In an era of increasingly frequent global trade, freight forwarders, as the core link connecting shippers and overseas markets, face various cross-border logistics challenges every day. Changes in customs policies are often the key trigger for cargo rejections and seizures. Many freight forwarders ignore the latest customs supervision policies, leading to cargo detention at ports, high demurrage fees, or even direct rejection, which not only results in economic losses but also damages customer trust. This article will analyze the latest customs supervision policies in key global trade regions, dissect the details easily overlooked by freight forwarders, and help them avoid risks and operate in compliance.

I. Why Have New Customs Supervision Policies Been Emerging Frequently Recently? What Core Risks Should Freight Forwarders Be Alert To?

The intensive introduction of new international customs supervision policies is essentially the result of the adjustment of the global trade pattern, the upgrading of safety prevention and control, and digital transformation, all of which directly affect every business operation of freight forwarders. If freight forwarders ignore these changes, they will face multiple risks such as cargo seizure, fines, and qualification restrictions.

According to the latest 2026 report data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the global trade volume in the first quarter of 2026 reached 9.2 trillion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 1.8%. At the same time, factors such as geopolitical tensions and rising trade costs have prompted various countries to continuously adjust their customs supervision strategies. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, major trading countries around the world issued 28 new customs supervision policies, of which 65% involve core areas such as declaration standards, credit management, and environmental protection.

The maritime transport report released by UNCTAD in the same period shows that the global maritime trade volume in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 0.8% year-on-year, 0.3 percentage points higher than that in the same period in 2025. However, stricter customs supervision remains an important factor restricting the growth rate of maritime trade, which further increases the difficulty of compliant operations for freight forwarders.

Freight forwarders need to note that the core trend of current customs supervision policies is "compliance, digitalization, and refinement". The previous "extensive" customs declaration methods and opportunistic irregular operations are no longer feasible. A common misunderstanding is that some freight forwarders believe "there is a buffer period for the implementation of new policies, so there is no need to adjust operations temporarily". However, the actual situation is that most countries' new customs policies are implemented simultaneously on the date of issuance, and the penalties for irregular behaviors have been significantly increased—from simple fines to credit downgrading, business restrictions, and even criminal liability, which is clearly reflected in many recent cases of irregular customs declarations by freight forwarders.

II. Analysis of New Customs Policies in Key Global Trade Regions: What Details Are Easily Overlooked by Freight Forwarders?

Customs policies vary significantly across different trade regions. Freight forwarders need to optimize their operational processes in accordance with the new policy requirements of their target markets. The following focuses on analyzing the latest customs supervision policies in three core trade regions—China, the European Union, and the United States—and highlights the key details easily overlooked by freight forwarders.

1. China Customs: Full Coverage of Credit Supervision, "Two-Step Declaration" Becomes the Main Customs Clearance Model

As the world's largest goods trading country, adjustments to China's customs policies directly affect the business layout of global freight forwarders. Since 2026, China Customs has issued two core new policies. Many freight forwarders frequently make declaration mistakes because they fail to grasp the details in a timely manner.

1.1 What Changes Have Been Made to China Customs' New Credit Supervision Policy That Freight Forwarders Must Know?

The most core reform of the General Administration of Customs of China's Order No. 282, "Measures for the Credit Management of Enterprises Registered and Recorded with Customs", officially implemented on April 1, 2026, is that the freight forwarding industry has been fully included in the scope of customs credit supervision for the first time, completely breaking the supervision pattern that only targets import and export consignors and consignees. This policy means that regardless of whether a freight forwarding enterprise has completed customs registration, as long as it engages in freight forwarding business related to import and export, it must accept customs credit assessment, with no supervision blind spots.

The new policy upgrades the credit rating from the original three levels to a five-level structure: Advanced Certified Enterprises, Certified Enterprises, Regular Enterprises, Dishonest Enterprises, and Seriously Dishonest Enterprises. Among them, the newly added "Certified Enterprises" level is specially designed for small and medium-sized freight forwarding enterprises, establishing an adaptive credit improvement channel and breaking the barrier that the threshold for advanced certification is too high for small and medium-sized enterprises to reach.

