Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Aquaculture Products from The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

In accordance with the regulations regarding inspection and quarantine requirements for farmed aquatic products exported from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to China—established jointly by China Customs and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of the United Kingdom—the importation of UK-farmed aquatic products that meet the following relevant requirements is hereby permitted, effective immediately:

I. Basis for Inspection and Quarantine

(1) The *Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China* and its Implementing Regulations; the *Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine* and its Implementing Regulations; and the *Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection* and its Implementing Regulations.

(2) The *Administrative Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Safety of Import and Export Food* and the *Administrative Provisions of the People's Republic of China on Registration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food*.

(3) The *Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Inspection, Quarantine, and Veterinary Sanitary Requirements for Farmed Aquatic Products Exported to China*.

II. Scope of Import Products

"Farmed aquatic products" refers to aquatic animal products and their derivatives, as well as marine plant products (such as algae) and their derivatives, that are artificially farmed and intended for human consumption. This scope excludes species listed in the Appendices to the *Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora* (CITES) or in China's *List of Wild Animals Under State Key Protection*; it also excludes live aquatic animals and reproductive materials of aquatic animals and plants.

III. Requirements for Production Enterprises

(1) Production enterprises (including processing plants and independent cold storage facilities) and aquaculture farms exporting farmed aquatic products to China must obtain approval from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and remain under its effective supervision. The sanitary conditions of these production enterprises shall comply with the requirements of relevant veterinary sanitary and public health regulations in both China and the United Kingdom.

(2) Production enterprises exporting farmed aquatic products to China must be recommended for registration with China Customs by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Exports to China are prohibited unless such registration has been obtained.

IV. Requirements for Imported Products

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall ensure that farmed aquatic products intended for export to China meet the following conditions:

(1) They are farmed within the national waters of the exporting country.

(2) Neither the raw materials nor the finished products are implicated in any of the following issues:

1. The occurrence within the United Kingdom of aquatic animal diseases—listed in the *List of Animal Diseases Subject to Entry Quarantine in the People's Republic of China* (hereinafter referred to as the "List") or designated as notifiable by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)—that are relevant to the products covered by this *Protocol*, in a manner that has exposed or may expose the farmed aquatic products intended for export to China to infection.

2. The occurrence within the United Kingdom of any major food safety incident that has affected or may affect the farmed aquatic products intended for export to China.

3. Any violation of the laws and regulations of China and the United Kingdom, or of the provisions of this *Protocol*, by farmed aquatic products already exported or intended for export to China, where such violation has seriously compromised the safety of said products.

4. The occurrence of a major public health incident at a production facility for farmed aquatic products intended for export to China—such as the infection of employees with a major infectious disease—where, based on reliable scientific analysis, it is deemed possible that the products themselves, their packaging, or their transport process may have been contaminated.

(3) They do not directly or indirectly contain ingredients or additives prohibited by both Parties (e.g., through inclusion in feedstuffs), and any ingredients or additives used are utilized in strict compliance with the restrictions or permissions established by China Customs.

(4) Upon inspection and quarantine by the competent authorities, they are found to be free from pathogenic microorganisms, toxic or harmful substances, and foreign bodies as specified in the laws and regulations of China and the United Kingdom; free from any pathological indications of infectious or parasitic diseases; and free from any aquatic animal diseases listed in the "List" or designated as notifiable by the WOAH.

(5) The entire process—including farming, processing, packaging, storage, transport, transit, and export—complies with the relevant sanitary and traceability requirements of both Parties, as well as with the safety and sanitary requirements applicable to cold-chain food products established or endorsed by relevant international organizations.

V. Packaging and Labeling Requirements

Aquatic products for export to China that are derived from aquaculture must be provided with both outer packaging and individual inner packaging. Both the inner and outer packaging materials must be brand-new and compliant with international sanitary standards, and must satisfy the requirements for preventing contamination by external factors.

Both the inner and outer packaging must bear labels in both Chinese and English. The label content shall include: commercial name and scientific name, specifications, production date, shelf life, batch number, storage conditions, production method (aquaculture), country of origin, name and registration number of the producing establishment, production region and address of the producing establishment (specified down to the state/province/city level), and destination (designated as the People's Republic of China).

For aquaculture products exported to China in pre-packaged form, the Chinese labels on the pre-packages must comply with China's labeling requirements for imported pre-packaged foods.

VI. Certification Requirements

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall conduct inspection and quarantine of aquaculture products destined for China in accordance with the requirements of China Customs. Furthermore, for every container of aquaculture products exported to China, DEFRA shall issue a mutually agreed-upon Veterinary (Sanitary) Certificate, certifying that the batch of products complies with the relevant veterinary and public health laws and regulations of both China and the UK, as well as the pertinent provisions of the *Protocol*. DEFRA shall complete the Veterinary (Sanitary) Certificate by providing information regarding all establishments involved in the processes of aquaculture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, transit, and export—including, but not limited to, the names and registration numbers of processing plants and independent cold storage facilities—ensuring that information regarding any relevant establishment involved in any of the aforementioned stages is not omitted.

The Certificate shall be printed in both Chinese and English (with English being the mandatory language for completion). The format and content of the Certificate must be mutually agreed upon by both parties in advance. DEFRA shall promptly provide China Customs with specimen copies of the Certificate, impressions of the official issuing authority's seal, and specimens of the certifying official's signature for official record-keeping purposes. Should there be any changes to the content or format of the certificate specimen, the official seal of the issuing authority, or the handwriting of the signing official, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall file such changes with China Customs at least one month prior to their effective date.

VII. Other Requirements

China Customs shall conduct inspection and quarantine on farmed aquatic products exported to China in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations, national standards, and the *Protocol*.

Non-compliant products shall be destroyed, returned, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations and the requirements of the *Protocol*. For production enterprises found to have serious issues or repeated instances of non-compliance, China Customs may take measures such as intensifying inspection and quarantine or suspending imports.

GACC

March 11, 2026