enteredExport agentAre They Just Simple Middlemen?

Against the backdrop of global trade digitalization upgrades in 2025,Export agentHas evolved intoComprehensive trade service solution providers. Unlike traditional middlemen, modern agency enterprises possess:

• Customs AEO Advanced Certification Qualification
• Transboundary PaymentsForeign exchange management systems
• Multilingual contract review teams
• Intelligent customs declaration pre-review systems (2025 China Customs requires full-category HS pre-classification)

What Specific Tasks Can Professional Agents Handle?

Taking a 2025 medical device export case as an example, compliant agents must complete:

• Document Management:
  • FDA certification conversion (new China-US mutual recognition rules)
  • Digital filing of origin declarations
• Logistics optimization:
  • China-Europe Railway Express refrigerated container bookings
  • The carbon tariffsCBAM calculations (EU CBAM Phase 2)

How Significant Is the Cost Difference Between Self-Operated Imports/Exports and Using Agents?

According to 2024 Ministry of Commerce data, SMEs using agency services can reduce:

• 30% of port detention costs caused by customs declaration errors
• 45% of foreign exchange settlement costs (bulk settlement advantages of agents)
• 60% of compliance audit risks (RCEP origin rule tracing)

How to verify the professional qualifications of an agency company?

2025 Key Verification Points:

• Real-time status in the Customs Enterprise Credit Publicity System
• International Trade Single Window access permissions
• Special commodity operation filings (e.g., medical devices, hazardous chemicals)
• Dispute resolution case database (requires provision of dispute resolution records from the past 2 years)

How to verify the real capabilities of an agent?

Must be clearly defined in contracts:

• Pre-classification service fees (mandatory requirement in 2025)
• Trade remedy measure response services (anti-dumping alerts)
• ATA carnet extension handling fees
• Emergency handling costs under force majeure circumstances

How Will the 2025 New Policies Affect Agency Services?

Key focus areas:

• Requirements of General Administration of Customs Order No. 85Full-process electronic traceability
• New cross-border RMB settlement policy (Agents must hold direct CIPS participant bank qualification)
• Supply chain due diligence under EUs new Battery Regulation
• Updates to U.S. UFLPA implementation rules

It is recommended that enterprises require service providers to provide2025 compliance upgrade plan, with focus on evaluating their supporting service capabilities for customs smart supervision (such as intelligent image review, risk control deployment). Professional agents should be able to issue trade compliance diagnostic reports based on big data analysis, which is the core indicator distinguishing ordinary freight forwarders from professional trade service providers.