The Certification and Accreditation Administration of China ("CNCA") has recently released the Announcement on Matters Concerning the Renewed Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Infant Formula Dairy Products (the "Announcement").
The Announcement provides that the registration of an overseas manufacturer of imported infant formula dairy products is valid for four years, according to the Implementing Regulations of the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and other applicable legislation. Where the overseas manufacturer desires to renew the registration, it has to file an application, together with relevant information and supporting documents, for this purpose through the competent authority in its country (region) to the CNCA. Further, the Announcement notes that a currently registered overseas manufacturer of imported infant formula dairy products is required to file an application within one year before the expiry of the registration period, if it means to renew the registration, and has to submit the required information and supporting documents to prove that it has been meeting the registration criteria. For overseas enterprises making infant formula dairy products that have won the registration qualification before the end of 2014, the deadline for them to apply through the competent authority in their home country (region) for renewing the registration falls on this year end.