Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Wild and Farmed Aquatic Products from Turkey to China

According to the regulations of the Chinese Customs and the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry concerning the inspection and sanitary requirements for farmed and wild aquatic products, effective immediately, Turkish aquatic products meeting the following requirements are permitted for import:

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 Products 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 Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey on Inspection and Sanitary Requirements for Farmed Aquatic Products Imported from Turkey to China (hereinafter referred to as the "Farmed Aquatic Products Protocol") and the Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey on Inspection and Sanitary Requirements for Wild Aquatic Products Imported from Turkey to China.

II. Scope of Imported Products

(1) Farmed Aquatic Products. Artificially farmed aquatic animal products and their derivatives for human consumption, and marine plant products such as algae and their derivatives. See the appendix for the list of farmed aquatic products exported to China.

(2) Wild Aquatic Products. Wild aquatic animal products and their derivatives intended for human consumption, and marine plant products such as algae and their derivatives.

The aforementioned aquatic products do not include 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

(1) Production enterprises exporting farmed or wild aquatic products to China (where wild aquatic product production enterprises include fishing vessels, transport vessels, processing vessels, processing plants, and independent cold storage facilities, hereinafter the same) and farms must be approved by the Turkish authorities and subject to their effective supervision.

(2) The food safety and hygiene conditions of farmed or wild aquatic product production enterprises must comply with the relevant food safety laws and regulations of Chinese Customs and the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

(3) Production enterprises exporting farmed or wild aquatic products to China must be recommended for registration by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to Chinese Customs. Exports to China are prohibited without registration.

IV. Import Product Requirements

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry shall ensure that farmed and wild aquatic products exported to China meet the following conditions:

(i) Farmed aquatic products are cultivated in Turkey's inland waters, territorial sea, and sea areas where the Republic of Turkey enjoys sovereign rights or jurisdiction over the development, management, and protection of biological resources under international law, as well as in international waters. Wild aquatic products are caught in Turkey's inland waters, territorial sea, and sea areas where the Republic of Turkey enjoys sovereign rights or jurisdiction over the development, management, and protection of biological resources under international law, as well as in international waters.

(ii) Neither the raw materials nor the products have been affected by the following problems:

1. No 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") or those required to be reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) that are related to products covered by the Protocol on Farmed Aquatic Products or the Protocol on Wild Aquatic Products, have occurred in Turkey, causing or potentially affecting farmed and wild aquatic products exported to China.

2. No major food safety incidents have occurred in Turkey that have affected or may affect farmed and wild aquatic products exported to China.

3. The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has exported or intends to export farmed and wild aquatic products to China in serious violation of Chinese and Turkish laws and regulations, as well as the provisions of the Protocol on Aquaculture Products or the Protocol on Wild Aquatic Products.

4. A major public health incident has occurred at the production enterprise, such as employees contracting a major infectious disease, which has already contaminated or may contaminate the farmed and wild aquatic products exported to China, as well as their packaging and transportation vehicles.

5. The aquaculture area or fishing area has been affected by pollutants, such as radioactive pollutants, which have already contaminated or may contaminate the farmed and wild aquatic products exported to China.

(iii) No drugs or additives prohibited by either party have been used directly or indirectly (e.g., added to feed); drugs or additives restricted or permitted by both parties have been used as stipulated; and no pathogenic microorganisms, toxic or harmful substances, or foreign objects listed in Chinese and Turkish laws and regulations have been found in the products as verified by the competent authorities.

(iv) All farmed and wild aquatic products exported to China, after inspection and quarantine by the competent authorities, are hygienic, safe, and suitable for human consumption, and have not been found to have any pathological signs of infectious or parasitic diseases, nor any aquatic animal diseases listed in the Catalogue or required to be reported by WOAH.

(v) The entire process of farming or fishing, production, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, transshipment, and export complies with the relevant sanitary and traceability requirements of both parties for farmed or wild aquatic products, and also meets the relevant safety and sanitary requirements of the cold chain.

V. Certificate Requirements

Each batch or container of farmed or wild aquatic products exported to China shall be accompanied by at least one original sanitary certificate, proving that the batch of products complies with the relevant laws and regulations on food safety in China and Turkey, as well as the relevant provisions of the Protocol on Farmed Aquatic Products or the Protocol on Wild Aquatic Products. The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry shall fully fill in the production enterprise information involved in the entire process of farming or fishing, production, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, transshipment, and export on the sanitary certificate.

The certificate shall be printed in at least Chinese and English (English is the mandatory language when filling out the certificate). The format and content of the certificate must be approved by both parties in advance. The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should promptly provide a sample certificate, the official issuing agency's seal, and the signature of the official signatory to Chinese Customs for record-keeping. If there are any changes to the content and format of the sample certificate, the official issuing agency's seal, or the signature of the official signatory, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should file a record with Chinese Customs at least one month before the certificate takes effect.

VI. Other Requirements

Chinese Customs implements import inspection and quarantine on aquatic products imported into China. For non-compliant products, they will be returned, destroyed, or otherwise handled in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations. For production enterprises with serious problems or repeated non-compliance issues, Chinese Customs may take measures such as strengthening inspection and quarantine or suspending imports.

GACC