1. How to determine whether an agency company has legitimate qualifications?

According to the data released by the General Administration of Customs of China in 2024, the country hasImport and Export RightsThere are over 500,000 enterprises, but fewer than 30,000 actually engage in foreign trade agency services. To verify qualifications, key checks should include:

• "Registration Certificate of Customs Declaration Entity" validity period (electronic certificates will be implemented starting from 2025)
• Foreign Exchange Administration Bureau registeredCross-border Income and Expenditure Directory
• Single Window for International TradeOperation Permission Authentication
• Do you hold AEO customs certification (divided into general certification and advanced certification)?

2. How should the agency fees be calculated to be reasonable?

The prevailing charging models for agency services in 2025 emerge as follows:Stepped structure:

• Basic service fee: 0.5%-1.2% of the cargo value (including customs clearance and document preparation)
• Value Added Services:
  • Foreign exchange settlement: 80-200 yuan per transaction
  • Tax refund financing: Monthly interest rate 0.8%-1.5%
  • Customs clearance at destination port: 1%-3% of the CIF price will be charged.

Special attentionHidden charges: The EU's new Battery Directive (effective January 2025) will increase compliance costs by 2%-5%, requiring clear allocation of responsibilities in contracts.

3. How to verify the overseas customs clearance capability of an agency company?

Request the Agency to providePast 6 monthsPractical case studies:

• View the scanned copy of the customs release notice from the destination country.
• Verify its presence in the target market.Localization teamScale
• Please provide endorsement documents from more than three partner shipping companies.
• Verify whether the special category customs clearance qualification is available (e.g., medical devices, hazardous chemicals).

IV. What risk clauses should be paid attention to in an agency contract?

According to the typical cases of trade disputes released by the Supreme People's Court in 2024, it is recommended to focus on reviewing:

• Liability boundary clauses: Clarify the ownership transfer point of goods
• Force Majeure Clause: Refine to specific port strike codes
• Dispute resolution clause: It is recommended to stipulate the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission.
• Information Security Terms: Require ISO 27001 certified enterprise data management

V. What special considerations should small and medium-sized enterprises keep in mind when selecting an agent?

Companies with an annual export volume below $5 million are advised to focus on:

• Whether providingMinimum Order QuantityFlexible service (recommended ≤20 cubic meters per order)
• Is it possible to supportMulti-category LCL (Less than Container Load)Shipment
• Whether equipped withMinority languagesDocumentary staff (especially Russian, Arabic)
• Is there any policy specifically for small and micro enterprises?Credit payment termsPolicies

6. How to prevent the risk of an agency company absconding midway?

Recommended adoption28. A triple - guarantee mechanism:

• Require pre-storageThe risk guarantee(Recommended not less than 20% of the single shipment value)
• PurchaseCredit insurance(China Credit Insurance to launch agent-specific insurance in 2025)
• adoptedthird-party fund supervisionAccount (It is recommended to use the bank's trade finance platform)

7. How to evaluate the compliance management capabilities of an agency company?

Please focus on verifying the following certification systems:

• Customs AEO Certification (Advanced Certification Enterprise Audit Rate Reduced by 70%)
• ISO 37301 Compliance Management System Certification
• Compliance Application Record for Incoterms? 2025 Edition in International Trade
• U.S. OFAC, EU Sanctions Screening System

8. How to Continuously Monitor the Quality of Agency Services After Collaboration?

Proposal to establishThe four-dimensional assessment system:

• Time dimension: Proportion of customs clearance delays ≤3 working days
• Cost dimension: Frequency of abnormal expenses
• Risk Dimension: Industry Comparison of Customs Inspection Rates
• Service Dimension: Emergency Response Rate Within 4 Hours

You may request the agency to provide it on a monthly basis.KPI Implementation Report, with a focus on abnormal data fluctuations in demurrage fees at the destination port, amendment charges, and inspection storage fees.