equipment. For example, Indonesia has the SNI certification, Thailand has the TISI certification, and the Philippines has the BPS certification. It is necessary to confirm in advance the equipment voltage (such as 380V/50Hz in Thailand), the compatibility of the CE certification, and the proof of environmentally friendly materials.Industrys Real Challenges

Against the backdrop of global supply chain restructuring in 2025, Chinas mechanical and electrical equipment imports maintain an average annual growth rate of 6.8%. Customs data shows that in the first half of 2024, equipment category goodsImport Customs DeclarationThe error rate increased by 2.3 percentage points compared to the same period last year, with classification disputes accounting for 41.7%. Enterprises face three core pain points in self-declaration:

• Increased complexity in HS code classification, with technical barriers in describing new equipment functions
• Stricter application conditions for tariff reduction policies and higher requirements for declaration material completeness
• Extended customs clearance cycles due to technical barriers to trade (TBT) compliance review processes

Standard Operating Procedures for Professional Agency Services

High-quality customs clearance agency services should include eight key control points throughout the entire process:

• Pre-consultation phase
  • Pre-audit of equipment technical parameter compliance
  • Import access qualification verification (3C/energy efficiency labels)
• Declaration preparation stage
  • Multi-dimensional HS code cross-verification
  • It is recommended to verify through the following methods:Optimized combination solutions
• On-site operation phase
  • Coordinated local customs declaration and port clearance
  • Professional conversion of technical specifications

Warning on common enterprise declaration misconceptions

A 2024 customs inspection case in a certain province showed that 70% of declaration problems stemmed from enterprise self-operation errors:

• Self-classification leading to tariff rate disputes (e.g., a company mistakenly classified CNC machine tools under 8438 instead of 8458)
• Neglecting pre-shipment inspection for used equipment (e.g., an imported second-hand production line was returned due to lack of PI filing)
• Omission of royalty fees (e.g., software licensing fees were not separately listed in an equipment import contract)

Core Value Proposition of Agency Services

Professional institutions create service premiums through three dimensions:

• Risk pre-control system: Establishing a product database matching HS code historical ruling cases
• Resource coordination network: Establishing technical communication hotlines with major port customs
• Cost - optimization solutions: Applying the latest 2025 free trade agreement tariff concession rules

2025 Cost Control Strategy

Cost Reduction Path Based on Recent Practical Cases:

• Classification Optimization: A semiconductor equipment reduced its tax rate from 8% to 3% through functional splitting
• Origin Planning: Equipment components from ASEAN member states meet RCEP accumulation rules
• Logistics Solution: Sea-air intermodal transport balances transportation costs and port congestion risks
• Tax Exemption Policy: Staggered VAT payment plan for imported scientific research equipment

Criteria for selecting agency services

Recommend enterprises evaluate service providers from four dimensions:

• Accuracy Rate of Mechanical and Electrical Product Classification (Requirement >98%)
• Customs Credit Rating of the Locality (Priority given to AEO Advanced Certification Enterprises)
• Technical Document Translation Capability (Requires professional field translator qualifications)
• Emergency Response Time Limit (2-hour on-site response for port abnormalities)