China to Ease Import/Export Control for Certain Products Containing Gamma-Butyrolactone

From January 1, 2024: - Five specific products (e.g., Photoresists, diluent) containing GBL at or less than 60% can be exempted from import licensing. - Printing ink (including cleaning cartridges and other consumables) containing GBL at or less than 20% can be exempted from import and export licensing.

On December 28, 2023, the Chinese Ministry of Public Safety (MPS), Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), National Health Commission (NHC), Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM), General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), and National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) jointly released an announcement, aiming to optimize control measures for the import, export, operation, and use of certain products containing gamma-butyrolactone (GBL; CAS No. 96-48-0).

GBL was included in the Catalogue and Classification of Precursor Chemicals as a Category III precursor chemical in June 2021. Under the Regulation on the Administration of Precursor Chemicals (State Council Decree No. 445), importers and exporters of the Category III precursor chemicals shall apply for the Dual-use Items and Technologies Import/Export License, while the manufacturers, distributors, transporters, and purchasers shall fulfill the record notification formalities. In order to safeguard the industrial supply chain and alleviate the compliance burden on the high-tech industry, the competent authorities jointly introduced new requirements. Certain exemptions will be granted for specific products containing GBL within specified concentration limits (see table below).

Specific products	GBL concentration limits	Exemptions [ Implementation date: Jan 1, 2024 ]
Photoresists	≤ 60%	Exemption from import licensing. Exemption from record notification formalities for their transport and purchase.
Polyimide orientation fluid
Diluent
Photosensitive solution
Anti-reflection film generating solution
Printing ink (including cleaning cartridges and other consumables)	≤ 20%	Exemption from import and export licensing. Exemption from record notification formalities for their distribution, transport and purchase.

It should be noted that these exemptions do not apply to:

The aforementioned six specific products containing GBL above the specified concentration limits; or
Other products containing GBL.

The notification is available here.