China: Importing Foods without National Food Safety Standards

Article 93 of the 2015 Food Safety Law makes recommendations in the case of imported products without a Chinese food safety standard. Correspondingly, in April 2017, China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) issued the Notice for Regulating the Standard Review of Imported Foods without National Food Safety Standard. The Notice identifies the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center (CFSA) as the entity to receive applications and conduct the technical review of standards on imported foods without a national food safety standard in accordance to the existing procedures. However, the notice does not provide further details as to how applicants can make submissions, and does not differentiate the treatment between traditionally traded products vs. new-to-market products. The following report contains an unofficial translation of the NHFPC Notice.

China: Importing Foods without National Food Safety Standards