I. What qualifications do enterprises need to have to carry out agency business?

According to the latest Regulations on the Record - keeping Management of Customs Declarants of Import and Export Goods in 2025, regular agency import and export enterprises must meet the following core conditions:

• Basic Qualifications
  • Enterprise legal person qualification registered with the industry and commerce
  • Certificate of Record for Foreign Trade Operators
  • 31. Record - filing of the consignor and consignee of customs import and export goods
• Professional ability certification
  • Record - keeping Certificate for International Freight Forwarders (required by the new regulations in 2024)
  • Register of Foreign Exchange Administration
  • At least 3 certified personnelcustoms clearanceStaff (certified by the Customs Brokers Association in 2025)

II. How to judge whether the service ability of the agent company meets the standards?

Six Evaluation Dimensions of High - Quality Agents:

• Industry Experience: It is recommended to choose a service provider that has been established for more than 5 years
• Service networks: Cover the customs declaration/logistics nodes of major ports
• Informatization level: It is necessary to have a real - time customs clearance status tracking system
• Compliance CapacityCheck the customs credit rating in the past two years (should maintainAEOcertification)
• Special qualificationsBusiness licenses for specific categories such as dangerous goods/food
• : Registered capital and risk reserve scale: The registered capital shall not be less than 5 million yuan (it is recommended to be over 10 million yuan for bulk trade)

III. What necessary expenses will be incurred in entrusted agency import and export?

Example of the Composition of Agency Service Fees in 2025:

• Basic Service Costs: Usually charged at 0.5%-2% of the cargo value
• Government fees:
  • Customs Declaration Form Entry Fee (Standard in 2025: 50 yuan per ticket)
  • Customs Inspection Cooperation Fee (800 - 2000 yuan per time)
• Cost of fundingInterest on customs duty deposit advanced on behalf (refer to LPR + 3%)
• Special service feesUrgent customs clearance/special supervision plan design fee

IV. What legal risks must be avoided when choosing an agent company?

Based on the typical dispute cases in 2023-2025, special attention should be paid to:

• The contract trap.Standard clauses that obscure liability for breach of contract
• Misappropriation of qualificationsConduct business in the name of other companies
• Funding risk: Requiring advance payment of a large amount of deposit (more than 30% of the cargo value)
• 11. Intellectual propertyFailure to clearly define the division of liability for infringement in the contract

It is recommended to require the service provider to provide: a scanned copy of the latest Customs Credit Certification Certificate, a professional liability insurance policy, and a certificate of no violations in the past three years.

V. How can small and medium - sized enterprises reduce the cost of agency cooperation?

Three Innovative Models Verified by the Market in 2025:

• Combined service package: Enterprises with an annual consignment volume of 100 containers enjoy a step - by - step rate
• Digital trusteeshipUse the blockchain customs clearance platform to reduce labor costs
• Regional linkageJoint bargaining by industrial clusters (such as the Yangtze River Delta Foreign Trade Alliance)
• Policy arbitrageUtilizeThe RCEPThe tariff reduction channels under the agreement

Typical case: A cross-border e-commerce enterprise reduced its single customs clearance cost by 37% in 2024 through the "Intelligent Classification + Batch Declaration" solution.

VI. How to protect their own rights and interests in case of sudden trade disputes?

It is recommended to clarify four key mechanisms in the cooperation agreement:

• Evidence PreservationMandatorily require the retention of electronic archives of original customs declaration documents
• Emergency response: Set a 48 - hour dispute handling time - limit clause
• Insurance coverageAgree to purchase cargo insurance/credit insurance
• 16. Arbitration clauseGive priority to choosing the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission