Import Regulations & Standards
The import regulations imposed by the countries time to time to ensure Food Safety and Quality assurance includes non Tariff barriers for the various food products.
| S.No. | Circulation Date | Country | Report Title | Report Highlights | View Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 SEP 2025 | China | Use of Food Nutritional Fortifier Draft Regulation Notified | On September 4, 2025, China notified the National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Nutritional Fortifier to the WTO as G/SPS/N/CHN/1353. This standard specifies requirements for the use of nutritional fortification substances, selection for fortifiable food categories, and provisions on how to use nutritional fortification substances in foods. Comments may be submitted to China’s SPS National Notification and Enquiry Center at sps@customs.gov.cn until November 3, 2025. This report provides an unofficial translation of the draft standard. | Click here |
| 2 | 22 SEP 2025 | China | The National Food Safety and Hygiene Standard for Production of Compound Seasonings Notified | On September 4, 2025, China notified the National Food Safety and Hygiene Standard for the Production of Compound Seasonings to the WTO as G/SPS/N/CHN/1351. This new standard specifies the scope of application, sanitation requirements for production facilities and environments, use of ingredients, and food safety control systems. | Click here |
| 3 | 22 SEP 2025 | China | Proposed Regulation on Recalls of Cross-Border E-Commerce Imported Retail Foods | On September 9, 2025, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation and Ministry of Commerce jointly published a proposed regulation to further strengthen the supervision of recalls on cross-border ecommerce imported retail foods. | Click here |
| 4 | 18 SEP 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard for Edible Animal Blood Products Notified | On August 29, 2025, China notified a National Food Safety Standard for Edible Animal Blood Products to the WTO under G/SPS/N/CHN/1071/Add.1. This national food safety standard includes mandatory requirements on raw materials, chemical and physical indicators, and contaminant limits for edible animal blood products. | Click here |
| 5 | 18 SEP 2025 | China | General Safety Requirements of Food Contact Materials and Articles Notified | On August 29, 2025, China notified a National Food Safety Standard for General Safety Requirements of Food Contact Materials and Articles to the WTO under G/SPS/N/CHN/1293/Add.1. This standard includes a definition, migration amount, maximum residue, and raw material requirements. This report provides an unofficial translation of the notified draft standard. Comments may be submitted to China’s SPS National Notification and Enquiry Center at sps@customs.gov.cn until October 28, 2025. | Click here |
| 6 | 18 SEP 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard for Modified Milk Notified | On August 29, 2025, China notified a National Food Safety Standard for Modified Milk to the WTO under G/SPS/N/CHN/1287/Add.1. This national food safety standard includes a definition, requirements for raw materials, chemical and physical indicators, contaminant limits, and labeling for modified milk products. | Click here |
| 7 | 08 SEP 2025 | China | Draft Pet Food Hygiene Standard Open for Domestic Comments | On August 11, 2025, China announced a new draft national hygienic standard for pet feed (food) soliciting public comments until October 10, 2025. At the time of the report, the standard has not been notified to WTO. | Click here |
| 8 | 26 AUG 2025 | China | Draft Pet Feed Label Standard Open for Domestic Comments | On August 11, 2025, China announced a new draft national standard for Pet Food Labeling; it is soliciting public comments until October 10, 2025. | Click here |
| 9 | 22 AUG 2025 | China | 2025 National Food Safety Formulation and Revision Plan Published | On July 25, 2025, China announced the national food safety standards plan for 2025. The announcement reflects China’s plan for the formulation and revision of 44 national food safety standards in 2025. This report provides an unofficial translation of the announcement and the list of the standards. | Click here |
| 10 | 20 AUG 2025 | China | Trade Alert - GACC Amends CIFER Self-Registration Process | On August 14, 2025, the General Administration of Customs China published a notice on functional adjustments of the registration and management system in the China Import Food Enterprise Registration system for self-registered facilities and products. | Click here |
| 11 | 20 AUG 2025 | China | Revised Measures for Inspection and Quarantine Notified | On July 22, 2025, China notified the WTO of several revised measures for the inspection and quarantine of feed products, fruit, animal products, wood packaging, and grains. | Click here |
| 12 | 19 AUG 2025 | China | Call for Domestic Comments on 30 National Food Safety Standards | On August 1, 2025, the Chinese government announced a public comment period for 30 national food safety standards, open until September 26, 2025, via the national standards management system. The standards have not yet been notified to the WTO. | Click here |
