欧盟企业在中国建议书（2024-2025）乳制品行业子工作组（英文）

Europeanchamber中国欧盟商会

DairyIndustrySub-workingGroup

RecentDevelopments

In2023,China'sdairymarketcontinuedtofacethechallengeofoversupply.1Totaldairyoutputincreased3.1percentyear-on-year(y-o-y),whiledairyconsumptiondecreasedonepercenty-o-y.2China'stotaldairyproductimportsamountedto2.88milliontonnes,adropof12percenty-o-y,3with28percentofthesecomingfromtheEuropeanUnion(EU),representingadeclineofeightpercenty-o-y.4

Meanwhile,Russia’swaronUkraineandtheRedSea

SectionThree:Goods

crisishaveresultedinincreasedproductionandtransportcostsforEUdairycompanies,whichhavelostcompetitiveadvantageonprice,especiallycomparedtodairycompaniesinregionswherefreetradeagreementshavebeenreachedwithChina.

In2023,China’saveragepercapitadailyintakeofdairyproductswasaround45gramsperday,whichisfarbelowthe300to500gramsrecommendedintheDietaryGuidelinesforChineseResidents(2022).5On1stJanuary2024,theCentralCommitteeoftheCommunistPartyofChinaandtheStateCouncilreleasedthemeasuresEffectivelyPromotingtheComprehensiveRevitalisationofRuralAreas,whichemphasisetheimportanceofoptimisingmilkstandardsandtheconsumptionofmilkproducts.6Thesub-workinggroupbelievesthatthesepoliciescanincentivisedairy

consumptionandleadtothehigh-qualitydevelopmentoftheindustrythroughtheintroductionofalargerrangeofdairyproductstotheChinesemarket.

On21stSeptember2023,thesecondmeetingofthe

1Li,X,HowCanDairyIndustryOvercometheChallengeofOversupplyandWeakDemand,EconomicInformationDaily,7thDecember2023,viewed15thApril2024,<

/2023-12/07/content

_116863577.htm>

2Yang,Z,UnleashingthePotentialofDairyConsumption,ChinaEconomic,19thMarch2024,viewed15thApril2024,<

/pc/content/202403/19/

content_291488.html>

3ChinaDairyTradeMonthlyReportofJanuary2024,NationalDairyIndustryTechnologyandEconomyResearchOffice,29thJanuary2024,viewed15thApril2024,<

/cms/show-18625.html

>

4Dairytradedashboard,Directorate-GeneralforAgricultureandRuralDevelopment,14thMarch2024,viewed15thApril2024,<https://agridata.ec.europa.eu/extensions/DashboardDairy/DairyTrade.html>

5ChineseDietaryGuidelines(2022),ChineseNutritionSociety,28thApril2022,viewed15thApril2024,<

http://dg./article/04/

RMAbPdrjQ6CGWTwmo62hQg.html>

6EffectivelyPromotingtheComprehensiveRevitalisationofRuralAreasbytheCentralCommitteeoftheCommunistPartyofChinaandtheStateCouncil,Xinhua,3rdFebruary2024,viewed15thApril2024,<

/

zhengce/202402/content_6929934.htm>

China-EUJointCommitteeonGeographicalIndications

(GI)washeldinBeijingtopromotethetechnicalreviewforthesecondlistofGIproducts,7whichcontains19cheeseproducts.8Thesub-workinggrouplooksforwardtothenextstageofworkinthisareaandadeepeningofcooperationbetweentheEUandChina,toensuremorecheesesareaddedtothelistofprotectedGIs.

On25thSeptember2023,theNationalHealthCommission(NHC)andtheStateAdministrationforMarketRegulation(SAMR)publishedtheNationalFoodSafetyStandardGoodManufacturingPracticeforDairyProducts(GB12693-2023).9On12thMarch2024,theNHCpublishedthemodifiedNationalFoodSafetyStandardMilkPowderandModifiedMilkPowder(GB19644-2024).10Otherthanthepublishednationalstandards,theNHChasmadeprogressonthefollowingnationalfoodsafetystandardsrelatedtodairyproductsinthepastyear:

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardRawMilk(GB19301-2010)11

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardModifiedMilk(GB25191-2010)12

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardPasteurisedMilk(GB19645-2010)13

