In April 2021, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) released two revised decrees;

The first decree is the "GACC Decree 248: Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Producers of Imported Food", which will require all overseas food manufacturers, processors, and storage facilities to register with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

The second decree is the "GACC Decree 249: Administrative Measures on Import and Export Food Safety" , which covers a broad range of requirements on food exports to China, including overseas facilities registration, record filing by importers and exporters, quarantine and inspection, and product labeling.

According to the provisions of GACC Decree 249 Article 15, the GACC registration number of overseas production enterprises needs to be printed on the Chinese Labeling of imported food, then can pass  the China Customs Clearance process normally.

Both Decree 248 and Decree 249 are slated to enter into force on January 1, 2022.

If the overseas enterprise of imported food does not have a branch in China, should appoint a CRA (Chinese Representative Agent) to apply GACC registration.

According to the requirements of the  "GACC Decree 248: Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Producers of Imported Food", all overseas food manufacturers, processors, and storage facilities need to register with the GACC, the GACC registration number of overseas production enterprises needs to be printed on the Chinese Labeling of imported food, the CIQ will inspect the Chinese Labeling of imported food in the China Customs Clearance process;

Different food categories need to apply for different types of China GACC registration, There are 3 types of GACC registration for Overseas Producers of imported food, Each type of GACC registration process, application document requirements, time and cost are different;:

Each of the food category requires a separate GACC registration number, Each facility address requires a separate GACC registration number ！

There are about 30 food categories in total, See below:

1. Vegetables and their products (except fresh and dehydrated vegetables)
2. Processed grain and their products
3. Tea
4. Processed Nuts and seed products
5. Liquor
6. Beverages and frozen drinks
7. Biscuits, pastries, bread
8. Sugars (including raw sugar, table sugar, lactose, syrup, etc.)
9. Candy, chocolate (including chocolate, cocoa butter substitute chocolate and its products)
10. Condiments (not including sugar)
11. Roasted coffee beans, cocoa beans and their products (excluding chocolate)
12. Fruit products (excluding dried fruits)
13. Chinese herbal medicine
14. Other processed food

If the overseas enterprise of imported food does not have a branch in China, should appoint a CRA (Chinese Representative Agent) to apply GACC registration.
 

1. meat products,
2. aquatic products,
3. dairy products,
4. Infant formula milk
5. bird nest products,
6. foods for special dietary purposes,
7. health foods,

According to the requirements of the "Administrative Measures on Import and Export Food Safety" (GACC Decree 249), all overseas exporters of imported food need to register with the GACC.

If the overseas exporters of imported food does not have a branch in China, should appoint a CRA (Chinese Representative Agent) to apply GACC registration.
After this filing, the overseas exporter will get a GACC filing number, In each import customs clearance process, need fill this filing number in customs declaration and CIQ inspection application forms.

This type GACC registration is easy, cost about $400-$600, time 1~2 weeks.

► Exporter Food categories (GACC-2-1 type )

1. Meat **
2. Aquatic Products And Preserved Aquatic Products **
3. Pelagic Fishery **
4. Dairy Products **
5. Bird Nest Products **
6. Food for Special Dietary Use *
7. Processed Flavorings Of Plant Origin *
8. Bee Products *
9. Egg And Egg Products *
10. Grains And Grain Products *
11. Dried Fruits And Nuts *
12. Vegetable And Vegetable Products *
13. Oil And Oil Seeds *
14. Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials Of Animal And Plant Origin *
15. Processed Flavorings
16. Cigarette
17. Soft Drinks And Drinking Water
18. Canned Foods
19. Tea
20. Other Processed Foods
21. Other Plant Origin Food
22. Pastry Biscuits And Crackers
23. Candied (Preserved) Fruits
24. Sugar
25. Alcoholic Beverage
26. Other foods 　

According to the requirements of the "Administrative Measures on Import and Export Food Safety" (GACC Decree 249), all Chinese importer of imported food need to register with the GACC.

Chinese importer need to establish a Food Products Sales quality management system Including source protection, quality control, product traceability and recall, risk information reporting, risk information emergency plan,Organizational structure, department functions and responsibilities of Food safety technical personnel, management personnel,etc.

This type GACC registration is complicated , cost about $1,000-$1,500, time need about 1 month.

List of GACC Registered Chinese Importer of Imported Food