Announcement of the General Administration of Customs of P. R. China, No. 56, 2010 on Reform Deepening of Customs Clearance by Classification

Since the pilot operation of Customs clearance by classification, China's Customs clearance operating system has worked smoothly with remarkable reform effects and favorable social repercussions, achieving the anticipated goals.

To improve the clearance efficiency by optimizing Customs supervision and services, the General Administration of Customs of P. R. China (GACC) determined to deepen nationwide the Customs clearance by classification based on pilot operations of Customs export clearance by classification.
Relevant matters are hereby announced as follows:

I. The Customs export clearance by classification is to be extended to all Customs authorities nationwide; and the Customs import clearance by classification is to be piloted at Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Gongbei, Huangpu, and Jiangmen Customs Districts.

II. Scope of application: The Customs clearance by classification is applicable to all imports and exports declared through China's Customs clearance operating system (H2000 version).

III. The Customs clearance by classification refers to the Customs clearance by classifying imports and/or exports in the light of risk levels, based on credit status of enterprises, and on integration of various factors such as commodities and logistics.

IV. As to imports and/or exports of honest and law-abiding enterprises, Customs authorities may speed up their clearance and release. As to paper-based Customs declaration documents, enterprises may choose from two modes of "submission after release" and "on-site submission" to submit to the Customs.

(1) The "submission after release" mode means that enterprises may, after approved by Customs authorities for adopting this mode, make declarations by means of "paperless Customs declaration" that is typing in electronic declaration forms. And after the Customs release, the declarers are required to submit paper documents of declaration within prescribed periods to relevant Customs authorities.

(2) The "on-site submission" mode means that enterprises are required to submit paper documents of declaration to relevant Customs authorities prior to the Customs release in accordance with the Provisions of the People's Republic of China on the Customs Administration of Declaration for Imports and Exports (Decree of the GACC, No. 103).

V. The "submission after release" mode shall not be applied to any imports and exports subject to licenses.

VI. Being of class A or above A and subject to piloted Customs districts for such reform, the import and export enterprises and Customs brokers may apply to the Customs authorities at their registration places for adopting the "submission after release" mode.

Where needing Customs brokers to make Customs declarations, the import and export enterprises approved by Customs authorities for the "submission after release" mode are required to entrust those Customs brokers that are also approved by Customs authorities for adopting such mode.

VII. Enterprises of class A or above A may, with the approval from Customs authorities at their registration places, adopt the "submission after release" mode at piloted Customs districts nationwide based on their agreements with relevant Customs authorities and electronic ports (China E-port).

VIII. Enterprises adopting the "submission after release" mode are required to go through relevant formalities, including submission of paper documents, with relevant Customs authorities within 10 days from the release date of their goods.

IX. Pilot temporary storage of enterprise documents is to be implemented by the Customs with respect to enterprises' import and/or export declaration forms and other accompanying documents under the Customs clearance by classification. As to specific matters thereof, otherwise announcements shall apply.

X. Contents of this Announcement shall take effect upon their promulgation with simultaneous repeal of the GACC's Announcement No. 33, 2009.