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What core compliance certificates are required for the import agency of goods with different regulatory attributes?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am the person in charge of a beauty e-commerce enterprise in Shanghai that has just entered the cross-border procurement field. Last month, I hired a small freight forwarder to act as an agent for importing a batch of Korean professional salon beauty products. As a result, I missed the application for the Quarantine Approval Form for Cosmetic Import, so the goods were detained at Yangshan Port for 7 days.
I spent nearly 20,000 yuan on port detention fees and storage fees alone, and also missed the stock preparation window for the 618 shopping festival, resulting in a direct loss of more than 100,000 yuan, which still makes me feel distressed when I think about it now. This time I want to formally entrust you to act as an import agent for a batch of beauty raw materials containing natural endangered plant ingredients and ordinary color cosmetics.
I am very worried: I don't know what certificates are required for these two types of goods and whether there are special requirements, nor do I know the processing sequence and audit cycle of these certificates, and I am even more afraid of making mistakes due to certificate omissions again. Can you explain it clearly to me?
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat
First of all，we will carry out pre-audit of pre-documents for your two types of goods: For ordinary color cosmetics，you need to prepare the import goods declaration form，certificate of origin，commercial invoice，packing list，and Quarantine Approval Form for Cosmetic Import in advance. Please note that the approval form must correspond to the ingredient list of the specific color cosmetics category，and the application should be submitted to the local customs 3-5 working days in advance. For beauty raw materials containing endangered plant ingredients，in addition to basic documents，you also need to apply for the Permit for Import of Endangered Species. You need to collect the endangered species grade certificate of the raw materials and overseas export license documents in advance，and submit the application to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. The audit cycle is about 20-30 working days，and you need to ensure that the source of raw materials meets the requirements of the CITES Convention.
Next is the precise connection of core certificate processing nodes: We will give priority to starting the application for the Permit for Import of Endangered Species (due to its longest audit cycle)，and at the same time sort out the color cosmetics ingredient list to submit for the processing of the Quarantine Approval Form for Cosmetic Import. After the two types of special supervision certificates are approved，all documents will be submitted to the customs for pre-audit，focusing on verifying the consistency of certificate code，goods name and ingredient proportion，so as to avoid order rejection caused by inconsistent documents.
We will also formulate an exception response plan simultaneously: If the audit of the endangered species permit is delayed，we will apply for the goods to enter the Yangshan Special Comprehensive Bonded Zone for bonded storage in advance to avoid port detention fees，If there is an information error in the quarantine approval form，we will immediately coordinate with the customs supervision department for correction，and adjust the customs declaration plan to match the certificate progress.
Finally，through secondary cross-verification of documents，rapid on-site submission to the customs，and document filing after customs clearance and release，we will ensure the compliance of the whole process of the two types of goods，and completely avoid risks such as port detention and missed sales window caused by certificate omissions last time.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
In the import agency customs declaration link, it is necessary to strictly distinguish the logical matching relationship between basic documents and supervision certificates. Basic documents (import goods declaration form, commercial invoice, packing list, ocean bill of lading) are the necessary customs clearance basis for all goods, while supervision certificates need to be processed accurately according to the supervision conditions marked by the corresponding customs code (HS code) of the goods. Take your beauty raw materials as an example, if its HS code involves "E" supervision condition, you must apply for the Permit for Import of Endangered Species, and the species name and quantity on the certificate must be completely consistent with the declaration form. Please note that some enterprises often make mistakes in HS code classification, resulting in inconsistency between the processed supervision certificates and actual supervision conditions, which leads to deletion and re-declaration of the declaration and delays the customs clearance time limit. In addition, the current customs implements the "pre-verification of certificates" mechanism. All supervision certificates need to be processed and uploaded to the Single Window before customs declaration. Goods that are not uploaded will be directly rejected and cannot enter the subsequent customs clearance link.