| 13 | 19 AUG 2025 | China | Revised National Food Safety Standard for Paddy Rice Notified | On July 25, 2025, China notified a National Food Safety Standard for Paddy Rice to the WTO under G/TBT/N/CHN/2091. | Click here |
| 14 | 11 AUG 2025 | China | Decree 248 Product List Update - August 2025 | The General Administration of Customs of the People''s Republic of China updated the list of products and codes subject to Decree 248. Between May 9 and July 31, 2025, Chinese officials added 59 products and removed 71 products. | Click here |
| 15 | 24 JUL 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Food Microbiological Examination Enumeration of Escherichia coli | On March 27, 2025, China’s NHC and the SAMR jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Food Microbiological Examination Enumeration of Escherichia coli (GB 4789.38- 2025). | Click here |
| 16 | 23 JUL 2025 | China | Revised Measures for Quarantine Administration of Imported Plant Propagation Materials Notified | On June 30, 2025, China notified the Measures for the Quarantine Administration of Imported Plant Propagation Materials (Revised Version) to the WTO under G/SPS/N/CHN/1282/Add.1. This report provides an unofficial translation of the notified measures. Comments may be submitted to China''s SPS National Notification and Enquiry Center at sps@customs.gov.cn until August 29, 2025. | Click here |
| 17 | 14 JUL 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Microbiological Examination in Foods - Listeria monocytogenes Testing | On March 27, 2025, China''s NHC and the SAMR jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Microbiological Examination in Foods - Listeria monocytogenes Testing (GB 4789.30- 2025). | Click here |
| 18 | 17 JUN 2025 | China | Import Guidance for Trade Show Samples | This report provides guidance on how U.S. exporters can send sample products for display at trade shows in China. | Click here |
| 19 | 10 JUN 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard on Microbiological Examination of Foods Coliforms Count | On March 27, 2025, the PRC released the National Food Safety Standard on Microbiological Examination of Foods Coliforms Count. | Click here |
| 20 | 21 MAY 2025 | China | Comment Opportunity on 28 National Food Safety Standards | On May 14, 2025, China’s National Health Commission announced a solicitation of public comments on the revision of 28 national food safety standards. The comments can be submitted to China’s national standards management information system until June 14, 2025. At the time of the report, the standards have not been notified to the WTO. This report provides unofficial translation of the announcement and the list of the standards. Stakeholders should conduct their own review of the regulations to assess any market or regulatory effect on their business. | Click here |
| 21 | 15 MAY 2025 | China | Decree 248 Product List Update - May 2025 | The General Administration of Customs of the People''s Republic of China updated the list of products and codes subject to Decree 248. Between November 20, 2024 and May 9, 2025, Chinese officials added 94 products and removed 78 products. | Click here |
| 22 | 15 MAY 2025 | China | Amendment Sheet for National Food Safety Standard Sterilized Milk Released | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China''s National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly released the Amendment Sheet for National Food Safety Standard for Sterilized Milk. | Click here |
| 23 | 15 MAY 2025 | China | Amendment Sheet for National Food Safety Standard Raw Milk Released | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly released the Amendment Sheet for the National Food Safety Standard for Raw Milk. | Click here |
| 24 | 15 MAY 2025 | China | Trade Alert - DAPQ Facility Registration Guidance | This report provides information for U.S. exporters on the facility registration process for commodities covered by the Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine of the General Administration of Customs of the People''s Republic of China. U.S. exporters and U.S. facilities planning to export commodities to China subject to the purview of the Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine can send questions to FASChinaDAPQRegistrations@usda.gov. | Click here |
| 25 | 12 MAY 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Fermented Milk Finalized | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China''s (China’s) National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard on Fermented Milk (GB 19302-2025). | Click here |
| 26 | 08 MAY 2025 | China | Trade Alert - CIFER Registration Renewals | The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) requires enterprises be registered with the Bureau of Import and Export Food Safety before exporting most food and beverage products as part of the requirements enumerated in Decree 248. U.S. enterprises registered in the China Import Food Enterprises Registration (CIFER) system as part of the country''s requirements should take notice of their registration expiration date at the CIFER Query website. | Click here |