Freight forwarders need to note that credit rating directly determines customs clearance efficiency and business competitiveness: Advanced Certified Enterprises and Certified Enterprises are included in the AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) system and can enjoy benefits such as reduced customs inspection rates, simplified procedures, and priority in customs clearance. In contrast, Dishonest Enterprises will face doubled inspection rates and reduced customs clearance efficiency, while Seriously Dishonest Enterprises will be included in joint punishment, which affects the survival of their business qualifications.

According to the latest data from the first quarter of 2026 by the Freight Forwarders and Logistics Associations of the three major ports—Shenzhen, Ningbo, and Tianjin—since 2025, the number of dishonest freight forwarding enterprises exposed at the three major ports has reached 1,230, including 820 in Shenzhen, 118 in Ningbo, and 292 in Tianjin. It is evident that the problem of a weak credit foundation in the industry is prominent. If freight forwarders do not pay attention to credit management, they will face the risk of being eliminated from the industry.

The recommended approach is that freight forwarding enterprises immediately conduct self-inspections on the consistency of their industrial and commercial, tax, and customs filing information, submit annual reports on time, sort out past business records to identify potential irregularities, establish internal credit management systems, and strengthen compliance training for employees to avoid credit risks from the source.

1.2 How Should Freight Forwarders Operate the Fully Promoted "Two-Step Declaration" Model?

Announcement No. 115 of the General Administration of Customs in 2025 clearly states that since June 16, 2025, the "two-step declaration" customs clearance model for imported goods has been fully promoted at all customs offices in China. Freight forwarders can choose this model through the International Trade "Single Window" or the "Internet + Customs" integrated online service platform. This model aims to improve customs clearance efficiency, but many freight forwarders make declaration mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the operational process, leading to cargo detention.

The so-called "two-step declaration" means that the consignee of imported goods or its agent first submits a "summary declaration", which includes core information such as the name of the goods, tax code, quantity, and consignor/consignee. After customs verification and approval, the goods can be picked up; subsequently, a "complete declaration" must be submitted within the specified time to supplement detailed customs declaration documents and information. Freight forwarders need to note that two-step declaration is not "simplified declaration" but "phased declaration", with the following core requirements:

Summary Declaration: The core information of the goods must be accurately filled in without omitting key elements; otherwise, it will be rejected by the customs, affecting the efficiency of cargo pickup;

Complete Declaration: It must be completed within 14 days after the goods are picked up. If the declaration is not made within the time limit, demurrage fees will be incurred, and serious cases will be punished by the customs;

Scope of Application: Most imported goods are applicable, but special goods such as dangerous goods and perishable goods need to be confirmed in advance to see if they meet the requirements;

Document Retention: After the complete declaration, the customs declaration documents, contracts, invoices, and other materials must be properly retained for subsequent customs inspection.

A common misunderstanding is that some freight forwarders believe "the summary declaration can be simply filled in and supplemented later". However, the actual situation is that if the information in the summary declaration is false or missing, the customs will directly reject it, resulting in the goods not being picked up in a timely manner and additional costs such as demurrage and warehousing fees.

The recommended approach is that freight forwarders communicate with shippers in advance when receiving import orders, confirm the core information of the goods, ensure the accuracy of the summary declaration, and reasonably arrange time to complete the complete declaration within the specified time limit.

2. EU Customs: Tax System Adjustment and Compliance Requirement Upgrade, Freight Forwarders Need to Prepare in Advance

As an important global trade bloc, the European Union has frequently adjusted its customs policies since 2026. In particular, changes in cross-border parcel tax systems and declaration standards have caused many freight forwarders focusing on the European market to frequently make mistakes. Behind Italy's suspension of the cross-border small parcel tax policy is the countdown to the implementation of the EU unified tax system, and freight forwarders need to make preparations in advance.

2.1 Italy's Suspension of Small Parcel Tax: A Boon or a Warning? How Should Freight Forwarders Respond?

In March 2026, the Italian government officially announced the suspension of the 2-euro-per-item tax policy imposed on cross-border parcels worth less than 150 euros, which has been in effect since January 2026, until June 30. The official reason is to allow time for the adjustment of the customs information system, but essentially, there are loopholes in the EU's unilateral tax policy, making effective supervision impossible.