Grace WangYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Foreign Trade ConsultantStart a Chat
In the import agency logistics link, the progress of certificate processing directly affects the selection of transportation routes and the safety of cargo rights. If your beauty raw materials containing endangered ingredients need to apply for the Permit for Import of Endangered Species, you need to confirm in advance whether the overseas consignor has provided the corresponding export license documents, so as to avoid the goods being unable to be loaded at the port of shipment due to missing certificates. In addition, if you choose transshipment, you need to ensure that the country or region where the transit port is located recognizes China's endangered species import certificates to avoid the goods being detained at the transit port. For ordinary color cosmetics, if the Quarantine Approval Form for Cosmetic Import has been processed in advance, you can give priority to direct routes to reduce the risk of document verification in the transshipment link. At the same time, the corresponding supervision certificate number should be marked on the bill of lading, so that the shipping company can report to the destination port customs in advance and shorten the pre-audit time before customs clearance. If the certificate processing is delayed, you can apply for temporary storage of the goods at the port of shipment, or adjust the shipping schedule, to avoid port detention fees caused by the arrival of goods before the certificates are obtained.
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat
The certificate processing of import agency is directly related to tax compliance, and some supervision certificates will affect the calculation method of value-added tax and consumption tax. For example, if your beauty raw materials have obtained the Permit for Import of Endangered Species, you need to submit this certificate when declaring tariffs to confirm whether the goods meet the tariff reduction and exemption policies. In addition, the processing of the Special Payment Letter for Import Value-Added Tax of Customs requires complete basic documents and supervision certificates as prerequisites. If the lack of certificates leads to delayed customs clearance, it will affect the deduction time of VAT input tax, and then occupy the enterprise's capital flow. For goods that meet the VAT deferral policy, you need to process the import goods declaration form and relevant supervision certificates in advance to ensure that the compliance conditions for VAT deferral are met when declaring, so as to avoid being unable to enjoy policy preferences due to incomplete certificates and increasing the capital pressure of the enterprise. At the same time, all certificates should be kept for at least 5 years to meet the traceability requirements of cross-border tax verification by the tax department.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
The receipt and payment link of import agency needs to be based on complete customs clearance certificates. According to the current compliance requirements for cross-border receipt and payment, when enterprises handle foreign exchange purchase or settlement, they need to provide the import goods declaration form, commercial invoice and corresponding supervision certificates to the bank to prove the authenticity of the transaction. For example, your beauty raw materials containing endangered ingredients need to provide the Permit for Import of Endangered Species as supplementary proof of transaction authenticity. The bank will verify the consistency of the certificate number and the declaration form. If the certificate is missing, the receipt and payment procedures cannot be handled, resulting in the failure to pay the payment for goods in time and affecting the cooperation with overseas suppliers. In addition, when handling RMB cross-border payment through the CIPS system, the relevant information of the supervision certificate needs to be entered into the message to ensure the full traceability of transaction information. If the certificate information is inconsistent with the transaction information, it will be returned by the bank, delaying the time limit of receipt and payment, and even triggering a compliance warning.
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat
In the process of import agency, the legality of supervision certificates directly affects the performance of trade contracts. If the contract you signed with the overseas supplier does not clearly stipulate the basic documents (such as certificate of origin) that the supplier needs to provide, or does not stipulate the obligation to assist in handling special supervision certificates, the enterprise shall bear the losses by itself when the certificates are missing. For example, for beauty raw materials containing endangered ingredients, if the overseas supplier fails to provide valid export license documents, it will be impossible to apply for the domestic Permit for Import of Endangered Species. If the contract does not stipulate the liability for breach of contract, it is difficult for the enterprise to recover losses such as port detention fees and liquidated damages from the supplier. In addition, the authenticity of all supervision certificates should be verified to avoid administrative penalties from the customs or even criminal liability caused by the use of forged certificates. It is recommended to clearly stipulate the responsibility division of certificate processing, overdue responsibility and loss compensation clauses in the import agency contract to ensure that the rights and interests are legally protected.
