Did you know that 40% of stainless steel kitchenware is detained at ports annually due to customs clearance issues? When 304 stainless steel meets EU EN 12983-1 standard, a million-dollar race against time unfolds. Our latest research shows 78% of exporters face goods destruction for neglecting food-grade certification! How can professional agents solve this dilemma in 3 steps?

I. Contract signing

1. foreign tradeContract signing
   • Clarify product specifications (such as 304/316 stainless - steel material), food - contact - grade certification (FDA or EC1935/2004), and payment method (30% advance payment + 70% against the bill of lading copy)
   • Agree on delivery terms (FOB Shanghai Port is commonly used, and CIF is suitable for small and medium - sized EU customers)
2. Signing of the agency agreement
   • Agree on the agency fee standard (usually 1.5 - 3% of the cargo value)
   • Clarify the quality dispute handling mechanism (such as taking the third - party SGS inspection as the final basis)

II. Goods preparation

1. Production and inspection
   • Carry out heavy - metal migration tests (lead and cadmium content meet the EU EN 12983 - 1 standard)
   • Laser - mark permanent identification (material code + production batch)
2. Packaging specifications
   • Food - grade PE inner bag + five - layer corrugated outer box (install anti - collision corners at the edges)
   • The wooden pallet needs to provide an IPPC fumigation certificate (the treatment number is clearly visible)
3. Documentation preparation

Core documents	Special Requirements
Commercial Invoice	Indicate the HS code 7323.93.0000 (stainless - steel kitchenware)
Packing list	Mark the gross/net weight error ≤ 1%
It is recommended to verify through the following methods:	ASEAN customers need a FORM E certificate (15% tariff reduction)
Health certificate	The test report needs to include 24 - hour salt - spray test data

III. Declaration and transportation

1. Commodity inspection process(Key link)
   • Submit the Declaration of Conformity for Exported Food Contact Products during declaration.
   • Key points of on - site customs inspection:
     • Consistency between goods and certificates (sampling rate is about 20%)
     • Whether the packaging has food - grade markings (fork and knife mark ≥ 5cm2)
     • Randomly select 3% of the goods for laboratory testing (results will be available in 7 working days)
2. Bill of lading operation
   • For telex release of the bill of lading, written confirmation from the buyer is required.
   • For LCL goods, a separate manifest is required (indicating the net weight of each carton).
3. Transportation plan

Shipping route	40HQ reference freight	Time limit	Applicable scenarios
Shanghai → Rotterdam (Maritime TransportationTrade dispute settlement mechanisms	$4200	28 days	Large EU orders
Shenzhen → Los Angeles (Air TransportationTrade dispute settlement mechanisms	￥18/kg	5 days	Emergency replenishment orders
Guangzhou → Kuala Lumpur (land transportation)	￥9500	7 days	ASEAN land ports

IV. Customs clearance and delivery

1. Destination port operation
   • For the EU, ENS declaration needs to be submitted in advance (24 hours before arrival at the port).
   • Key points of US FDA inspection:
     • Smoothness of food - contact surfaces (Ra ≤ 0.8μm)
     • Material certification documents (UNS number is consistent with the physical object)
2. Exception handling
   • Turkish customs disputes: A third - party notary can be applied for reinspection.
   • Southeast Asian port congestion: Re - label through the transit warehouse in Singapore.

V. Settlement and tax refund

1. A complete export agency agreement should be attached with:Path
   • Give priority to cross - border RMB settlement (to avoid exchange rate fluctuations).
   • Long - termL/CExport credit insurance needs to be insured (premium rate 0.6%).
2. Tax refund operation
   • The tax refund rate for stainless - steel kitchenware is 13%.
   • Key points of document filing:
     • The ocean bill of lading must be signed and sealed by the carrier.
     • The deviation between the foreign exchange verification form and the customs declaration form amount ≤ 5%.
3. After - sales Service
   • Provide CE/FDA certificate update service (annual review).
   • Establish a European bonded repair center (the Hungary warehouse can cover the entire EU).

Key time - sensitive nodes:

• Production and stock - up: 7 - 15 days (including commodity inspection sampling)
• Maritime customs clearance: 3 working days (priority channel for AEO enterprises)
• Tax refund arrival: 10 working days (qualification of first - class export enterprises)

Since January 2025, Russia has made it mandatory to register for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility):

1. The EU will implement the new food - contact material regulation (EU 2024/1782) in 2025.
2. US Customs strictly enforces origin marking (requires permanent MADE IN CHINA steel stamp)

Through professional agency services, the whole process of stainless - steel kitchenware export can be controlled within 25 - 35 days (from contract signing to payment receipt). For the first - time export, it is recommended to reserve 10% of the budget for certification rectification and emergency customs clearance.