I. How to determine if an agency company's export qualifications are legal?

Core verification elements include:

• China Customs AEO certified enterprise qualification (requires providing the certification number)
• Qualification as an enterprise on the State Administration of Foreign Exchange directory (can be queried on the SAFE official website)
• International Freight Forwarder Filing Certificate (the filing number can be verified on the Ministry of Commerce website)
• On-site inspection of office premises and customs declaration system operating authority

II. What hidden costs are included in the export agency fees?

In addition to the basic agency fee (usually 0.8%-1.5%), special attention should be paid to:

• Document handling fee (customs declaration/Origin Certificate/commercial inspection documents)
• Foreign exchange settlement fees (exchange difference + handling fee)
• Abnormal situation handling fees (such as customs inspection, bill amendment fees)
• Annual minimum service fee (some companies set a 100,000 yuan threshold)

III. What is the fundamental difference between a professional agent and an ordinary freight forwarder?

The difference is illustrated by a case of a chemical enterprise:

• Professional agency: Provides value-added services such as GHS classification for dangerous chemicals, MSDS certification, and UN packaging guidance
• Ordinary freight forwarder: Only completes basic transport, leading to the client's goods being detained and fined at the destination port

IV. How to evaluate an agency company's risk control capabilities?

Focus on examining three systems:

• Trade compliance screening system (whether it is connected to the global sanctions list database)
• Real-time logistics tracking system (must demonstrate port congestion early warning function)
• Foreign exchange fluctuation early warning mechanism (provide successful exchange rate hedging cases from the last 3 years)

V. How does an agency company handle trade disputes?

High-quality agents should have:

• Professional legal team (at least 3 international trade lawyers)
• Dispute resolution SOP process (a flowchart must be provided)
• Supporting insurance services (the proportion of export credit insurance purchased should be above 80%)

VI. What is the impact of the new customs regulations of 2025 on agent selection?

According to Announcement No. 78 of the General Administration of Customs, attention should be paid to:

• The retention period of electronic customs declarations is extended to 10 years
• Tax RebatesDigitalization requirements for documents (the agent must be equipped with a blockchain evidence storage system)
• Intelligent declaration capabilities for RCEP rules of origin

VII. What are the special considerations for small and micro enterprises when choosing an agent?

It is recommended to use the "3+2" evaluation method:

• 3 core capabilities:
  • Experience in handling small orders (cases with an average of less than 100 shipments per month)
  • Flexible settlement cycles (at least a 30-day payment term)
  • Multilingual customer service support (covering minor language markets)
• 2 risk indicators:
  • Customer concentration (the largest client's share should not exceed 30%)
  • Financial health of the capital chain (request bank statements for the last six months)

VIII. How to verify an agency company's overseas customs clearance capabilities?

It is recommended to conduct a triple verification:

• Request the ATA Carnet guarantee letter from the destination country's customs clearance agent
• Check the customs clearance timeliness records for similar products in the last 6 months
• Simulate a sudden scenario test (e.g., a plan for handling HS code disputes)

IX. What are the specific evaluation criteria for digital service capabilities?

A qualified agent should have:

• API data integration capabilities (at least supporting common ERP systems)
• A real-time visual dashboard (including customs declaration status, logistics nodes, etc.)
• An intelligent customs declaration system (must support AI automatic classification in 2025)

X. What are the 5 legal details that must be confirmed before signing a contract?

Key concerns:

• Agreement on the ownership of the "domestic shipper" field on the customs declaration form
• Foreign Exchange ReceiptsConvert foreign exchange into RMBLiability division clauses
• Exemption clause for joint liability for intellectual property infringement
• Data confidentiality agreement (especially GDPR compliance clauses)
• Cost-sharing mechanism in force majeure situations