Freight forwarders need to note that this suspension is not a cancellation but an extension. The European Commission has clearly confirmed that the relevant tax policy will be uniformly implemented across the EU from July 2026. Therefore, freight forwarders should not hold the fluke mentality that "the policy will be cancelled".

Previously, France and Romania took the lead in introducing similar policies, but the actual effect was not good. According to EU Customs data in February 2026, after France officially imposed a tax of 2 euros per item in March, the relevant customs declaration volume plummeted by 90%, but the actual number of parcels did not decrease. Instead, they were transshipped to France through other EU countries that did not impose the tax, such as Belgium and the Netherlands. The tax avoidance cost was only 0.1 euros per item, far lower than the tax, making the unilateral tax ineffective.

The recommended approach is that freight forwarders need to calculate the costs after the implementation of the EU unified tax in advance and adjust their business layout: first, avoid blindly relying on the low-cost direct mail model and gradually guide shippers to switch to the overseas warehouse model. Currently, Shein has shifted 65% of its European orders to local warehouses, and Temu plans to achieve 85% coverage of European warehouses by the end of 2026—a trend worthy of attention by freight forwarders. Second, avoid transshipment risks; even when transshipping through countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands, complete logistics documents must be retained to avoid being investigated by the customs for "false declaration". Third, communicate with shippers in advance to clarify the tax-bearing method to avoid subsequent disputes.

2.2 New EU Customs Declaration Rules: Details That Freight Forwarders Must Pay Attention To

In addition to the tax system adjustment, EU Customs has also upgraded the declaration standards in 2026, focusing on strengthening the authenticity and completeness of cargo information. The following are the details most easily overlooked by freight forwarders:

Cargo Name Declaration: The use of general names such as "accessories", "daily necessities", and "gifts" is prohibited. The specific name of the goods must be filled in detail, such as "excavator hydraulic pump" and "plastic storage box"; otherwise, it will be rejected by the customs or determined as "false declaration";

HS Code Classification: The HS code must be accurately classified. It is strictly prohibited to classify based on intuition or random online inquiries. Especially for sensitive products (such as dual-use items and inspected products), incorrect classification may involve criminal liability. It is recommended to ask a professional customs broker for assistance in classification or apply for a customs pre-classification ruling;

Document Consistency: The invoice amount, contract amount, and packing list information must be consistent. If there are discrepancies, explanations and supporting materials must be provided in advance; otherwise, it will be identified as "price fraud" by the customs, resulting in fines or even smuggling charges;

Packaging Requirements: Wooden packaging must have an IPPC fumigation mark, cartons must be clearly marked with shipping marks (cargo name, port of destination, package number), and dangerous goods packaging must comply with EU UN standards; otherwise, the customs will require rectification or return.

3. US Customs: Stricter Compliance Inspections and Significantly Increased Irregular Costs

As the core overseas market for Chinese freight forwarders, US customs supervision has always been known for its strictness. Since 2026, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has further strengthened compliance inspections on imported goods, especially increasing penalties for irregular behaviors such as false declarations, infringement, and dangerous goods. Many freight forwarders have their goods seized and fined due to ignoring details.

3.1 High Incidence Causes of US Customs Cargo Seizure: 3 Major Pitfalls Easily Stepped on by Freight Forwarders

According to the latest data from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the first quarter of 2026, 48% of the imported goods seized by US Customs in the first quarter of 2026 were due to improper operations by freight forwarders, an increase of 3 percentage points compared with the same period in 2025. The following three pitfalls are the most easily encountered by freight forwarders:

False Declaration: This is the most common irregular behavior, including inconsistencies between the declared information (such as cargo name, value, and quantity) and the actual goods. For example, declaring beauty products as "soap" leads to high fines from the customs and even involves shippers in joint liability;

Infringement Suspicions: Goods suspected of infringing intellectual property rights (such as trademarks and patents). US Customs has extremely strict investigation and punishment measures for infringing goods. Once infringement is determined, the goods will be confiscated, and freight forwarders may also face legal lawsuits;

Lack of Special Documents: Some goods (such as dangerous goods, food, and cosmetics) require special documents (such as dangerous goods packaging certificates, MSDS, and health certificates). If freight forwarders fail to prepare them in advance, the goods will not be able to be declared or even be rejected.

