With the development of international trade, the management of special items has become particularly important. The General Administration of Customs has issued new regulations on the entry and exit of special items, clarifying their definition, risk classification, and approval processes. This article will provide a detailed analysis of these contents to provide accurate guidance for enterprises and individuals.

Special items mainly refer to microorganisms, biological products, human tissues, blood and its products related to the spread of human infectious diseases. To help enterprises and individuals further understand, the General Administration of Customs provided the List of Names and Commodity Numbers for Customs Inspection and Quarantine of Special Items in Announcement No. 28 of 2023 for reference.

To ensure the safe management of special items, the General Administration of Customs has implemented a risk classification management system, dividing special items into four levels: A, B, C, and D. Among them, levels A and B are high - risk, while levels C and D are low - risk. Different risk levels correspond to different quarantine supervision measures to ensure the safe entry and exit of items.

Level A mainly includes: special items containing category I and II pathogenic microorganisms, imported human tissues and blood, and special items for export involving human genetic resources, etc.

Level B involves: special items containing category III pathogenic microorganisms, special items that may contain unknown infectious agents, harmful toxins produced by pathogenic microorganisms, etc.

Level C mainly includes: special items containing category IV and other medical microorganisms, commercialized scientific research cells from internationally renowned strain preservation institutions, protein products that have been lysed or purified, etc.

Level D includes: imported/exported human vaccines and therapeutic biological products that have obtained relevant registration certificates or sales certificates, etc.

With the deepening of globalization, the cross - border flow of special items is becoming more and more frequent. To ensure that these special items meet relevant regulations and safety standards when entering and leaving the country, the General Administration of Customs has formulated a set of strict approval processes. Next, we will analyze each link of this process in detail.

How to Apply for the Approval of Entry and Exit of Special Items?
For special items that want to enter or leave the country, an approval application must be submitted first. This application aims to ensure that the relevant items do not pose a threat to human health and the ecological environment. In addition, the approval process can also ensure that the items entering and leaving the country meet the requirements of relevant laws and regulations, thus avoiding potential legal risks.

Application Conditions:
First of all, the applicant must meet certain conditions. These conditions are mainly to ensure that the applicant has sufficient ability and responsibility to manage these special items. Specifically, the applicant should have the biosecurity control ability suitable for the entry and exit of special items. For special items that may contain pathogenic microorganisms when entering or leaving the country, the applicant shall not be a natural person to ensure that there is a professional team for management and monitoring.

Where to Apply?
Applicants need to log in to the Internet + Customs platform and select the corresponding category under the animal and plant quarantine module for operation. The specific website is: https://customs.chinaport.gov.cn/tswpwebserver/tswp/view/homepage。此平臺為企業(yè)和個人提供了一個便捷的申請渠道，簡化了審批流程。

What Materials are Needed?
To ensure the safety and compliance of the items, the General Administration of Customs requires applicants to provide a series of relevant materials. These materials include but are not limited to: descriptive materials of special items, registered health certificates for imported meat to China, qualification certificates of biosecurity laboratories, production and sales certificates related to the items, etc. Each piece of material is to ensure the legality and safety of special items.

How Long Does it Take?
According to the Regulations on the Hygiene Quarantine Management of Entry and Exit Special Items, the directly - affiliated customs should complete the approval within 20 working days from the date of accepting the application. However, under certain special circumstances, such as incomplete materials or the need for further verification, the approval time limit may be extended by 10 working days.

With the rapid development of biotechnology and international trade, the management of the entry and exit of special items is particularly important. The General Administration of Customs has provided clear guidance and processes to ensure the safe and compliant circulation of special items. It is hoped that this article can provide relevant enterprises and individuals with useful information.

The above content is sourced from the customs release.ZhongShen International TradeAs a one - stop importExport Representationservice provider, it can provide customizedimport and exportSolution. If you needforeign tradeFor import and export agency services, please feel free to contact our company for business inquiries. The consultation hotline is 139 - 1787 - 2118.