Customs Designated Supervision Sites: A Definitive Guide

 

 

I. Understanding Customs Designated Supervision Sites

As defined in the Rules for the Administration of Designated Sites under Customs Supervision, Customs-designated supervision sites refer to specialized premises that are established in compliance with the standards for Customs supervision premises. They are set up to meet stringent phytosanitary and zoosanitary requirements and are specifically designated for the inspection, testing, and quarantine of specific high-risk imported animals, plants, and their products.

II. Categories of Customs Designated Supervision Sites

(I) Supervision sites designated for imported meat products.

(II) Supervision sites designated for imported chilled aquatic products.

(III) Supervision sites designated for imported grains.

(IV) Supervision sites designated for imported fruits.

(V) Supervision sites designated for imported live aquatic animals for human consumption.

(VI) Supervision sites designated for imported plant seeds and seedlings.

(VII) Supervision sites designated for imported raw timber.

(VIII) Supervision sites designated for other high-risk imported animals, plants, and their products.

III. Key Requirements and Guidelines for Establishing Customs Designated Supervision Sites

Customs designated supervision sites must be located within the supervision zone of the first port of entry. Where applications are made to establish different types of designated supervision sites within the same port of entry, they are to be planned and constructed in a centralized or adjacent area, forming an integrated Customs supervision facility to facilitate consolidated Customs supervision.

IV. Procedure for Establishing a Customs Designated Supervision Site

(I) Feasibility Assessment and Project Initiation: The entity or enterprise proposing to establish a designated supervision site is required to file an application with the provincial people’s government to commission a feasibility study and seek project approval. Upon a positive feasibility assessment, the applicant should prepare and submit a formal project proposal to the directly affiliated Customs authority for its review and endorsement.

(II) Review and Formal Approval: The directly affiliated Customs authority convenes an expert panel to conduct a preliminary review. Based on this review, it prepares and submits a preliminary review report along with its formal recommendation to the General Administration of Customs. The General Administration of Customs then conducts a final review of this submission. Upon approval, the General Administration of Customs issues an official approval decision, which is then communicated to the local government through the directly affiliated Customs authority.

(III) Pre-Acceptance Inspection by the Directly Affiliated Customs Authority: Once the designated supervision site is constructed and meets all preliminary technical specifications, the applicant applies to the directly affiliated Customs authority for a pre-acceptance inspection. Following this application, the authority conducts the inspection. Upon a successful inspection, it formally notifies the General Administration of Customs and requests the Administration to conduct the final acceptance inspection.

(IV) Final Acceptance Inspection by the General Administration of Customs: Based on the pre-acceptance findings above, the General Administration of Customs organizes an inspection team to carry out the final acceptance inspection. Alternatively, the Administration may, at its discretion, authorize the directly affiliated Customs authority to perform the final inspection on its behalf.

(V) Publication and Listing: Upon successful final acceptance, the General Administration of Customs includes the newly approved site in the official national list of designated supervision sites and publishes the updated list on its official website. The public may access this information by searching for “designated supervision sites” on the official website of the General Administration of Customs. Specifically, one can either use the “Designated Supervision Site Finder” to search by Customs district, or consult the latest published “List of Designated Supervision Sites” to view all sites by category.

V. Key Compliance Points

(I) Obligation to Report Changes: Any changes to either the name of the operating entity or the official address of the designated supervision site (when resulting from administrative redistricting) must be reported to the directly affiliated Customs authority within one month of such changes. Upon verification, the authority will notify the General Administration of Customs. Furthermore, for the designated site itself, any planned renovation, expansion, or new construction, including inspection areas, integrated cold-chain facilities, or technical buildings, requires prior notification to the directly affiliated Customs authority.

(II) Annual Random Inspections: The General Administration of Customs conducts annual random inspections of designated supervision sites under its “Double Random” Mechanism (refers to both inspected goods and inspecting officers are selected by computer at random) to verify their continued compliance with all applicable supervision requirements. The annual inspection process is primarily documentary. As part of this process, the directly affiliated Customs authority conducts a preliminary review in accordance with directives issued by the General Administration of Customs and submits its routine supervision records as well as preliminary findings to the Administration for final review. Where necessary, the General Administration of Customs may convene an expert panel to perform an on-site verification.

(III) Dynamic List Management: Based on the results of annual random inspections and routine supervision records, the General Administration of Customs dynamically manages the official list of designated supervision sites. Should a site be found to fall under any of the eight grounds for delisting specified in Article 35 of the Rules for the Administration of Designated Sites under Customs Supervision, the General Administration of Customs will remove it from the list and publish the updated list on its official website.

 

 

---