A typical case is a batch of exported goods intercepted by Dapeng Customs in January 2026. Entrusted by an enterprise, the freight forwarder declared the actual beauty products (such as lipsticks and masks) as "soap" and failed to go through inspection procedures. Finally, the customs issued a fine of 196,000 yuan, and 73,000 yuan in demurrage and warehousing fees were incurred during the detention period. The court ruled that the enterprise and the freight forwarder each bear half of the costs. The freight forwarder only received 5,000 yuan in agency fees but bore 134,500 yuan in losses—a profound lesson.

Freight forwarders need to note that even if the shipper promises that "no relevant documents are needed", the freight forwarder must fulfill the compliance review obligation; otherwise, it will bear corresponding legal responsibilities.

3.2 New US Customs Policies: Upgrade of Digital Declaration and Safety Inspections

Since 2026, US Customs has promoted the upgrade of digital declaration, further narrowing the scope of paper declarations. It requires that more than 95% of the customs declaration information for imported goods must be submitted through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system, and paper declarations are only applicable to special emergency situations.

Freight forwarders need to note that the ACE system has extremely high requirements for the accuracy of declared information. Once there are spelling errors (such as wrong port codes or company names), it will directly lead to rejection, affecting customs clearance efficiency. At the same time, US Customs has strengthened safety inspections on imported goods, especially for goods from high-risk countries and regions, with a significant increase in inspection rates. The inspection rate for some types of goods has increased by more than 20% compared with the same period in 2025.

The recommended approach is that freight forwarders verify the shipper's qualifications and cargo information in advance when accepting orders to avoid undertaking sensitive goods; carefully check the customs declaration documents word by word before declaration to ensure there are no spelling errors and the information is consistent; for high-risk goods, communicate with the customs in advance and prepare relevant supporting materials to reduce the risk of inspection.

III. Practical Guide for Freight Forwarders to Respond to Global New Customs Policies: How to Avoid Cargo Rejection and Seizure Risks?

Faced with the intensive adjustment of global new customs policies, to avoid the risks of cargo rejection and seizure, freight forwarders need to establish a sound compliant operation system from three dimensions: "policy mastery, process optimization, and risk control". The following is a specific practical guide.

1. Establish a New Policy Tracking Mechanism to Ensure Timely Information Updates

Customs policies are time-sensitive and regional, and the frequency of policy adjustments varies across different countries and regions. If freight forwarders cannot grasp the latest policies in a timely manner, they are prone to operational errors. The recommended approach is:

Assign Special Personnel Responsible: Establish a special policy tracking team to collect new customs policies in key global trade regions, focusing on information releases from official channels such as the General Administration of Customs of China, EU Customs, and US CBP;

Establish an Information Sharing Mechanism: Collate the collected new policy information into a manual and synchronize it to the company's business and operation departments. Conduct regular training to ensure that all employees master the new policy requirements;

Use Third-Party Tools: Use professional customs policy query tools to obtain real-time policy update reminders, and pay attention to interpretations from industry associations and authoritative media to deeply understand the core requirements and operational details of the new policies.

2. Optimize Customs Declaration Operation Processes and Strengthen Compliance Review

Customs declaration operation is the core link for freight forwarders to avoid customs risks. Combined with the requirements of current new customs policies, freight forwarders need to optimize their operational processes and strengthen compliance review at every link. The details are as follows:

Order Acceptance Review: When accepting shipper orders, carefully verify the shipper's qualifications and cargo information (such as cargo name, quantity, value, and HS code), clarify whether the goods belong to special categories (such as dangerous goods and inspected products), require the shipper to provide complete customs declaration documents, and refuse to undertake irregular businesses such as "buying declarations" and "false declarations";

Document Review: Arrange professional personnel to review customs declaration documents, focusing on checking the consistency and authenticity of document information to avoid problems such as general cargo names, incorrect HS codes, inconsistent amounts, and spelling errors. Submit the declaration only after all documents have been verified correctly;

