Breaking International Food Trade Barriers: Ensuring Safe and Compliant End-to-End Transportation from Standard Certification to Customs Clearance

Against the backdrop of the global food trade scale exceeding 8 trillion US dollars, trade barriers have become a core pain point restricting enterprises’ overseas expansion. According to WTO statistics, non-tariff barriers account for as high as 67% of all trade barriers in the food industry, far exceeding other sectors. Among these, technical standard differences, certification thresholds, and customs clearance barriers cause annual trade losses exceeding 50 billion US dollars. From the EU’s “Green Deal” to the US “Food Defense Act”, from religious certifications in Southeast Asia to new sanitary and phytosanitary regulations in South America, trade barriers are showing a new trend of “precision, concealment, and dynamism”. This article will provide enterprises with a actionable solution to break trade barriers from three dimensions—breaking through standard certifications, optimizing customs clearance processes, and end-to-end risk management—combined with the latest cases and practical tools.

I. Standard Certification: The “Pass” to Break Trade Barriers

One of the core barriers to international food trade lies in the differences in technical standards and certification systems. Based on factors such as food safety, environmental protection, and religious culture, different countries have formulated their own access standards. Enterprises that fail to adapt in advance may face risks such as cargo detention, destruction, or even market ban. Mastering the mainstream global certification systems and standard requirements is the first step to breaking through barriers.

(I) Core Global Certification Systems and Adaptation Strategies

1. Food Safety Certifications: Basic Access Thresholds

• HACCP Certification: A globally recognized food safety management system covering the entire chain of food production, processing, and transportation. It serves as the “basic pass” for entering markets such as the US, EU, and Japan. Enterprises need to establish a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system, focusing on key links including raw material procurement, processing temperature, and hygiene control. The certification process takes approximately 3-6 months, with costs ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 RMB depending on the enterprise scale. For example, after obtaining HACCP certification, a Chinese aquatic product enterprise increased its customs clearance efficiency to the EU by 40% and reduced the detention rate from 28% to 3%.
• ISO 22000 Certification: A more comprehensive food safety management system than HACCP, integrating quality management system requirements. It is applicable to various types of food enterprises. In emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East, ISO 22000 certification is highly recognized and can replace some local certifications, reducing duplicate certification costs.
• BRCGS Certification: A global food standard formulated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which is mandatory for European retail channels. It requires enterprises to meet strict standards in product traceability, allergen control, and packaging safety. Enterprises holding this certification can directly enter major European supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s without additional channel audits.

2. Regional Characteristic Certifications: Targeted Breakthroughs

• EU Organic Certification: A mandatory certification for entering the EU organic food market. It requires 100% of raw materials to come from organic agriculture, no use of chemically synthesized pesticides or fertilizers in the production process, and annual on-site audits. The certification cycle takes 6-12 months. Products can be labeled with the “EU Organic” logo, with a premium margin of 30%-50%.
• USDA Organic Certification: Divided into three levels—100% Organic, Organic, and Made with Organic Ingredients. It must meet the US National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) requirements, and the certification body must be recognized by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). For categories such as plant-based foods and infant complementary foods, USDA certification is crucial for entering the high-end US market.
• HALAL Certification: A core access certification for Muslim countries, covering the entire chain of raw material procurement, production equipment, and processing processes to ensure products comply with Islamic law. Certifications from institutions such as Malaysia’s JAKIM and Indonesia’s MUI are most recognized in global Muslim markets. Chinese enterprises can apply through authorized domestic institutions, with a certification cycle of 2-3 months and costs of approximately 50,000-80,000 RMB.
• KOSHER Certification: A Jewish food standard applicable to markets such as Israel and Jewish communities in the US. It prohibits the use of raw materials such as pork and shellfish, and requires dedicated production equipment. Foods with this certification can enter the global Jewish food market, covering more than 18 million consumers.

