Types of Enterprises That Must Mandatorily Engage AgentsExport agent?

According to the latest regulations released by the General Administration of Customs in 2025Classification Management Measures for Import/Export EnterprisesThe following six types of organizations are recommended to prioritize professional agency services:

• Manufacturing enterprises (without import/export rights or conducting foreign trade for the first time)
• Cross-border e-commerceEnterprises (involving special supervision methods such as 9810/1210)
• Operators of special commodities like medical devices/hazardous chemicals
• Small and medium-sized enterprises with annual export volume below $3 million
• Cross-regional operators requiring multi-port customs clearance
• Enterprises involved in anti-dumping commodities or technology export controls

What Costs Can Agents Help Enterprises Save?Export agentBased on 2023 survey data of foreign trade enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region, professional agency services can reduce comprehensive costs by 18-25%:

Visible costs:

• Per shipment
  • Error penalties reduced by 90% (the 2025 customs declaration error rate assessment standard has been raised to ≤1.2%)customs clearanceLogistics costs optimized by 7-15% (obtaining contract prices from shipping companies/airlines through economies of scale)
  • Customs personnel training costs saved by 80% (agency companies provide professional
• Implicit costs:
  • certification guidance)AEOExchange rate losses reduced by 3-5% (agency companys foreign exchange hedging services)
  • According to MOFCOM Announcement No. 45, enterprises should pay special attention to:

What policy changes will affect import-export agency services in 2025?

Electronic

• Retention period extended to 10 years (previously 5 years)Customs documentsRCEP origin declarations must be issued by AA-class customs declaration enterprises
• Cross-border e-commerce B2B exports must use Single Window digital agency services
• Cross-border e-commerce B2B exports are mandated to use the "Single Window" digital agency service.
• Export tax refundRecommended selection criteria (based on 2025 industry certification new regulations):

How to identify compliant import-export agency service providers?

Customs AEO Advanced Certification (certificate number verifiable on the General Administration of Customs website)

• The basic qualifications:
  • International freight forwarding registration (CIFA certification)
  • International freight forwarding registration (CIFA certification)
• Service capabilities:
  • Local customs clearance teams in at least 3 major ports
  • Supports HS CODE intelligent classification system
  • Possesses special qualifications (such as dangerous goods packaging certificate processing, CCC catalog exemption application)

Main differences between enterprises handling import-export independently versus commissioning agencies?

Comparative analysis from operational cost perspective (taking an enterprise with annual export volume of $5 million as an example):

• Personnel allocation:
  • Self-operation requires 3-5 customs team members (average annual labor cost 450,000-750,000 yuan)
  • Agency service fee approximately 120,000-180,000 yuan/year
• Risk assumption:
  • Self-operation bears 100% penalty risks for classification errors and false declarations
  • Standard agency contracts include error compensation clauses

Six Common Misconceptions When Choosing Import/Export Agents

Based on 200+ enterprise cases we handled, important reminders:

• Misconception 1:Simply comparing agency fee unit prices

  Should calculateComprehensive cost rate(Agency fee + Demurrage + Tax refund loss)

• Misconception 2:Blindly choosing large agency companies

  Regional leading enterprises may be more familiar with local customs requirements than national companies

• Misconception 3:Overlooking exclusion clauses in service agreements

  Special attentionPre-classification serviceandInspection accompanimentWhether additional charges apply