How to quickly screen for a qualified foreign trade agency?

According to the "Agency" released by the General Administration of Customs in 2023通関Service Standards, a high-quality agency must possess the following qualifications:

• Dual filing qualifications: Customs AEO Certification + SAFE (State Administration of Foreign Exchange) Registry
• Business coverage capability：
  • Customs clearance networks at a minimum of three major ports
  • Experience in handling special trade modes (e.g., cross-border e-commerce 9710 model)
• Risk Control System: Proof of compliance records for the past two years is required

What are the key stages covered by the scope of agency services?

A legitimate agent should provide end-to-end service (using DDP terms as an example):

• Document Management: Compliance review of 16 trade documents including Certificate of Origin and FORM E
• Logistics Integration: First-leg transportation + destination port customs clearance handover management
• Tax treatment：輸出稅還付Timely assurance for advance payments and foreign exchange verification
• Special Scenarios: Tariff Planning Scheme under RCEP

How is the fee structure for foreign trade agency services composed?

The industry-standard pricing model in 2025 comprises three tiers:

• Basic service fee(Fixed Costs):
  • Single-ticket customs declaration: USD 800–1,500 (depending on HS code)
  • Foreign exchange settlement: 0.15% per transaction (minimum 200 RMB)
• Value-added service fee：
  • 輸出稅還付Advance funding: 0.8%–1.2% per month
  • Value-added services at destination port: starting from USD 2,000 per order
• Risk deposit: 3%–5% of the cargo value (tiered rebates negotiable)

What are the potential risks of choosing a foreign trade agent?

Based on years of experience in dispute resolution, special attention should be paid to:

• Fund security risk: Require the agency to provide the bank escrow account agreement
• Compliance risk: Verify whether there have been any customs administrative penalty records in the past two years.
• Service discontinuity risk: Confirm the connecting capability of the destination port agent (especially in emerging markets)
• Typical Case: A bathroom-fixture company saw an entire container stuck at Jakarta Port because its agent lacked the capability to handle Indonesian SNI certification.

How to establish a long-term and stable partnership with a foreign trade agent?

「三段階評(píng)価法」の採用を推奨します：

• Trial order evaluation period(3–6 months):
  • Test more than 3 types貿(mào)易用語execution capability
  • Verify the on-time delivery rate for 5 key milestones
• System Integration: Require open ERP data interfaces to enable visualization of customs clearance status
• Protocol Upgrade: Include service KPIs (e.g., tax-refund arrival time) in the supplementary agreement

A noteworthy industry development is that, after the EU implemented its new tariff act in 2024, the pre-audit services provided by specialized agents in the CE certification field have reduced clients’ return-to-sender rate by 42%. Companies are advised to regularly request their agents to provide briefings on regulatory updates in target markets to maintain trade compliance.