Announcement Concerning Implementation of Zero-tariff Treatment for 97 per cent of Tax Items in Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe of the Republic of Gambia (GAC Announcement [2017] No. 53)

On 8 November 2017, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) issued the Announcement Concerning Implementation of Zero-tariff Treatment for 97 per cent of Tax Items in Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe of the Republic of Gambia, specifying that starting from 1 December 2017, zero tariff will be imposed on imports of 97 per cent of the tax items originating from the Republic of the Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. Importers and their agents who import goods originating from these countries and apply for zero-tariff treatment shall fill out the customs declaration form in accordance with the requirements of GAC Announcement [2016] No. 51 for submission to the customs in accordance with the requirements of the Decree of the General Administration of Customs on the “Measures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for Administration of Origin of Imported Goods under Special Preferential Tariff Treatment to the Least Developed Countries” (GAC Decree No. 231).

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement on Amendment to “Record Sheets of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for Test Sampling of Imported and Exported Goods” (GAC Announcement [2017] No. 54)

On 8 November 2017, GAC issued the Announcement on Amendment to “Record Sheets of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for Test Sampling of Imported and Exported Goods”. After revision, the following changes are made:

• the removal of the “Purpose of sampling” column on the record sheets
• the requirement for a detailed description of the packaging and the appearance of the imported goods 
• the requirement of a 18 digit number on the customs declaration form
• the requirement of the seal number in the “Remarks” column
• the insertion of two columns – “Item number” and “Others”

the inclusion of the statement of “I hereby declare that the samples are taken from and representative of the declared goods. ” at the end of the form.

The Announcement came into effect on 1 December 2017.

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement on Comprehensively Implementing Customs Clearance and Taxation Facilitation Measures for Wine Entering the Mainland through Hong Kong (GAC Announcement [2017] No. 55)

On 8 November 2017, GAC issued the Announcement on Comprehensively Implementing Customs Clearance and Taxation Facilitation Measures for Wine Entering the Mainland through Hong Kong, extending the scope of implementation of the measures to all ports in China from 9 November 2017. Where the data and information of wine entering the mainland through Hong Kong have been declared by wine exporters to the Customs and Excise Department via the web-based computer system under the Customs Clearance and Taxation Facilitation Measures for Wine Entering the Mainland through Hong Kong for its examination and filing purpose, the wine exporters may enjoy the facilitation measures provided by the mainland customs.

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement on Issues Concerning Administration of Water and Airborne Inbound and Outbound Means of Transport and Related Manifests (GAC Announcement [2017] No. 56)

On 21 November 2017, GAC issued an announcement to adjust the administration of water and airborne inbound and outbound means of transport and related manifests. It requires logistics companies to strictly comply with the Measures of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China for Administration of Inbound and Outbound Means of Transport (GAC Decree No. 196) and Measures of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China for Administration of Manifests of Inbound and Outbound Means of Transport (GAC Decreed No. 172) and GAC Announcement [2017] No. 56) to declare and provide the electronic data of inbound and outbound means of transport and related manifests according to the specified time, item and format. GAC Announcement [2017] No.56) will come into effect on 1 June 2018. GAC Announcement [2010] No. 70, GAC Announcement [2013] No. 68 and GAC Announcement [2014] No. 70 will be superseded.

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement on Adjustment of Import Tariffs of Some Consumer Goods (Shui Wei Hui [2017] No. 25 and GAC Announcement [2017] No. 57)

The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council and GAC issued the Announcement on Adjustment of Import Tariffs of Some Consumer Goods on 22 and 27 November 2017 respectively, which came into effect on 1 December 2017. The import tariffs of consumer goods are cut in the form of provisional import tariff rates. The tariff reduction covers 187 eight-digit HS codes including those for food, health products, medicines, clothes, shoes, hats, home appliances and cultural entertainment, as well as other daily consumer goods. The average tariff rate decreased from 17.3 per cent to 7.7 per cent.For more details, please click the link:

http://gss.mof.gov.cn/zhengwuxinxi/zhengcefabu/201711/t20171123_2755506.html

http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/302266/302267/748754/index.html

Announcement on Adjustment of Catalogue of Entry-exit Commodities Subject to Inspection and Quarantine Carried out by Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Authorities (AQSIQ and GAC Announcement [2017] No.93)

On 1 November 2017, GAC issued the Announcement on Adjustment of “Catalogue of Entry-exit Commodities Subject to Inspection and Quarantine Carried out by Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Authorities”. According to the announcement, the customs supervision requirements “A” for 158 customs commodity codes in connection with industrial products and 4 customs commodity codes in connection with tobacco products are cancelled, implying that inspection and quarantine authorities will cease performing entry inspection and quarantine of such products. Only exit inspection and quarantine of such products are performed. The adjustments came into effect on 1 November 2017.

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement of AQSIQ to Expand Practical Experience from Pilot Regulation of Inbound Biological Materials in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shanghai (AQSIQ Announcement [2017] No. 94)

On 30 October 2017, AQSIQ issued the Announcement to Expand Practical Experience from Pilot Regulation of Inbound Biological Materials in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shanghai to expand the practical experience from the pilot regulation of inbound biological materials in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai Free Trade Zone to the entire country. Inspection and Quarantine Bureaus are authorized to directly inspect and approve 44 biological materials from six major categories. Nine categories of biological materials are exempt from inspection and quarantine, and ten categories of biological materials are exempt from provision of official inspection and quarantine documents. The risk level of imported biological materials such as commercial IVD reagents is lowered and the measures on the control of the imported specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rats and mice, plants and animals for genetic testing are adjusted. The approval period for inspection and quarantine of plants and animals is shortened from 20 working days to 7 working days. Where approval by the inspection and quarantine bureaus is authorized, the time is shortened to 3 working days. The quarantine period for inbound SPF rats and mice is shortened from 30 days to 14 days.

