Export agentWhat legal qualifications does the company need to have?

Customs inspection basis:Export agentWhen dealing with the company, the following basic qualifications must be verified:

• AEO certified enterprise(Give priority to advanced certification)
• Record-filing Form for International Freight Forwarding Enterprises issued by the Ministry of Commerce
• Qualification for import and export foreign exchange receipt and payment recorded with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange
• Business licenses corresponding to special industries are required (e.g., medical devices require CFDA record-filing)

Agency export serviceWhat specific links are included?

A complete export agency service should cover the whole process:

• Preparatory stage:
  • Trade termsrisk assessment
  • Export tax refundScheme design
• Implementation stage:
  • customs clearancePre-examination of documents (including HS code classification)
  • Cross-border transportation solution optimization
• Post-stage:
  • Management of foreign exchange verification certificates
  • Export tax refundAgency services

What items are usually included in the agency service fee?

The charging structure of a regular agency company should be transparent and include:

• Basic service fee (charged at 0.5% - 1.2% of the cargo value)
• Document preparation fee (200 - 800 yuan per shipment)
• Bank handling fee (reimbursed according to actual expenses)
• Special Attention:
  • The capital cost for advanced tax refund needs to be separately agreed upon
  • The party responsible for the destination port clearance fee needs to be confirmed in advance

How to prevent the risks of agency export business?

Based on international trade dispute cases in recent years, it is recommended to focus on prevention and control in the following aspects:

• Contract risksClearly stipulate the payment settlement cycle and the time point of transfer of goods ownership
• Risk of complianceRequire the agent to provide a compliance review report on export licenses
• Risk of logisticsForcibly stipulate the GPS tracking information sharing mechanism during transportation
• It is recommended to purchase export credit insurance (ECIC) to cover more than 70% of the cargo value

What issues need to be noted for the export of special commodities?

Special attention should be paid to agency services involving sensitive product categories:

• Chemical products:
  • MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
  • UN transportation appraisal report
• Category of food:
  • Health certificate of the destination country
  • Halal/HACCP certification
• It is recommended to choose an agency company with experience in handling special product categories

How to hold the agency company accountable for operational errors?

According to the latest revised Provisions on the Record-filing Management of Declaration Entities by the General Administration of Customs in 2025:

• Retain the full set of communication records and original documents
• Declare for modification/cancellation to the customs within 48 hours.
• Claim compensation in accordance with the claim terms of the agency agreement.
• For major mistakes, complaints can be made to the China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA).

How to evaluate the true service capabilities of an agency company?

It is recommended to conduct a professional assessment from the following dimensions:

• Query historical violation records in the customs credit management system.
• Require the provision of export cases of similar products in the past three years.
• Conduct on - site inspections of the informatization level of the customs declaration operating system.
• Test the emergency response speed in abnormal situations (such as handling of inspection and detention of goods).