On the morning of October 25, the SPS Vietnam Office collaborated with the Grapes Organization to set up an online forum on exporting to the Chinese market. The purpose is to guide businesses to meet the new standards under Order 248, 249, which will come into effect on January 1, 2022.
Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, Director of SPS Vietnam Office, said that this is not the first time China has controlled the records of enterprises exporting to this market.
After China used the single-window mechanism on food safety management for exports, the General Department of Customs of this country advocated food safety supervision on a proactive basis.
“China wants to assess directly from the exporter, instead of checking at the border. Your country will closely check the export records of enterprises, “said Mr. Hoa.
Previously, in April 2021, the General Administration of Customs of China issued Order No. 248 on “Regulations on management of registration of enterprises producing imported foreign food”, and Order 249 on “Measures for management of imported food products”. import and export food safety”.
These two orders take effect from January 1, 2022. At the end of September 2021, the General Department of Customs of China issued Note 353 to guide the procedures, time and validity of registration for exporters.
Many Vietnamese exporters were embarrassed when China issued two Orders 248 and 249. According to the Vietnam SPS Office, from the beginning of October 2021, the office received hundreds of calls every day asking questions about the issue. this. In order to answer quickly, specifically, in detail, SPS Vietnam Office came up with an idea to create a forum on the morning of October 25.
On behalf of Vietnamese enterprises exporting to the Chinese market, Mr. Hoang Ba Nghi, General Director of NHO, thanked SPS Vietnam Office for enthusiastic guidance on procedures.
“We have just over a day to prepare. Fortunately, SPS Vietnam has accepted, guided, and created conditions for businesses to send the list to China before November 1, “said Mr. Nghi.
According to Mr. Nghi, the content and registration procedures for enterprises to export to China are not complicated. The problem is that businesses need to register properly and early with the respective competent authorities in the area.
The forum attracts great attention from businesses. The number of participants throughout the morning always exceeded the threshold of 500 members.
Mr. Le Thanh Hoa, Director of SPS Vietnam Office emphasized several key points. One, is the diary. Exporters need to keep a close eye on this issue, because China can check in the field, check online. If the requirements are not met, the enterprise may be crossed out from the export list.
Second, the General Administration of Customs of China has not yet asked enterprises to complete the dossier immediately. In the immediate future, businesses need to submit registration to the competent authorities in October 2021. On this basis, the competent authorities will summarize and send the list to China before November 1.
On behalf of SPS Vietnam Office, Deputy Director, Dr. Ngo Xuan Nam answered questions from businesses. One of the most concerned issues is the “competent authority” in Vietnam that has the task of compiling a list of businesses.
According to Mr. Nam, the competent authorities are 5 units: Plant Protection Department, Quality Management Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, Department of Animal Health (MARD); Department of Food Safety (Ministry of Health); and Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Industry and Trade).
Another information, Mr. Nam emphasized, is that if the application is submitted to China before November 1, enterprises exporting to China will enjoy many incentives. In particular, businesses only need 3 types of documents, including: business registration certificate, food safety certificate, and commitment.
In order to promptly compile the list of registrations, the SPS Vietnam Office requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Industry and Trade, and the Department of Health to notify businesses with corresponding export items in the area.
From there, enterprises can check for themselves: Either they have exported one of the 18 groups of products that China has regulated since January 1, 2017, or have a need to export this item in the future. If falling into either of these two cases, the enterprise actively registers with the competent authority, according to the provisions of Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP dated 2/2/2018.
“Registration before November 1 is like a business holding a place to export to China. The application process is also simple. If this deadline is met, the enterprise will be extended the deadline for completing the application until June 2023, “emphasized Mr. Nam.