7TheSecondMeetingofChina-EUJointCommitteeonGeographicalIndicationsHeldinBeijing,MinistryofCommerce(MOFCOM),22ndSeptember2023,viewed1stApril2024,<

/article/

bc/202309/20230903442578.shtml>

8AgreementbetweentheGovernmentofthePeople'sRepublicofChinaandtheEuropeanUniononCooperationon,andProtectionofGeographicalIndications,MOFCOM,18thSeptember2020,viewed3rdApril2024,<

.cn/article/zscq/202009/20200903002354.shtml>

9AnnouncementonthePublicationof85NationalFoodSafetyStandardsand3Revisions,includingtheNationalFoodSafetyStandardTea(GB31608-2023)(No.6of2023),NHCandSAMR,25thSeptember2023,viewed1stApril2024,<

/sps/s7891/202309/799bde70c78d41e79de3567542b9

db84.shtml>

10NationalFoodSafetyStandardMilkPowderandModifiedMilkPowder(GB19644-2024),NHC,12thMarch2024,viewed1stApril2024,<https://sppt.cfsa.:8086/db?type=2&guid=1701696B-1EA6-43D7-BCDF-D3A621C5AE40>

11LetterfromtheSecretariatoftheNationalFoodSafetyStandardsReviewCommitteeontheSolicitationofCommentson11NationalFoodSafetyStandards(CallforComments),includingtheNationalFoodSafetyStandardCompleteNutritionFormulaFoodsforTumourPatients(DraftforComments),NHC,18thOctober2023,viewed1stApril2024,<

/sps/s359

4/202310/6e5dadfcdaaf4fb2aa098877cb4aefea.shtml>

12Ibid.

13LetterfromtheSecretariatoftheNationalFoodSafetyStandardsReviewCommitteeontheSolicitationofCommentson21NationalFoodSafetyStandards(CallforComments),includingtheNationalFoodSafetyStandardforFoodAdditivesXanthanGum,NHC,11thDecember2023,viewed1stApril2024,<

/sps/s3594/202312/821bdcd4568b4e07834b59b3f91239

fe.shtml>

174DairyIndustrySub-workingGroup

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardSterilised/UHTMilk(GB25190-2010)14

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardExtendedShelfLifeMilk15

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardCream,ButterandAnhydrousCream(GB19646-2010)16

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardWheyPowderandWheyProteinPowder(GB11674-2010)17

•NationalFoodSafetyStandardMilkProtein

Thesub-workinggrouplooksforwardtofurtherrevisionstothesesafetystandardsandwillcontinuetoadvocateforremovingbarriershinderingtheimportofEuropeandairyproductsandthedevelopmentofChina’sdomesticdairyindustry,whichisinlinewithChina’spositiononfurtheroptimisingtheenvironmentforforeigninvestmentandstimulatingdomesticconsumption.

KeyRecommendations

1.ImproveDairy-relatedNationalFood

SafetyStandards

Concern

SomerevisionstoChina’sdairy-relatedstandardsdonottakeintoaccountthelevelofdevelopmentofbothinternationalanddomesticdairymarkets,whichcouldhinderinternationaltradeandinnovationinthedairysector.

Assessment

Mostofthecurrentnationalfoodsafetystandardsrelatedtodairyproductswereformulatedandreleasedin2010,butinnovationintechnologyfordairyproductionhasincreased,andproductcategorieshavebecomemorevariedoverthepast14years.Furthermore,revisionsofsomedairy-relatedstandardshaveonlyprovidedlimitedchannelsforpublicconsultation,whilenottakingglobally-adoptedtechnologiesandpracticesintoconsideration.Thishasresultedindiscrepanciesbetweenstandardsfordairyproductsandthelevelofdevelopmentofbothinternationalanddomesticdairy

14Ibid.

15Ibid.

16NationalFoodSafetyStandardCream,ButterandAnhydrousCream(GB19646-2010),formerMOH,26thMarch2010,viewed16thApril2024,<

.cn:8086/db?type=2&guid=6818B3FF-4E2C-400B-AF62-D7BE3CF7FE3A>

17NationalFoodSafetyStandardWheyPowderandWheyProteinPowder(GB11674-2010),formerMOH,26thMarch2010,viewed16thApril2024,<

:8086/db?type=2&guid=806A934C-35AA-44F6-8BE5

-110A11B2B4D7>

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EuropeanBusinessinChinaPositionPaper欧盟企业在中国建议书

markets,aproblemthatcanonlyberesolvedthroughtherevisionofrelevantstandards.

