Import from China to Europe

Import from China to Europe

 Importing goods from China to the European Union (EU) involves several important steps and considerations.

1.Research and Product Selection

 Begin by researching the market and identifying the specific products you wish to import. Factors to consider include demand, competition, and potential profitability

2.Set up a business

You must set up a business, the type of business does not matter, you can register as a sole proprietorship or a private limited company. Importing from China can be done through various types of business entities.

3.Supplier Selection

Find reputable suppliers in China who can provide the products you are looking for. Online directories, trade shows, and sourcing websites can be helpful for this.The B2B (business-to-business) platforms have the largest selection of suppliers. The most popular portals where you can find a supplier are: Alibaba, GlobalSources, Made-in-China, and DHgate. The popular AliExpress is more about retail rather than wholesale. It may only serve as a starting point for getting familiar with Chinese products.

Alibaba

The group was founded in 1999. Alibaba is a leading global wholesale trading platform that supports suppliers and buyers around the world. The main goal of the site is to facilitate business operations around the world. It offers hundreds of millions of products in 40 different categories. Among them, we can find consumer electronics, machines, clothing and many more.

Made-in-China

The company was founded in 1996 as an Internet platform for transactions between Chinese manufacturers and foreign importers. On the Made-in-China website, we can get information about trade, products and suppliers. It offers a variety of products such as electronics, machines, machine parts, lighting and vehicles.

Global Sources

It belongs to the company of the same name, which was founded in 1970. The platform provides e-commerce services, as well as specific information on the products sold, such as drones, machines and parts, electronics, home appliances, and clothing. Through the website, you can also sign up for trade shows organized by Global Sources to meet with the company's certified suppliers in person.

DHgate

This is a Chinese auction site created in 2004 for business customers who shop wholesale. It offers a wide variety of products from small and medium-sized businesses, such as electronics, lighting, clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics.

4.Obtain an EORI Number

Apply for an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number, which is essential for import/export transactions within the EU. The EORI number can be acquired through the customs authority in your respective EU member state.Getting an EORI number is easy and free. The whole process can be done online - it usually takes a few days to get your EORI number.

5.Understand Import Regulations and Customs Duties

It is crucial to familiarize yourself with import regulations, customs duties, and product-specific requirements applicable to your chosen products. This includes compliance with safety standards, labeling requirements, and any import restrictions or bans

6. Calculate Costs and Budget

Determine the overall costs involved in importing the goods, including product costs, shipping charges, customs duties, taxes, and additional expenses. Developing a budget will help evaluate the feasibility and profitability of the import venture

7. Shipping and Logistics

Plan the shipping process by selecting a reliable freight forwarder or shipping agent to handle the transportation of goods from China to the EU. They can assist with documentation, freight costs, customs clearance, and provide guidance on the most suitable shipping method (air freight，sea freight，Rail freight，truck freight and International Express )

Air Shipping：Air freight has the fastest delivery time, taking only 3-7 days. However, air freight is the most expensive mode of transport. Fragile, valuable and perishable items are recommended to be shipped by air

Sea Shipping：Less than container load (LCL) or full container load (FCL). Shipping time from China to Europe is about 30 days. This is the cheapest mode of transport.

Rail Shipping：Due to the continuous development of the New Silk Road, more and more railway lines are connected from China to Europe. As with sea transportation, you can import goods in containers. It takes about 14-17 days for the goods to arrive.

Truck Shipping：Truck transportation is the most flexible. Goods can be transported to Europe by truck every day. The transportation time is about 22 days. It is suitable for transporting urgent goods.

International Express：Express companies that ship from China include UPS, DPD, DHL, GLS, TNT and FedEx. They provide a variety of door-to-door transportation services and can handle customs clearance on your behalf.

8. Customs Clearance Documentation

Prepare all necessary customs documentation, such as commercial invoices, packing lists, Bill of Lading/Airway Bill, and any required certificates or permits. Ensure that the documentation is accurate, complete, and compliant with EU customs regulations.Following the arrival of goods in the EU, they go through customs clearance procedures. This includes submitting required documentation, paying applicable customs duties, and complying with any additional customs requirements or inspections.

Here is a short list of documents to be presented when clearing goods from China: 

· a commercial invoice provided by the exporter

· Packing List (P/L), if the net and gross weight are not included in the invoice

· Shipping Documents

         For Air,the Air Waybill (AWB)

         For Sea,Bill of Lading from the shipping company or Sea Waybill (SWB)

         For Rail,the railway bill，CIM/SMGS.

         For Truck,CMR

Additional documents are required depending on the type of goods: 

· a certificate of origin from the exporter, especially if there are customs allowances

· in the case of goods covered by New Approach Directives in the EU, – so-called CE certificate, test reports, declaration of conformity

· a fumigation certificate issued by customs or sanitary authorities (e.g., for wooden pallets, grains)

· if you are importing specimens of fauna and flora – a CITES certificate

· Administrative Accompanying Document (AAD), a document required when moving excise goods

· other licenses, certifications, and documents.

9.Customs duties and VAT

When placing goods on the market imported from a third country (non-EU country), customs duties and taxes must be paid.

Customs duties are calculated based on the sum of the customs value and the transport of the goods outside the European Union. In other words, the duty rate for a chosen good is multiplied by the sum of the order value and shipping costs.

The basis for calculating value-added tax (VAT) is the customs value, the calculated customs duties, and freight, both outside the EU and within the EU. The sum of these values is multiplied by the amount of VAT. Check the VAT rates applied in the Member States of the European Union. When clearing the goods through customs, you are obliged to pay customs duties, additional duties, and other fees.

The duty rates are available in the European Union’s tariff system TARIC. Domestic tariff systems, like, for example, Poland’s ISZTAR, have VAT and excise duty rates.

10.Delivery of Goods

Coordinate with your shipping agent or logistics provider to arrange the delivery of goods to their final destination within the EU. This may involve working with a local transportation or distribution partner to handle the last-mile delivery.

11. Payment methods

There are several methods of transferring funds to a Chinese counterparty:

· Western Union：many companies offer money transfers. Payment through such portals is not recommended because each registered, legal Chinese company should have its business account. There is a high probability that the money will be transferred to a scammer’s account

· PayPal：the transfer is sent to a specific bank account verified by PayPal. It is useful for transactions of a smaller amount, but it is always worth asking the counterparty to confirm their identity

· Letter of credit (L/C) is a document binding three parties: the seller, the buyer, and the bank. It provides a guarantee of payment for the goods and protects against the risk if one party does not comply with their contractual obligations. You can choose the L/C payment for orders over 30,000 USD

· T/T：telegraphic transfer, a usual wire transfer between banks. You have to pay handling fees. Payment is usually split into installments

Make sure you transfer money to a business account in mainland China. Transferring funds into an account in a “tax haven” has an increased risk of fraud

The Chinese party usually request payment in US dollars. If you often conduct such transactions, it is worth setting up a foreign currency account in USD to avoid currency conversion or using an online currency exchange platform.

Be careful with any type of money transfer. If something seems suspicious, it is best not to finalize the transaction.

If you have any question about import from China to Europe please feel free to consult Viputrans  Lora Yang E-mail: sales02@viputrans.com

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