How to evaluate the professional qualifications of a foreign trade agency company?

When selecting a foreign-trade agent, you must focus on verifying three core qualifications:Customs AEO certification levelandForeign Exchange Administration recordsandInternational Trade Compliance System Certification. According to the latest requirements for 2025:

• AEO-certified enterprises enjoy customs facilitation in 27 countries
• Foreign exchange income and expenditure enterprises must complete the upgrade of the electronic records management system.
• ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System Becomes the New Industry Standard

It is recommended to check the enterprise’s credit status in real time via the official website of the General Administration of Customs and to request the agency to provide the most recent 12 months of records.Customs clearanceTimeliness Report.

What hidden costs are included in foreign trade agency service fees?

Special attention must be paid to the following three types of hidden charges:

• Processing fees: Third-party certification costs, including certificate of origin and test reports
• Abnormal handling fee: Demurrage charges for customs inspection shall be calculated according to the new 2025 standards.
• Currency hedging fee: Bank handling fee for forward foreign exchange settlement service

It is recommended to request the agency to provide a detailed cost breakdown comparison table, with particular attention to the allocation rules for destination port surcharges under FOB terms.

How can you verify the actual service capabilities of a foreign trade agency?

It is recommended to verify from three dimensions:

• Case investigation: Request to provide export cases from the same industry and verify the accuracy of the declared HS codes.
• System demonstration: Check whether its ERP system has real-time tracking capabilities
• Emergency testing: Simulate a scenario in which goods are detained at customs, and observe the crisis-handling process

Focus on customs clearance cases from RCEP member countries; the 2025 regional rules of origin have been updated to version 3.0.

What legal risks should be noted in foreign trade agency cooperation?

An agreement containing the following elements must be signed:

• Clarify the trade method (purchase-order export /Agency export,) legal liability
• Agreed terms for intellectual property infringement compensation.
• Establish a cost-sharing mechanism in the event of force majeure

Pay special attention to the requirements on logistics information management under the newly enacted Cross-Border Data Security Law in 2025.

How to evaluate a foreign trade agent's supply chain integration capabilities?

A high-quality proxy should possess three core resources:

• Multiple transportation networks: Capability to connect at least three modes of transportation
• Emergency warehousing node: Spare warehouses are set up at major ports
• Compliance Advisory Team: Staffed with experts well-versed in the latest trade barriers between Europe and the United States

You may request the agency to present its specific plan for addressing the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2025.

How should disputes arising from foreign trade agency cooperation be handled?

It is recommended to establish a three-tier dispute resolution mechanism:

• Daily Issues: Handled through the dedicated customer service channel of the agency
• Major Dispute: Initiation of Third-Party Trade Mediation Procedures
• Legal Proceedings: To be submitted to the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission

Pay special attention to the preservation of electronic evidence; starting in 2025, customs data can serve as direct judicial evidence.

How to choose the type of foreign trade agency service that matches your company's needs?

Select a service package based on the export stage:

• Startups: Basic Clear +Collecting ConnectionThe Service
• Growing enterprises: IncreaseExport tax refundAdvance payment and credit insurance
• Mature enterprises: Customized supply-chain finance and overseas warehousing services

It is recommended to prioritize integrated service providers capable of offering end-to-end services from EXW to DDP.