In this short and sweet Q&A the EU Commission announces that the budget for promotion measures aimed at the Chinese market will be more than doubled by 2019. Moreover, something seems to be in the pipeline for a GIs protection bilateral agreement.
Question for written answer to the Commission – Matt Carthy (GUE/NGL) – 26th June 2015
What actions has the Commission taken to increase the penetration of European dairy, pigmeat, lamb and other agricultural exports on the Chinese market in a fair and sustainable manner?
Answer given by Mr Hogan on behalf of the Commission – 31st August 2015
Different actions and measures are put in place to stimulate trade in agricultural products. The Commission services are paying particular attention to trade in agricultural products from the EU to China. DG SANTE and DG AGRI officials are in permanent contact with the Chinese authorities to clarify the current standards and different requirements and to decide on next steps necessary to ensure a fair and sustainable trade between the two sides.
The Commission is also supporting the diversification of export markets for EU agricultural exports via a significantly increased budget for promotion measures — from EUR 60 million to EUR 200 million a year by 2019.
In addition, the EU is currently negotiating with China a bilateral agreement on the protection of geographical indications (GIs), aiming at a protection in China of a list of EU GIs. One hundred names for agricultural products, including dairy and meat products are currently on that list. A positive conclusion of these negotiations would further support the EU’s efforts to maximise trade in agricultural products between the EU and China.
(Source: European Parliament)
FOOD LAW LATEST 
Dear professionals.
Do you believe that the most contested issue and one that needs to be updated & easily accessible in major trade languages English, Chinese & Spanish are the CURRENT customs regulations?
Unfortunately, the Chinese Government may believe they have all the rules and regulations in a manifest on their private website.
However, is it or is it not true that the biggest issue every country exporting to China has is verifying the “declared & the Undeclared Customs rules so that their products can be accepted in a timely and less costly manner.
Surely these rules & regulations must be the same for all ports. Moreover shouldn’t these rules & regulations be lodged in an accessible website that can be shared publicly?
Of course if this were to happen maybe China would not be a dumping ground for the “cheap” products unwanted in other parts of the world. As the sellers can afford the customs charges to get their goods through.
Is it possible for ALL export shipments to be correctly documented, detailed in the format required, with prearranged fees & charges so that all agents can get their customer’s goods through within a time frame that does not harm the food products?
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Indeed I know that is not easy to export to China due to custom practices. Moreover it often happens that some categories of products are affected by trade “wars” between China and EU (do you remeber the issue with Chinese solar panel and EU wine?). Anyway, countries like Russia or Brazil are absolutely not easy, it’s not a Chinese unique prerogative: the custom practices also are not so easy to detect and know in advance, because they are often contained in administrative act and not always translated in English…
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Cesare – so you agree that places such as Russia Brazil & China could lower the cost of imported products to the consumer – that are often 90% more healthy than the products they are able to source internally – by rectifying the Customs Regulations & Charges. The savings to Chinese consumers is over 10%!!!!.
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