3. Emerging Compliance Certifications: Addressing Green Trade Barriers

• Carbon Footprint Certification (ISO 14067): After the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) takes effect, food export enterprises must provide product carbon footprint reports, calculating the full life cycle carbon emissions from production to transportation. Currently, the EU has included meat, dairy products, and vegetable oils in its supervision, and will fully impose carbon tariffs from 2026. Enterprises need to establish carbon accounting systems in advance and reduce carbon emission intensity through energy-saving transformations.
• B Corp Certification: Focusing on environmental responsibility, social responsibility, and governance (ESG) standards, it is highly recognized in high-end European and American consumer markets. The certification requires enterprises to meet standards in raw material procurement (e.g., fair trade), waste disposal, and employee rights. After certification, enterprises can enhance brand premium and enter premium supermarket channels such as Whole Foods.

(II) Practical Guidelines for Avoiding Certification Pitfalls

1. Selection of Certification Bodies: Prioritize institutions officially recognized by the target market, such as EU Notified Bodies and third-party certification bodies recognized by the US FDA. Avoid certification invalidation due to unqualified certification bodies. For example, when Chinese enterprises apply for EU Organic Certification, they must select certification bodies listed by the European Commission; otherwise, products will be refused entry.
2. Dynamic Tracking of Standards: Establish an early warning mechanism for standard updates, and subscribe to the latest policies through the official websites of target market regulatory authorities (e.g., EU RASFF, US FDA) and industry associations. For instance, in 2024, the EU updated the limit standard for bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials from 0.05mg/kg to 0.025mg/kg. Enterprises need to adjust packaging materials in a timely manner to avoid compliance risks.
3. Optimization of Certification Costs: For enterprises exporting to multiple markets, select mutually recognized certification systems. For example, ISO 22000 certification is mutually recognized in many countries and can replace some local certifications. At the same time, enterprises in the same industry can form groups for joint certification to share audit costs and reduce the certification cost for individual enterprises.

II. Breaking Customs Clearance Barriers: From Document Preparation to Process Optimization

The customs clearance link is the “life-or-death line” of international food trade. Approximately 40% of trade barriers are concentrated in the customs clearance stage, including issues such as inconsistent documents, failed inspections, and incorrect declarations. Enterprises need to establish standardized customs clearance processes, avoid risks in advance, and ensure rapid cargo clearance.

(I) Core Customs Clearance Barriers and Solutions

1. Document Barriers: Precise Matching with Target Market Requirements

• Common Issues: Missing documents, incorrect information, inconsistent formats—such as non-standard labeling of nutrition fact sheets, quarantine certificates lacking key information, and non-compliant label languages.
• Solutions:
• Establish a document checklist database, sorting out required documents by target market. For example, exporting to the EU requires: third-party test reports (covering pesticide residues, additives, and microorganisms), bilingual nutrition fact sheets, allergen declarations, production enterprise qualifications (HACCP/BRCGS), and phytosanitary certificates (for fresh products);
• Adopt standardized document templates to ensure accurate and consistent information—e.g., unify the production date format as “YYYY-MM-DD” and use international units (mg/g/kg) for measurements;
• Conduct pre-audit of documents in advance and entrust local customs brokers to review documents to avoid delays due to format or content issues. For example, a Chinese nut enterprise exported to Australia and entrusted a local customs broker to pre-audit BICON import license documents, shortening the customs clearance time from 15 days to 3 days.

2. Quarantine Barriers: Addressing Animal and Plant Epidemic Prevention Requirements

• Common Issues: Detection of quarantine pests and diseases, excessive microorganisms, and excessive pesticide residues leading to cargo detention or destruction.
• Solutions:
• Raw Material Control: Select raw material suppliers that meet the quarantine standards of the target market, sign quarantine liability agreements, and require suppliers to provide phytosanitary certificates and pesticide residue test reports;
• Production Process Control: Establish a workshop hygiene management system, regularly disinfect production equipment and the environment to control microbial contamination; for fresh products, adopt technologies such as low-temperature sterilization and irradiation to reduce the risk of epidemic transmission;
• Pre-inspection: Complete all test items required by the target market in China, and select testing institutions recognized by the target market (e.g., CNAS-accredited laboratories recognized by the EU) to avoid invalidation of test reports due to unqualified testing institutions. For example, tea exported to Japan needs to undergo 486 pesticide residue tests in advance. Enterprises can entrust international testing institutions such as SGS and Intertek to ensure test results are recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

