--- title: "What Core Qualifications Should Be Paid Attention to When Selecting Cargo Import and Export Agents in 2026?" description: "Small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises are prone to falling into pitfalls such as incomplete qualifications and disconnected processes when selecting agents，which will lead to port detention or delayed tax rebates. They should screen agents from three dimensions: qualification verification，closed-loop process and cost hedging，and combine the 2026 policy dividends to realize compliant cost reduction and risk isolation，so as to ensure smooth cross-border business.。" url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html" language: "en" type: "Q&A" category: "Freight Forwarding Q&A" datePublished: "2026-10-11" dateModified: "2026-10-11" brand: "Zhongshen Trading China" answerCount: 9 --- # What Core Qualifications Should Be Paid Attention to When Selecting Cargo Import and Export Agents in 2026? ## Question I am a small and medium-sized seller who has just started cross-border e-commerce business, mainly engaged in exporting cosmetics to Europe. Recently, due to the incomplete qualifications of the agency I cooperated with before, my goods were detained at the Port of Rotterdam for one week, incurring nearly 20,000 yuan of demurrage and storage fees, and the customer also cancelled the order. Now I want to reselect an agent, but I don't know what points to focus on -- should priority be given to qualifications or price? Does the new customs policy issued in 2026 have any impact? In addition, I heard that VAT deferral can save costs, but the previous agent said we do not meet the conditions, is that true? I hope to get specific suggestions to avoid pitfalls again. ## Answers ### Answer 1 — Best Answer Many small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises tend to fall into the misconception of "low price first" when selecting agents，ignoring the verification of the core qualifications of agents -- such as whether they have the Customs AEO Advanced Certification，the customs declaration enterprise record certificate，or have no major customs clearance violation records in the past 3 years. Such misconceptions may trigger a chain reaction: if the agent does not have AEO qualification，the probability of goods being randomly inspected during customs clearance will increase by more than 30%，if there are errors in the customs declaration documents (such as deviation in HS code classification)，it will directly lead to customs detention of goods. Demurrage and storage fees are incurred every day during the port detention period，which can amount to tens of thousands of yuan after one week. At the same time，customers cancel orders due to delayed delivery，and the loss is immeasurable. Physical risk isolation should be started from three aspects: first，require the agent to provide **scanned copy of AEO certification certificate** and verify it through the official website of the General Administration of Customs，second，check the customs clearance efficiency report of the agent in the past 12 months，focusing on the average customs clearance time and abnormal handling rate，finally，add the **"fault compensation clause"** when signing the agency contract，clarifying that the port detention fees，customs detention fines and other losses caused by the agent's responsibility shall be fully borne by the agent. Exclusive loss stopping tips: If you have encountered the risk of port detention，you should immediately require the agent to provide the customs inspection notice，and contact professional customs declaration experts to carry out **declaration cancellation and re-submission** (if there are errors in the documents)，or apply for expedited inspection (if it is random inspection)，in addition，you can coordinate with the shipping company through the agent to extend the free storage period to reduce additional costs. In the long run，it is necessary to establish a regular audit mechanism for agent qualifications，and review their compliance every six months. **status:** accepted **Author:** Evelyn Li **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 2 From the perspective of customs declaration, the agent's ability to handle price review disputes should be focused on when selecting an agent. If the agent cannot provide reasonable price basis (such as purchase contract, invoice, foreign exchange payment voucher) during customs price review, it will lead to goods being pending for processing and extend the customs clearance time. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the resolution records of previous price review dispute cases, especially the handling results involving high-value goods (such as cosmetics). In addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the agent is familiar with the "price pre-ruling" policy newly implemented by the customs in 2026, so you can apply for pre-ruling in advance to avoid price review risks. **status:** suggested **Author:** Daniel Xu **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 3 The cargo right control ability of the agent should be focused on in the logistics link. If the logistics provider selected by the agent has no direct route, it is prone to container rolling or full cabin situation during transshipment. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the logistics plan for European routes, give priority to shipping companies with direct flight services, and confirm whether the agent has operation experience in bill of lading endorsement and transfer -- this can effectively control the cargo right and avoid losses when the customer refuses to pay. In addition, it is necessary to agree on the agent's emergency plan in case of container rolling, such as switching to other shipping companies or replenishing orders by air. **status:** suggested **Author:** Kevin Lin **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 4 VAT deferral is an important cost optimization measure for the European market in 2026, but not all enterprises meet the conditions. Three conditions need to be met: first, the final sales place of the goods is within the EU; second, the enterprise has an EU VAT registration number; third, the agent can provide compliant VAT deferral declaration services. It is recommended to require the agent to provide successful cases of previous VAT deferral declarations, and check its cooperation records with EU tax authorities. In addition, it should be noted that VAT deferral is not tax exemption, but delayed payment. It is necessary to declare on time after sales to avoid late fees. **status:** suggested **Author:** Jason Wu **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 5 For cross-border payment and receipt of foreign exchange compliance, attention should be paid to the agent's CIPS RMB cross-border payment capability. In 2026, the CIPS system has covered more than 90% of countries and regions around the world, and the use of RMB payment can reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation. It is recommended to require the agent to provide CIPS payment qualification certificate, and check the time limit of its foreign exchange settlement and account balancing (such as whether it can be completed within T+1 days). In addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the agent is familiar with SWIFT message parsing to avoid delay in payment and receipt of foreign exchange caused by message errors. **status:** suggested **Author:** Lucas Liu **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 6 From a legal perspective, attention should be paid to the soft clauses of the letter of credit in the agency contract. If the agent ignores the soft clauses in the operation of the letter of credit (such as "the bill of lading needs to show the name of a specific shipping company"), it will lead to discrepancies and bank refusal of payment. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the letter of credit review process documents, focusing on whether there is a special person responsible for soft clause investigation; at the same time, add a "letter of credit discrepancy compensation clause" in the contract, agreeing that the loss of payment refusal caused by the agent's mistake shall be borne by the agent. **status:** suggested **Author:** Grace Wang **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 7 Attention should be paid to the agent's response ability during on-site inspection. If the goods are randomly inspected by the customs, the agent should be able to quickly provide the required documents for unpacking inspection (such as MSDS report, packing list), and coordinate with the customs to speed up the inspection. It is recommended to require the agent to provide previous inspection handling cases, focusing on the average inspection time and problem solving rate; in addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the agent is familiar with the machine inspection skills at the customs site, such as reasonable placement of goods to reduce the probability of misjudgment. **status:** suggested **Author:** Eric Zhou **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 8 For cosmetics export, attention should be paid to packaging compliance. If the agent's packaging scheme does not meet the UN dangerous goods packaging standards (such as liquid cosmetics do not use leak-proof packaging), it will lead to customs detention of goods. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the qualification certificate of special packaging engineers, and check its packaging scheme for cosmetics (such as buffer material selection, moisture-proof reinforcement measures); in addition, it is necessary to confirm that the agent can assist in the preparation of compliant MSDS reports to avoid problems caused by incomplete documents. **status:** suggested **Author:** Victor Sun **Date:** 2026-10-11 ### Answer 9 For export tax rebate, attention should be paid to the agent's document management ability. If the agent fails to collect customs declaration forms, special VAT invoices and other materials in time, it will lead to delayed tax rebate. It is recommended to require the agent to provide export tax rebate process documents, focusing on the document filing time (to be completed within 15 days after export) and pre-declaration verification rate; in addition, it is necessary to confirm that the agent is familiar with the "four flows consistency" verification policy newly implemented in 2026, to ensure that the capital flow, cargo flow, invoice flow and contract flow are fully matched, so as to avoid tax rebate being required for letter verification. **status:** suggested **Author:** Linda Gao **Date:** 2026-10-11 ## Related Categories - [Import Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-import-agency/) - [Export Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-agency/) - [Export Tax Rebate Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-tax-rebate/) - [Customs Declaration Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-customs-declaration/) - [Forex Settlement Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-forex-settlement/) - [Entrepôt Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-entrepot-trade/) - [General Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-general-trade/) ## Related Resources - [Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/services/) - [Trade Cases](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/cases/) - [Trade Wiki](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/wiki/) - [Trade Class](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/guide/) - [Global Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/country/) ## Structured Data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "inLanguage":"en", "isPartOf": { "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#website" }, "publisher":{ "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#organization" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "What Core Qualifications Should Be Paid Attention to When Selecting Cargo Import and Export Agents in 2026?", "text": "I am a