Exporters of Irish whiskey, Belgian chocolate and European coffee brands are working hard to comply with new Chinese food and beverage import regulations. Many exporters fear their goods will be unable to enter the China by the Jan. 1 deadline.
The Customs authority of China published new food safety rules in April, stipulating all food manufacturing, processing and storage facilities abroad must be registered by year-end for their goods to access the Chinese market.
Detailed procedures explaining how to get the required registration codes were only issued in October.