The World Factory is perfectly organised to produce, package and export all types of goods, often at low cost. From small e-tailers to major manufacturers, almost everyone imports Chinese products.
How to import from China ? What standards need to be met and what steps need to be taken to resell Chinese products? ?
Centrimex, a sea and air freight forwarder based in Shanghai and Marseilles, can help you take stock of everything you need to consider before importing from China to France.
An update on the regulations
Before importing any product from outside the EU, it is essential to check that it complies with the regulations. If a product does not comply with European standards (REACH and EN standards, CE marking, etc.), it cannot be sold in France.
It is therefore the importer’s responsibility to ensure that the products comply with European regulatory requirements prior to import.
For your import operations, you therefore need to check with manufacturers that they will be able to produce all the documentation applying to products imported into the EU, and that the goods and their packaging bear the markings required by European regulations.
Here are a few examples : CE declaration, test report issued by a third-party inspection body, CE marking of packages, CE-stamped goods, etc.
Also, beware ofcounterfeit items and products. In China, there is almost no protection for intellectual property, but in France, if you want to sell a registered trademark, a design or a registered work, you will need to show the customs authorities the licence authorising you to import these goods. .
This is to ensure that you are not in breach of the law and liable to prosecution, and that your goods are not confiscated or destroyed by the customs authorities.
Customs procedures
To enable you to import goods into France as a professional, you need to have a company registered in France or, failing that, be represented for tax purposes in France. You also need to be registered with French customs, which will issue you with an EORI Community identification number.
This number must be given to the supplier, the forwarding agent and EU customs. You can use the online customs service to check whether you already have an EORI number that corresponds to your SIRET.
If you don’t already have one, we can also help you with this process.
Calculation of import duties and taxes for China
Customs duties and taxes on products from China apply to both professionals and private individuals.
It should be noted that from January 2022 onwards, businesses will no longer advance the amount of VAT settled, unlike private individuals, for whom the amount of VAT remains payable immediately.
The duty-free threshold is €150. Beyond that, the rate of duty varies according to the nature and origin of the goods.
Duties and taxes are calculated and governed by the following elements :
- The value of goods
- Trade agreements
- The commercial invoice
- The TARIC code or HS code, which identifies the nature of the imported product, i.e. its tariff type
- The origin of the goods.
→ Note that for China, in the absence of a preferential trade agreement between China and France, a certificate of origin will not allow exemption from customs duties.
To find out the total amount of customs duties and taxes on your goods, you can ask us as your customs agent to carry out a tariff survey.
Calculating VAT
VAT represents 20% of the customs value.
The customs service transmits the information directly to the tax authorities at the beginning of the month. As an importer, you can check these pre-filled amounts on the ATVAI online data service until the 24th of the month following the month of import.
Find out more about import customs declarations
Sea or air transport ?
The China-France itineraries are many and varied. Railway lines allow imports from China via Eastern Europe, but many transhipments have to be planned as the gauge of the tracks varies from one country to another.
The two most frequently chosen solutions are sea transport and air transport.
Sea transport is generally the most economical solution. Air freight will be preferred for urgent deliveries or valuable cargo.
Sea freight : the ideal solution for large volumes of goods
Since sea transport offers an economical route, 90% of goods imported into China are shipped by sea.
A huge number of container ships and freighters transit from China to France every day. Typical transit times range from 30 days (for a Shenzhen-Marseille shipment) to 39 days (for a Qingdao-Le Havre journey), excluding collection, delivery and customs procedures.
China’s main seaports are :
- The port of Shanghai
- The ports of Guangzhou (Nansha, Huangpu, Xinfeng)
- The port of Ningo
- The port of Shenzhen
- The port of Tianjin
- The port of Qingdao
- The port of Xiamen
- The port of Hong Kong
France’s main unloading ports are Le Havre, Marseille-Fos and Rouen for cereals.
Centrimex offers maritime consolidation (LCL) shipping if you don’t have enough goods to fill a container. We can also help you with container shipping, oversized cargo and customised solutions.
Conventional or express air freight
Transport by air means that supplies can be delivered in a matter of days. It’s the ideal solution for small volumes of less than 2m3 and for urgent deliveries.
There are airports all over China, notably in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, but also inland in Xining, Lanzhou, Chengdu and Wuhan.
Would you like to import or export to China with a customs-approved freight forwarder based in Asia?
