In today's increasingly globalized economy, international trade has become a vital component of national economic development. Customs authorities, as the key regulatory bodies overseeing import-export activities, play a crucial role in balancing trade facilitation with security. Recent policy reforms have led to multiple revisions of customs declaration forms - the essential documents for cross-border trade. This analysis examines the major changes between old and new declaration forms to help businesses adapt to evolving regulations.
I. Structural Modifications in Declaration Forms
The declaration form serves as the primary document reflecting goods movement across borders. Its structure and content directly impact customs management efficiency. The revised version introduces significant structural changes aimed at streamlining processes while strengthening oversight.
1. Content Simplification: Reducing Administrative Burden
The updated form eliminates several fields including approval numbers, foreign exchange settlement certificates, and settlement methods. This change aligns with China's foreign exchange management reforms that emphasize market mechanisms and trade liberalization, reducing unnecessary administrative intervention.
Additional deletions include the purpose of imported goods and manufacturer information for exports. This shift indicates customs authorities are focusing less on goods usage verification and more on tax administration and value-added services, ultimately lowering compliance costs for businesses.
2. New Information Fields: Addressing Modern Challenges
Counterbalancing the simplifications, the new form introduces critical fields such as special relationship confirmation, price influence declaration, and royalty payment disclosures. These additions demonstrate customs' commitment to combating fraudulent practices and ensuring accurate tax assessment.
New fields for country of origin, final destination, and trading countries help customs obtain comprehensive trade data, minimizing false declarations while supporting international data sharing and cooperation.
3. Unified Social Credit Code: Enhancing Transparency
Implementing China's "Three-Certificates-in-One" policy, the revised form now requires 18-digit unified social credit codes for all involved parties. This change strengthens corporate information oversight while facilitating customs' verification processes.
The standardized identification system benefits compliant businesses by enhancing market credibility and aligns with global anti-money laundering and intellectual property protection standards.
II. Terminology and Field Adjustments
The updated form reflects modernization in professional terminology, such as replacing "customs declarant" with "declaration personnel" to reflect administrative streamlining efforts.
A significant operational improvement increases the maximum number of declared items from 20 to 50 per form. This expansion accommodates growing trade complexity and demonstrates customs' commitment to trade facilitation.
III. Conclusion and Future Outlook
The declaration form revisions represent both policy responsiveness and adaptation to evolving economic realities. These changes aim to enhance customs oversight while reducing institutional costs for businesses.
For trade participants, understanding these modifications is essential for maintaining competitive advantage. As China's trade policies continue evolving, further optimizations to customs procedures are expected, fostering an increasingly favorable environment for international commerce.
