Everything you need to know about customs procedures for import expo
Customs staff outside the CIIE exhibition hall.
Shanghai Customs is fully prepared for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) which will be held on November 5-10.
The General Administration of Customs has released Customs Clearance Notice and Facilitation Measures for the 4th import expo to ensure the CIIE is a "better event" with each year, on the basis of summarizing and upgrading the facilitation measures for customs clearance of the previous three events.
Last year's CIIE covered a total area of nearly 360,000 square meters, 30,000 square meters more than 2019, and attracted thousands of exhibitors and more than 400,000 buyers from all over the world. It concluded with a total of US$72.62 billion intended deals signed.
Here are some tips on the clearance for exhibitors at this year's exhibition.
Q: Given such a large-scale event, how can the customs supervise it effectively?
A: 1. Set up a special office. The Customs Office for National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), subordinated to Shanghai Customs, has been set up as a normalized service agency to ensure customs supervision and service during the CIIE.
2. Deepen technological applications and create intelligent supervision and service mode. China Customs supervises and serves the exhibitors and exhibits in the CIIE through big data platform and information technology for cross-border trade management, and creates a digital, intelligent, facilitative and integrated supervision and service mode for the CIIE.
3. Dispatch personnel to the site and provide customs services. During the CIIE, Shanghai Customs will send staff to the comprehensive service area of the NECC to provide clearance, supervision, consultation and other services.
Q: Do exhibitors have to pay a customs bond for each declaration when they have a wide variety of exhibits that are transported in batches?
A: The NECC company will provide the guarantee for duty and tax payable and present Shanghai Customs with the bank guarantee or tariff guarantee/insurance for the temporary exhibits at the import expo. Overseas exhibitors or its entrusted Designated Official Forwarders submit to the customs with the Certification for Import Goods for the Third China International Import Expo and the List of Import Goods for the Third China International Import Expo issued by the NECC, instead of providing guarantee for each transaction.
Q: After the CIIE, some exhibits still need to remain in China for potential business. How long does it take for the exhibits under the ATA to be shipped out of the country?
A: The previous experience of the supervision services at CIIE will be promoted this time. The re-exportation period of the temporary entry of exhibits under the ATA Carnet shall be the same as the period of validity of the carnet since the first CIIE in 2018.
Q: How can exhibitors quickly go through the quarantine procedures for their meat and fruit products?
A: For inbound animals and plants and their products, food of animal and plant origin and Chinese medical herbs that require administrative approval involving inspection and quarantine, Shanghai Customs and related customs are authorized to handle the approval procedures in the nearest locality, and the relevant approvals shall be completed within three working days.
In accordance with the principle of "facilitation and operability," Shanghai Customs is entrusted to exercise the power of acceptance and examination on the overseas production enterprises of the imported aquatic products, dairy products and cubilose sold in the exhibition area, which are exempted from overseas on-site examination.
After the examination, the General Administration of Customs issues temporary registration documents which are only used in the exhibition area during the exhibition.
Q: Should exhibitors provide some samples for tasting and trying beforehand? Do they need to put on a label in Chinese?
A: Yes, the exhibitors should submit the written report to Shanghai Customs in advance, and specify the purpose (for trial, taste, or distribution) and quantity (within a reasonable limit that matches the scale of the event) of exhibits.
For articles to be tried, tasted, and distributed, the exhibitors shall provide the conformity certificate (official certificate of the country of the exhibitor/the third-party testing report/self-check conformity report of the exhibitor/conformity statement of the exhibitor).
Pre-packaged food and cosmetics only for exhibition shall be exempted from labeling in Chinese and sampling inspection as well as verifying the record certificates of the consignees and consignors; those for trial in small amount and tasting can be assessed based on the food safety risk, and the samples can be taken for inspection before the exhibition and the Chinese label cannot be used; those for trial sale in small amount at the exhibition site can be exempted from labeling in Chinese.
Q: Some of exhibitors' products involve the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) and energy efficiency labeling. Can they be exempted?
A: For products that involve CCC and energy efficiency, if they are only for exhibition, there is no restriction. If it is for sale, such products shall obtain permit or certification and shall have qualified energy efficiency labels. The customs will implement entry verification and commodity inspection to confirm whether relevant products meet the mandatory requirements of the country's technical specifications. If no unqualified products are found, they can be sold.
What needs to be reminded is that for exhibits involving CCC compulsory certification, an application should be made to the market supervision and management department for exemption from the relevant procedures of compulsory product certification.
Q: If the exhibitions enter the country via other ports instead of Shanghai ports, can participants declare it at Shanghai Customs?
A: Yes. The integrated customs clearance will be adopted for the CIIE's temporarily imported goods, where the NECC or its authorized Designated Official Forwarder lodges declaration with Shanghai Customs before port customs inspects and releases the goods. Regarding inbound materials for the CIIE through other trading modes, overseas exhibitors or their agents shall complete customs formalities according to the existing regulations.
Q: Are the products on the prohibition list not allowed to enter the country and participate the exhibition?
A: All the products listed in Prohibition List for Inspection and Quarantine During the Fourth China International Import Expo of 2021 can not be displayed at the exhibition.
Q: Some artworks, collections and antiquities remain in China after the third CIIE. Are there any relevant policies for the fourth CIIE?
A: According to the Facilitation Measures of the Customs for the fourth China International Import Expo, relevant artworks, collections and antiquities that meet the preferential tax policies for sale during the CIIE can be imported with duty-free in accordance with the policies.
Shanghai Customs officers check jewelry for the third CIIE.
Shanghai Customs officers check imported products.
