New foreign trade regulations in November

 

Overview

 

China adjusts its export control list to include three highly sensitive graphite items;

From November 1, the registration of enterprises at the place of origin of exported goods will be cancelled;

The General Administration of Customs issued new regulations on proactive disclosure of violations;

The U.S. Department of Commerce added 13 Chinese companies to the Entity List;

The Netherlands publishes complex food import conditions;

Egypt suspends tariffs on some essential goods for six months;

India allows unrestricted import of laptops and tablets;

India issues quality control orders for electric fans, washing machines and other products;

Singapore cancels melamine-related requirements for milk and dairy products imported from China;

The Philippines has formulated regulations on imported aquatic products;

Thailand releases labeling requirements for child car seats.

 

 

China adjusts export control list, including three highly sensitive graphite items

 

 

The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement on the 20th, formally adding three types of highly sensitive graphite items that were previously subject to temporary control to the dual-use export control list. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said on the 20th that China's normal adjustment of export controls is not targeted at any specific country or region, and exports that comply with relevant regulations will be permitted.

 

According to the announcement, in order to safeguard national security and interests, with the approval of the State Council, it is decided to optimize and adjust the scope of items listed in the Announcement No. 50 of 2006 of the Ministry of Commerce, the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, and the General Administration of Customs ("Decision to Implement Temporary Export Control Measures on Graphite-Related Products"). Among them, high-purity, high-strength, high-density artificial graphite materials and their products, natural flake graphite and its products, shall not be exported without permission; at the same time, the temporary control of five low-sensitivity graphite items such as furnace carbon electrodes, which are mainly used in the national economy basic industries such as steel, metallurgy, and chemical industry, will be cancelled. The above policy will be officially implemented on December 1, 2023.

 

Original announcement:

http://aqygzj.mofcom.gov.cn/article/glml/202310/20231003447368.shtml

 

 

Starting from November 1, the registration of enterprises at the place of origin of exported goods will be cancelled

 

The General Administration of Customs recently issued an announcement on canceling the registration of enterprises of origin of exported goods.

The announcement mentioned that in order to further optimize the business environment for cross-border trade and enhance trade facilitation, the General Administration of Customs decided to cancel the registration of enterprises of origin of exported goods from November 1, 2023. Applicants for certificates of origin can directly apply for certificates of origin through the international trade "single window", Internet + Customs, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade declaration system, etc.
Original announcement:http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/302266/302267/5449140/index.html

 

 

The General Administration of Customs issued new regulations on proactive disclosure of violations

 

In order to further optimize the business environment and promote high-quality development of foreign trade, in accordance with the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China, the Administrative Penalty Law of the People's Republic of China and the Customs Inspection Regulations of the People's Republic of China, the General Administration of Customs has issued the "Announcement of the General Administration of Customs on Handling Matters Related to Active Disclosure of Violations" (hereinafter referred to as the "New Announcement") on the basis of Announcement No. 54 of 2022 (hereinafter referred to as "Announcement No. 54"), in order to deal with the import and export enterprises and units that voluntarily disclose violations of customs regulations before customs discover them and correct them in a timely manner. This is a major step forward for the customs to actively disclose policies in response to the demands of the people after the release of the "16 Measures for Customs to Optimize the Business Environment" and "15 Key Measures to Support the Construction of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor".

The new announcement has released six "high-value" policy dividends, further relaxed the conditions for not imposing administrative penalties, clarified specific handling requirements, and fully reflected the customs law enforcement concepts of "law-abiding convenience", "leniency and strictness" and "combination of punishment and education".
Original announcement:

http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/2480148/5417968/index.html

 

 

The U.S. Department of Commerce has added 13 Chinese companies to the Entity List

 

On October 17, 2023, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce issued an announcement to add 13 Chinese companies to the Entity List. The reason for the inclusion was that they were allegedly involved in the development of advanced computing integrated circuits, which can be used to provide artificial intelligence capabilities, and there is a risk of developing weapons of mass destruction, advanced weapons systems and high-tech surveillance applications, and there are so-called national security issues.

