How to determine whether an agency company has legitimate business qualifications?

According to the latest revised Foreign Trade Law of 2025, formal agents must hold:Customs AEO certificationandRegistration Form of Foreign Trade OperatorsandRegister of Foreign Exchange AdministrationIt is recommended to request access to the following documents:

• Business License of the Company (the business scope must include "import and export of goods")
• customs clearanceUnit registration certificate
• Customs Credit Rating Report for the Last 3 Years

What are the hidden risks in the agency fee structure?

Cases of international trade disputes in 2024 indicate that,45% of fee disputes stem from opaque terms.。Special attention is required:

• Calculation Method for Port Surcharges (THC, DOC, etc.)
• Exchange rate fluctuation compensation clause
• Is the document processing fee included:
  • Certificate of Origin Authentication
  • Consulate certification
  • Special Commodity Inspection Certificate

How to ensure the precise alignment of proxy services with business needs?

Recommended to prepareDemand-Service Mapping TableFor example:

• Does the product category involve export controls (such as the newly added AI chip export restrictions in 2025)?
• Target market customs clearance capabilities (Brazil INMETRO certification, Saudi SABER certification, etc.)
• Special logistics requirements (cold chain transportation, hazardous materials transportation)

How can the risk control capabilities of an agency be verified?

Focus on three dimensions:

• Trade compliance system (whether a three-tier HS CODE review mechanism has been established)
• Insurance coverage (minimum $5 million liability insurance recommended)
• Dispute Resolution Cases (Records of dispute resolutions from the past 2 years are required)

How to Avoid Communication Barriers in Agency Cooperation?

Summarized from a collaboration case with a Fortune 500 company:

• Time zone response test (requires replying to the test email within 48 hours)
• Multilingual service capability verification (especially for niche language markets)
• ERP system interface testing (data field mapping accuracy must reach 100%).

What details should be noted in the cooperation termination clause?

According to the judicial interpretation of the Contract Section in the Civil Code, which will take effect in 2025, it is recommended to clarify:

• Customer Data Handover Standards (Including Time Limits for Customs Recordation Information Transfer)
• Unsettled Foreign Exchange Funds Disposal Plan
• Transitional Service Support Terms (minimum 90 days)

A case study of a machinery export company in Zhejiang revealed that the failure to clearly define the ownership clause in the customs declaration led to subsequent...Export tax refundDelayed by 6 months. It is recommended to specify this in the contract.Deadline for submission of the original customs declaration formandResponsibility for Tax Document Custody, to avoid legal disputes.