Announcement issued by two departments regarding the recall of imported food for cross-border e-commerce retail

Beijing, February 13 (Xinhua) -- The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Commerce recently jointly issued a notice on further strengthening the supervision of cross-border e-commerce retail imported food recalls, further clarifying the main responsibility of cross-border e-commerce retail imported food recalls, effectively preventing safety risks of cross-border e-commerce retail imported food, and ensuring consumer safety.

In terms of the recall of imported food in cross-border e-commerce retail, the announcement clarifies that cross-border e-commerce enterprises bear the main responsibility for the safety of imported food in cross-border e-commerce retail, and requires them to entrust a domestic food production and operation enterprise to carry out the recall of imported food in cross-border e-commerce retail.

In terms of strengthening the obligations of cross-border e-commerce enterprises, the announcement requires that when cross-border e-commerce enterprises discover quality and safety risks or problems with related food, they should immediately stop selling, notify the entrusted enterprise to recall the sold food and handle it properly. The recall and handling situation should be reported to the market supervision and other departments in a timely manner.

In order to strengthen the responsibility of cross-border e-commerce platforms, the announcement requires cross-border e-commerce platforms to urge cross-border e-commerce enterprises to strengthen quality and safety risk prevention and control, and urge cross-border e-commerce enterprises and entrusted enterprises to do a good job in recall and other work. Suspend platform services for cross-border e-commerce companies that do not take proactive recall measures.

It is reported that the market supervision department will increase the supervision of recalls. Cross border e-commerce enterprises, entrusted domestic enterprises, and cross-border e-commerce platforms that fail to fulfill recall related obligations will be strictly dealt with in accordance with laws and regulations, and relevant departments will be notified to include them in credit management.