The Opportunities and Challenges of German Biscuit Imports amid the Heating Up of Sino-German Food Trade

In recent years, Sino-German bilateral trade has continued to deepen. In 2023, China's total food imports from Germany increased by 18% year-on-year, with baked goods (including cookies) accounting for more than 30% of the total. German cookies are widely favored by domestic consumers for their rigorous production processes and high-quality ingredients. However, the dual constraints of the EU's strict food regulations (such as the EC 1169/2011 labeling standard) and China's import food supervision requirements (GB 7718-2011 labeling guidelines) have made the customs clearance process highly complex. Against this backdrop, professionalforeign tradeThe agent's ability to handle documents, coordinate logistics, and ensure compliance has become a key factor for importers to reduce costs and shorten delivery cycles.

German biscuitImport Customs ClearanceThe core of it is the professional construction of the single document system.

Documentation is the "passport" for import customs clearance, and its integrity and accuracy directly determine the efficiency of customs clearance.Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd.As a professional agent, we focus on controlling the following seven core documents in the import of German biscuits:

1. Basic commercial documents: Business invoice (which must list the product specifications, unit price, and country of origin), packing list (indicating gross/net weight and packaging type), and bill of lading.Maritime transport/Air freight(Main Order and Sub-Orders). The agent needs to verify that the invoice amount is consistent with the contract to avoid customs queries caused by "under-reporting prices".
2. Origin CertificateCertificate: Germany is a member state of the European Union, and companies can apply for EUR.1 certificates of origin (applicable to the China-EU Preferential Trade Agreement), which enable them to enjoy Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) tariff rates (for biscuits, the HS code is 2008.1100, with an MFN tariff of 15% and a general tariff of 90%). Agents need to guide exporters to apply to German customs or chambers of commerce in advance, ensuring that the certificate's stamp is clear and the product description matches the actual goods.
3. Health/Health Certificate: The "Food Hygiene Certificate for Export to China" issued by German authorities is a mandatory document, which must specify the product ingredients, the production enterprise's registration number (which must be registered in China), and storage conditions (such as "room temperature ≤ 25°C"). The agent needs to check the certificate's validity period (usually 12 months) to avoid the goods being returned due to expiration.
4. Test report: Including ingredient analysis (sugar content, additive content), microbial testing (total colony count, E. coli), and heavy metal testing (lead, arsenic). The agent advised clients to request SGS or TüV certification reports from the German side in advance to reduce the risk of failing domestic customs spot checks.
5. Packaging Declaration: It is necessary to specify that "the packaging materials comply with the safety standards for food contact materials (EU EC 1935/2004)" and attach a sample of the Chinese label (including product name, ingredients, production date, shelf life, and importer's information). The agent can assist in reviewing whether the label meets the requirements of GB 7718, but the label registration must be completed by the client themselves or by entrusting a third party to do so.
6. Special documents: If it involves genetically modified raw materials (such as corn starch), an additional "Agricultural Genetically Modified Organism Safety Certificate" is required; for products containing alcohol (such as rum cookies), an "Alcohol Import License" is necessary.
7. Power of Attorney for Customs Declaration Agency: The client needs to sign an authorization letter, which clearly defines the authority of the agent to handle customs declarations. This is a mandatory document for customs declaration.

By conducting a pre-review of all documents in the entire process (3 to 5 working days in advance), Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. can control the error rate of documents to less than 2%, which is 60% lower than the industry average.

Logistics Coordination: Full-chain control from the Port of Hamburg to Chinese ports

Most German cookies are shipped by sea (accounting for 85%) from the Port of Hamburg, transited via Rotterdam or the Mediterranean Sea to ports such as Shanghai and Qingdao in China. A small number of high-efficiency demand items are airfreighted from Frankfurt to Beijing/Guangzhou. The key points of the agent's logistics management are as follows:

• Customized Transportation Solutions: According to the cargo volume (select LCL for small batches and FCL for orders ≥ 15 cubic meters), delivery time (35-45 days for sea freight and 7-10 days for air freight), and cost (about $800/cubic meter for sea freight and $8-12/kg for air freight), we recommend the optimal solution. For example, for holiday promotion orders, it is recommended to book shipping space two months in advance to avoid capacity shortages during peak seasons.
• In-transit monitoring: Through the shipping company's EIR system (Equipment Handover Note), we can track the real-time movements of containers. If there are any delays (such as congestion in the Suez Canal), we will immediately coordinate with the port or arrange for rail transport (for example, to another port).China-Europe Railway Expressto minimize the risk of cargo damage.
• Operations after arriving at the port: 1. Complete the document exchange (exchange the bill of lading for the pickup note with the electronic release guarantee or the original bill of lading); 2. Submit the inspection declaration (submit the electronic inspection declaration to the customs and obtain the CIQ number); 3. Submit the customs declaration (the tax invoice will be issued within 1-2 working days after the electronic declaration). 4. The agent can assist clients in applying for the "two-step declaration" (outline declaration + complete declaration), reducing the pickup time from 5-7 days to 2-3 days.
• Handling Special Logistics Scenarios: For sandwich/cream biscuits requiring cold chain transportation (storage temperature ≤ 10℃), the agent shall coordinate with refrigerated truck fleets that have passed GSP certification to ensure "door-to-door" temperature monitoring (temperature logger data must be submitted to customs along with the goods).

