GACC Announcement No.19, 2013 on Paperless Customs-Clearance Expansion

In order to further customs-clearance efficiency, the GACC has decided to expand the pilot work of paperless customs-clearance mode across customs nationwide based on the earlier pilot practice. Relevant matters are hereby announced:

1. Expansion of the pilot paperless coverage:

(1) The pilot paperless practice may be expanded to Class B and higher firms that are classified by the customs.

(2) The first 12 customs authorities of Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Gongbei, and Huangpu may respectively expand the paperless clearance to all of their business sites and pilot operations.

(3) The remaining 30 customs authorities may respectively choose one or two of their business sites and part of their operations for the trial implementation of paperless clearance.

(4) Within the year of 2013, the pilot paperless practice may cover the customs declarations that are under the mode of "clearance at ports after local declarations".

2. Based on permission by local first-tier customs, the firms under the pilot practice may, after signing an e-data application agreement with the first-tier customs and China E-Port Data Center, apply the paperless clearance mode within the jurisdiction of the first-tier customs.

Where applicable, the applying firms approved by the customs shall entrust customs-recognized brokers with their paperless declarations and clearance.

3. The approved pilot firms may voluntarily choose paper-based or paperless clearance mode; those declaring the paperless mode shall select the "Paperless Clearance" mode at the E-Port input end.

4. The customs-classified AA firms or A manufacturing firms may dispense with the need of sending their e-certificates to the customs along with their declarations, and may provide the information as required during their clearance course, and may submit the e-certificates within 10 days from the customs releasing dates.

The customs-classified A non-manufacturing firms or B firms shall send their e-certificates along with their declarations to the customs.

5. As per relevant regulations, the applying firms may consult and copy the customs-archived e-data and the customs may provide paper copies thereof.

6. For now, the paperless clearance mode may not be applied to the imports and exports that are subject to licenses but without web-based verification of their licenses.

This Announcement shall come into force on May 1, 2013 along with simultaneous repeal of GACC Announcement No. 38 of 2012.


The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC)

April 10, 2013