Declaration Operation: Choose the appropriate declaration model (such as China's "two-step declaration") according to the customs requirements of different countries and regions, accurately fill in the declaration information to ensure there are no omissions or falsifications. Track the customs clearance progress in a timely manner after declaration and handle problems promptly;

Follow-Up: After the goods are cleared, properly retain the customs declaration documents, contracts, invoices, and other materials for subsequent customs inspection; for inspected goods, actively cooperate with customs investigations and provide relevant supporting materials to strive for lenient treatment.

3. Strengthen Cooperation with All Parties to Reduce Compliance Risks

The compliant operation of freight forwarders is inseparable from the cooperation of shippers, customs brokers, carriers, and other parties. Only by forming a joint force can customs risks be effectively avoided. The recommended approach is:

Establish Effective Communication with Shippers: Clarify the requirements of new customs policies to shippers in advance, inform them to provide true and complete cargo information and customs declaration documents, clarify the responsibilities of both parties, and avoid irregularities caused by shippers concealing information;

Cooperate with High-Quality Customs Brokers: Choose customs brokers with complete qualifications, rich experience, and compliant operations. Rely on their professional capabilities to ensure compliant customs declaration operations. Especially for complex and high-risk goods, entrust customs brokers to assist in classification and document preparation;

Maintain Close Cooperation with Carriers: Timely understand the port customs clearance dynamics and customs inspection requirements from carriers, coordinate the connection between cargo transportation and customs declaration, and avoid cargo detention due to transportation delays or untimely document delivery.

4. Establish a Risk Emergency Mechanism to Properly Handle Irregular Issues

Even if freight forwarders make comprehensive compliance preparations, they may still face situations such as cargo seizure and rejection due to unexpected circumstances (such as temporary adjustments to customs policies or mistaken inspection of goods). Therefore, it is necessary to establish a sound risk emergency mechanism. The details are as follows:

Formulate Emergency Plans: Formulate detailed emergency plans for common problems such as cargo seizure, rejection, and fines, clarify the handling process, responsible personnel, and time nodes to ensure rapid response when problems occur;

Timely Communication and Negotiation: After the goods are seized by the customs, communicate with the customs in a timely manner to understand the reasons for the seizure, actively cooperate with customs investigations, provide relevant supporting materials, and strive for early release; at the same time, inform the shipper in a timely manner and negotiate solutions to reduce losses for both parties;

Summarize Experience and Lessons: Conduct a review of each irregular incident, analyze the causes, summarize experience and lessons, optimize the operational process, and avoid similar problems from happening again.

IV. Conclusion: Compliance Is the Core Competitiveness for the Long-Term Development of Freight Forwarders

In the context of the continuous adjustment of the global trade pattern and increasingly strict customs supervision, changes in customs policies are no longer "negligible details" but a key factor directly determining the success or failure of freight forwarders' business. The core reason why many freight forwarders frequently encounter cargo rejection and seizure is insufficient attention to new customs policies, irregular operations, and a fluke mentality, which ultimately leads to heavy economic losses and reputation damage.

For global freight forwarding companies, the most urgent task at present is to face up to the changes brought by the new customs policies, take the initiative to learn and master the latest customs supervision requirements, establish a sound compliant operation system, optimize customs declaration processes, strengthen risk control, and enhance cooperation with all parties. Only by integrating the concept of compliance into every business operation can freight forwarders effectively avoid risks such as rejection, seizure, and fines, improve customs clearance efficiency, reduce operating costs, and win the trust and long-term cooperation of shippers.

In the future, with the further improvement of the digitalization and compliance level of global customs, the adjustment of customs policies will be more frequent and refined, and the competition in the freight forwarding industry will shift from "price competition" to "compliance competition". Only by keeping up with the pace of customs policies and continuously improving compliant operation capabilities can freight forwarders gain a firm foothold in the fierce market competition and achieve long-term development. Mastering the latest and most detailed customs policies is the core prerequisite for freight forwarders to break through development bottlenecks and avoid risks.