Announcement of Beijing Customs District, the People's Republic of China [2020] No. 6

To implement the guidelines and requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on strengthening the prevention and control of COVID-19, assist key industries and import/export enterprises in Beijing Customs District to resume normal production as soon as possible, and ensure the stable operation of the capital's economy and society, the following emergency support and assistance measures are hereby formulated:

I. Fully support the prevention and control of COVID-19 and ensure "zero delay" in the customs clearance of goods for prevention and control

1. Open a "green channel" for the customs clearance of goods for prevention and control.

Special windows or posts shall be set up for the rapid customs clearance of imported goods for COVID-19 prevention and control on the site of freight clearance, mail express, cross-border e-commerce, and passenger clearance, so as to ensure the 24/7 smooth flow of the green channel and escort the import of urgently needed goods.

2. Simplify emergency clearance procedures for goods for prevention and control.

After donated goods arrive at a port of Beijing, in case of emergency, one can contact the customs on the spot and apply for registration and release before handling procedures on the strength of the Certificate of Import of Overseas Charitable Donations Received by the Recipient and the List of Donated Goods for Allocation and Use. If the procedures for goods donation are not completed, one may contact the customs working group accredited by the Red Cross Society of China Beijing Branch at the Beijing Capital International Airport for on-site handling.

3. Improve the procedures for approving and supervising goods for prevention and control.

The approval of special goods for COVID-19 prevention and control shall be accepted immediately. Supervision of imported medical devices shall be improved. During the period of COVID-19 prevention and control, the imported medical devices and COVID-19 prevention drugs that have not been registered/filed in China can be registered and released before the relevant procedures are completed.

4. Enhance the supervision of carried or delivered goods and satisfy reasonable demand.

For the drugs, disinfectants, protective equipment and medical devices specially used for COVID-19 prevention and control, which are imported through such channels as passengers' carrying, mailing and express mail, the customs clearance can be facilitated on the basis of reasonable quantity for self-use in accordance with the principle of handling special cases with special methods.

5. Handle enterprise registration qualification procedures in time.

For the import of goods for COVID-19 prevention and control that requires enterprise registration or filing, a green channel shall be opened to handle procedures immediately upon arrival.

6. Attend the service hotline.

The service hotline of goods clearance consultation shall be made available 24/7 to respond to the needs of enterprises at the earliest time possible and deal with the problems encountered by enterprises when they go through the customs formalities.

II. Increase support for enterprises and solve their operating difficulties

7. Further improve tax services and extend the tax payment period.

For tax payment letter in which the deadline for payment expires in the period from February 3 to 9, 2020, the payment deadline shall be extended to February 24, 2020. For the consolidated tax declaration form filed in January 2020, the consolidated electronic payment of tax payable can be completed by February 24, 2020.

8. Extend the date for starting collecting delayed declaration fees

For goods declared for import at Beijing Customs District, if the date for starting collecting delayed declaration fees is between January 24 and February 9, the date shall be postponed to February 10. If the conditions for the reduction or exemption of delayed declaration fees are met, the formalities for reduction or exemption of delayed declaration fees for import shall be handled as per an enterprise's application.

9. Extend the validity period of verification of processing trade manuals (account books).

If processing trade enterprises in the Customs District (including enterprises in the areas under special supervision of the customs) delay the resumption of work in accordance with the requirements of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and thus cause the processing trade manuals (account books) to exceed the period of validity (verification period), enterprises can file for extending the verification period before submitting additional documents. Where declaration items such as deep processing transit and domestic sales taxation under the processing trade manual (account book) exceed the prescribed time limit, relevant procedures may be postponed.

10. Extend the period of validity for re-entry and re-exit of temporary inbound and outbound goods.

If the temporary inbound and outbound goods whose term of validity for re-entry and re-exit expires during the outbreak period fail to enter or leave the country on time due to reasons such as the cancellation of flights or the enterprise's inability to resume work according to relevant policies, the customs on the spot may handle procedures such as the extension of deposit for the enterprise, and the enterprise shall submit relevant materials afterwards.

11. Properly handle the formalities related to temporary inbound and outbound goods under the ATA Carnet whose term of validity expires.

If the temporary inbound and outbound goods under the ATA Carnet whose term of validity for re-entry and re-exit expires during the outbreak period fail to enter or leave the country on time due to reasons such as the cancellation of flights or the enterprise's inability to resume work according to relevant policies, the customs on the spot shall handle it in the system's "overdue re-exit endorsement" module and make relevant registration in addition to paper endorsement.

