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Under the agent export model, can the entrusting enterprise authorize the agency to handle export commodity inspection procedures?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am the person in charge of a factory producing food contact grade ceramics in Shanghai. Last month, when we exported to the EU on our own for the first time, the commodity inspection was stuck and we missed the shipping schedule because the commodity inspection materials we submitted lacked the food contact test report issued by a CNAS accredited institution.
We paid more than CNY 20,000 in liquidated damages to the customer and lost the intention of long-term cooperation. This week, we have signed an agent export agreement with Zhongshen, and we have another 1,200 cases of goods to be shipped next week, which still requires export commodity inspection. I am very anxious now.
I am worried that I will make mistakes again when submitting materials, and I do not know whether we can entrust you to directly handle the commodity inspection procedures under the agent export model? In addition, if the agent handles the commodity inspection, will it cause customs clearance risks due to inconsistent document subjects? Will it affect the subsequent export tax refund? Please give me a detailed explanation.
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat
First，pre-document review shall be completed. We will first verify your factory's production qualification，food contact test report issued by a CNAS accredited institution within the latest 6 months，export contract，packing list and other materials，we will focus on checking the consistency of the manufacturer，product name，HS Code on the documents and the actual goods，so as to avoid hidden dangers caused by document discrepancy.
In terms of core node connection，we will submit the application to the commodity inspection authority in the name of your factory or in the name of the agent，which shall be confirmed by signing the entrustment authorization letter in advance，follow up the progress of on-site sampling and testing of commodity inspection simultaneously，and ensure seamless connection with booking and customs declaration nodes to avoid delaying the shipping schedule. If the commodity inspection authority requires on-site inspection，we will coordinate your factory to arrange special personnel for cooperation in advance to ensure the inspection is passed at one time.
In terms of abnormal contingency plans，if there is a requirement for document supplementation，we will issue a supplementation list within 12 hours and assist you in completing document submission，If there are minor defects in the test，we will coordinate with the commodity inspection authority to issue rectification opinions as soon as possible，and guide your factory to complete the rectification before re-applying. After the final compliance is achieved，we will synchronize the commodity inspection form to the customs declaration system to ensure the consistency of customs declaration and commodity inspection information，and retain all documents for subsequent tax refund review.
It should be noted that when handling commodity inspection for agent export，a formal entrustment authorization letter shall be signed to clarify the rights and responsibilities of both parties，ensure the consistency of four flows covering goods，documents，payment and invoices，so that it will not cause customs clearance risks，nor affect the subsequent export tax refund.
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Key Account ManagerStart a Chat
Under the agent export model, the applicant subject of the commodity inspection form shall be logically consistent with the operating unit or consignor on the customs declaration form. If we declare customs as the operating unit, we shall ensure that the applicant of the commodity inspection form is us, or your party shall issue an authorization letter clarifying that we have the right to apply for commodity inspection in your name.
If the subject of the commodity inspection form is inconsistent with that of the customs declaration form, the customs will directly return the form, even trigger a high proportion of on-site inspection and delay customs clearance time. In addition, attention shall be paid to the consistency of HS Code. The HS Code on the commodity inspection form shall fully match the HS Code on the customs declaration form.
If there is a subheading difference, it will also cause customs declaration abnormalities. It is recommended that before submitting the commodity inspection application, the customs declaration team shall check the compliance of the HS Code in advance to ensure it meets the requirements of the 2026 edition of the customs supervision catalog.
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat
When handling commodity inspection for agent export, the time nodes of logistics and commodity inspection shall be coordinated simultaneously. If the goods have been warehoused but the commodity inspection has not been completed, additional costs such as warehouse rent and container detention fee will be incurred, and even lead to container rolling.
It is recommended to submit the commodity inspection application 3-5 days before booking to ensure that the commodity inspection form is issued 24 hours before the customs cut-off time, so that the logistics team can arrange customs declaration in time. In case of commodity inspection delay, the logistics team will coordinate with the shipping company to apply for extension of customs cut-off time as soon as possible, or arrange a ship transfer plan to avoid port detention of goods.
In addition, if the goods require on-site sampling for commodity inspection, the logistics team will coordinate with the warehouse to reserve a sampling channel in advance to ensure the smooth completion of sampling and do not affect the loading and unloading progress of goods. For goods with delayed commodity inspection at Shanghai Port in 2026, you can apply for a maximum 72-hour free storage period, and we will help you apply for this policy simultaneously to reduce costs.
