In order to deepen the reform of paperless customs clearance, further enhance the management level of permits, promote trade facilitation, strengthen the import and export management of wildlife and their products, and ensure the sustainable development of the reasonable utilization of wildlife resources and related industries, the General Administration of Customs and the State Endangered Species Management Office have decided to expand the pilot project of paperless customs clearance for wildlife import and export certificates, which was already implemented in four customs offices, to be implemented nationwide. The relevant details are hereby announced:

　　1.Starting from June 1, 2018, the nationwide implementation of paperless customs clearance for the current 'two types and three categories' of wildlife import and export certificates (including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) permit, the People's Republic of China wildlife import and export certificate, and certificates for species not listed in the 'Catalog of Import and Export of Wildlife Species').

　　2.For wildlife and their products subject to the management of wildlife import and export certificates, the paperless declaration should be adopted in accordance with the relevant provisions of customs clearance paperless reform. Customs will verify the electronic data of relevant certificates through the online check of wildlife import and export certificates."

　　3.Utilizing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES) Export and Re-export Certificates .For the export and re-export, as well as the export and re-export to Taiwan, China's Taiwan region, of wild animals and plants and their products permitted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), after completing the paperless customs declaration procedures, applicants should apply for paper annotation from the customs of the declared location, and the customs will handle it in accordance with the regulations. Except for the above situations, applicants are exempt from submitting paper copies of wild animal and plant import and export certificates to the customs, and the customs will no longer provide paper annotations.

　　4.Ensuring Smooth Customs Declaration Procedures

　　To ensure the smooth customs declaration procedures and in cases of special circumstances such as system failures, where it is necessary to verify paper copies of wild animal and plant import and export certificates, the State Endangered Species Management Office or its offices shall issue paper certificates, and the customs will verify the paper certificates and provide paper annotations accordingly.

　　5.Paperless Customs Clearance for Matters Outside the Scope of Wild Animal and Plant Import and Export Certificates

　　For matters related to paperless customs clearance of wild animal and plant import and export certificates, other than those mentioned above, the provisions of the "People's Republic of China Regulations on the Management of Import and Export of Endangered Wild Animals and Plants" (State Council Decree No. 465) and the "Measures for the Administration of Wild Animal and Plant Import and Export Certificates" (State Forestry Administration and General Administration of Customs Decree No. 34) shall apply.

　　This announcement is hereby made.

　　General Administration of Customs

　　State Endangered Species Management Office

　　May 24, 2018