Under which category of international trade does export agency fall?

According to the classification standards of the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), export agency is explicitly categorized underTrade in ServicesCategory. Unlike the direct transactions between buyers and sellers in traditional goods trade, the core of export agency lies in providing professional services.Foreign tradeServices, including but not limited to:

• Customs Declaration and Document Processing Services
• Foreign Exchange Collection and Payment and Tax Refund Agency Services
• International logisticsCoordination and Risk Management Services

What is the essential difference between agency export and self - operated export?

From a legal entity perspective, there are issues with agency exports.Dual legal relationship:

• The principal-agent contractual relationship between manufacturers and agents
  • The agent conducts export business in the name of the principal.
  • The transaction risk shall be borne by the actual owner of the goods.
• Service Contract Relationship Between Agents and Overseas Buyers
  • Does not involve the transfer of ownership of goods.
  • Collect agency fees as per the service agreement.

What impact will the 2025 new regulations have on export agency?

According to the "Import and exportRevised Edition of the "Goods Declaration Management Measures": Special Attention Required for Agency Exports

• Mandatory implementation of the electronic power of attorney filing system
• Added clause for disclosure of agency fees
  • The declaration form must specify the proportion of service fees.
  • Cross-border payments must match the service trade code.
• The review period for tax refund documents has been shortened to 15 working days.

How to Identify a Compliant Export Agent Service Provider?

It is recommended to evaluate the qualifications of agents from the following dimensions:

• Basic qualification verification
  • Customs AEO certification status
  • (Enterprises of category B and above are in normal status)
  • Tax RefundClassification Management Level
• Verification of service capabilities
  • Export cases of similar products in the past three years
  • Experience in special supervision zone operations
  • Practical Records of RCEP Origin Certification

Typical Case: Analysis of the Agency Export Model for Electronic Accessories Enterprises

Case of a Shenzhen Bluetooth headphone manufacturer (without self-operated export rights) exporting to Germany through an agency company:

• Business Architecture
  • The manufacturer retains 100% ownership of the goods.
  • The agent charges a 3% service fee on the goods value.
  • A complete export agency agreement should be attached with:Path: German buyer → Agent account → Manufacturer account
• Full - container cold chain
  • Saves 35% in documentation labor costs compared to self-operated exports.
  • Shorten the tax refund cycle to 18 days (industry average: 32 days).

From the above analysis, it can be seen that export agency, as a specialized form of trade service, holds unique value in lowering the threshold for enterprises to engage in foreign trade and enhancing capital turnover efficiency. Selecting a compliant and professional agency service provider requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including legal framework design, trade compliance management, and service response speed.