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
Under the agent export model, the commodity inspection form is one of the important supporting documents for export tax refund. It is necessary to ensure that the goods information on the commodity inspection form is consistent with the information on the VAT special invoice, export customs declaration form and foreign exchange receipt certificate, namely the consistency of four flows.
If we use our name when handling commodity inspection, the entrustment authorization letter shall clarify the fact that we handle commodity inspection on your behalf, and the authorization letter shall be submitted when applying for tax refund to avoid tax correspondence investigation caused by inconsistent document subjects. In addition, for the export of food contact grade ceramics to the EU in 2026, you can enjoy the VAT deferral policy. It is necessary to ensure that the HS Code on the commodity inspection form meets the requirements of VAT deferral, so as to avoid being unable to enjoy policy dividends and increasing tax costs due to code errors.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
When handling commodity inspection for agent export, it is necessary to ensure the logical consistency of the foreign exchange receipt and payment subject, the commodity inspection application subject and the customs declaration subject. If your party receives foreign exchange through an offshore account, you shall submit a copy of the foreign exchange receipt certificate when applying for commodity inspection to prove the association between the foreign exchange receiving subject and your party. In addition, for the import of food contact grade ceramics by the EU in 2026, the commodity inspection form is required to be signed and certified by the official authority.
We will coordinate with the commodity inspection authority to complete the signature and certification in advance to avoid the goods being detained due to the documents not meeting the requirements of the importing country. At the same time, all documents related to commodity inspection shall be retained for at least 5 years for the verification of the customs or the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, which is the latest compliance requirement of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange in 2026.
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat
When handling commodity inspection for agent export, the division of rights and responsibilities for commodity inspection handling shall be clarified in the entrustment agency agreement, including clauses such as our agency scope, document submission requirements, abnormal handling responsibilities, and cost bearing. If the commodity inspection fails due to our failure to submit materials as required, our compensation liability shall be clarified, including losses caused by shipping schedule delay, customer liquidated damages, etc. In addition, the entrustment authorization letter shall clarify our agency authority to avoid us handling commodity inspection business beyond the authority and causing compliance risks.
If the exported goods involve intellectual property rights, the intellectual property customs protection filing certificate shall be submitted before the commodity inspection application. The inspection proportion of infringing goods by the customs has been increased to 30% in 2026, so preparation shall be made in advance.
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat
During on-site inspection of agent export commodity inspection, it is necessary to ensure that the packaging and labeling of the goods are consistent with the information on the commodity inspection form. Food contact grade ceramics shall be marked with the English label "Food Contact" on the outer packaging to avoid failing the inspection due to inconsistent labeling. The inspection proportion of food contact products by Shanghai Commodity Inspection Bureau has been increased to 25% in 2026, so preparation shall be made in advance.
If the commodity inspection authority requires sampling test, it shall cooperate with the sampling personnel to extract representative samples to avoid unqualified test caused by unqualified samples. If there are unqualified items in the test, you shall apply for re-inspection to the commodity inspection authority as soon as possible, and check the production link of the goods at the same time to ensure that the re-inspection samples meet the requirements.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
When handling commodity inspection for agent export, it is necessary to ensure that the issuance time of the commodity inspection form is earlier than or equal to the export date on the export customs declaration form. If the issuance time of the commodity inspection form is later than the export date, it will be deemed as document discrepancy by the tax authority, which will affect the declaration of export tax refund.
In 2026, when the tax authority reviews the tax refund for agent export, it will focus on verifying the consistency between the commodity inspection form and other documents. It is necessary to ensure that the quantity and weight of the goods on the commodity inspection form are consistent with those on the export customs declaration form and the VAT special invoice.
If there is any difference, a written explanation shall be issued and submitted to the tax authority to avoid tax correspondence investigation. It is recommended that before the tax refund declaration, the tax refund audit team shall check the consistency of all documents in advance to ensure the consistency of four flows.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
When handling commodity inspection for agent export, the commodity inspection process shall be included in the supply chain planning system, the handling time of commodity inspection shall be estimated in advance, and the time nodes of production, storage and logistics shall be reasonably arranged to avoid supply chain interruption caused by commodity inspection delay. For goods whose commodity inspection is completed in advance at Shanghai Port in 2026, berths can be arranged preferentially, and we will help you apply for this service to improve customs clearance efficiency.
For goods that need to be exported frequently, it is recommended to apply for commodity inspection filing in advance to reduce the commodity inspection handling time for each export. In addition, attention shall be paid to changes in commodity inspection policies, and supply chain planning shall be adjusted in time to ensure compliance with the latest compliance requirements and avoid obstruction of export business caused by policy changes.