1. What types of enterprises are eligible for export agency qualifications?

According to the latest 2025 "Customs?Import/export?Regulations on the Record-filing of Consignors and Consignees of Goods", enterprises meeting the following conditions may engage in export agency business:

• Possesses import and export operation rights.Enterprises (must have "import and export of goods" or "import and export of technology" included in their business license)
• Customs declaration unit registration has been completed.
• Foreign exchange income and expenditure account opening for trading companies
• Companies holding international freight forwarding qualifications
• ?E-commerce?Comprehensive service enterprise (must pass Customs AEO certification)
• Import and export department of a manufacturing enterprise (requiring independent accounting and completion of tax filing)

2. Must production enterprises export through agents?

According to the revised "Regulations on the Administration of Non-bank Payment Institutions" in 2024,?Foreign trade?The Law of Easy Access allows production enterprises to independently choose their export methods:

• Self-operated export: A full set of import and export qualifications is required (annual export volume recommended to be over 2 million USD).
• Entrusting an Agent: Applicable to the following situations:
  • Export products involving special supervision (such as?Medical Devices?, hazardous chemicals)
  • The target market has special certification requirements (such as the EU CE certification).
  • Small-scale trade with a single shipment value below USD 50,000.

3. How to Verify the Compliance of an Agency Company?

It is recommended to conduct qualification verification through the "Three Checks and Three Inquiries" mechanism:

• Three Checks:
  • Customs Enterprise Credit Information Publicity Platform (Check AEO Certification Status)
  • Foreign Exchange Administration Filing Directory (Qualification for Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment)
  • E-Port Law Enforcement System (Check Violation Records)
• Three Questions:
  • Whether to declare customs under the name of this enterprise
  • Can you provide a special VAT invoice?
  • Do you have customs clearance capability in the target country?

What items are included in export agency fees?

The 2025 agency service fee typically adopts a "base fee + risk deposit" model:

• : For low - value goods, some agency companies may adopt a fixed - fee model, which is about 1500 yuan, but this amount is negotiable.(Single ticket 10,000-30,000 yuan):
  • Document Preparation Fee
  • Customs declaration and inspection fees
  • Foreign exchange verification fee
• Variable fees(0.8%-1.5% of the cargo value):
  • Exchange rate fluctuation risk reserve
  • Port demurrage deposit
  • Trade compliance review fee

V. What Misconceptions Should Be Avoided When Selecting an Agency?

Based on the big data analysis of foreign trade dispute cases in 2025, special attention should be paid to:

• Low - price trap: Companies whose quotes are 30% below industry standards typically exhibit:
  • Risk of export without proper documentation
  • Falsification of value-added tax invoices
  • Evasion of customs supervision
• qualification fraudKey verification:
  • Customs registration number and company name consistency
  • Validity period of foreign exchange directory registration
  • Is the actual office address consistent with the registered address?

6. What are the new trends in export agency for 2025?

Considering the policy changes following the full implementation of RCEP:

• Regionalized services: Demand for customs clearance agents in ASEAN countries surges by 40%
• Digital Upgrade: Blockchain customs clearance documents become mainstream (need to confirm whether the agency company has accessed the Single Window 2.0)
• Compliance enhancement: The U.S. "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" requires agents to provide third-tier supply chain certification.

It is recommended that enterprises, when signing agency agreements, must require service providers to submit the "International Trade Agency Risk Disclosure Statement" and include intellectual property guarantee clauses. For special categories of goods, the agent may be required to issue a "Customs Compliance Commitment Letter" to mitigate legal risks.