Guangzhou Customs Launches Online Mail Clearance E-pass Reform

Guangzhou will be the first Chinese city to have the main business in international mail customs clearance going online with the official launch of the “Internet + Mail Clearance E-pass” reform on 15 January, according to a joint statement of Guangzhou Customs and China Postal Express & Logistics Company Limited.

Consumers who shop at overseas shopping websites will benefit from faster, more convenient and more transparent customs clearance service through the Internet. In detail, the online customs clearance services include declaration, tax payment, goods return and tracking.

The “Internet + Mail Clearance E-pass” reform mainly includes four measures, namely, integrating internet with supplementary declaration, quick return of goods, full-course tracking and electronic tax payment. It is another major initiative of Guangzhou customs in gradually building up the online customs after the launch in Nansha and Foshan of the “Internet + Easy Clearance”.

The reform also represents a breakthrough in the original mode of postal operation. Senders and recipients have a choice to make tax payment through Alipay, WeChat etc. In addition, there is no longer need to prove on paper in supplementary declaration and goods return application but just to provide the full supplementary information at the prompt of the platform and verification online by customs.

With the advent of the Internet age in recent years, inbound and outbound mail has showed rapid growth as personal contacts between different countries are getting increasingly frequent, and cross-border online shopping and offshore shopping rising rapidly. Inbound and outbound mail under Guangzhou customs supervision in 2015 was more than 120 million pieces, with the average daily figures of about 330,000, representing a two-fold increase year on year.

Guangzhou Customs Deputy Commissioner Sun Mei said that the Mail Clearance E-pass platform will eventually bring benefits to the three parties of users, customs and enterprises in the way that users can handle international mail main clearance operations with minimal effort and at minimal cost and can track real-time mail clearance status. Customs can quickly process relevant business applications to improve information and intelligent level of supervision. And postal enterprises can promote closer integration of clearance and logistics sectors and improve operating efficiency.