China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, known as AQSIQ, recently issued a requirement for all companies exporting food to mainland China to register with the agency by October 1, 2012. Agents working with these companies and consignees importing food to mainland China must also register.
Although AQSIQ will continue to accept applications for registration after the effective date, only shipments from registered companies and agents will be allowed into the country after September.
The requirement, Decree 55, directs companies to register via visiting the online filing system on the AQSIQ website and clicking on "Initial Registration." Applicants will be asked to provide:
- Exporter name
- Agent name
- Addresses
- Contact names
- Phone numbers
- Food category or categories
- Applicant's name and phone number
Once the registration has been filed, the applicant will receive a serial number, which can be used to check the filing process and to modify information already filed. AQSIQ plans to post on its website a list of exporters that have filed with the agency.
For more information, contact John Kelly, IDFA manager of international affairs, at jkelly@idfa.org.