NMPA simplifies registration of dietary supplements.
At the end of February 2016, NMPA[1] published the revised administrative regulation for the registration and registration of food supplements by way of Notice No. 22. It will enter into force on July 1, 2016 and is a further step towards implementing the new food safety law in China, which was passed by the NPC[2] in April last year.
The new Directive distinguishes between vitamin and mineral supplements and other food supplements. A positive list of authorised ingredients will also be introduced; a first draft was published in February 2016. Simplified regulations will apply to products made from these ingredients in the future.
NMPA registration for vitamin and mineral preparations whose ingredients are on the positive list is no longer required. They only have to be registered once at the NMPA counter before the first import and can then be imported indefinitely.
All other dietary supplements whose ingredients are on the positive list must still be registered with the NMPA, but after that date there is no need for re-registration after five years. Food supplements can then be imported indefinitely after a one-time registration at the NMPA counter.
For all other dietary supplements whose ingredients are not on the positive list, nothing changes. They must still be registered with the NMPA and re-registered every five years.
MOF[3] prevents cross-border Internet trade in food supplements
On 7 April 2016, the MOF revised its rules on cross-border Internet trading (CBEC – Commodities Traded through Cross-Border E-Commerce) by issuing No. 40. In this context, a positive list was adopted listing the products which may continue to be traded across borders via the Internet. The entire Healthfood area is explicitly excluded. The Chinese customs authorities and CIQ[4] are responsible for the enforcement of the new regulation.
Further information on the topics mentioned can be obtained from:
Cisema GmbH
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[2]National People’s Congress
[3]Ministry of Finance
[4]China Inspection and Quarantine Office