3. Declaration Barriers: Accurate Declaration to Avoid Classification Errors

• Common Issues: Incorrect HS code classification, false declaration of goods value, and vague product descriptions leading to customs questioning or penalties.
• Solutions:
• Accurate HS Code Classification: Confirm HS codes through classification query tools on the official websites of target market customs (e.g., US Customs ACE System, EU Customs Taric Database), and consult customs classification experts if necessary. For example, plant-based meat products should be classified as “vegetable protein products (HS 2106)” rather than “meat products (HS 1602)”; otherwise, they will face import bans;
• Truthful Declaration of Goods Value: Declare according to the actual transaction price, and provide supporting documents such as trade contracts, invoices, and payment vouchers to avoid under-declaration or over-declaration. For example, the EU Customs imposes 2-5 times fines on food with under-declared values and traces similar transactions within 3 years;
• Clear Product Description: Clearly label product name, ingredients, uses, production processes, and other information to avoid vague expressions. For example, “flavored beverages” should be specifically labeled as “mango-flavored beverages containing 50% fruit juice” instead of the general description “beverages”.

(II) Tips for Optimizing Customs Clearance Processes

1. Advance Registration and Pre-declaration: For enterprises with long-term exports, complete enterprise registration with the target market customs (e.g., US FDA registration, EU EORI registration) to shorten customs clearance review time; for high-risk categories, adopt a pre-declaration model, submit documents to customs in advance, and ship after customs pre-approval to reduce detention risks.
2. Selection of Efficient Customs Clearance Ports and Channels: Prioritize ports with high clearance efficiency and transparent policies, such as China’s Shenzhen Shekou Port, Shanghai Yangshan Port, the US Los Angeles Port, Long Beach Port, and the EU’s Rotterdam Port, Hamburg Port; select logistics enterprises with customs clearance qualifications for transportation channels, such as DHL and FedEx’s customs clearance dedicated lines, or freight forwarders in deep cooperation with local customs brokers, leveraging their local resources to accelerate customs clearance.
3. Establishment of Customs Clearance Emergency Mechanisms: If goods are detained by customs, respond within 24 hours, supplement documents or accept inspections as required by customs; for genuinely compliant goods, coordinate through industry associations and embassy commercial offices to strive for rapid release; if goods cannot pass customs, promptly apply for return or destruction to avoid high warehousing and port detention fees. For example, a Chinese bakery enterprise’s goods were detained due to missing quarantine certificates when exporting to Thailand. With the assistance of a local customs broker to supplement the certificates, customs clearance was completed within 3 days, avoiding cargo spoilage losses.

III. End-to-End Transportation Guarantee: Building a Full-Chain Compliance System

Breaking international food trade barriers cannot only focus on certification and customs clearance links. It is necessary to establish a full-chain compliance system from production, packaging, and transportation to distribution, ensuring each link meets the requirements of the target market and achieving safe and compliant end-to-end transportation.

(I) Production Link: Controlling Compliance from the Source

1. Raw Material Compliance Management: Establish a supplier access system, conduct qualification audits on raw material suppliers (e.g., HACCP certification, organic certification), and conduct regular on-site audits; sign raw material procurement contracts, clarify requirements for pesticide residues, additives, allergens, and other indicators, and require suppliers to provide batch-by-batch test reports; establish a raw material traceability system, record the entire process of raw material procurement, warehousing, and use, ensuring rapid traceability in case of problems.
2. Compliance Control in Production Processes: Strictly follow the production standards of the target market, such as EU GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and US CGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices); adjust production processes according to the special requirements of different markets—for example, food exported to Muslim markets must use dedicated production equipment to avoid cross-contamination with non-HALAL raw materials; establish a production process testing system, conduct real-time monitoring of key control points (e.g., processing temperature, sterilization time), record test data, and ensure stable product quality.
3. Compliant Label Design: Design product labels according to the requirements of the target market, clearly labeling product name, ingredients, nutrition fact sheets, allergens, production date, shelf life, country of origin, importer information, etc. The label language must use the official language of the target market—for example, the EU requires the language of the importing country, and the US requires English or Spanish; the label material must comply with food contact material standards, such as EU (EU) No 10/2011 and US FDA 21 CFR Part 177. For example, labels of plant-based foods exported to the EU must be marked with “plant-based”, clearly indicate allergens (e.g., soybeans, nuts), and the nutrition fact sheet must include indicators such as energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, accurate to the milligram level.

