Assessing the reliability of export agency services requires focusing on three core indicators:
Legal qualification certifications
Customs-registered clearance enterprise qualifications (verifiable through China Customs Enterprise Publicity System)
International freight forwarding filing certificate (FIATA membership is a plus)
Cross-border payment qualifications issued by SAFE
Industry operational experience
Whether successful cases include products similar to yours
Special customs clearance requirements handling capability for specific countries (e.g., preparing CE certification documents for EU)
Risk prevention system
Whether comprehensive cargo insurance solutions are provided
Trade compliance review mechanisms (especially for sensitive areas like US EAR regulations, EU anti-dumping investigations)
What necessary expenses are included in export agency service fees?
Typical 2025 agency service fee structures include:
Basic service fee (usually 0.8%-1.5% of cargo value)
Government fees (customs declaration, inspection fees, port construction fees, etc.)
Special Service Surcharge
Special handling fees for hazardous chemical transportation
Cold chain logistics temperature control equipment rental fee
Digital customs declaration system access fee (paperless customs clearance will be fully implemented by customs starting from 2024)
How to avoid liability disputes in cross-border transportation of goods?
It is recommended to implement a triple safeguard mechanism to prevent risks:
Clarify contract terms
Clearly define responsibility division points under trade terms such as FOB/CIF
Specify applicable scenarios for force majeure clauses
Transportation process visualization
Require agents to provide GPS tracking systems
Real-time status updates at key nodes (loading, transit, customs clearance)
A case of a tax rebate dispute caused by an oral agreement of a certain electromechanical enterprise in 2024 shows that when there is a lack of a written agreement, the tax authorities may identify the actual owner of the goods as the declaration entity.
Priority selection of agents committed to advance compensation
Confirm arbitration clause jurisdiction (recommend choosing Singapore or Hong Kong)
What are the new compliance requirements for major exporting countries in 2025?
Pay special attention to policy changes in the following countries: