If you are exporting or planning to export your food products to China, please take note of this new regulation issued by the GACC as soon as possible. Effective June 1, 2026, the new regulation—Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food (GAC Decree No. 280)—will come into force. At that time, all overseas factories exporting food to China must complete registration with Chinese Customs. The core message is simple: No Registration → No Import → Cargo Cannot Clear Customs. It is strongly advised that relevant businesses ensure compliance in advance to avoid rejection at the port of arrival.
Attachment: Full Text of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food (GAC Decree No. 280)
Tips: The following content is for reference only. In case of any discrepancy with the policy provisions, please refer to the original policy document issued by GACC: 《中华人民共和国海关进口食品境外生产企业注册管理规定（海关总署令第 280 号）》
Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food (GAC Decree No. 280)
(Promulgated by GAC Decree No. 280 on October 14, 2025, effective as of June 1, 2026)
Chapter I: General Provisions
Article 1 These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection and its implementing regulations, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its implementing regulations, the Special Provisions of the State Council on Strengthening the Supervision and Administration of the Safety of Food and Other Products, and other relevant laws and administrative regulations, for the purpose of strengthening the registration administration of overseas manufacturers of imported food.
Article 2 These Regulations shall apply to the registration administration of overseas enterprises engaged in the production, processing, and storage of food exported to the territory of China (hereinafter referred to as "Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food").
The Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food specified in the preceding paragraph do not include enterprises engaged in the production, processing, and storage of food additives and food-related products.
Article 3 The General Administration of Customs (GAC) shall be uniformly responsible for the registration administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food.
Article 4 Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food shall be registered with the GAC.
Article 5 The GAC shall, based on the principle of risk management, implement classified management for Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food according to the assessment and review of the food safety management system and food safety status of the country (region) where the overseas manufacturer is located, combined with the risk level of the relevant food, and determine the corresponding registration methods, application materials, review procedures, and other registration administration requirements.
Where a risk assessment or evidence indicates that the safety risk of imported food has changed, the GAC may adjust the corresponding registration administration requirements accordingly.
Chapter II: Registration Conditions and Procedures
Article 6 The GAC shall determine and publicly announce a catalogue of imported food categories requiring official recommendation for registration (hereinafter referred to as the Catalogue) based on an analysis of factors including raw material sources, production and processing techniques, historical food safety data, consumer groups, and consumption methods, taking into account international practices.
Article 7 Conditions for the registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food:
(1) They are approved for establishment by the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located and are under its effective supervision;
(2) They have established an effective food safety, sanitation management, and protection system, legally produce and export in the country (region) where they are located, and ensure that the food exported to the territory of China complies with the relevant laws, regulations, and national food safety standards of China;
(3) They comply with the relevant inspection and quarantine requirements agreed upon between the GAC and the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located.
Overseas manufacturers of food listed in the Catalogue shall also obtain a recommendation from the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located.
Article 8 For overseas manufacturers of food listed in the Catalogue, the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located shall conduct an audit inspection of the enterprises and issue an audit inspection report and a recommendation letter for those meeting the registration requirements.
Article 9 Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food shall, either themselves or through an agent, submit the following application materials to the GAC:
(1) Enterprise registration application information;
(2) Enterprise identity documentation, such as a business license issued by the competent authority of the country (region) where the enterprise is located or a certificate issued thereby;
(3) A statement from the enterprise undertaking to comply with the requirements of these Regulations.
Overseas manufacturers of food listed in the Catalogue shall also submit the audit inspection report and recommendation letter issued by the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located.
When necessary, the GAC may require the enterprise to provide materials concerning its food safety, sanitation, and protection system, type of production, production capacity, etc.
Article 10 Enterprise registration application information shall include the enterprise name, country (region) of location, address of the production site, legal representative, contact person, contact details, registration number approved by the competent authority of the country (region) of location, types of food applied for registration, and other relevant information.
Article 11 Registration application materials shall be submitted in Chinese or English.
The competent authority of the country (region) where the enterprise is located and the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food shall be responsible for the authenticity, completeness, and legality of the relevant materials.
