For the purposes of implementing the requirements of the State Council's Work Plan on Optimizing Port Business Environment and Promoting Cross-Border Trade Facilitation (Document No. 37〔2018〕of the State Council) and further enhancing Guangzhou’s cross-border trade facilitation, specific measures have been formulated in accordance with actual conditions and are hereby announced as follows:

I.Further improving customs clearance efficiency

1. Promoting the application of the “advance declaration” mode. Import and export enterprises are encouraged, guided and supported to adopt the “advance declaration” mode. A fault-tolerant mechanism is further improved. The alteration of import and export dates and means of transportation due to shipment, stowage, etc. in “advance declaration” will not be recorded as errors of customs declaration.

2. Pushing ahead with the “two-step declaration” reform of the customs. The “two-step declaration” reform shall be actively promoted (Step 1: enterprises are allowed to take delivery of their goods after submitting an outlined declaration and as approved by the customs; Step 2: enterprises shall finish the complete declaration within the prescribed time). Enterprises are encouraged to adopt the “two-step declaration” mode to reduce time spent on preparations for declaration and customs clearance.

3. Enhancing efficiency of port logistics operation. According to the port conditions and the needs of enterprises, “shipside delivery” of imported goods shall be piloted and explorations shall be conducted to promote “direct loading upon arrival at port” for exported goods.

II. Further simplifying documentary procedures

4. Reducing supporting documents for customs declaration. In import declaration, enterprises no longer need to submit packing lists. And in export declaration, enterprises no longer need to submit contracts, invoices, and packing lists. Should the customs deem it necessary, the above-mentioned documents shall be submitted electronically for the customs to review and verify.

5. Simplifying procedures for the exemption of China Compulsory Certification (CCC) in imports. For imported auto parts with CCC exemption, the facilitation measure of “declaration first, verification later” shall be implemented by the customs. When enterprises conduct their declarations, they only need to submit a self-declaration and no paper certificate is required.

6. Adopting the electronic form of entrustment letter for customs declaration (entrustment agreement). If a consignee  or a consignor of import or export goods entrusts customs brokers to handle customs declaration formalities, it is required that the electronic form of an entrustment letter for customs declaration be signed via the website of China E-Port or “Single Window” for the establishment of an entrustment relationship.

III. Further optimizing workflow

7. Innovating the mode of customs duty collection and management. The mode of “release first, tax payment later” is adopted. Vigorous efforts are made to promote such new forms of tax collection and management as collecting taxes on a consolidated basis and self-declaring and self-payment. More in-depth endeavors are made to push ahead with the reform of plural taxation guarantee systems such as tariff guarantee insurance.

8. Promoting the adoption of third-party inspection results. Commodity inspection and supervision processes are optimized. With regard to imported auto parts pertinent to China Compulsory Certification (CCC), during inspections the customs adopt certification copies issued by certification entities recognized by certification and accreditation authorities. In principle, no sampling inspection needs to be carried out.

9. Promoting the pre-ruling system. Under the prerequisite of conforming to such pre-ruling application requirements as classification, price and country of origin, a consignee or a consignor of import or export goods shall normally file an application for pre-ruling with the customs office directly under the General Administration of Customs at its registration place three months before the import or export of the goods. Under exceptional circumstances, an applicant with proper reasons may apply for a pre-ruling for import or export activities which may take place within three months. Difficult issues involving classification, price and country of origin are to be resolved as much as possible before customs clearance.

10. Adopting new customs clearance mode of “customs clearance first, inspection later” for shipping. Efforts are made to strengthen safety and credibility management for shipping companies. Differentiated management is conducted among key enterprises and enterprises with high credibility. The new customs clearance mode of “customs clearance first, inspection later” is implemented for international sailing vessels represented by shipping agents with good credit ratings so that container ships are able to be unloaded directly upon arrival in ports without any customs control instructions.

11. Publicizing time limits for port operation. International trade container port operators should fully publicize time limit standards of such port activities as on-site transshipment, container lifting and shifting, unstuffing and equipment dispatch.

12.Making public customs clearance processes at ports. Port inspection authorities shall make public customs clearance operation procedures, time limits and documents required at port sites, in the port office halls, at the “Single Window” platform and on the websites of all related government organizations.

IV. Further reducing compliance costs

13. Improving the charging lists of ports. Port operating service providers of the city are required to report and update charging lists of ports in accordance with the unified template recommended by the General Administration of Customs and publicize their charging lists on their official websites and at their operating sites. Fees beyond the lists should by no means be charged.

14. Regulating fee charging at ports. Efforts are made to advance transparent lists of port container charges. Great endeavors are made to reduce operating service charges from customs declaration, freight forwarding, shipping agency, logistics and warehousing by means of encouraging competition, price inspection, and guidance from industrial associations. With more emphasis placed on supervision and inspection, efforts are concentrated on the inspection and rectification of charging beyond what have been publicized, charges made for no substantive services and other arbitrary charging behaviors, which will substantially reduce the costs of compliance in imports and exports.

15. Continuously implementing existing measures on fee reduction. Efforts are made to exempt the part of Harbor Dues On Cargo that is retained by local government (50% of the prescribed standard) and the part reserved for port public area security facilities of Port Facility Security Fees (20% of the prescribed standard). The pilotage fees for domestic and international container liners entering and exiting Nansha Port area shall be levied at 85% of the upper limit of the prescribed charges.

V. Further improving the application of information technologies

16. Enhancing information interaction between the customs and ports.Information on inspection and terminal handling is transmitted to ports and port operation sites through the “Single Window” platform. Pilot projects of two-way interaction are conducted between supervision & inspection information and port operation, which enable customs clearance and logistics operation to be rapidly connected. Thus import cargos may be released and picked up at a faster rate.

17.Improving the application of the “Single Window” platform.Efforts are made to increase the application rate of the “Single Window” platform. More emphasis is put on enhancing cooperation, communication and information-sharing among ports, import and export enterprises, shipping companies, shipping agents and freight forwarders for achieving the integrated services of “customs clearance plus logistics”. The system for evaluating time-efficiency of customs clearance at ports is to be improved through the application of the “Single Window” platform.

18. Boosting the electronic application of port logistics.Great endeavors are made to optimize the city’s port and shipping logistics information platforms and increase the electronic application in shipping manifest and EIR (Equipment Interchange Receipt). More emphasis is placed on advancing the development of D/O electronic project and promoting paperless application of all types of port and shipping logistics documents, which enhances electronic circulation of port documents.

　　Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Commerce

　　Guangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission

　　Guangzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration

　　Guangzhou Port Authority

　　Guangzhou Customs

　　Huangpu Customs

　　Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration

　　January 22, 2020