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement of AQSIQ and China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) on Date of Implementation of Product Formula Registration of Infant Formula Milk Powder (AQSIQ and CFDA Announcement [2017] No. 101)

On 10 November 2017, AQSIQ and CFDA issued and implemented the Announcement on Date of Implementation of Product Formula Registration of Infant Formula Milk Powder, requiring overseas producers to register with AQSIQ according to the laws for infant formula milk powder imported in general trade. Overseas producers who export infant formula milk powder produced after 1 January 2018 (inclusive) to China are required to complete the product formula registration with AQSIQ according to the laws, and indicate the registration number on the packaging of the products. Infant formula milk powder produced by overseas producers before 1 January 2018 may be imported and sold until the expiry date of the products.

For more details, please click the link.

MOC Announcement [2017] No. 68, No. 69, No. 76 and No. 80

The Ministry of Commerce issued the Export Quota Gross of Agricultural, Industrial and Silk Products in 2018 (MOC Announcement [2017] No. 68) and the Total Amount, Allocation Principles and Application Procedures Concerning Chemical Fertiliser Import Tariff Quota in 2018 (MOC Announcement [2017] No. 69) on 30 October 2017, the Total Amount, Application Qualifications and Application Procedures Concerning Crude Oil Import Quota for Non SOEs in 2018 (MOC Announcement [2017] No. 76) on 6 November 2017 and the Application Conditions, Distribution Principles and Application Procedures Concerning Refined Oil (Fuel) Import Quota for Non SOEs in 2018  (MOC Announcement [2017] No. 80) on 20 November 2017, specifying the import and export quotas in 2018 for the goods concerned.

For more details, please click the link:

http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/b/c/201710/20171002662001.shtml

http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/b/c/201711/20171102663757.shtml

http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/b/c/201711/20171102667208.shtml

http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/b/c/201711/20171102676570.shtml

Announcement of Dalian Customs on Requirements Concerning Completion of Declaration Forms for Packaging Containers and Manifests and Related Electronic Data Transfer (Dalian Customs Announcement [2017] No. 6)

On 17 November 2017, Dalian Customs issued and implemented the announcement on the requirements concerning the completion of declaration forms for packaging containers and manifest and related electronic data transfer, specifying that customs declaration forms shall be completed for the import/export of goods according to the requirements of the Standards for Completion of Customs Declaration Forms for Import/Export Goods. The importers and exporters are not required to specify the name and quantity of the packaging containers on the “Shipping Marks and Remarks” column. A separate customs declaration form shall be filled out for temporarily exported or imported packaging containers.

For more details, please click the link.

Announcement of Ningbo Customs on Adjusting the Selection of Inspection Business 

On 22 November 2017, Ningbo Customs issued the announcement to adjust the selection of inspection business, specifying that the selection of inspection business shall be managed uniformly by Ningbo Customs Secondary Risk Prevention and Control Center (“Risk Control Center”). The announcement specifies that the selection of customs declaration forms of imported and exported goods in Ningbo for inspection shall be handled by the Risk Control Center; the selection of national integrated customs and non-customs declaration forms (such as ATA documents and transit) for inspection shall continue to be handled by the existing units; the selection of declaration forms for review and inspection shall be handled by the inspection department. The announcement came into effect on 27 November 2017.

For more details, please click the link.

Repealing of some announcements of Qingdao Customs (Qingdao Customs Announcement [2017] No. 6 and No. 7)

Qingdao Customs issued and implemented Qingdao Customs Announcement [2017] No. 6 and No. 7 on 21 and 23 November 2017 respectively. According to Qingdao Customs Announcement [2017] No. 6, Qingdao Customs Announcement [2009] No. 6 regarding enterprises’ inspection of import and export customs declaration forms issued on 24 June 2009 will be abolished. According to Qingdao Customs Announcement [2017] No. 7, Qingdao Customs Announcement [2009] No. 18 regarding strengthening of customs declaration management issued on 25 December 2009 will be abolished.

For more details, please click the link: 

http://qingdao.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal105/tab63119/info869755.htm

http://qingdao.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal105/tab63119/info869435.htm

Revision to and repealing of some announcements of Shenzhen Customs (Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2017] No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7) 

Shenzhen Customs issued Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2017] No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 on 22 November 2017. Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2017] No. 5 announced the revision to Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2009] No. 3 and Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2014] No. 2. According to Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2017] No. 6, the Announcement of Shenzhen Customs Concerning Switching of Unified Cross-border E-commerce Information System (Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2016] No. 8) issued on 26 December 2016 will be abolished. Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2017] No. 7 announced the repealing of Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2006] No. 11, Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2007] No. 3, Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2014] No. 1, Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2016] No. 5 and Shenzhen Customs Announcement [2016] No. 6. These announcements came into effect on the day they were issued.

For more details, please click the link: 

http://shenzhen.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal109/tab63788/info869710.htm

http://shenzhen.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal109/tab63788/info869711.htm

http://shenzhen.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal109/tab63788/info869712.htm 

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