China issues announcement on inspection for imported and exported hazardous chemicals 
China’s General Administration of Customs on December 18, 2020 published the Announcement on Issues concerning Inspection and Supervision of Imported and Exported Hazardous Chemicals and Their Packaging (General Administration of Customs Announcement No. 129 of 2020). This announcement took effect on January 10, 2021, replacing the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Announcement No. 30 of 2012. Here are the main points of the latest announcement on the inspection and supervision of imported and exported hazardous chemicals:
Explicit designation of chemicals subject to inspection
The announcement clearly states that the inspection is conducted on the chemicals on the latest version of the National List of Hazardous Chemicals* when they are imported or exported.
* The latest list was released in 2015 (in simplified Chinese; available at
http://www.nra.gov.cn/jgzf/yxjg/zcfg/201503/t20150319_12809.shtml)
Reporting requirements for imported hazardous chemicals
The list of items required to be reported when a consignee or his/her/its representative lodges the customs declaration has been updated as follows:
- Hazard class
- Packaging type (not required for bulk cargo)
- United Nations number (UN number)
- UN mark on packaging (not required for bulk cargo)
New criterion for exemption from submitting packaging test results when exporting
Exporters are exempted from submitting the Export Cargo Transport Packaging Performance Test Results Form when exporting hazardous chemicals, if they meet the following criterion:
The exporter is exempted from using hazardous cargo packaging under international rules.
Greater responsibilities of companies
It has been made clear that companies importing or exporting hazardous chemicals are responsible for meeting the relevant domestic and international legal requirements.
Changes to inspection items
The former announcement by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine listed “requirements for hygiene, health, environmental protection and fraud prevention” and some other things as inspection items. The latest announcement has removed these and only has inspection items concerning safety.
The full text of the latest announcement (in simplified Chinese) is available at
http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/2480148/3475824/index.html
