I. Legal Basis for Inspection and Quarantine
(I) The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine; Regulations for the Implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine; The Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection; Regulations for the Implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection;
(II) Supervision and Management Measures for the Inspection and Quarantine of Import and Export Feed and Feed Additives;
(III) Protocol of Safety and Sanitary Requirements for Bulgarian Sunflower Seed Meal to be Exported to China Between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of the Republic of Bulgaria.
II. Name of Commodities Permitted for Entry
Sunflower seed meal (also referred to as sunflower meal) refers to the residual matter obtained after oil extraction from sunflower seeds through pressing and leaching processes.
III. Approval of Processing Plants
Sunflower seed meal exported to China must originate from processing plants approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of the Republic of Bulgaria (hereinafter referred to as "the Bulgarian side"). Processing plants shall be recommended by the Bulgarian side to the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as "the Chinese side") for official registration upon inspection and approval.
The list of approved processing plants is available on the Chinese official website.
IV. Quarantine Pests
Sunflower seed meal exported to China shall be free from the following quarantine pests of concern to China:
1. Cernuellavirgata;
2. Callosobruchusmaculatus;
3. Ptinustectus;
4. Sorghum almum;
5. Sorghum halepense;
6. Trogodermagranarium;
7. Verticilliumdahliae.
V. Production and Export Requirements
(I) Production, Storage and Transportation.
1. Processing plants shall implement a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system or equivalent management framework, and establish a comprehensive traceability management system. The plants shall enhance hygiene controls across all stages including raw material handling, production, processing, storage, transportation, and temporary port facilities to prevent contamination of sunflower seed meal exported to China by raw sunflower seeds, soil, animal carcasses, excrement, or plant/animal residues. The addition of toxic/harmful substances or any animal-derived components is strictly prohibited;
2. Sunflower seed meal exported to China shall be stored separately from raw materials and other products in dedicated areas. Storage warehouses must implement effective rodent, insect,and bird control measures to prevent secondary pest contamination;
3. Packaging materials for sunflower seed meal exported to China shall maintain cleanliness and hygiene. Containers or transport vehicles must undergo thorough cleaning with disinfection when required;
4. At least one clearly visible marking shall be affixed to containers or ship holds (such as bulk shipments) of sunflower seed meal exported to China, displaying in both Chinese and English: the processing plant's name, registration number, and "Bulgarian Sunflower Seed Meal Exported to the People's Republic of China". The product labeling for each consignment of sunflower seed meal exported to China shall comply with the requirements of the Chinese National Standard "Feed Label"(GB 10648).
(II) Pre-Export Inspection and Quarantine Requirements.
The Bulgarian side shall conduct quarantine inspection on sunflower seed meal prior to exportation to China. Only consignments that pass the quarantine inspection shall be permitted for export to China.
For each consignment of sunflower seed meal exported to China, the Bulgarian side shall issue a phytosanitary certificate in compliance with International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 12 (ISPM 12). The certificate shall specify the manufacturer's name and registration number, container number or vessel name (for bulk shipments), etc. For consignments subjected to disinfection treatment prior to export or during transit, the treatment method and parameters shall be indicated, with the following declaration in the additional remarks section:"This consignment is in compliance with Protocol of Safety and Sanitary Requirements for Bulgarian Sunflower Seed Meal to be Exported to China Between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of the Republic of Bulgaria."
VI. Import Inspection and Quarantine
(I) Document Verification.
1. Verify the authenticity and validity of the "Phytosanitary Certificate" issued by the Bulgarian authorities;
2. Verify whether the shipment originates from registered processing plants.
(II) Goods Inspection.
In accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules and other provisions, and in conjunction with Articles IV and V of the Requirements, inspection and quarantine measures shall be implemented on imported sunflower seed meal. Products that pass inspection and quarantine shall be permitted entry.
(III) Handling of Non-compliance.
1. Shipments with non-compliant phytosanitary certificates or health certificates shall be returned or destroyed;
2. Shipments found to contain live quarantine pests or other live harmful organisms shall be returned, destroyed, or subjected to quarantine treatment;
3. Shipments containing soil or genetically modified components not officially approved by China shall be returned or destroyed;
4. Shipments containing animal excrement, carcasses, poultry feathers, plant seeds, or failing to meet China's feed safety and hygiene standards shall undergo treatment, return, or destruction as per relevant laws and regulations;
5. Shipments with non-compliant packaging marks or product labels shall be returned.
Upon detection of the aforementioned violations, China shall notify Bulgaria and, depending on the severity of the non-compliance, may impose measures including suspension of export eligibility for the affected processing plants or a temporary ban on Bulgarian sunflower seed meal exports to China, until such time as Bulgaria implements effective corrective actions.
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of GACC. The GACC version shall prevail.
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