What qualifications do export agency companies need to have?

According to the provisions of the latest “Foreign Trade Law” in 2025, legal export agency enterprises must hold:

• Registration Form of Foreign Trade Operators(Documents of the Department of Commerce)
• Customs AEO certification(At least need to pass the general certification)
• Register of Foreign Exchange Administration
• Qualifications of international freight agents(When logistics services are involved)

Proposal to passNational Enterprise Credit Information Publication SystemVerify the businesss existence status and check the authenticity of the filing number on the official website of the Ministry of Commerce.

How to judge the service capabilities of an agency company?

An agency company can be required to provide the following supporting materials:

• Customs export data statistics for the past three years (needs to be desensitized)
• Operation cases of major cooperative ports/routes
• Export qualification documents for special commodities (such as dangerous goods, food)
• Recommendation letters from at least five customers in the same industry

How to verify the real capabilities of an agent?

In 2025, agency service fees typically consist of three components:

• Basic Service Costs: 1.5 - 3% of the cargo value (floating according to trade terms)
• Cost of funding: Interest on tax refund advance payment (about 8 - 12% annualized)
• Emergency expenses: Handling of documentary discrepancies/Cooperation in inspections, etc.

Special attentionExchange rate locking serviceandPurchase of Port AssistanceWhether there are additional charges.

How to avoid legal risks in agency cooperation?

It is recommended to specify the following terms in the contract:

• Ownership of goods (It is recommended to retain the title of goods until the full payment is recovered)
• Time limit for foreign exchange receipt and payment (Clarify the deadline for foreign exchange settlement)
• Liability for compensation for documentary errors (it is recommended to agree on a liquidated damages of 5 - 10% of the cargo value)
• Guarantee of intellectual property rights

What are the special requirements for agency services in emerging markets?

For emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and Africa, it is necessary to confirm that the agency company:

• is familiar with the local areahalal certification/COC certificationThe flow
• Possessa local customs clearance team
• can handlesoft clauses in letters of credit(Especially in countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan)
• ProvidePort congestion early - warning service at the port of destination

What is the impact of digital transformation on agency services?

2025 The quality agency should have:

• Full-processElectronic customs declarationSystem
• Real-timeLogistics track tracingPlatform
• Blockchain document storageCapacity
• Intelligent risk control system(Can warn of exchange rate/tariff fluctuations)

How can small and medium - sized enterprises strive for better cooperation terms?

Recommended adoptionStep - by - step negotiation strategy:

• A commitment to an annual export volume of 5 million US dollars in the first year can obtainDocument fee waived
• Can be applied for if there is stable shipping for 3 consecutive monthsRefund advance payment rate decreased
• Can be exchanged by sharing overseas customer resourcesPort of destination value - added services

What is the scope of responsibility of an agency company in case of trade disputes?

Special attention should be paid to theLiability limitation clause in the agency contract:

• Caused by document errorsCustoms finesThe proportion of liability assumption
• Resulting from foreign exchange declaration errorsTax lossesHandling method
• Force majeure factorsDefinition criteria (such as port strikes)

How to verify the financial security of an agency company?

Proposal for implementationTripartite co - management mechanism:

• Request agency to provideBank credit line certificate
• throughCredit investigation by China Credit InsuranceVerify solvency
• adoptedThird - party payment supervisionSettle accounts through the account

What is the comparison of advantages and disadvantages between the agency export mode and self - operated export?

From the practical perspective in 2025:

• Capital turnover: The agency mode can shorten the payment collection cycle by 30 - 45 days
• Tax costSelf - export can deduct 0.5 - 1% more value - added tax.
• Risk BearingIn the agency mode, more than 70% of the documentary risks are transferred.
• Customer controlSelf - export is conducive to establishing direct end - user relationships.