Release Date: 8th April, 2026
1. Could you elaborate on the specific benefits these will bring to applicant manufacturers once implemented?
Answers: The adoption of "Risk-Based Categorization Management of Manufacturers" is a distinctive feature of the newly released Registration Provisions to facilitate registration. First, it is important to reiterate that the new Provisions fully consider the connection with the existing registration system. The import trade of 96,000 food manufacturers that have already been registered with GACC will not be affected by the release of the new Provisions. The most significant advantage it brings to the manufacturers is increased convenience.
Firstly, in accordance with the Registration Provisions and the implementation announcement, except for meat and meat products, bird's nest and bird's nest products manufacturers, other types of foods produced by overseas manufacturers, the validity period will be automatically renewed upon expiration. Such a practice can ensure the effective optimization of the validity extension. For the above two types of foods that cannot be automatically renewed, the Registration Provisions have extended the extension application period from 3 to 6 months before expiration to 3 to 12 months, providing more sufficient time for manufacturers to apply for the renewal of registration.
Secondly, regarding the possible change that the registered manufacturers may encounter, a more flexible and practical approach has been adopted. The main assessment is whether the relevant changes have a significant impact on the safety and health management and defense system of food, on account of this, a decision is made by GACC on whether to approve the changes to ensure the normal conduct of trade to the greatest extent.
In addition, new applicants for registration will be able to enjoy the following four conveniences: First, the application process has become more convenient. The application method for registration has been optimized from the original "official recommendation of registration" and "manufacturers' self - application for registration" to both applications being submitted by manufacturers' self. For registered food required to be commended by the Competent Authority of the countries or regions where the overseas manufactures are located, the overseas manufacturers can directly submit the application to GACC after obtaining the inspection report and recommendation letter issued by the Competent Authority. Second, the requirements for application materials have become more precise. The identity proof documents of the manufacturers are not only limited to business licenses but also official certificates can be submitted. Information such as "production type and production capacity" of manufacturers has been adjusted to be provided when necessary. Third, information feedback is more prompt. The progress of the registration application is directly notified to the manufacturers through the system and also informed to the overseas Competent Authorities. Fourth, for countries and regions that already have a good foundation of cooperation and have reached bilateral agreements on the import food registration, the manufacturers can also enjoy the express channel brought by the "consolidated list registrations ". It is believed that after the implementation of the new Provisions, the import registration processing of law-abiding and compliant overseas manufacturers will be more efficient and convenient.
2. The announcement regarding the implementation of the new Registration Provisions specifies certain catalogs and lists. Could you elaborate on how these catalogs are determined?
Answers: Formulating relevant catalogs and lists are a full demonstration of coordinating development and security, scientific and rigorous attitude towards import and export food safety.
First, the announcement clarifies Article 6 of the Registration Provision, which stipulates the "food catalogue shall be registered with GACC and recommended by the Competent Authority of the countries or regions where the overseas manufacturers are located". The formulation of the catalogue mainly takes into account three risk factors: Firstly, the safety risk of the relevant food and product is high, such as multiple detections of non-compliances; Secondly, the relevant products have experienced major food safety incidents, which have drawn high public attention. Thirdly, in line with international practices, major trading partner of China have implemented registration regulatory measures to high-risk foods like meat, dairy products and aquatic products.
The above-mentioned "Catalogue" has been released to the public as the implementation announcement of Registration Provision. At present, the food category that requires registration with GACC and recommended by the Competent Authority of the countries or regions where the overseas manufacturers are located includes products of meat and meat products, aquatic products and other categories. Compared with the previous version of "Registration Provision", the primary agricultural products such as oilseeds, coarse grains, preserved vegetables, dried beans, seasonings, unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans have been removed. For these primary edible agricultural products that have been removed, GACC has previously issued the "Announcement on the Requirements for the Declaration and Management for Overseas Manufacturers for export of Agricultural Products to China" (Announcement No. 219 of GACC in 2025), achieved seamless regulatory coordination.
