In a move to enhance trade facilitation, Shandong Province has added nine new companies to a pilot program for a streamlined self-declaration channel exempting them from mandatory product certification.
The announcement was made during a conference focused on leveraging quality infrastructure to promote cross-border trade efficiency, held as a supporting event of the 7th Multinational Corporation Leaders Qingdao Summit. The newly included companies are Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center (China) Co., Ltd. and Valmont Industries (Shandong) Co., Ltd., among others. This expansion represents another significant step by Shandong to utilize quality infrastructure to support high-level openness and improve the ease of cross-border trade.
The self-declaration channel for CCC exemption is a key innovation within the national mandatory product certification system. It is designed for reputable foreign trade enterprises with strong credit histories, robust traceability systems, and high volumes of declarations. Eligible companies can use the market regulator's online CCC exemption management system to voluntarily declare, self-commit, and self-process their applications. This allows for the immediate acquisition of an exemption certificate, with the information automatically linked to customs authorities. The entire process is digital, significantly simplifying administrative procedures.
The nine companies selected for this second batch of the pilot program underwent rigorous screening and evaluation. They operate in several key industrial sectors, including automotive, high-end equipment, and home appliances. Once granted access to the streamlined channel, these businesses benefit from a "declare, certify, and clear" model that operates in real-time. This substantially reduces institutional transaction costs, accelerates cargo clearance, saves considerable time and labor expenses for the companies, and strengthens the confidence of multinational corporations in expanding their investments within Shandong Province and China at large.
Shandong was among the first provinces in China to initiate this pilot program for a streamlined CCC exemption self-declaration channel. In 2022, the provincial market regulatory authority introduced provisional implementation measures, which received approval from the national market regulator in 2023. The pilot was initially launched in cities including Qingdao, Yantai, and Weihai, with the first batch of five companies, such as the Haier Group, benefiting from the policy. In 2024, the provincial authority formally issued the implementation measures, expanding the pilot scope across the entire province. The program further refines a standardized and institutionalized management system, fostering a collaborative governance model involving "enterprise self-discipline, government oversight, and public supervision" to ensure the streamlined channel is both accessible and effectively regulated.