Import of kitchenware from China and the Hong Kong region

Commission Regulation (EU) No 284/2011 requires polyamide or melamine plastic kitchenware from China and the Hong Kong region to be checked at the border control before entering the EU Territory.

Tableware is not subject to border control

Polyamide/melamine tableware is not covered by the Regulation and therefore not subject to border control. It is therefore important to distinguish between tableware and kitchenware.

Customs legislation provides definitions of what is tableware and what is kitchenware. Check with the Customs function “Tullsvar”, accessible via the Swedish Customs’ switchboard:

• whether your polyamide or melamine plastic item is manufactured or shipped from China or Hong Kong,
• whether it is classified as tableware or kitchenware, and
• which CN code your particular plastic article in melamine or polyamide plastic should have.

This will help you find out whether or not they are subject to border control.

Please note that this may be subject to change. Therefore, you must stay up-to-date in the field. Subscribe to our news on food imports (Nyheter livsmedelsimport, in Swedish) to get the latest updates:

Food import news (Swedish)

Combined Nomenclature codes (CN codes)

There is a specific CN code for polyamide or melamine kitchenware coming from China or Hong Kong: 3924 10 00 11.

All consignments with this CN code are covered by the Regulation and is subject to border controls.

There is a specific CN code for kitchenware containing polyamide or melamine coming from third countries other than China and Hong Kong: 3924 10 00 19. Only the consignments that originate from China or Hong Kong, with this CN-code, are subject to border control according to the Regulation.

Tableware has CN code 3924 10 00 90 and is currently not subject to border control.

Import requirements

In accordance with Article 3 of Regulation (EU) No 284/2011, the documents that must accompany a consignment of kitchenware from China or the Hong Kong region include:

– a declaration issued by the importer, as set out in the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 284/2011
– an analytical report, which shall contain the following information:

• In the case of polyamide kitchenware, the analysis must show that they do not release primary aromatic amines (PAAs) into food or food simulants in an amount exceeding 0.01 mg/kg.
• In the case of melamine kitchenware, the analysis must show that they do not release formaldehyde into food or food simulants in an amount exceeding 15 mg/kg.

Prior notification of the consignment must be made by creating a so-called CHED-D (Common Health Entry Document) in the EU-wide web system TRACES.NT (TRAde Control and Expert System New Technology). More information about prior notification and how to book the border control can be found here:

Prior notification and booking of border control

Fees and payment

The importer pays a control fee and any costs for sampling and analysis per consignment. The fee is increased if the control takes place at other times than normal office hours.

Fees and payment

Border control

Border control of plastic kitchenware made of polyamide or melamine from China and the Hong Kong region is carried out at one of Sweden’s border control posts.

List of border control posts