Second, the announcement clearly stipulates Article 21 regarding the "the list of foods not subject to automatic registration renewal". Upon risk assessment, products such as meat and meat products, bird's nest and bird's nest products have been included in the list of products that not subject to automatic registration renewal.
GACC implements end-to-end supervision over imported food from the origin to the border post through measures such as system assessment, port inspection, and subsequent supervision to continuously prevent product risks. Among this, registration system is the foremost and most critical control measure. For food and food products where the processing standards and production capacity are relatively fixed and no major food safety incidents have occurred, considering trade facilitation, GACC allows its registration to be automatically extended. For products with relatively higher risks, GACC will, in cooperation with the Competent Authorities of the exporting country, conduct necessary reviews during the renewal of manufacturers registration, so as to further tighten the "safety valve".
Thirdly, the announcement clearly defines Article 30 of the "the scope of overseas storage facilities for export of food to China that requires registration ". Given the high risks involved in the low-temperature storage and transportation of products such as meat and meat products, and aquatic products, considering that major trading partner countries all impose registration requirements on relevant cold storage facilities, in light of international practices and current control measures, the announcement clearly includes cold storage facilities used for the storage of food of terrestrial animal origin and aquatic products within its scope.
In summary, the above-mentioned catalogue and list are determined based on international rules and risk assessment. Subsequently, we will also make dynamic adjustments based on risk assessment.
3. We have noted the introduction of a new consolidated “List Registration” based on an official framework for Good Regulatory Cooperation. How this new model will be implemented and what specific facilitations it will offer?
Answers: In 2025, President Xi Jinping proposed the ''Global Governance Initiative'' emphasizing the construction of a more just and equitable global governance system. Articles 17 and 18 of the " Regulations Provision" have added the "List registration" model. This is an important institutional innovation promoted by GACC under the principle of "Global Co-governance". It is applicable to countries (regions) that have signed food safety cooperation documents with China and have a good foundation for cooperation. The aim is to optimize the registration review process by strengthening global food safety co-governance and facilitate the application for registration and enhance the level of trade conveniences.
Countries (regions) that meet the conditions listed in Article 17 may make agreements with GACC on specific consolidated "List Registration" product categories, recommendation methods, subsequent regulatory requirements, problem communication mechanisms, exit mechanisms, etc., to customize more personalized registration management requirements. After both parties reached an agreement and signed the corresponding cooperation documents, the Competent Authority of the country (region) may, in accordance with the agreement, provide GACC with the list of qualified manufacturers and other written materials. GACC will, in accordance with the agreement, implement consolidated bulk registration and management of the manufacturers on the list. At the same time, the list registration does not affect manufacturers' application through the original official recommendation or self-applied registration manners.
Of course, the Competent Authorities of the countries (regions) participating in the "List Registration" should fulfill their regulatory responsibilities as agreed, ensure that the manufacturers on the list meets the supervision requirements of the countries (regions) located, and cooperate with GACC to carry out on-site audits and evaluations to jointly enhance the governance efficiency of food safety.
4. Many overseas manufacturers, as well as relevant food industry stakeholders, interested in applying for registration, are closely following specific details such as handling time and necessary documentary materials. Could you provide an overview of the current situation regarding these matters?
Answers: Since the release of the new Registration Provision, GACC has intensively carried out training and publicity, issued interpretations of the Registration Provision, released user manuals, service guidelines, and operation demonstration videos on the registration system in both Chinese and English. Continuously explain the relevant requirements for Competent Authorities of importing countries(regions) and manufacturers through multilateral and bilateral channels. Help the overseas Competent Authorities and manufacturers better understand the requirements of registration to benefit from reform dividends. All the above-mentioned promotional materials can be accessed through the "Service Guide" of China Import Food Enterprises Registration (CIFER). In response to the two specific issues you mentioned, the brief reply is as follows:
Regarding the handling time limit for registration, for different types of manufacturers, due to the varying circumstances of the manufacturer itself, the risk levels of the products applied for registration, the key points of the review of the processing techniques of food, the degree of compliance of the application materials of manufacturers, and the different non-compliances found during the on-site (video) inspection of manufacturers, the handling time for the applications of different manufacturers varies. It is currently not possible to commit to the specific handling time frame for registration in all cases. Since 2022, all registration procedures have been carried out through the registration system (CIFER). The system can display in real time the stage where the registration application is located, helping manufacturers to understand the progress of the application more conveniently. According to the current data from the registration system, for normal registration applications, they are generally processed within 20 working days. GACC releases the latest approval of applications every week. If manufacturers wish to obtain relevant information, they may stay updated by following the official website of GACC.
