China Customs Announces Goods Return Measures for Cross-Border E-Commerce

The General Administration of Customs (GAC) has recently decided to comprehensively promote measures for the supervision of returns of exported and imported goods in cross-border e-commerce (GAC Announcement No. 44 and No. 45 [2020]). 

• Return of exported goods in cross-border e-commerce 
  
  Cross-border e-commerce export enterprises, related cross-border e-commerce enterprises in special zones or their customs declaration agents may apply to Customs to engage in returns business for cross-border e-commerce retail exports, exports from cross-border e-commerce special zones and cross-border e-commerce export overseas warehouses. They must establish a returns flow monitoring system and ensure that the returns are the goods originally exported. They are also required to undertake the corresponding legal responsibilities. This measure is effective from 27 March 2020.

• Return of imported goods in cross-border e-commerce 
  
  Domestic agents of cross-border e-commerce enterprises or their customs declaration agents may apply to Customs to engage in returns business. They must guarantee that the returns are the original goods imported through cross-border e-commerce and undertake the corresponding legal responsibilities. They may apply for the return of all or part of the goods on the list of China Customs on the declaration of retail imports in cross-border e-commerce and apply for returns within 30 days of the date of release specified on the list. This measure is effective from 28 March 2020.  

Source: General Administration of Customs