Home»Food & Beverage» Deciphering the Whole Link of Red Wine Import: 12 Key Steps Taught by Senior Experts to Avoid Customs Declaration Minefields
As a senior consultant who has been deeply engaged inimport and exportthe trade for 20 years, I have led over 200 batches of red wine import projects and witnessed the transformation of the industry from extensive operation to refined management. This article will reveal a compliant and efficient import customs clearance methodology for you, combined with the latest Order No. 122 of the General Administration of Customs and the WTO Wine Product Trade Agreement.
I. Market Prospects and Industry Challenges
From January to June 2023, the import volume of Chinese wine reached 210 million liters, an increase of 18.7% year - on - year, but the return rate rose to 6.3% simultaneously. The main pain points are concentrated in:
Incomplete customs declaration documents (accounting for 42% of dispute cases)
Labels not in line with GB 7718 standards (accounting for 31% of goods detained by the customs)
Deviation in Declared Dutiable Value (Triggering Subsequent Inspection Risks)
II. Standardized Operation Process (12 - step Clearance Model)
Stage 1: Pre - project Preparation (Key Success Factors)
Inaccurate specification description leads to procurement errors
Define the boundary of agency responsibilities
Cost Proportion
Import Qualification Filing
15 working days
8%
Wine Label Pre - review Service
7 Working Days
5%
Supplier Compliance Assessment
10 working days
12%
Stage 2: Customs Declaration Practice
Choice of Shipping Terms: It is recommended that under the CIF terms, the supplier be required to provideSWIFT BLElectronic Bill of Lading
The inspection items of the Health Certificate cover the GB 2758 standard
Smart declaration strategy: Using customs Single Window system for advance classification rulings
Stage 3: Clearance and Pick - up
Cold Chain Monitoring: The temperature throughout the transportation needs to be maintained at 12 - 18℃ (requirements for Bordeaux AOC level)
Margin Management: Make flexible use of tariff guarantee insurance to replace traditional deposits
III. Updates on Compliance Key Points
1. Label management three essential elements
Newly Added Mandatory Chinese Back LabelAllergen InformationMarking (Implemented in March 2023)
The tolerance range of alcohol content is narrowed to ±0.5%vol
Tax Optimization Path
Tax Type
Benchmark Tax Rate
Free Trade Agreement Preferences
Tariff
14%
Chile 0% / Australia 3.2%
Value - added Tax
13% (Input tax deductible)
IV. Analysis of Common Risk Cases
Case 1: Non - compliant Wooden Packaging
An importer failed to provide the IPPC mark, resulting in the detention of a full - container load of goods for 14 days and a container detention fee of USD 3800. Solution:
Establish a supplier packaging material review list
Require taking photos of packaging details before shipment
Case 2: Dispute over Commodity Classification
An Italian sparkling wine had a tax - supplement dispute due to an incorrect HS code (2204.1000 vs 2204.2100), and finally saved 127,000 yuan in tariff expenditures through the pre - ruling procedure.
Conclusion: Wine importation is a highly technical professional field. Enterprises are advised to establish a 3+1 risk control system (three-phase review + annual compliance audit). When selecting agency services, prioritize their AEO certification and pre-classification capabilities to effectively reduce overall operational costs. In the next three years, digital customs declaration capabilities will become an industry differentiator - early adoption of intelligent customs systems is recommended.