Don't Shanghai enterprises know these import and export rules? Beware of million-dollar fines!

"Last month, Mr. Zhang exported a batch of precision instruments through an agency, saving 23% of the logistics costs; Ms. Li's cross-border e-commerce team relied on professional customs declaration services to compress the customs clearance time to 48 hours." In Shanghai, a global trade hub, import and export agency services are becoming the key drivers for enterprises to go global. This article will reveal the core value and selection strategies of this service.

As a super port with a total import and export volume exceeding 4 trillion yuan, the complexity of customs supervision in Shanghai is far beyond that of other regions. The new policies of Shanghai Customs in 2023 require that the matching rate of electronic documents should reach more than 98%, and the error rate of classification should be lower than 0.5%. A random inspection showed that the average error rate of enterprises that declare independently reached 7.2%, while professional agencies can control it within 0.3%.

• Cost Control: By taking advantage of the free trade zone policies, the agency can help enterprises reduce or exempt 15% - 20% of tariffs
• Timeliness Guarantee: Familiar with the operation processes of various ports, it can shorten the average time by 3 - 5 working days
• Risk Avoidance: Predict policy changes such as the adjustment of HS codes and new regulations on certificates of origin

Professional institutions such as Zhongshitong suggest that enterprises should focus on:

• Customs AEO Certification Qualifications (divided into advanced and general certifications)
• Operation Experience of Special Commodities (chemical products/medical devices, etc.)
• Emergency Handling Case Library (such as solutions for inspection and detention of goods)
• Whole-process Visualization System (tracking the progress from booking cabins to tax refunds)
• Compliance Audit Services (responding to CRS, anti-money laundering reviews)

In 2024, Shanghai will pilot the construction of "Smart Ports", requiring all customs declaration data to be connected in real time with the "Single Window" of international trade. Leading agencies have already begun to provide:

• AI Intelligent Classification System (with an accuracy rate of 99.4%)
• Blockchain Traceability Services (especially for food and cosmetics categories)
• RCEP Tariff Preference Automatic Calculator

When the following signals appear, it is recommended to immediately evaluate the need for agency: the annual number of import and export batches exceeds 20 times, the value of a single shipment exceeds 500,000 yuan, more than 3 regulatory certificates are involved, or new markets are to be explored. You might as well do a simple test: Can you immediately name the 12 newly added controlled items in the latest export control law?

In this new trade era where "details determine success or failure", professional services have changed from "optional" to "mandatory". How are you going to upgrade your enterprise's cross-border supply chain? Welcome to share your industry observations.