According to the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, these 13 companies are marked with footnote 4 and are subject to foreign direct product rules. Their restricted access to U.S. products and technologies involves a total of 18 ECCN codes and they need to apply for a license, but the U.S. licensing policy is a presumption of denial.

 

 

The Netherlands publishes complex food import conditions

 

Recently, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) issued the import conditions for composite foods, which will be implemented from the date of issuance. Main contents:

(1) Purpose and scope. The general conditions for the import of composite foods from non-EU countries do not apply to unprocessed products of animal origin, products of animal origin without plant products, products consisting of processed products of animal origin and vegetable products, etc.;
(2) Definition and scope of composite foods. Products such as surimi, tuna in oil, herbed cheese, fruit yogurt, garlic or soy sausages and breadcrumbs are not composite foods;
(3) Import conditions. Any animal-derived product in the composite product must come from a company registered in the EU and be an animal-derived product variety allowed for import into the EU, except for gelatin, collagen, etc.
(4) Mandatory inspection. Composite foods are subject to inspection at border control stations when entering the EU (except for shelf-stable composite foods, shelf-stable composite foods, and composite foods containing only dairy and egg products); shelf-stable composite foods that need to be transported frozen due to sensory quality requirements are not exempt from inspection;
(5) Certificate requirements.
For more details, see:https://www.nvwa.nl/documenten/import/veterinair/nvwa-import-veterinair/algemeen/alim14-samengestelde-producten

 

 

Egypt suspends tariffs on some essential goods for six months

 

Al-Ahram Online reported on October 9. Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly recently announced that the government will suspend tariffs on a variety of basic commodities for six months to reduce the prices of related commodities by 15% to 25%.

 

The above commodities include beans, dairy products, white cheese, mixed oil, pasta, sugar, lentils, poultry products, eggs and rice. Madbouly said that this move will have a positive impact on the supply of necessities and market stability, curbing inflation, especially the rise in food prices. Minister of Trade and Industry Samir said that the government will further simplify the procedures for ports to release imported goods. The Egyptian Cabinet recently issued a statement saying that in the first nine months of this year, Egyptian ports released $53.7 billion worth of imported goods.

 

 

Russia, India allow unrestricted import of laptops and tablets

 

On October 19th local time, the Indian government announced that it would allow unrestricted imports of laptops and tablets and launched a new "authorization" system aimed at monitoring shipments of such hardware without harming market supply.

Officials said a new "import management system" will take effect on November 1, requiring companies to register import quantities and values, but the government will not reject any import requests and will use the data for monitoring.
The aim is to ensure that the data and information required is obtained to ensure a fully trusted digital system, said S. Krishnan, a senior official at India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, adding that further steps may be taken after September 2024, depending on the data collected.
On August 3 this year, India announced that it would restrict the import of personal computers, including laptops and tablets, and companies would need to apply for a license in advance to be exempted. India's move was mainly to boost its domestic electronics manufacturing industry and reduce its dependence on imports. However, due to criticism from the industry and the US government, India immediately postponed the decision.

 

India issues quality control orders for electric fans, washing machines and other products

 

Recently, India has submitted several notifications to the WTO, planning to implement quality control orders on electric fans, washing machines, kitchen appliances, etc. The relevant products must comply with Indian standards and be affixed with standard marks with the permission of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

 

 

 

Singapore cancels melamine-related requirements for milk and dairy products imported from China

 

On October 23, 2023, the Singapore Food Safety Authority (SFA) issued an announcement to cancel the melamine-related requirements for milk, milk products and milk-containing products imported from China. The main contents are as follows:

