secure a level playing field for imported food.