| 27 | 07 MAY 2025 | China | FAIRS Country Report Annual | This report presents regulations and standards applicable to food and agricultural imports, including changes to existing national food safety laws and regulations. | Click here |
| 28 | 07 MAY 2025 | China | FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual | This report lists the major registration requirements and export certificates required for U.S. food and agricultural exports to China. | Click here |
| 29 | 30 APR 2025 | China | New National Food Safety Standard Code of Hygienic Practice for Livestock and Poultry Edible Offal and By-products Published | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Code of Hygienic Practice for Livestock and Poultry Edible Offal and ByProducts (GB 31616-2025). | Click here |
| 30 | 30 APR 2025 | China | Revised Draft Legume Herbage Seed Standard Notified | On April 24, 2025, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) notified the National Standard for Legume Herbage Seed (Draft for Comments) to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under G/TBT/N/CHN/2053. | Click here |
| 31 | 28 APR 2025 | China | New National Food Safety Standard Code of Hygienic Practice of Producing Prepared Meat Products Published | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China (China’s) National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Code of Hygienic Practice of Producing Prepared Meat Products (GB 31661-2025). | Click here |
| 32 | 28 APR 2025 | China | Action Plan on Inspection of Edible Vegetable Oils | On April 18, 2025, the People’s Republic of China (China’s) State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released the Announcement for Deployment of Inspection and Rectification Actions for Edible Vegetable Oils. | Click here |
| 33 | 21 APR 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard for Cream Butter and Anhydrous Milk Fat Finalized | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China (China’s) National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard for Cream, Butter, and Anhydrous Milk Fat (GB 19646-2025). | Click here |
| 34 | 21 APR 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Canned Foods Finalized | On March 27, 2025, The People’s Republic of China (China’s) National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Canned Foods (GB 7098-2025). | Click here |
| 35 | 21 APR 2025 | China | GACC Interpretation on Implementation of Additional Tariffs on Imports from the United States | On April 10, 2025, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) published an interpretation for the implementation of retaliatory tariff assessments on U.S. reciprocal tariffs and clarified text on U.S. “goods in transit”. | Click here |
| 36 | 18 APR 2025 | China | Food Labeling and Marking Supervision and Management Measures Finalized | On March 14, 2025, The People’s Republic of China (China’s) State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released the final Food Labeling and Marking Supervision and Management Measures. | Click here |
| 37 | 16 APR 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Edible Starch Finalized | On March 27, 2025, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Edible Starch (GB 31637-2025). | Click here |
| 38 | 15 APR 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants Finalized | On March 27, 2025, the People’s Republic of China''s (China''s) National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the final National Food Safety Standard Formulas for Special Medical Purposes Intended for Infants (GB 25596-2025) applicable for infants aged 0 to 12 months, and it will enter into force on March 16, 2027. | Click here |
| 39 | 14 APR 2025 | China | Nutritional Labeling Standards for Prepackaged Food Finalized | On March 27, 2025, the People''s Republic of China''s (China''s) National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 28050-2025). China has announced a two-year transition period for the enforcement of the standard, which will enter into force on March 16, 2027. | Click here |
| 40 | 14 APR 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard Canned Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children Finalized | On March 27, 2025, The People''s Republic of China (China’s) National Health Commission (NHC) and State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard Canned Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children (GB 10770-2025). | Click here |
| 41 | 14 APR 2025 | China | National Food Safety Standard of Cereal-based Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children Finalized | On March 27, 2025, the People''s Republic of China''s (China''s) National Health Commission (NHC) and State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the National Food Safety Standard of Cereal-based Complementary Foods for Infants and Young Children (GB 10769-2025). | Click here |
| 42 | 11 APR 2025 | China | SCTC 2025 Announcement Number 6 Increases Retaliatory Tariffs to 125 Percent for All Goods from the United States | On April 11, 2025, the State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced that China will impose additional retaliatory tariffs on all U.S. goods. According to SCTC 2025 Announcement No. 6, the retaliatory duties would be increased to 125 percent on top of the current applicable tariff basis. The announcement includes text that, “Given that at the current tariff level, there is no market acceptance for U.S. goods exported to China, if the United States continues to impose (new) tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the United States, China will ignore it.” | Click here |