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat
In the on-site inspection link of import agency, the supervision certificate is the core basis for the customs to confirm the compliance of goods. For your ordinary color cosmetics, the customs will check whether the product name and ingredients on the Quarantine Approval Form for Cosmetic Import are consistent with the actual goods during on-site inspection. If the ingredient list on the certificate is inconsistent with the actual ingredients of the goods, you will be required to send the goods for inspection, which will extend the inspection time and even lead to temporary detention of the goods. For beauty raw materials containing endangered ingredients, the customs will verify whether the species grade and quantity on the Permit for Import of Endangered Species match the actual situation of the goods, and at the same time check whether the packaging label of the goods meets the requirements of the certificate. Please note that the paper and electronic versions of the certificates should be prepared in advance during on-site inspection to facilitate the rapid verification by the customs staff. If the certificate is altered or blurred, it will be regarded as an invalid certificate, the goods will be detained by the customs, and the customs clearance can only be continued after the certificate is re-applied. In addition, if it is found that the certificate is inconsistent with the goods during inspection, it is necessary to immediately coordinate the agency to communicate with the customs and provide supplementary supporting materials to avoid expanding losses.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
The packaging of goods imported on agency shall meet the requirements of the corresponding supervision certificates. For beauty raw materials containing endangered ingredients, if their packaging involves wooden packaging, the official phytosanitary certificate (with IPPC mark) of the exporting country or region shall be provided. This certificate is a necessary proof for the legal entry of wooden packaging. If it is missing, the goods will be required to be fumigated, resulting in additional costs and time costs.
For ordinary color cosmetics, if they are liquid cosmetics, MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) shall be provided. The MSDS shall clearly state the ingredients of the goods, transportation precautions and other information. If the content of MSDS does not meet the regulatory requirements for hazardous chemicals in China, the goods will not be allowed to enter the country. In addition, if the goods are dangerous cosmetics, the UN Dangerous Goods Packaging Certificate shall be applied for to ensure that the packaging meets international transportation standards and avoid safety accidents such as leakage and explosion during transportation. It is necessary to check the consistency of the packaging certificate and the actual packaging of the goods in advance to avoid customs clearance obstruction caused by inconsistent packaging certificates.
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Key Account ManagerStart a Chat
Relevant certificates for import agency shall be properly kept. If the enterprise subsequently processes the imported goods and exports them, the certificates in the import link will affect the compliance of export tax rebate. For example, the Permit for Import of Endangered Species, import goods declaration form and other certificates obtained when importing your beauty raw materials are important basis for proving the compliance of the source of raw materials for exported goods. If the certificates are missing or the information is inconsistent, the export tax rebate application will be rejected and you will not be able to enjoy the tax rebate preference. In addition, during the export tax rebate audit, the tax department will verify the logical consistency between import documents and export documents. If there is an associated error between the HS code at the time of import and the HS code at the time of export, and there is no corresponding certificate to prove it, it will be identified as false export, leading to tax penalties. Please note that all import certificates shall be kept for at least 5 years to meet the traceability requirements of export tax rebate audit, so as to avoid failing to pass the audit due to loss of certificates and affecting the tax rebate rights and interests of the enterprise.
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
The progress of certificate processing for import agency shall be included in the core nodes of supply chain planning. For beauty raw materials containing endangered ingredients, since the audit cycle of the Permit for Import of Endangered Species is about 20-30 working days, this cycle shall be included in the procurement lead time, and the delivery time shall be confirmed with the overseas supplier in advance to avoid port detention caused by the arrival of goods before the certificates are obtained. For ordinary color cosmetics, the logistics path can be optimized according to the processing cycle of the Quarantine Approval Form for Cosmetic Import (3-5 working days), and direct routes can be selected to reduce transshipment time. In addition, a real-time tracking mechanism for certificate processing progress can be established to share progress data with the agency, and adjust the inventory preparation plan in time to avoid out of stock caused by certificate delay and affecting the sales window. At the same time, according to the certificate processing cycle of different categories, a safety inventory strategy shall be formulated to balance compliance risks and inventory costs, so as to ensure the stable operation of the supply chain.