(1) The Food Safety Authority of Singapore has reviewed the import requirements for milk and dairy products from China and will cancel the inspection and quarantine import requirements as stated in https://www.sfa.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/import-requirements-ofspecific-food-products from November 1, 2023;
(2) These melamine-related requirements were implemented following the 2008 melamine milk incident in China, when melamine was detected in local infant milk products. China has since implemented various measures to strengthen its superior and administrative processes for dairy products, including stricter production licensing, more stringent inspection, testing, monitoring and evaluation, and stricter penalties for melamine products found throughout the dairy food chain (i.e., from dairy cow breeding, purchase and transportation of fresh and raw milk to dairy processing companies);
(3) Imports of milk and milk products (such as liquid milk, milk powder, cheese, butter, ice cream and yoghurt) from China will continue to be subject to SFA inspection and must comply with the import requirements (Parts A, B and C) as stated in: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/docs/defaultsource/default-document-library/import-requirements-of-specific-food-products.
For more details, see:https://www.sfa.gov.sg/docs/default-source/circulars/2023/2023-10-23-trade-circular---removal-of-melamine-related-requirements.pdf

 

 

Philippines formulates regulations on imported aquatic products

Recently, the Philippine Department of Agriculture issued Memorandum Circular No. 36 of 2023, which formulated relevant requirements for imported aquatic products, which will take effect immediately and remain valid. All previously issued regulations that are inconsistent with this regulation will be invalidated. The main contents include:
(1) Established a 35,000-ton import quota for aquatic products in 2023 and its varieties, including barramundi, mackerel, bonito, etc., and stipulated the quota allocation method and the requirements for importers applying for quotas;

(2) Only importers with quotas can apply for the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Certificate (SPSIC) for Imported Agricultural Products. The SPSIC will be issued in two time periods. Importers applying for SPSIC should attach bills of lading and invoices, and must have cold storage or rent cold storage. The SPSIC under the 2023 quota is valid for 45 days and expires no later than January 15, 2024. Imported aquatic products should arrive before the SPSIC expires;
(3) Importers issued with SPSIC shall submit import reports to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Philippines on a regular basis and allow BFAR inspectors to inspect and test imported aquatic products stored in BFAR-registered storage facilities. BFAR shall encourage importers to import as soon as possible to avoid conflicts with locally caught aquatic products after the sea opens;
(4) Qualified importers shall commit to meet the requirements of these Regulations, purchase from legal suppliers that are not engaged in IUU fishing, and strictly abide by laws, regulations and food safety standards. They shall not transfer quotas. Any violation of these Regulations may result in the cancellation of import qualifications.
For more details, see:https://www.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/mc36_s2023.pdf

 

Thailand issues child car seat labeling requirements

 

Recently, the Thai Industrial Standards Association submitted notification G/TBT/N/THA/715, which identified child car safety seats as label-controlled products. Their labels should include statements, graphics, marks or images. The labels should be in Thai or a foreign language with Thai to explain the meaning of the graphics, marks or images. The draft notification does not apply to goods manufactured for export and not sold in Thailand.

The label should include the following:

(1) Name of the product;

(2) The name or trademark registered by the manufacturer in Thailand for sale;

(3) The name or trademark of the seller registered in Thailand;

(4) Goods for import and sale should indicate the name of the country of production;

(5) The place of production or the place of the seller of the ordered or imported goods;

(6) For the dimensions, quantity, volume or weight of the goods (as the case may be), the units used may be expressed in full or in abbreviations or symbols, such as "width X length X heightX" (cm).

(7) Consumers should be informed of the intended use of the product.

(8) The product should have correct instructions for use and prohibited uses for the convenience of consumers, including at least the following: a. The car safety seat is suitable for children aged ... ... years and under. b. The weight/kg/height of the child that the car safety seat is suitable for. c. Reminder to check the car safety seat regularly. d. Do not leave your child alone in the car safety seat.

(9) Date, month and year of production.

In addition, this draft notice also requires that child safety seats be accompanied by warning requirements, such as installation warnings, warning font color, installation manuals, etc.

 

 

 

Source: Focus Vision

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