China: New rules to govern pre-shipment inspection

China’s General Administration of Customs, which is responsible for the supervision and management of pre-shipment inspection (PSI), will not designate inspection agencies to perform pre-shipment inspection but will implement records management in respect of the agencies. A third-party inspection agency should submit an application for filing to Chinese Customs before engaging in a pre-shipment inspection.

PSI agencies are to carry out: inspections at the overseas port of loading or place of departure of waste to be imported; and PSI activities in the countries where they are legally registered. They should record the PSI activities they implement in a truthful, complete, traceable and proper manner, and keep the original inspection records for at least five years.

Among other requirements placed on them, agencies must provide proof of the right of use of fixed office space and inspection sites.