Conditions apply when importing specific types of plastic kitchenware originating in or consigned from China and Hong Kong into Great Britain.
These conditions are set out in Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2011. This is enforced in Scotland by the The Plastic Kitchenware (Conditions on Imports from China) (Scotland) Regulations 2011.
This regulation outlines conditions and procedures for importing polyamide and melamine plastic kitchenware originating in or consigned from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
In summary, the importer must:
- provide the competent authority with a declaration
- provide the competent authority with a laboratory report confirming that each consignment meets the requirements concerning the release of primary aromatic amines and formaldehyde
- notify the competent authority at least two full working days before the consignments are expected to arrive
Border control points
At border control points officials will carry out a document, identity and physical check. This includes sampling of 10% of such consignments for laboratory analysis. Fees will be payable to the relevant authority where these controls apply and will not be higher than the costs incurred by the authorities.
The UK has designated border control points for these consignments originating in, or consigned from, China and Hong Kong. This interactive map provides information on all UK border control points for all commodities.
More information on the official controls regulations, which apply to imported as well as domestically produced food and feed is available on our official controls page.
