Pre-Statutory Voluntary Notification Scheme for Food Importers / Distributors

Pre-Statutory Voluntary Registration Scheme
for Food Importers / Distributors

In response to a series of food incidents concerning imported food, the Government has announced a package of new measures to ensure the safety of imported food. One of these new initiatives is to require food importers in Hong Kong to register with the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) so that in the event of a food incident, the CFS can more readily identify the importer(s) concerned, trace the source of the problem food and take necessary action. In order to monitor the food supply chain in Hong Kong, it is necessary for CFS to identify not only the food importers but also the food distributors (i.e. those operate as intermediaries between the food importers and retailers). The scope of the mandatory registration requirement therefore needs to extend to cover not only food importers but also food distributors in Hong Kong.

The Government is planning to introduce a new legislation to make it a mandatory requirement for all businesses engaged in food importation and distribution to registration with the CFS of their identity, contact details and the main food types which they import / distribute so that CFS can build up a register of all food importers as well as distributors in Hong Kong.

Before the enactment of the new legislation, the Government has launched a pre-statutory voluntary registration scheme ( the Scheme ) to encourage food importers / distributors to register with the Centre of their business according to food categories as indicated in the table below.

Stage One

Time of Implementation	Food Types
January 2007	Poultry eggs
August 2007	Game, meat and poultry meat
September 2007	Live food animals / live poultry
October 2007	Milk, milk beverage, cream and frozen confection
November 2007	Vegetables and fruits
December 2007	Fish and fishery products

Stage Two

Time of Implementation	Food Types
May 2008	Processed game, meat, poultry meat and aquatic products
June 2008	Egg Products, processed vegetables and fruit products, dairy products, legumes, nuts and seeds
July 2008	Cereals and grains products, herbs and spices, fats and oils, salts, condiments and sauces
August 2008	Non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, infant/follow up/growing-up formula and baby food
September 2008	Sugars and sweets, snacks
October 2008	Miscellaneous (Chinese herbs, health food / supplement, mixed dishes and food not covered by the food types mentioned in Stage One and above five phases) *Excluding those required to be registered under Chinese Medicine Ordinance Cap 549 & Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance Cap.138

The objectives of this voluntary registration scheme are to:

(i)	identify the food importers and distributors so that the CFS can enlist their support and cooperation in the event of a food incident before the “Food Safety Bill” and the mandatory scheme come into force;
(ii)	allow the trade to familiarize with the future mandatory requirement; and
(iii)	enable the CFS to gain practical experience in designing and administering the future mandatory scheme.

Food importers and distributors are encouraged to notify the CFS of the details of their business, including name of the business, business registration number, address, name of the people-in-charge and his telephone and fax number. The information will facilitate CFS to enhance communication and consultation with the food industry (in the design of the future mandatory scheme and the drafting of the “Food Safety Bill”), notify them of any food concerns or alerts, and contact the businesses concerned more easily in the event of a food incident.

Through the registration system, the CFS will advise and encourage the food businesses to keep record of the movement of their food as a good business practice and to assist in enhancing food traceability. The CFS will, subject to the consent of the food business operators, upload to the CFS website the names of those companies under the Scheme for reference by the local food trade and overseas food suppliers.

Details of different phases of the Scheme can be found in the following links :

Live Food Animals and Live Poultry Importers / Distributors Pre-Statutory Voluntary Registration