Compliance and Risk: From Tariff Calculation to Business Operations in RussiaConvert foreign exchange into RMBAdvantages

Customs compliance is the bottom line for import customs clearance. The import tariff for German biscuits = declared value × 15% (most-favored-nation tariff rate), and the value-added tax = (declared value + tariff) × 13%. Agents need to pay special attention to the following points:

• Price Declaration: If the FOB Hamburg clause is adopted, the customs value = value of the goods + international freight + insurance premiums (invoices for freight and insurance policies are required as supporting documents); if it's CIF Shanghai, the customs value will be directly based on the CIF price.
• Tariff Dispute: The customs inspection rate is approximately 8-12%. The agent should prepare samples (500g/variety), original packaging (including foreign language labels) and inspection reports in advance, and cooperate with the customs to complete the sensory inspection (appearance, odor) and laboratory sampling (send the samples to the customs technical center for testing, with a cycle of 7-10 days).

It's worth noting that some importers optimize their costs through re-exporting to Russia or conducting related-party transactions. Zhong Shen International Trade, relying on its long-term cooperation with VTB Bank (Russia's foreign trade bank), can provide the following services:

• Double-currency settlement of rubles and euros, reducing the risk of exchange rate fluctuations (for example, when the monthly fluctuation of the euro against the RMB exceeds 3%, you can choose to settle in rubles to lock in costs);
• The timeliness of cross-border payments has been improved (with funds arriving in T+1 days, which is 2-3 days faster than normal banking transfers);
• Anti-money laundering compliance support (assisting in verifying the authenticity of transaction backgrounds to avoid being added to the OFAC sanctions list).

Customer Notice: Certification and Responsibility Boundaries

The certifications involved in the import of German cookies include:

• The production enterprise must register in China (and apply through the General Administration of Customs' "Registration Management System for Overseas Food Production Enterprises").
• Chinese label registration (requires submitting a label sample, a translation, and an explanatory letter to the local customs authority);
• Special ingredient approval (e.g., if using new food raw materials, it is necessary to obtain the "New Food Raw Material Safety Review Approval" from the National Health Commission).

It should be clarified that Zhong Shen International Trade does not directly provide the above-mentioned certification services, but can provide process guidance (such as a list of documents required for registration and key points for label review). It is recommended that clients start the certification process 3-6 months in advance to avoid customs clearance delays due to incomplete qualifications.

Full-Process Agency Service: Closed-Loop Management from Consultation to Feedback

Zhongshen International Trade willImport Agent ServicesThe process is broken down into nine major nodes, with professional controls embedded into each stage:

1. Client Consultation: Through pre-classification by HS code (e.g., 2008.1100 corresponding to "other edible parts of fruits, nuts, and plants not listed under other headings, prepared or preserved by other methods"), tariff calculation (simulated duty-paid price × 15% + value-added tax), and clarification of the scope of services (whether it includes warehousing and distribution).
2. Negotiation and Contract Signing: Review the quality clauses in the contract (such as "the damage rate shall be ≤0.5%"), dispute resolution (selecting the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission), and payment methods (recommending a 30% advance payment plus 70% upon receipt of the bill of lading copy to reduce the risk of advance payments).
3. Orders & Payment: Assist in opening a?L/C?When reviewing Letters of Credit (L/Cs), pay attention to "soft clauses" (such as requiring exporters to provide inspection certificates signed by importers), to avoid losing control over payment initiation. For T/T payments, use VTB Bank to complete cross-border transactions to ensure the safety of funds.
4. Production supervision: If requested by the client, we can entrust a local third-party inspection agency in Germany (such as BV) to conduct a factory inspection to verify the traceability of raw materials (wheat/milk powder origin), production environment (GMP certification), and packaging sealing (compression test).
5. Quality Assurance and Feedback: After customs clearance is completed, provide the "Import Customs Clearance Summary Report" (including customs clearance time, tax details, and inspection results), and assist clients in handling after-sales issues (such as packaging damage caused by transportation, for which the agent can coordinate with the insurance company for compensation).

Conclusion: A professional agent is the “efficiency engine” for importing German biscuits.

The import and customs clearance of German cookies involves multiple challenges in terms of policies, documentation, and logistics. Through pre-audit of documents, logistics coordination, and compliance control, professional foreign trade agents can shorten the overall customs clearance period from the industry average of 25-30 days to 15-20 days, reducing hidden costs such as port detention fees (about $50/day/container) and storage fees (about $3/cubic meter/day). Choosing an agent with 20 years of experience is essentially purchasing "risk hedging" and "efficiency insurance" for import business.