I. Does Chinese Law Permit Agency-Based Red Wine Exports?

According to the "General Administration of Customs Announcement No. 78," effective in 2025,foreign tradeagency services fall within the scope of legal business operations. However, the following regulations must be observed:

• The agency company must possessImport and exportEnterprises need to have legal import and export qualifications, including:AndFood Circulation Permit
• must be clearly defined in the agency agreementBrand AuthorizationandQuality ResponsibilityTerms
• The "Regulations on the Implementation of the Food Safety Law," updated in 2024, require the agent to undertake theobligation to review compliance with the importing country's standards

II. What Qualifications Should Be Checked When Selecting an Agency?

It is recommended to verify the following items one by one:

• Basic Qualifications:
  • Customs AEO certified enterprise qualification (preferably Advanced Certification)
  • Special Business License for Alcohol
• Professional Competency Certification:
  • Red wine in the last three yearsExport Clearanceslips (requiring at least 20 successful cases in the EU/US)
  • Qualification documents of overseas customs clearance partners

III. What Are the Common Legal Risks in Agency Exports?

Key regulatory focuses for the industry in 2025 include:

• Intellectual Property Risk: A 2023 case showed that an agent's goods were detained by French customs for failing to obtain copyright proof for the wine label.
• Origin Certification Risk: Starting in 2024, the EU requires Chinese red wine exports to providesatellite positioning data of the grape cultivation area
• Labeling Regulation Risk: The US TTB updated its 2025 version of theAlcoholic Beverage Labeling Act, adding new allergen labeling requirements

IV. How to Choose Between Self-Managed Export and Agency Export?

It is recommended to make the decision based on three dimensions:

• Annual Export Volume:
  • Agency is recommended for volumes below 500,000 USD
  • Consider building an in-house team for volumes exceeding 1 million USD
• Target Market Complexity:
  • For EU/North American markets, it is advisable to choose an agent with local branches
  • For emerging markets, direct cooperation can be attempted
• Product Certification Requirements:
  • For special qualifications like organic or kosher certification, it is recommended to entrust a professional agent

V. How to Assess the Reasonableness of an Agency's Service Quote?

Reference for industry charging standards in 2025:

• The basic service fee is usually based on the cargo value3-5%
• Special services are charged separately:
  • DOC certification assistance: 800-1500 USD/item
  • Bonded warehousing: 0.8 USD/case/month
• Warningbelow 2%An abnormally low quote may indicateExport under another's nameillegal operations such as