Forexample,thedefinitionof‘cream’intheNationalFoodSafetyStandardCream,ButterandAnhydrousCream(GB19646-2010)isoneoftheindustry’smainconcerns.Thestandarddefines‘cream’asaproductthatisderivedfromrawmilkasitsonlymainingredient,whichisnotthecaseinmostofEurope.There,creamproductionusuallystartswithproducingrawcreamthroughseparatingfatwithrawmilk;thisrawcreamwillthenbeusedasthemainingredienttofurtherproducecreamproductsofdifferentfatcontentsbystandardisationandotherprocesses.Thesetwostepsareconductedineitheronefactoryordifferentfactories.Ifsuchawidely-usedprocessisnotconsideredwhendraftingthenewstandard,manyhigh-qualitycreamproductsfromEuropewouldbecategorisedmistakenlyas‘modifiedcream’,leadingtorelatedcompaniessufferingsubstantiallossesintheChinamarket.

ThedraftNationalFoodSafetyStandardWheyPowder,WheyProteinPowder(GB11674)presentsanotherexample.Accordingtothelatestdiscussions,thedraftingcommitteeisconsideringincreasingtheminimumrequirementforproteincontentofwheyproteinpowderproductsfrom25to50percent.However,ahigherproteincontentinwheyproteinpowderisunnecessaryforfoodproduction.Asoneofthemainingredientsinmanydairyproducts—suchasinfantformula,yoghurtandsportsnutritionfoods—wheyproteinpowderproductscontainingdifferentlevelsofproteinservedifferentpurposes.Therefore,iftheproteincontentrequirementwasincreasedto50percent,manufacturerswouldhavetoceasecertainproductlinesanddilutethewheyproteinpowdercontentforothers.Thiswouldnegativelyimpactsuppliersofwheyproteinpowderwithlessthan50percentproteincontentandresultinadditionalproductionprocessesandcostsformanufacturersofdairyproducts.

Horizontalfoodsafetystandardscanalsoposechallengestoimportersofdairyproducts.Forexample,thecurrentstandardNationalFoodSafetyStandardGeneralRulesfortheLabellingofPrepackagedFoods(GB7718)

whichcameintoeffectin2011,allowsmanufacturerstokeeptheirfavoureddatesequenceaslongasitisclearlyindicatedinwords.However,thisstandardisnowunderrevision,withoneoftheproposalsbeingthat“theproductiondateandexpirationdateshallbe

DairyIndustrySub-workingGroup175

SectionThree:Goods

SectionThree:Goods

Europeanchamber中国欧盟商会

markedclearlyintheorderofyear,monthandday”.Ifthisweretobeadopted,itwouldsignificantlyimpactallimportersoffoodswhousedatecodesdifferenttothoseusedinChina.ThiswouldparticularlybethecasefordairyproductmanufacturersthatonlyhaveoneuniversaldatecodeandalowexportvolumetoChina.Tobecompliant,amanufacturerwouldhavetoabandonitscurrentpackagingdesignandproductionline,andinvestinnewmaterialsandfacilitiestocustomisepackagesonlyfortheChinesemarket.Thiswouldplaceanunnecessaryburdenonbusinessesanddiscouragetradeinnewdairyproductsthatareusuallytrialledinsmallvolumesinordertotestthemarket.

Toprovidehigh-qualitydairyproductsfordomesticconsumptionandtoguaranteethestabilityofinternationaltrade,thesub-workinggrouprecommendsthatrecentadvancesinboththedomesticand

internationaldairyindustries—aswellastheconditionsalongChineseandglobalsupplychains—befullytakenintoaccountwhenformulatingpoliciesandstandards.

Recommendations

•Alignthedevelopmentandrevisionofdairy-relatedstandardsmoreeffectivelywithinternationalstandardsandpractices,aswellastherealityofdomesticandinternationaldairymarketsandsupplychains.

•Optimisetheformulationandrevisionofnationalfoodsafetystandardsbyprovidingamoretransparentandopenchannelforbothdomesticandinternationalindustryplayers.

