First, French imported red wine: The core challenges in customs clearance for high-value-added products

As a representative of high-end consumer goods worldwide, French wine involves multiple compliance requirements in its import process. From the classification of HS code 2204210000 (small-packaged fresh grape-made wine) to the review of AOC certification for the origin, and the 100% sampling inspection requirements for imported food by Chinese customs, each step requires precise control. According to 2023 customs data, the proportion of French wine returned due to non-compliance with documentation reached 18%, and the quality loss rate caused by logistics delays was about 5%, which places extremely high demands on the professional agency services of importers.

II. Document Processing: Professional Control of the Whole Chain from Contract to Customs Declaration

The documents are the "ID cards" for import customs clearance.Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd.In the import of French wine, a "3+2" document review system has been established:

• Basic Documents (Category 3): Commerical invoice (which must indicate the grape vintage and alcohol content), packing list (which must specify the number of bottles per box and the gross weight), and bill of lading (which must be a clean bill of lading, avoiding any "cargo damage notes").
• Special documents (Category 2): The health certificate issued by French authorities (which must include a statement that "it complies with the EU Food Hygiene Regulation (EC 852/2004)") and the "Liquor Import License" for access to the Chinese market (which must be applied for from the commerce department two months in advance).

  The team will complete the pre-review of documents 15 days before the goods are shipped, with a focus on verifying the logical consistency between the "production date" on the health certificate and the "shipping date" on the bill of lading, to avoid customs seizures and inspections caused by discrepancies between the certificate and the bill of lading. For example, in 2022, a client was subject to customs seizures and inspections due to discrepancies between the certificate and the bill of lading.Origin CertificateThe goods were not labeled with the words "Appellation d'Origine Contr?lée" (AOC), and the customs required additional explanations. Zhong Shen International Trade Company discovered this issue through pre-audit and coordinated with the French side to reissue the certificates, thus avoiding a 10-day delay in customs clearance.
  

III. Logistics Arrangements:Maritime transport/Air freightThe optimal path and risk hedging

French wine is mainly transported by sea (accounting for 85%) and air (for high-end small batches). Zhong Shen International Trade Company provides differentiated solutions based on the value of the goods and the requirements for delivery speed:

• Maritime transport: Preferentially use the 21-day direct shipping route from Marseille Port to Shanghai Yangshan Port, employing temperature-controlled containers (with a temperature range of 12-18°C), and purchase "Refrigerated Cargo Damage Insurance" (covering quality losses caused by malfunctions in refrigeration equipment);
• Air freight: For vintage wines or limited edition products, we select all-cargo flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to Daxing Airport in Beijing, and require airlines to provide a "pour test" (to ensure that the wine bottle does not experience more than 2G of shaking during transportation, thereby preventing the cork from loosening).

  During the operation at the port of destination, the team will send the "manifest pre-entry" to the customs three days in advance and coordinate with the storage party to reserve a cool storage space (with a humidity of 60%-70%) to ensure that the goods are picked up within 24 hours after arriving at the port, thereby reducing the risk of secondary loss during storage.
  

IV. Russian/Southeast Asian Markets: Solutions Under Differentiated Demands

When serving customers from Russia and Southeast Asia, Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. has developed a distinctive advantage of "market adaptation".

• I. Pre - export Preparation: Addressing the pain points of Ruble settlement, relying on VTB Bank (Russia'sforeign tradeBank)'sConvert foreign exchange into RMBConveniently, it can achieve "T+2" fast settlement (conventional banks take 5-7 days). The specific process is: after the client signs a contract with the Russian party, Zhong Shen International Trade assists in opening a special account at VTB → The Russian party pays the rubles to the account → The bank automatically converts the funds into RMB at the daily exchange rate → The funds are transferred to the client's domestic account within 3 working days. In 2023, the amount of foreign exchange settlement for wine imports from Russia completed through this channel exceeded 20 million US dollars, with an average reduction in exchange rate losses of 1.2%.
• Southeast Asian market: Taking Indonesia as an example, the import process requires particular attention to the "PIB Certification" (qualification of Indonesian importers) and the "ASEAN Certificate of Origin (FORM E)". Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd. will assist clients in checking the "proportion of the original components of the goods" on the FORM E (which must be ≥40%), to ensure that they can enjoy a 0% tariff preference (the tax rate for non-ASEAN countries is 30%). After the RCEP comes into effect in January 2024, red wine from Vietnam and Thailand will also benefit from the tariff concessions.Import Customs ClearanceThe timeframe has been shortened from seven days to three days, and the team has simultaneously updated the "ASEAN Ten Countries Customs Code Correspondence Table" to assist clients in completing classification declarations quickly.

5. New Situation of International Trade: Challenges and Opportunities Coexist

At present, French wine imports face three major challenges:

1. The EU regulations have been upgraded.: From 2024 onwards, alcoholic beverages exported to third countries must be accompanied by a "sugar content detection report" (with a sugar content of ≤4g per liter). Failure to provide the report will result in an additional 10% tariff being imposed.
2. Logistics Cost Fluctuations: In 2023, the fluctuation range of maritime freight rates from Europe to the Far East reached ±35%. It is necessary to lock in costs through a combination of "long-term contract prices + spot prices".
3. Geopolitical influence: The Russian market is subject to restrictions from the SWIFT system, and the success rate of foreign exchange settlement through non-VTB channels is only 60%. This highlights the advantages of Zhong Sheng International Trade's cooperation with VTB.

   In terms of opportunities, the "Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Product Trade Cooperation" signed by China and France will reduce the number of wine import inspection items from 12 to 8. At the same time, the "new visa-free policy between China and Singapore" in the Southeast Asian market is expected to boost the regional wine import volume by 20% in 2025.
   

VI. Certification Assistance: Key Tips for Translating from CE to GOST

Although Zhong Shen International Trade does not handle certification directly, it will provide clients with "checklist-style" assistance:

• Chinese Market: It is necessary to inform the client in advance to prepare the "Registration of Overseas Food Manufacturing Enterprises" (to check the qualifications through the "1212 Platform" of the General Administration of Customs);
• I. Pre - export Preparation: Remind clients about the "mandatory items" for GOST certification (such as the requirement that wine labels must include the alcohol content and net weight in Russian), and assist them in contacting Russian certification agencies.
• Southeast Asian market: For the Halal certification in Malaysia, we provide a "white list of certification agencies" to help clients avoid choosing agencies that are not officially recognized.

  For example, in 2023, a client planned to export wine to Kazakhstan. Zhong Shen International Trade Company informed them in advance that they needed to obtain the "EAC Certification" (a unified certification of the Eurasian Economic Union) and assisted them in preparing the "Product Ingredient Analysis Report". As a result, the client completed the certification in just two weeks, which was one month faster than if they had handled it themselves.
  

Conclusion: The customs clearance efficiency of French imported wine essentially lies in the "battle of details" of professional agency services. Zhong Shen International Trade, with document processing as the core and logistics optimization as the support, combined with differentiated solutions for the Russian/Southeast Asian markets, is becoming a reliable partner for importers to cope with the complex trade environment. Whether you are a well-established wine merchant in Europe or an emerging enterprise exploring Southeast Asia, accurately controlling every process node is the key to ensuring that the romance of French wine successfully reaches the tables of consumers around the world.