(II) Packaging and Transportation Links: Adapting to Cross-Border Logistics Needs

1. Optimization of Packaging Compliance:

• Safety Compliance: Packaging materials must meet the food contact material standards of the target market, avoiding materials containing harmful substances such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates; liquid foods must adopt leak-proof packaging to prevent leakage and contamination during transportation;
• Clear Labeling: Outer packaging must be marked with transportation signs (e.g., “fragile”, “refrigerated transport”) and declaration information (e.g., HS code, goods value, quantity). Labels must be firm and clear to avoid falling off during transportation;
• Environmental Requirements: To address green barriers such as the EU’s “Single-Use Plastics Directive”, adopt biodegradable packaging materials such as paper packaging and biodegradable plastics, avoiding prohibited materials such as single-use plastic tableware and plastic bags.

2. Upgrading of Cold Chain Transportation:

• Precise Temperature Control: Select appropriate cold chain transportation methods according to product characteristics—for example, frozen foods use refrigerated containers below -18℃, and fresh fruits use constant temperature transportation at 12-15℃; use transportation tools with real-time temperature control systems to monitor temperature data throughout the process, ensuring temperature fluctuations are within ±0.5℃;
• Seamless Cold Chain Connection: Select logistics partners with global cold chain networks to avoid cold chain disruptions during transit; layout overseas warehouses in target markets to achieve local warehousing, sorting, and distribution, shortening the end delivery time and reducing the risk of product spoilage;
• Emergency Preparation: Place temperature recorders in goods to facilitate tracing of temperature changes; purchase cold chain transportation insurance to cover product losses caused by temperature fluctuations and transportation delays.

(III) Last-Mile Delivery and After-Sales: Compliant Closed-Loop Management

1. Compliance in Last-Mile Delivery: Comply with the delivery standards of the target market—for example, the EU requires regular disinfection of food delivery vehicles and health certificates for delivery personnel; the US requires temperature records for cold chain food delivery; some countries have requirements for delivery time—for example, fresh products in Japan must be delivered to end customers within 24 hours. Enterprises need to optimize delivery routes to ensure timeliness.
2. After-Sales Compliance Guarantee: Establish a product traceability system, assign a unique traceability code to each product, allowing consumers to query information such as product raw materials, production, and transportation; formulate recall plans to quickly launch recall procedures in case of product compliance issues to avoid expanding losses; promptly handle consumer complaints, track feedback from target markets, and continuously optimize product compliance. For example, a Chinese snack enterprise established a blockchain traceability system to achieve full-process traceability from raw materials to consumers, increasing consumer trust in the EU market by 35% and reducing complaint rates by 60%.

IV. Case Analysis: Practical Experience of Enterprises Breaking Trade Barriers

Case 1: A Chinese Plant-Based Food Enterprise Expanding into the European Market

Background: A Chinese plant-based food enterprise planned to enter the EU market, facing multiple barriers including EU Organic Certification, allergen labeling, and carbon footprint accounting.

Solutions:

1. Certification Breakthrough: Selected an EU-recognized Notified Body to apply for EU Organic Certification, optimized production processes, used 100% organic raw materials, established a carbon accounting system, obtained ISO 14067 carbon footprint certification, and calculated the product carbon emission as 0.8kg CO₂e/kg, which is below the EU carbon tariff threshold;
2. Customs Clearance Optimization: Entrusted a local German customs broker to pre-audit documents to ensure nutrition fact sheets and