small and medium-sized seller who has just started cross-border e-commerce business, mainly engaged in exporting cosmetics to Europe. Recently, due to the incomplete qualifications of the agency I cooperated with before, my goods were detained at the Port of Rotterdam for one week, incurring nearly 20,000 yuan of demurrage and storage fees, and the customer also cancelled the order. Now I want to reselect an agent, but I don't know what points to focus on -- should priority be given to qualifications or price? Does the new customs policy issued in 2026 have any impact? In addition, I heard that VAT deferral can save costs, but the previous agent said we do not meet the conditions, is that true? I hope to get specific suggestions to avoid pitfalls again.", "answerCount": 9, "upvoteCount": 7, "datePublished": "2026-10-11T11:08:37Z", "dateModified": "2026-10-11T11:15:29Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhongshen Trading China", "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html" } ,"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Many small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises tend to fall into the misconception of "low price first" when selecting agents，ignoring the verification of the core qualifications of agents -- such as whether they have the Customs AEO Advanced Certification，the customs declaration enterprise record certificate，or have no major customs clearance violation records in the past 3 years. Such misconceptions may trigger a chain reaction: if the agent does not have AEO qualification，the probability of goods being randomly inspected during customs clearance will increase by more than 30%，if there are errors in the customs declaration documents (such as deviation in HS code classification)，it will directly lead to customs detention of goods. Demurrage and storage fees are incurred every day during the port detention period，which can amount to tens of thousands of yuan after one week. At the same time，customers cancel orders due to delayed delivery，and the loss is immeasurable. Physical risk isolation should be started from three aspects: first，require the agent to provide scanned copy of AEO certification certificate and verify it through the official website of the General Administration of Customs，second，check the customs clearance efficiency report of the agent in the past 12 months，focusing on the average customs clearance time and abnormal handling rate，finally，add the "fault compensation clause" when signing the agency contract，clarifying that the port detention fees，customs detention fines and other losses caused by the agent's responsibility shall be fully borne by the agent. Exclusive loss stopping tips: If you have encountered the risk of port detention，you should immediately require the agent to provide the customs inspection notice，and contact professional customs declaration experts to carry out declaration cancellation and re-submission (if there are errors in the documents)，or apply for expedited inspection (if it is random inspection)，in addition，you can coordinate with the shipping company through the agent to extend the free storage period to reduce additional costs. In the long run，it is necessary to establish a regular audit mechanism for agent qualifications，and review their compliance every six months.", "upvoteCount": 7, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#acceptedAnswer", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T12:59:10Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Evelyn Li","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/evelyn-li/"} } ,"suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "From the perspective of customs declaration, the agent's ability to handle price review disputes should be focused on when selecting an agent. If the agent cannot provide reasonable price basis (such as purchase contract, invoice, foreign exchange payment voucher) during customs price review, it will lead to goods being pending for processing and extend the customs clearance time. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the resolution records of previous price review dispute cases, especially the handling results involving high-value goods (such as cosmetics). In addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the agent is familiar with the "price pre-ruling" policy newly implemented by the customs in 2026, so you can apply for pre-ruling in advance to avoid price review risks.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-2", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T12:23:29Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Daniel Xu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/daniel-xu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The cargo right control ability of the agent should be focused on in the logistics link. If the logistics provider selected by the agent has no direct route, it is prone to container rolling or full cabin situation during transshipment. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the logistics plan for European routes, give priority to shipping companies with direct flight services, and confirm whether the agent has operation experience in bill of lading endorsement and transfer -- this can effectively control the cargo right and avoid losses when the customer refuses to pay. In addition, it is necessary to agree on the agent's emergency plan in case of container rolling, such as switching to other shipping companies or replenishing orders by air.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-3", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T12:12:11Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Kevin Lin","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/kevin-lin/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "VAT deferral is an important cost optimization measure for the European market in 2026, but not all enterprises meet the conditions. Three conditions need to be met: first, the final sales place of the goods is within the EU; second, the enterprise has an EU VAT registration number; third, the agent can provide compliant VAT deferral declaration services. It is recommended to require the agent to provide successful cases of previous VAT deferral declarations, and check its cooperation records with EU tax authorities. In addition, it should be noted that VAT deferral is not tax exemption, but delayed payment. It is necessary to declare on time after sales to avoid late fees.