Article 12 The GAC shall, based on the risk level of imported food safety, conduct assessment and review of the Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food applying for registration, either by itself or by entrusting relevant institutions, through documentary checks, video inspections, on-site inspections, or a combination thereof.
Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food and the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located shall provide assistance in the aforementioned assessment and review work.
Article 13 Based on the assessment and review, the GAC shall grant registration to Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food that meet the requirements and assign them a China Registration Number, notifying the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food in writing; registration shall not be granted to those that do not meet the requirements, and the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food shall be notified in writing.
Article 14 When a registered enterprise exports food to the territory of China, it shall label the food packaging with either the China Registration Number or the registration number approved by the competent authority of the country (region) where it is located.
Article 15 The registration of an Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food shall be valid for a period of five (5) years.
When granting registration to an Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food, the GAC shall determine the commencement and expiration dates of the registration validity period.
Article 16 The GAC shall uniformly publish the list of registered Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food.
Article 17 Where the food safety management system of the country (region) where the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food is located is recognized by the GAC, and one of the following circumstances applies, the GAC may agree in writing with the competent authority of that country (region) to adopt a list-based registration method for its enterprises:
(1) A cooperation agreement on import and export food safety has been signed with the GAC;
(2) Agreements, memoranda, joint statements, or other cooperation documents covering food safety cooperation have been signed with China;
(3) Other circumstances where the GAC, through risk assessment, deems it appropriate to adopt the list-based registration method.
Article 18 Where the list-based registration method is adopted, the competent authority of the country (region) where the enterprises are located shall submit the following materials to the GAC:
(1) A list of food production enterprises recommended for registration in China;
(2) The application information specified in Article 10 of these Regulations;
(3) A statement declaring that the recommended enterprises comply with the requirements of the first paragraph of Article 7 of these Regulations;
(4) A statement undertaking to continuously fulfill the responsibilities stipulated in bilateral cooperation documents.
Upon review, the GAC shall grant registration and assign a China Registration Number to enterprises on the list that meet the requirements, and shall not grant registration to those on the list that do not meet the requirements, notifying the competent authority of the country (region) of location in writing.
Chapter III: Supervision and Administration
Article 19 The GAC shall, based on the risk level of imported food safety, conduct follow-up reviews, either by itself or by entrusting relevant institutions, to verify whether Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food continuously comply with the registration requirements.
Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food and the competent authority of the country (region) where they are located shall provide assistance in the aforementioned follow-up review work.
Article 20 If, during the validity period of registration, the registration information of an Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food changes, the enterprise shall submit an application for change to the GAC through the registration application channel and provide the following materials:
(1) A comparison table showing the changes in registration particulars;
(2) Supporting documents related to the changed information.
If, after assessment, the GAC deems the change permissible, it shall approve the change. Where circumstances such as relocation of the production site, change of legal representative, or change in the registration number granted by the country (region) of location significantly impact the enterprise's food safety, sanitation management, and protection system, the GAC shall not approve the change and shall notify the enterprise to reapply for registration; the China Registration Number shall become invalid from the date of such notification.
Article 21 Upon expiration of the registration validity period, registration shall be automatically renewed for a further period of five (5) years, except in any of the following circumstances:
(1) The imported food is included in the List of Imported Foods Not Eligible for Automatic Registration Renewal;
(2) The enterprise is under rectification for non-compliance with registration requirements;
(3) The GAC has lawfully suspended the import of relevant food from the country (region) where the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food is located.
The List of Imported Foods Not Eligible for Automatic Registration Renewal mentioned in item (1) of the preceding paragraph shall be separately published by the GAC.
Article 22 An overseas manufacturer of food included in the List of Imported Foods Not Eligible for Automatic Registration Renewal that needs to renew its registration shall submit an application for renewal to the GAC through the registration application channel within three (3) to twelve (12) months prior to the expiration of the registration validity period. Renewal application materials include:
(1) Renewal application information;
(2) A statement undertaking continuous compliance with registration requirements;
(3) For overseas manufacturers of food listed in the Catalogue, a statement issued by the competent authority of the country (region) of location certifying continuous compliance with registration requirements.
