What is true progressExport agentbusiness?

enteredExport agentBusiness refers to the service provided by professional service agencies for enterprises that do not possess self-operated import and export rights.End-to-end trade service solutionsCore services include:

• Document preparation and review (commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, etc.)
• Customs Declaration and Compliance Review (commodity classification, HS code verification, and regulatory license processing)
• International logisticsCoordination (ocean/air freight booking, transportation insurance, domestic and international segment connections)
• Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments and Tax Treatment (Export tax refundAgent, cross-border payment and settlement

According to the latest 2025 revision of the Foreign Trade Law, agency enterprises must holdCustomsAEO. Clients are recommended to verify qualifications through the following methods:andSAFE Payment Institution FilingDual qualifications: the 2024 industry rectification has already eliminated 37% of non-compliant agencies.

Why do foreign trade companies need agency services?

Taking a certain electromechanical export enterprise in the Yangtze River Delta as an example, its self-operated exports in 2024 encountered:

• Misreporting of the HS code led to $200,000 worth of goods being held up at the port
• MissThe RCEPOverpaid taxes under tariff reduction policies: 12%
• Export tax refundA cycle lasting up to six months impacts cash flow

Achieved after introducing a professional agent:

• Customs clearance time is reduced to 0.5 working days
• Leverage free trade agreements to cut tariff costs by 18%.
• The tax refund cycle has been shortened to 21 working days.

How Should Agency Service Fees Be Calculated Fairly in 2025?

The prevailing mainstream pricing models include:

• Basic Service Packages: Charged at 0.6%–1.2% of the cargo value (including customs clearance, documentation, and foreign-exchange services)
• Value Added Services:
  • Special documents (e.g., FDA certification): RMB 800–2,000 per order
  • Port congestion crisis handling: an additional 15% service fee will be charged based on actual costs.
• The risk guarantee: 3%–5% of the cargo value (negotiable; a bank guarantee may be used instead)

Watch Out for These Fee Traps:

• The vague quotation includes a clause shifting "potential customs penalties."
• Mandatory bundling with a designated freight forwarder to collect double commissions

What new agency opportunities does the full implementation of RCEP bring?

The upgraded RCEP provisions, effective January 1, 2025, stipulate:

• among member states72% of tariff lines now enjoy zero-tariff treatment
• Authorized Exporter System Extended to SMEs
• Electronic origin declaration rate reaches 100%

Professional agents can provide enterprises with:

• Intelligent Tariff Preference Calculation System (real-time comparison of rates under all applicable agreements)
• Rules of Origin Optimization Plan (Multinational Cumulative Application)
• Compliance Traceability Management (meets 10-year record-retention requirements)

How to Identify a High-Quality Import and Export Agency Service Provider?

Proposal to passThree - dimensional evaluation system:

• Hard power indicators:
  • Customs credit rating (priority given to AEO Advanced Certification enterprises)
  • Service network coverage (own teams in at least 3 major ports)
• Soft Power Verification:
  • Is a Certified International Trade Compliance Professional (CCS-certified) on staff?
  • Crisis Management Case Library (requires real-world cases from the past two years)
• Digital capabilities:
  • Real-time customs clearance progress tracking system
  • Intelligent categorization database update frequency

What common cognitive misconceptions should we be wary of?

Based on the analysis of foreign trade dispute cases in 2024:

• Misunderstanding 1: The lower the agency fee, the better (low prices often come with liability-shifting clauses)
• Misunderstanding 2: Big companies are not necessarily reliable (verify the professionalism of the specific service team)
• Misunderstanding 3: Electronic mandates can replace written agreements (legal validity may vary by jurisdiction)

It is recommended to expressly stipulate the following when signing the agency agreement:

• Responsibility Attribution and Compensation Standards for Documentation Errors
• Risk-sharing mechanism for changes in government policy
• Specific Enforcement Provisions for Trade Secret Protection