| 43 | 10 APR 2025 | China | SCTC and GACC Announcements and Guidance on Additional Tariffs for All Goods from the United States | On April 9, 2025, the Ministry of Finance State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced that China will impose additional retaliatory tariffs on all U.S. goods. According to SCTC 2025 Announcement No. 5, the duties would be an additional 50 percent on the current applicable tariff basis and the tariffs would follow the same parameters as announced on April 4, 2025, in SCTC Announcement No. 4. Additionally, on April 9, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) issued procedural guidance in GACC 2025 Announcement No. 58 related to the customs declaration procedures for goods affected by the retaliatory tariffs and destined for bonded trade. | Click here |
| 44 | 04 APR 2025 | China | Trade Alert - Meat and Poultry Product Expiration and Shelf Life Requirements | On March 31, 2025, China’s International Trade Single Window published a notification that included an update stating that imported meat and poultry products would require a “Product Expiration Date” as a data field for customs import declarations. | Click here |
| 45 | 03 APR 2025 | China | Prepackaged Food Labeling Standards Finalized | On March 27, 2025, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released the General Principles for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025). | Click here |
| 46 | 02 APR 2025 | China | GACC Announcement 277 - Regulation on Declaration Management of Import and Export Goods | On March 28, 2025, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) published Announcement 277 updating the Regulations on the Declaration Management of Import and Export Goods, which will take effect on May 1, 2025, replacing the previous version from 2003. | Click here |
| 47 | 02 APR 2025 | China | Fifty National Food Safety Standards and Nine Amendments Released | On March 27, 2025, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly published an announcement releasing 50 new or updated National Food Safety Standards (GB) and nine amendment sheets. | Click here |
| 48 | 27 MAR 2025 | China | GACC Extends Facility Registration and Sets New Deadline | The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine (DAPQ) expanded the list of commodities that require export facility registration. GACC DAPQ requested that the registrations of the newly covered commodities be submitted by May 31, 2025 by the respective government counterparts. | Click here |
| 49 | 18 MAR 2025 | China | Updated Feed Ingredients Catalog Open for Public Comments | On March 4, 2025, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced an updated Feed Ingredients Catalog. | Click here |
| 50 | 03 MAR 2025 | China | Food Safety Law Revision - Domestic Comments Opportunity | On February 17, 2025, the People''s Republic of China (PRC) State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released a letter soliciting public comments on a revision to the current Food Safety Law. | Click here |
| 51 | 03 MAR 2025 | China | Food Safety Law Revision - Domestic Comments Opportunity | On February 17, 2025, the People''s Republic of China (PRC) State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released a letter soliciting public comments on a revision to the current Food Safety Law. | Click here |
| 52 | 03 MAR 2025 | China | Food Safety Law Revision - Domestic Comments Opportunity | On February 17, 2025, the People''s Republic of China (PRC) State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) released a letter soliciting public comments on a revision to the current Food Safety Law. | Click here |
| 53 | 28 JAN 2025 | China | MOFCOM Issues Questionnaires for Imported Beef Safeguard Investigation | On January 26, 2025, the PRC Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) Trade Remedy Investigation Bureau (TRIB) published notice 2025 No. 28 which includes the relevant questionnaires for exporters, importers, and domestic producers registered to take part in the imported beef safeguard investigation. Completed questionnaires are due to MOFCOM by 5:00 p.m. February 17 (China). | Click here |
| 54 | 08 JAN 2025 | China | Feed Additives and Ingredients Catalogs Updates | On December 20, 2024, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced its approval of six new feed additive varieties, expansion of usage scope for three feed additives, and addition of two feed additives and one feed ingredient into the MARA feed catalogs. | Click here |
| 55 | 07 JAN 2025 | China | Amended Overseas Food Producer Registration Regulation Notified | On January 3, 2025, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) published a notice soliciting public comments on the “Regulations of the People''s Republic of China on the Registration and Administration of Overseas Producers of Imported Food (Draft for Comments).” | Click here |