The General Administration of Customs of China issued Announcement No 27 of 2026 on March 18, providing detailed guidance on implementing the regulations on the registration administration of overseas manufacturers of imported food.

Below is an explanation of the background and key points of the announcement.

I. Background and purpose of the announcement

On Oct 14, 2025, the GACC revised and released its regulations on the registration administration of overseas manufacturers of imported food (Decree No 280 of the GACC), which will take effect on June 1, 2026.

To support the implementation of these regulations and strengthen the customs registration framework for imported food safety, the GACC issued the announcement.

The notice specifies the relevant catalogs and lists, clarifies imported food declaration requirements related to registration, and updates website addresses for registration processing and commonly used registration information inquiries: https://cifer.singlewindow.cn and http://english.customs.gov.cn. 

II. Key matters requiring clarification

1. Establishment of the Catalog of Imported Food Requiring Official Recommendation for Registration

Article 6 of the regulations has been clarified. The number of food categories requiring official recommendation for registration has been reduced from 18 to 17. Notably, "unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans" have been removed, while the categories for oilseeds, miscellaneous grains, fresh vegetables, dried beans, and condiments have also been reduced.

Food categories removed from the catalog must comply with the requirements outlined in the Announcement on the Requirements for Declaration Management of Overseas Enterprises for Imported Agricultural Products (GACC Announcement No 219 of 2025).

2. Release of the List of Food Not Eligible for Automatic Registration Renewal

According to Article 21 of the regulations, registered enterprises meeting the requirements will have their registration automatically renewed upon expiry, except for those whose food categories are listed in the List of Food Not Eligible for Automatic Registration Renewal.

Based on risk assessment, this list includes meat and meat products, as well as edible bird's nests and related products. This list will be updated dynamically in the future.

3. Clarification of the scope of storage enterprises required to register

Article 30 of the regulations has been clarified. Given the high risks associated with the low-temperature transportation of terrestrial animal-derived food and aquatic products, and in line with international practice and current domestic standards, cold storage facilities storing these products are now required to register.

4. Specification of declaration requirements for registration-related imported food

For imported food entering the Chinese market as cargo for human consumption or as raw materials for food processing, the announcement specifies the requirements for completing registration information, the import declaration requirements for food of varying risk levels, and the import requirements for food from enterprises whose registration status is suspended, deregistered, revoked, or otherwise abnormal.

5. Facilitation of registration processing and inquiries

The GACC's China Import Food Enterprises Registration system is the sole platform for registration processing, accessible at https://cifer.singlewindow.cn. No fees are charged for registration. Enterprises can use this system to view and handle applications, changes, renewals, suspensions, reinstatements, and other related matters.

They can also visit the GACC's official website at http://english.customs.gov.cn to access registration-related policies and regulations, enterprise information, procedural guides, and other relevant information.

Source: General Administration of Customs of China