How deep is the water in the customs declaration of imported mineral water?

Mr. Zhang, who was working overtime late at night, received a sample of mineral water sent by a French client. The clear and refreshing taste made him decide to import it immediately. But when he saw the dense quarantine requirements on the customs declaration form, he realized that the water in importing mineral water is so deep that it can drown people - from the water source certificate to the Chinese label, from tariff calculation to cold - chain transportation, every link may "ruin" your import plan.

Different from the import of ordinary food, there is a special "triple - filtering" mechanism in the customs declaration of mineral water:

• Water source qualification filtering: A health certificate issued by the official of the water source area is required, and for some countries, it also needs to be filed with the General Administration of Customs of China.
• Component standard filtering: The fluoride content shall not exceed 1.0mg/L, and if the strontium content exceeds 5mg/L, it is necessary to mark "not suitable for infants and young children".
• Packaging label filtering: The Chinese label must contain the words "drinking natural mineral water" and the range of total dissolved solids content.

Ms. Li, a senior customs declarant from Zhongshitong, revealed that successful customs clearance requires layer - by - layer purification like the filtration of mineral water layers:

• Step 1: Confirm whether the water source is on the list of countries that meet the assessment and review requirements of the General Administration of Customs.
• Step 2: Take samples for inspection and obtain a health certificate for imported food.
• Step 3: Pre - review the Chinese label (common mistakes: failure to mark the pH value or sodium content).
• Step 4: Distinguish between carbonated/non - carbonated types during declaration (the tariff difference is up to 5%).
• Step 5: The temperature during the whole process of cold - chain transportation needs to be maintained at 4 - 25℃ and records should be retained.

In 2023, a batch of Italian mineral water was returned in full container due to excessive bromate, and the consignor lost more than 200,000 yuan in freight + inspection fees. The more hidden risks are:

• Natural mineral water is subject to a 13% value - added tax (only 9% for distilled water).
• Vibration during transportation may cause the caps of carbonated mineral water to leak.
• Improper pasting of the Chinese label will directly lead to rectification at the port (the daily storage fee starts from 500 yuan).

When you receive the water source certificate sent by a German supplier, you might as well ask yourself three questions:

• Is the water source area on the white list updated to 2024 by the General Administration of Customs?
• Is the TDS value (total dissolved solids) of the product within the range that must be marked on the Chinese label?
• Have you reserved at least 15 working days to deal with possible component re - inspection?