I. Current Status and Opportunities in French Biscuit Import Trade

In recent years, China-France economic and trade cooperation has continued to deepen. In 2023, China’s food imports from France rose 18% year-on-year, with bakery products (including biscuits) accounting for more than 25%. This growth is driven by domestic consumption upgrades—annual per-capita spending on bakery products has exceeded RMB 300—and by the phased easing of the EU’s food-access policies toward China. It should be noted, however, that the EU’s General Food Law (EC 178/2002), with its strict provisions on food additives and microbiological criteria, together with the General Administration of Customs of China’s newly issued 2024 “Administrative Provisions on the Registration of Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Imported Food,” impose higher compliance requirements on imported biscuits.

In this context, professionalImport AgencyThe value of services is becoming ever more pronounced—both in navigating complex shifts in trade policy and in driving down operational costs for businesses through process optimization.?Zhong Shen?As a senior consultant with 20 years of experience in theExport AgencyA 20-year service provider, we have successfully handled French biscuit imports for over 300 clients, building a mature compliance system that navigates both EU and China dual-track requirements.

II. Core Competencies of an Import Agent: The Dual Drivers of Documentation and Logistics

1. Document Processing: The "Compliance Passport" of the Trade Chain

Importing French biscuits involves 12 categories of core documents; any oversight in any step can lead to customs clearance delays or return shipments. Zonsen International Trade’s documentation team follows a “three-tier review process”:

• Pre-approval: Before the supplier ships the goods, verify that the product description on the Commercial Invoice matches the contract, and ensure the HS code (recommended classification: 1905.3100, corresponding to “sweet biscuits; waffles and wafers”) aligns with China Customs’Import and exportmatching the Tariff;
• Arrival Pre-clearance: Upon receipt of the Bill of Lading, simultaneously review the Health Certificate issued by the French authorities, focusing on verifying whether the “Manufacturer Registration Number” is listed in the GACC’s “Register of Overseas Food Manufacturers Approved for Import.”
• Final customs clearance: IntegrateCertificate of Origin(Form EUR.1, applicable to China–EU MFN treatment), Packing List, Insurance Policy, etc., ensuring that all documents are “consistent across documents and consistent with the goods,” avoiding demurrage charges (typically USD 200–500 per day) caused by “discrepancies.”

Typical case: A client once had goods detained at Shanghai Port for 15 days because the sanitary certificate provided by the supplier did not state “Compliant with China’s GB 2760 food-additive standard.” Zhongshen’s team urgently coordinated with the French authorities to issue a supplementary declaration, resulting in only an additional cost of RMB 5,000—saving 70% compared to handling it independently.

2. Logistics Management: The Precise Balance of Timeliness and Cost

French biscuits are mostly shipped via “Rotterdam/Le Havre to major Chinese ports (Shanghai/Ningbo/Shenzhen)”?Ocean shipping?Route: transit time is approximately 35–45 days. For high-value or seasonal items (e.g., Christmas limited editions), you may opt for?Air freight?(Paris–Shanghai, approx. 5–7 days), but the cost increases by 3–5 times. The Zhongshen Logistics team achieves this through the “Dynamic Space Management System”:

• Transportation Mode Adaptation: Match the optimal solution based on cargo value (air freight is recommended if the unit price > €5/kg) and shelf life (fast sea freight is prioritized for products with less than 6 months remaining).
• Risk hedging: Insure ocean freight with "All Risks" coverage, protecting against breakage, moisture, and other losses during transit; add "Delay Insurance" for air cargo to safeguard against sales losses caused by flight cancellations;
• Port-of-destination collaboration: Established long-term partnerships with customs brokers at 10+ major domestic ports, submitting Single Window declarations 24 hours in advance; average customs clearance time reduced to 48 hours (industry average: 72 hours).

III. VTB in Re-export Business to Russia?Foreign exchange settlement?Advantages

Some clients re-export French biscuits to Russia via China; such transactions require special attention to foreign-exchange settlement risks. Zhongshen International Trade and Russiaforeign tradeVTB Bank has established a green channel for cross-border settlements, with advantages reflected in:

• Settlement efficiency: Direct connection to VTB via the SWIFT system shortens T/T payment arrival to 1–2 business days (standard banks require 3–5 days);
• Exchange Rate Lock - in: Provide spot/forward foreign-exchange settlement services to help enterprises hedge against RUB-CNY exchange-rate volatility (the annual fluctuation of RUB against CNY reached 15% in 2023);
• Compliance guarantee: VTB, as a systemically important bank in Russia, can have its cross-border transaction records serve as valid proof for customs’ “trade authenticity” verification, reducing the risk of being placed on the “watch list” of enterprises.

