I.Does Chinese Law Permit Agency-Based Red Wine Exports?

According to the "Announcement No.78 of the General Administration of Customs",which came into effect in 2025,agency services fall within the scope of legal business operations.However,the following regulations must be observed:

• TheagencycompanymustpossessEnterprisesneedtohavelegalimportandexportqualifications,including:andFoodCirculationPermit
• mustbeclearlydefinedintheagencyagreementBrandAuthorizationandQualityResponsibilityTerms
• TheImplementingRegulationsoftheFoodSafetyLaw,updatedin2024,requireagentstoassumeresponsibility.obligationtoreviewcompliancewiththeimportingcountry’sstandards

II.What Qualifications Should Be Checked When Selecting an Agency?

It is recommended to verify the following items one by one:

• BasicQualifications:
  • CustomsAEOcertifiedenterprisequalification(preferablyAdvancedCertification)
  • SpecialBusinessLicenseforAlcohol
• Professional Competency Certification:
  • Redwineinthelastthreeyearsslips(requiringatleast20successfulcasesintheEU/US)
  • Qualificationdocumentsofoverseascustomsclearancepartners

III.What Are the Common Legal Risks in Agency Exports?

In 2025,the key areas of industry supervision will include:

• IntellectualPropertyRisk:A2023caseshowedthatanagent’sgoodsweredetainedbyFrenchcustomsforfailingtoobtaincopyrightproofforthewinelabel.
• OriginCertificationRisk:TheEuropeanUnionhasrequiredChineseexportersofredwinetoprovidecertaininformationstartingfrom2024.satellitepositioningdataofthegrapecultivationarea
• LabelingRegulationRisk:TheUSTTBupdatedits2025versionoftheAlcoholicBeverageLabelingAct,addingnewallergenlabelingrequirements

IV.How to Choose Between Self-Managed Export and Agency Export?

It is recommended to make the decision based on three dimensions:

• AnnualExportVolume:
  • Agencyisrecommendedforvolumesbelow500,000USD
  • Considerbuildinganin-houseteamforvolumesexceeding1millionUSD
• Target Market Complexity:
  • ForEU/NorthAmericanmarkets,itisadvisabletochooseanagentwithlocalbranches
  • Foremergingmarkets,directcooperationcanbeattempted
• Product Certification Requirements:
  • Forspecialqualificationslikeorganicorkoshercertification,itisrecommendedtoentrustaprofessionalagent

V.How to Assess the Reasonableness of an Agency’s Service Quote?

2025 Industry Fee Standard Reference:

• Thebasicservicefeeisusuallybasedonthecargovalue3-5%
• Specialservicesarechargedseparately:
  • DOCcertificationassistance:800-1500USD/item
  • Bondedwarehousing:0.8USD/case/month
• Warningbelow 2%An abnormally low quote may indicateExport under another’s nameillegal operations such as