The GAC shall grant renewal of registration to enterprises that meet the registration requirements, extending the registration validity period by five (5) years.
Article 23 In any of the following circumstances involving a registered Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food, the GAC shall cancel its registration, notify the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food, inform the competent authority of the country (region) of location, and publicly announce the cancellation:
(1) Failure to apply for renewal of registration as required;
(2) Voluntary application for cancellation by the competent authority of the country (region) of location or the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food;
(3) No longer meeting the requirement specified in item (1) of the first paragraph of Article 7 of these Regulations.
Article 24 The competent authority of the country (region) where the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food is located shall fulfill its food safety regulatory responsibilities, implement effective supervision over registered enterprises, urge registered enterprises to continuously comply with registration requirements, and, upon discovering non-compliance with registration requirements, shall immediately take risk prevention, control, and mitigation measures, suspend the export of food from the relevant enterprise to China, notify the GAC, and supervise the enterprise's rectification until compliance with registration requirements is restored.
When an Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food discovers its own non-compliance with registration requirements, it shall proactively suspend the export of food to China, immediately take corrective measures, and continue such measures until compliance with registration requirements is achieved.
Article 25 Where the GAC finds that a registered Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food no longer meets the registration requirements, it shall order the enterprise to take corrective action within a specified period, notify the competent authority of the country (region) where the enterprise is located to supervise the rectification, and suspend the import of food from the relevant enterprise during the rectification period.
Upon completion of rectification, the enterprise shall submit a supervision and rectification report issued by the competent authority of the country (region) of location and a written statement confirming compliance with registration requirements.
The GAC shall review the rectification status of the enterprise; if compliance is achieved, the import of food from the relevant enterprise shall be resumed.
Article 26 Where the GAC suspends or resumes the import of food from registered Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food pursuant to Articles 24 and 25 of these Regulations, the list of relevant enterprises shall be published by the GAC.
Article 27 In any of the following circumstances involving a registered Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food, the GAC shall revoke its registration and make a public announcement:
(1) A major food safety incident occurs with imported food due to reasons attributable to the enterprise itself;
(2) Food safety problems are discovered during entry inspection and quarantine of food exported to the territory of China, and the circumstances are serious;
(3) Major issues exist in the enterprise's food safety and sanitation management, rendering it unable to ensure that food exported to the territory of China meets safety and sanitation requirements;
(4) Non-compliance with registration requirements persists even after rectification;
(5) Provision of false materials or concealment of relevant information;
(6) Refusal to cooperate with the GAC in follow-up reviews and incident investigations;
(7) Leasing, lending, transferring, reselling, or fraudulent use of the registration number;
(8) Registration was granted to an enterprise that was not qualified to apply or did not meet the registration conditions;
(9) Other circumstances under which registration may be revoked according to law.
Chapter IV: Supplementary Provisions
Article 28 Where the GAC lawfully suspends the import of relevant food from the country (region) where Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food are located, applications for registration from manufacturers of the relevant food in that country (region) shall not be accepted during the suspension period.
Article 29 Where relevant countries (regions) and China have separate agreements concerning the registration administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food, such agreements shall prevail.
Article 30 The scope of overseas storage enterprises for imported food subject to registration administration under these Regulations shall be separately published by the GAC.
The registration administration of overseas manufacturers of primary edible agricultural products shall be formulated separately by the GAC.
The administration requirements for overseas manufacturers of imported food sold through cross-border e-commerce retail shall be handled in accordance with relevant provisions.
Article 31 In these Regulations, "competent authority of the country (region) of location" refers to the official department of the country (region) where the Overseas Manufacturer of Imported Food is located that is responsible for the safety and sanitation supervision of food production enterprises.
Article 32 The power to interpret these Regulations shall reside with the General Administration of Customs.
Article 33 These Regulations shall come into force on June 1, 2026. The Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food, promulgated by GAC Decree No. 248 on April 12, 2021, shall be repealed simultaneously.