IV. End-to-End Import Process Breakdown: Critical Actions at 9 Key Stages

Zhongshen International Trade breaks down the French biscuit import agency process into nine core nodes, with a “risk alert point” and “operating standard” set for every stage:

1. Client Consultation: It is necessary to clarify the product ingredients (e.g., whether it contains nuts/dairy), packaging specifications (whether it is pre-packaged), and the target market (whether it involves special areas such as free-trade zones) in order to assess whether additional quarantine requirements are needed;
2. Negotiation and Contract Signing: Focus on reviewing the "quality dispute clause" in the contract (it is recommended to stipulate third-party inspection by SGS) and the "force majeure clause" (clarify liability for delays caused by war or strikes);
3. Orders & Payment: It is recommended to use L/C (?L/C?) Payment: Use bank credit to reduce the risk of supplier default; for long-term cooperative suppliers, negotiate a 30 % advance payment plus 70 % payment upon arrival at the port;
4. Production supervision: When 50 % of biscuit production is complete, arrange for a third-party factory audit (e.g., BV) to verify the production environment (must comply with HACCP standards) and raw-material traceability (batch certificates are required for wheat/sugar);
5. Logistics Management: When booking space, mark "Handle with Care" and "Moisture-Proof" labels; for ocean containers, choose "dry container + desiccant bags" (humidity control ≤60%);
6. Customs Compliance: When declaring, the "Importer Filing Number for Imported Food" must be provided; customs duties are calculated at the MFN rate (15%) plus VAT (13%), and the dutiable value is based on the CIF price;
7. Delivery and Distribution: For domestic delivery, temperature-controlled logistics (≤25 °C) is recommended; for supermarket and hypermarket clients, the unloading dock time must be coordinated in advance.
8. Quality Assurance: Complete sensory inspection (no visible mold) and physicochemical testing (moisture ≤8%) within 48 hours of arrival; initiate the "return/destroy" process for non-conforming goods;
9. Summary Feedback: Provide the Import Data Report (including customs clearance lead time, cost structure, and quality issue statistics) to help clients optimize their next import plan.

V. Important Notice: Certification Requirements and the Scope of Agency Services

When importing French biscuits, the following certifications need attention; however, Sino-Import does not directly provide certification services—clients are advised to initiate the process 6–8 months in advance:

• at the EU level: Food-contact materials must comply with EC 1935/2004, and packaging printing inks must be certified by SGS Switzerland;
• At the China level: Pre-packaged foods must complete the filing of Chinese labels (compliant with GB 7718-2011); products containing dairy ingredients must additionally obtain the "Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit";
• Risk Warning: Failure to complete label filing may result in goods being held in a customs-supervised warehouse (storage fee ≈ RMB 500 per ton per day), and failure to obtain a quarantine permit will lead to return shipment (return cost ≈ 30% of the cargo value).

VI. Core Value of Choosing a Professional Agent: Risk Mitigation and Efficiency Enhancement

In the import of French biscuits, non-professional handling can incur three hidden costs:Demurrage charges caused by document discrepancies (USD 200–500 per day),Losses from return due to missing certification (30% of cargo value + logistics costs),Sales opportunities lost due to logistics delays (stock-out losses during peak season can reach 50% of the goods' value). With 20 years of experience, Zhongshen International Trade has built a “Document Template Library” (covering 200+ French supplier cases), a “Logistics Resource Pool” (spanning 200+ global ports), and a “Compliance Knowledge Base” (updated in real time with trade policies worldwide), enabling clients to cut operational risk by 80% and boost import efficiency by 30%.

Conclusion: Importing French biscuits is a precision project where “details determine success or failure”; every step—from documentation to logistics—must be managed with professional rigor. Choosing an agency with deep industry expertise is not only a cost-optimization decision but also the core safeguard for trade security.