2.OptimisetheRegulationofCultures

AppliedinDairyProduction

Concern

ManyculturesthataresafelyusedinEuropeandairyproductionprocessesarenotincludedinthepositivelistthatChinausestoregulatetheapplicationofculturesinfoodproduction,whichpreventsproductscontainingtheseculturesfromenteringtheChinesemarket.

Assessment

China’sregulationoffoodculturesallowsonlyaverylimitednumberofmicrobialculturestobeused.In2010,thethenMinistryofHealth(MOH)issuedthe

176DairyIndustrySub-workingGroup

ListofCulturesAppliedinFood(List).18Itincludeda‘positivelist’thatrecognisedonlyafewmicroorganismtypes,mainlyusedforproducingyoghurt,withregulatedculturesappliedinfoodforinfantsandyoungchildrenfeaturinginanotherlist.WhileculturesthatareexemptedfromtheregulationarenotspecifiedasthoseusedintraditionalChinesefood,theofficialinterpretationandactualimplementationinfactappliesonlytoculturesusedinsuchproducts,includingvinegar,soysauceandChineseliquor.

Around40culturesnowfeatureinthelist,expandedfromtheoriginal21over14yearsago,withmostculturesthataretraditionallyusedforcheeseproductionstillnotincluded.19CulturesotherthanthoseappearinginthelistandthoseusedintraditionalChinesefoodsarenotpermittedforuseinfoodproductionuntiltheyareapprovedinasafetyreviewconductedbytheNHC.Thisreviewprocessisalmostimpossibleforcultureproducerstofollowasitrequiresinformationthatisverydifficulttoobtain—suchasthetoxicologicalassessmentofcertaincultures,whichisverytime-andresource-consuming—therebyhinderingthedevelopmentoftheChinesedairyindustry,inparticularthecheesesector.Inaddition,thereviewprocessitselfislabour-intensive,whichisanunnecessarycost,asthesecultureshavealonghistoryofsafeusageinawidevarietyofEuropeandairyproducts.

Authoritativelistsofmicroorganismsusedbyinternationalorganisations,orincountriesotherthanChina,includeculturesthataregenerallyrecognisedfortheirhistoryofsafeusage.SuchlistsincludethosepublishedbyajointprojectbetweentheInternationalDairyFederation(IDF)andtheEuropeanFoodandFeedCulturesAssociationin2002,andaDanishVeterinaryandFoodAdministration(DVFA)listofnotifiedmicrobialculturesthatareusedinfoodproduction.Afterbeingreviewedandupdatedin2012,2018and2022,theIDFinventorynowlists325microbialculturescoveringawiderangeoffoodmatrices.20TheChineseGovernmentandseveralresearchinstitutesarecooperatingwiththeIDF

18NoticeofMinistryofHealthOfficeonIssuingtheListofCulturesAppliedinFood,formerMOH,28thApril2010,viewed16thApril2024,<

/

gzdt/2010-04/28/content_1594897.htm>

19NoticeonUpdatedListofCulturesAppliedinFoodandtheListofCulturesAppliedinInfantandYoungChildrenFood,NHC,25thAugust2022,viewed16thApril2024,<

/sps/s7892/202208/1d6c229d6f744b35827e9

8161c146afb.shtml>

20IDFPublishes4thUpdateonInventoryofMicrobialFoodCultures,IDF,15thMarch2022,viewed16thApril2024,<

/news

_insights/idf-publishes-4th-update-on-inventory-of-microbial-food-cultures/>

EuropeanBusinessinChinaPositionPaper欧盟企业在中国建议书

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tohavetheculturesusedinmanufacturingtraditionalChinesefoodincludedintheinventory.

TheDVFAlistofnotifiedmicrobialculturesisarecordofallmicrobialculturestheorganisationhasbeennotifiedof,andcanbeexpandedifculturemanufacturersprovidemoreinformation.Safetydocumentationisnotprecludedinthenotificationprocess:theDVFAdoesnotapprovemicrobialculturesbeforetheyareused,butsafe-usehistoryandsafetyrisksareevaluatedbeforeacultureisincludedonthelist.InEuropeancountries,culturesareconsideredingredientsandmustmeetlegalsafetyrequirements,withtheresponsibilityfortheirsafetylyingwithmanufacturers.Relatedregulationsstatethatmanufacturersshallonlyuseculturesthathaveahistoryofsafeuse.

Thecontributionscertainmicrobeshavemadeto

cheesehavebeenwidelyr