Import & Export Right

Import & Export Right refers to the qualification an enterprise obtains to independently engage in the import and export of goods or technology after filing and registration with the competent commerce authorities in accordance with the law. In China, an enterprise must first obtain a business license, then complete foreign trade operator filing with the Ministry of Commerce or local commerce bureau, and subsequently register with customs, inspection and quarantine, foreign exchange, and tax authorities before it can actually conduct import and export business. Use cases include: an enterprise exporting products for the first time, signing international sales contracts, handling customs declaration and inspection, receiving and paying foreign exchange, and applying for export tax rebates. Notes: An enterprise without import & export right cannot declare customs, receive foreign exchange, or obtain tax rebates on its own and must operate through a foreign trade agency, which increases costs and reduces profits; after obtaining it, the enterprise must complete annual reporting on time and maintain its customs credit rating, otherwise the qualification may be suspended or revoked. Difference from other terms: Import & Export Right is a business qualification, while 'customs declaration right' refers only to the qualification for customs declaration, and 'foreign trade operation right' is an old term now unified as 'foreign trade operator filing'.