Can a Production Company Conduct Export Through an Agent? 2026 Latest Policy and Practical Guideline

Can a Production Company Conduct Export Through an Agent?2026 Policy and Practical Analysis

I.Policy Compliance of Export Agency for Production Companies (Latest 2026 Version)

Announcement No.12 of 2026 issued by the General Administration of Customs clearly specifies that production enterprises can carry out export business through qualified agency companies,with three core conditions to be met: 1) The agency company holds valid Import and Export Operation Right; 2) The two parties sign a legal agency agreement with clear rights and obligations defined; 3) All export documents (Customs Declaration Form,Bill of Lading,invoice,etc.) are authentic,valid and consistent with the actual goods.It is worth noting that even if a production enterprise itself has import and export operation right,it can also choose the agency mode to reduce operational costs — especially for small-batch and multi-category export orders,the professional competence of the agency company can significantly cut compliance risks.

II.Comparison of Core Advantages and Risks Between Self-operated Export and Export Agency for Production Companies

III.3 Practical Pitfall Avoidance Tips for Production Companies Using Export Agency (2026 Case Reference)

Last year we encountered a machinery manufacturing enterprise based in Jiangsu,whose Director Tang intended to export products to Germany via an export agent.However,the agency company failed to check the EU’s 2026 anti-dumping policy on Chinese machinery products in advance.After the goods arrived at the port,28% anti-dumping duty was levied,resulting in a direct loss of nearly RMB 500,000.Combined with this case,we share three key tips to avoid pitfalls:

• Pitfall Avoidance Tip 1: Check destination country’s anti-dumping and tariff policies in advance.In 2026,the EU’s anti-dumping duty rate for Chinese machinery products is adjusted to 20% to 35%.Before confirming the agency,ask the agency company to issue Destination Trade Policy Risk Report,clarifying whether it is necessary to apply for Certificate of Origin or adopt other mitigation measures.
• Pitfall Avoidance Tip 2: Clarify responsibility division in the agency agreement.The agreement shall specify that the agency party shall bear corresponding losses if customs declaration mistakes made by the agency company lead to customs inspection and cargo detention,or tax rebate delay; meanwhile,specify the ownership of goods to avoid the situation where clients take delivery of goods without presenting original bill of lading.
• Pitfall Avoidance Tip 3: Select an agency with nationwide port interconnection capacity.For example,Zhongshitong has teams at 10 ports including Shanghai,Shenzhen and Ningbo,which supports off-site customs declaration without the enterprise being present on site,to improve customs clearance efficiency.

IV.Optimization Strategies for Export Agency for Production Companies in 2026

To improve export agency efficiency,production enterprises shall cooperate with the agency company to complete the following work properly:

• Strategy 1: Provide accurate product information.Include all declaration elements such as brand,model,material,specification,usage,etc.to ensure the information is consistent with actual goods — in 2026,customs implements stricter audit on declaration elements,and inconsistent information will directly trigger customs inspection.
• Strategy 2: Prepare tax rebate documents in advance.The value-added tax invoice information shall match the information on Customs Declaration Form,and the correct shipping mark and quantity shall be marked on Bill of Lading,to avoid tax rebate progress delay caused by incomplete documents.
• Strategy 3: Select appropriate trade terms.Under EXW term,make sure the agency company picks up the goods and completes customs declaration in time; under FOB term,confirm that the forwarder is appointed by the agency company,to avoid loss of goods ownership control.

V.Export Agency Service Advantages of Zhongshitong (2026)

As a long-established agency company headquartered in Shanghai,Zhongshitong provides the following core services to meet the export agency demands of production enterprises:

• Nationwide Port Interconnection: Off-site customs declaration is supported at 10 major ports including Shanghai,Shenzhen and Guangzhou,no enterprise on-site presence required,to save time cost.
• Global Compliance Risk Control: Real-time monitoring of trade policies of all countries in 2026,early warning of risks including anti-dumping,tariff adjustment,destination certification requirements (such as EU CE certification,US FDA certification),etc.
• Tax Rebate Optimization: Operated by a professional team to ensure complete and accurate tax rebate documents,shorten the tax rebate cycle to within 1 month,and improve enterprise cash flow.

In summary,production companies are eligible to conduct export via agency,but they need to select a compliant and professional agency company to avoid risks in advance.Against the complex trade environment in 2026,the professional competence of the agency company is the key to enterprises’ successful export.