CFIA Changes Import Notification Requirements



The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is initiating new import notification requirements for selected commodities regulated under the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations.

In order to facilitate this initiative, the new import notification requirements will be implemented in a phased-in approach starting with 14 priority commodities. These commodities will be coded using the International Harmonized System code (HS code) and CFIA’s Automated Imported Reference System (AIRS) Codes.

The commodities identified in Table 2 and their corresponding HS codes will be added to the CFIA’s HS Code Filter List. This will require importers to identify these products by using the HS Code and CFIA AIRS extension as outlined in Table 2. Additional commodities will be added in future in priority sequence. The latest CFIA HS Code filter list is available at:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/eservices/ogd-amg/hs-sh-eng.html#cfia

Effective March 15, 2010, Importers/Brokers will be expected to notify the CFIA of the commodities listed in Table 2 via the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) using the updated HS codes and CFIA AIRS extension. Failure to do so may result in CBSA rejecting the release request. For more details, contact CFIA at: EDICoordination@inspection.gc.ca or phone: 613-773-5322.