Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Wild Aquatic Products from Iceland to China
According to the regulations of the Chinese Customs and the Icelandic Ministry of Industry regarding the inspection and sanitary requirements for wild aquatic products, effective immediately, the import of Icelandic wild aquatic products meeting the following requirements is permitted:
I. Inspection and Quarantine Basis
(1) The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations, the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations, and the Import and Export Commodity Inspection Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations.
(2) The Measures for the Administration of Food Safety of Imported and Exported Food of the People's Republic of China and the Regulations on the Registration Management of Overseas Production Enterprises of Imported Food of the People's Republic of China.
(3) The Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Iceland on Inspection and Sanitary Requirements for Wild Aquatic Products Imported from Iceland to China.
II. Scope of Imported Products
Wild aquatic products refer to aquatic animal products and their derivatives, and aquatic algae products and their derivatives, caught or obtained in the wild and intended for human consumption. This excludes amphibians, reptiles, aquatic mammals, species listed in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals of China, live aquatic animals, and aquatic plant and animal propagation materials.
III. Requirements for Production Enterprises
Production enterprises (including those engaged in production, processing, and storage) exporting wild aquatic products to China must be approved and supervised by the Icelandic government. These enterprises must meet the veterinary and public health requirements of both China and Iceland.
Production enterprises exporting wild aquatic products to China should be recommended for registration by the Icelandic Ministry of Industry to Chinese Customs. Exports to China are prohibited without registration.
IV. Requirements for Imported Products
The Icelandic Ministry of Industry must ensure that wild aquatic products exported to China meet the following conditions:
(I) Legally caught or obtained in Icelandic or international waters.
(II) Neither the raw materials nor the products have encountered the following problems:
1. Wild aquatic products already exported from Iceland or intended for export to China seriously violate relevant Chinese food safety laws and regulations and the provisions of the Protocol.
2. Aquatic animal diseases listed in the "List of Quarantine Diseases for Animals Entering the People's Republic of China" (hereinafter referred to as the "List") and those required to be notified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) that are related to products covered by the Protocol have occurred in Iceland, seriously affecting the safety of wild aquatic products exported to China.
3. Any major food safety incident occurring in Iceland involving products or enterprises related to the Protocol may affect the safety of wild aquatic products exported to China.
(III) No drugs or additives prohibited in China and Iceland are used directly or indirectly; drugs or additives restricted or permitted in China are used in accordance with regulations.
(IV) Inspection and quarantine by the competent authorities have not revealed any pathogenic microorganisms, toxic or harmful substances, or foreign objects listed in Chinese laws and regulations, nor any infectious diseases, parasitic diseases, or aquatic animal diseases listed in the List or required to be reported by WOAH.
(V) The production process (including fishing, receiving, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, transshipment, and export) must comply with Chinese safety and hygiene requirements and traceability requirements.
(VI) Product packaging and labeling must comply with Chinese national food safety standards and requirements.
V. Certificate Requirements
The Icelandic Ministry of Industry is responsible for conducting inspection and quarantine on wild aquatic products exported to China in accordance with the requirements of Chinese Customs, and for issuing a health certificate, mutually confirmed, for each batch of wild aquatic products exported to China, certifying that the batch of products complies with the relevant provisions of Chinese food safety laws and regulations. The certificate must be printed in at least Chinese and English (English is a mandatory language when filling out the certificate).
The health certificate should fully disclose the information of the wild aquatic product production enterprise exporting the products to China. The Icelandic Ministry of Industry should promptly provide a sample certificate and official seal to Chinese Customs for record-keeping. If there are any changes, the Icelandic Ministry of Industry should file them with Chinese Customs at least one month before they take effect.
VI. Other Requirements
Chinese Customs will conduct inspection and quarantine on wild aquatic products exported to China in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations and the Protocol.
Products that do not comply with the requirements of the Protocol will be destroyed, returned, or otherwise disposed of. For production enterprises whose products are found to have serious problems or who repeatedly violate the provisions of the Protocol, Chinese Customs will take measures such as strengthening inspection and quarantine or suspending imports.
GACC
November 13, 2025