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-4", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T12:10:17Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Jason Wu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/jason-wu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For cross-border payment and receipt of foreign exchange compliance, attention should be paid to the agent's CIPS RMB cross-border payment capability. In 2026, the CIPS system has covered more than 90% of countries and regions around the world, and the use of RMB payment can reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation. It is recommended to require the agent to provide CIPS payment qualification certificate, and check the time limit of its foreign exchange settlement and account balancing (such as whether it can be completed within T+1 days). In addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the agent is familiar with SWIFT message parsing to avoid delay in payment and receipt of foreign exchange caused by message errors.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-5", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T12:05:10Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Lucas Liu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/lucas-liu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "From a legal perspective, attention should be paid to the soft clauses of the letter of credit in the agency contract. If the agent ignores the soft clauses in the operation of the letter of credit (such as "the bill of lading needs to show the name of a specific shipping company"), it will lead to discrepancies and bank refusal of payment. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the letter of credit review process documents, focusing on whether there is a special person responsible for soft clause investigation; at the same time, add a "letter of credit discrepancy compensation clause" in the contract, agreeing that the loss of payment refusal caused by the agent's mistake shall be borne by the agent.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-6", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T11:53:21Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Grace Wang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/grace-wang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Attention should be paid to the agent's response ability during on-site inspection. If the goods are randomly inspected by the customs, the agent should be able to quickly provide the required documents for unpacking inspection (such as MSDS report, packing list), and coordinate with the customs to speed up the inspection. It is recommended to require the agent to provide previous inspection handling cases, focusing on the average inspection time and problem solving rate; in addition, it is necessary to confirm whether the agent is familiar with the machine inspection skills at the customs site, such as reasonable placement of goods to reduce the probability of misjudgment.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-7", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T11:41:17Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Eric Zhou","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/eric-zhou/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For cosmetics export, attention should be paid to packaging compliance. If the agent's packaging scheme does not meet the UN dangerous goods packaging standards (such as liquid cosmetics do not use leak-proof packaging), it will lead to customs detention of goods. It is recommended to require the agent to provide the qualification certificate of special packaging engineers, and check its packaging scheme for cosmetics (such as buffer material selection, moisture-proof reinforcement measures); in addition, it is necessary to confirm that the agent can assist in the preparation of compliant MSDS reports to avoid problems caused by incomplete documents.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-8", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T11:35:56Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Victor Sun","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/victor-sun/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For export tax rebate, attention should be paid to the agent's document management ability. If the agent fails to collect customs declaration forms, special VAT invoices and other materials in time, it will lead to delayed tax rebate. It is recommended to require the agent to provide export tax rebate process documents, focusing on the document filing time (to be completed within 15 days after export) and pre-declaration verification rate; in addition, it is necessary to confirm that the agent is familiar with the "four flows consistency" verification policy newly implemented in 2026, to ensure that the capital flow, cargo flow, invoice flow and contract flow are fully matched, so as to avoid tax rebate being required for letter verification.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agent-selection-key-qualifications-2026.html#suggestedAnswer-9", "datePublished": "2026-10-11T11:15:29Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Linda Gao","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/linda-gao/"} } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Freight Forwarding Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-freight-forwarding/"} ,{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What Core Qualifications Should Be Paid Attention to When Selecting Cargo Import and Export Agents in 2026?"} ] } ] ```