o you plan to export commodities in China, but not heard about CIQ? Then I recommend you to read this blog post. CIQ is the organ that can reject imports of your products to China, if you can’t comply with the standards required. If that’s the case, additional time and costs emerge as the Chinese customs stores your products until you provide the documents needed. In worst case, the goods might be demolished or sent back.
Brief presentation of CIQ
In short words, CIQ stands for China Inspection and Quarantine and operates directly under The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, (one of the major quality management institutes we presented the last week. There are 35 so called CIQ-offices localized in 31 provinces in China that work work closely with laboratories, local offices and other entities to secure the quality of products imported to China.
CIQ-declarations and certifications
Sometimes, Chinese customs seize the goods for foreign exporters. If your products are seized by the customs, due to missing certifications, you can either provide a CIQ declaration or provide the remaining documents needed.
You need to be hundred percent clear of what certifications are needed before you export your products to China. A third party (e.g. an importer, distributor or certification company) can help you to provide a CIQ-declaration or clear the customs if certifications are not needed. A granted CIQ declaration allows your goods to be imported to China, if approved by the customs.
The following documents are provided when you apply for a CIQ-declaration:
An introduction of your company, product information and arguments why your goods can be declared
Safety compliance declaration
Quota certificates
Business license
Importing license
CIQ inspections-and labels
Regulations are changing over time. In some cases, e.g for cosmetics, it‘s no longer obligatory to affix a CIQ label after inspections. Though the same inspection process is still required.
On Intertek’s website”, you can see how to apply for an inspection for cosmetics.
A so called CIQ-label must be affixed for a vast amount of producs before they enter the Chinese market. Let me show an example for cosmetics and what information is required on the labels. The following information needs to be included for cosmetics (with a net content of less than 15mg/15ml):
Name and content of the product
Name and of the producer
Ingredient list
Date when produced and shelf life
Instructions how to use it