Regarding the application written materials of registration, the Registration Provisions have made clear requirements for the materials needed for applications, also listed in the form of application forms in CIFER. Among them, the required fields have been marked with an asterisk (*). The overseas Competent Authorities and manufacturers only need to provide the supporting materials as prompted by CIFER. In addition, CIFER has launched a notification function. Important information such as system upgrades and the progress of manufacturers’ application will be automatically prompted through the system, allowing manufacturers to be notified timely. At present, GACC is developing functions such as intelligent responses to registration questions and assistance in filling out applications by leveraging new technologies like large artificial intelligence models. We believe that these new technologies and innovative measures will bring more dividends to the overseas manufacturers for export of food to China.
If the foreign party still has any questions during the registration application process, they can contact GACC through existing channels such as the embassy in China. GACC will provide necessary training and guidance in a timely manner.
5. We have noted that the announcement regarding the implementation of the Registration Provisions sets out explicit requirements for declarations of food for export to China. What specific issues should importers pay attention to when filing Customs declarations?
Answers: In accordance with the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Full-Chain Supervision of Food Safety" issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, GACC has been continuously improving the full-chain supervision system for import and export food safety. Import registration is a critical part of the full-chain supervision. Registration information runs through the entire chain from the origin to the border post, which strongly supports the traceability and supervision of the entire chain of food for export to China.
In light of the current situation where trade methods are diverse and new business forms keep emerging, the implementation announcement of the Registration Provisions clearly stipulates the standardized declaration requirements for food imported to China in the form of goods, for human consumption or as raw materials for food processing. At the same time, the announcement also clearly stipulates the import requirements for overseas manufacturers in an abnormal state such as suspension, cancellation or revocation, to prevent relevant overseas manufacturers from suffering unnecessary losses due to the validity period of registration not meeting the requirements.
Finally, I would like to once again remind you of the importance of standardized declaration. For those who fail to fill in the relevant content as required, GACC will not accept the declaration. Those who falsely fill in information and obtain Customs documents will be resolutely investigated and dealt with in accordance with the law.
6. From a consumer perspective, what is the procedure for verifying whether an imported food product originates from a registered manufacturer? How can a consumer access the relevant registration details?
Answers: With the continuous enhancement of people's awareness of food safety, more and more consumers wish to obtain and verify relevant information about imported food. We warmly welcome all consumers to jointly participate in the social governance of imported food safety. According to the Registration Provision, "Registered overseas manufacturers shall clearly display either their Chinese registration number or the registration number approved by the Competent Authority of their country (region) of origin on the food packaging." Consumers may check the mark on the package of the manufacturers' Chinese registration number or the registration number approved by the Competent Authority of their country (region) of origin, query registration information via CIFER, the registration system access address is: https://cifer.singlewindow.cn. The search function enables users to conduct queries based on multiple criteria, including product category, registration number of the country (region) where it is located, registration number in China, and manufacturer name. Consumers are welcome to use it.
It should be reiterated here that China Import Food Enterprises Registration (CIFER) is the only official website for application and inquiry about registration of overseas manufacturers for export of food to China. All registration services, including application, modification, renewal, suspension, and reinstatement, etc. as well as recommendation of overseas manufacturers by the Competent Authorities of origin, and inquiries by consumers about the registered manufacturers, should all be conducted through this official website. Applications for overseas manufacturers’ registration for export of food to China and consumers’ inquiries regarding registration information are free of charge. GACC hereby remind all parties involved in import registration to verify the authenticity of the website to avoid losses caused by accessing fraudulent sites.
Reference
http://jckspj.customs.gov.cn/spj/2026-04/08/article_2026040808202462434.html