12. Actively implement the tax reduction and exemption policies for goods for COVID-19 prevention and control.

For the imported goods donated for COVID-19 prevention and control, the scope of duty-free imports of donated goods shall be appropriately expanded, and the import duties, value-added taxes and consumption taxes of such donated goods shall be exempted. The imported goods directly used in COVID-19 prevention and control organized by competent financial and health authorities shall be exempted from customs duties. For duty-free imported goods in compliance with the above provisions, the tax collected shall be refundable. An enterprise importing goods at Beijing Customs District may submit a written application for tax refund with Beijing Chaoyang Customs before September 30, 2020 by presenting the Tax Exemption Certificate issued by the local competent customs.

13. Further implement the measures to facilitate authorized economic operators (AEOs).

The policy of exemption from guarantee for AEOs shall be further implemented, and the number of AEOs that can be released without guarantee in Beijing Customs District may be expanded from the current level of 24 to about 70, so as to reduce the capital occupation of enterprises and reduce their operating costs. The control rate and inspection rate of AEOs shall be reduced and the efficiency of port clearance shall be improved. A system of exclusive coordinators for AEOs shall be implemented to provide them with "one-to-one" butler services and effectively respond to and solve the difficulties and problems they encounter during the period of COVID-19 prevention and control.

14. Give full play to the role of the customs in supporting decision making through "data + research".

Customs statistical monitoring and warning of foreign trade shall be strengthened, and the impact of the outbreak on import and export trade shall be closely tracked and assessed to assist macro decisions-making.

15. Actively respond to foreign technical trade measures.

Help may be provided for enterprises to deal with technical trade measures caused by the outbreak, to conduct in-depth analysis of measures, interpretation of terms and study of standards, to organize publicity and training for enterprises, especially SMEs, and to help them to resume and expand exports.

16. Support enterprises in key industries in Beijing to resume production.

Help may be provided for enterprises in biomedicine, medical equipment, cross-border fresh food and other industries to resume and expand imports and exports and to facilitate customs clearance. The sound development of cross-border e-commerce shall be promoted, including cross-border e-commerce retail import and export enterprises in customs credit management, and differentiated customs clearance measures shall be implemented.

III. Deepen the optimization of business environment at ports to help stabilize foreign trade

17. Promote "declaration in advance" for imports and exports.

The error tolerance mechanism for "declaration in advance" shall be perfected and an Internet "Customs-Enterprise Cooperation Platform" shall be opened so that enterprises may conduct online review of customs declaration errors in "declaration in advance ", so as to improve efficiency and the proportion of "declaration in advance ".

18. Intensify the promotion of "two-step declaration".

An error tolerance mechanism for two-step declaration shall be established. The implementation of the "two-step declaration" for imported goods shall be in line with the "two-wheel driven" risk prevention and control mode and the "two-stage approval" supervision mode. The departure of goods at ports shall also be sped up.

19. Reasonably improve the setting of inspection instructions.

The inspection ratio based on the characteristics and needs of imported goods for COVID-19 prevention and control shall be improved. Priority shall be given to the inspection of these goods needing inspection to ensure quick release.

20. Implement the inspection mode that requires no physical appearance of consignees and consignors.

To reduce the gathering of personnel and speed up the inspection and release of goods, the consignee and consignor of imported or exported goods, after receiving the customs' inspection notice, may choose to assist the customs in completing the inspection without going to the site by means of commissioned on-site inspection or non-presence inspection during the prevention and control period. After the customs completes the inspection of goods, the operator of the place under customs supervision where the goods are stored and the person in charge of the means of transport shall sign the inspection record for confirmation.

21. Promote the whole-process online handling of customs clearance services.

Paperless customs clearance procedures shall be promoted continuously to realize online declaration, online processing, online verification and self-help printing of licenses, documents and bills. WeChat official accounts such as "Beijing Customs Categorization" and "Beijing Customs Credit" shall be launched to provide a full range of online services for enterprises and try to achieve "zero visit" of enterprises.

22. Improve the import inspection and quarantine process for fresh products.

The port inspection capacity and customs clearance efficiency for frozen aquatic products, meat and other fresh products shall be enhanced; the quarantine and approval process shall be simplified, and the approval duration shall be shortened. A green channel for fresh products shall be opened to give priority to the inspection and testing of relevant imported products. The policy of "immediate release after sampling" shall be implemented for foods from overseas entering the comprehensive bonded zone.

23. Encourage enterprises to take the initiative to disclose tax violations.

For enterprises that voluntarily report violations and such reporting actions are confirmed by the customs to be within the scope of active disclosure, they may be given a lighter, mitigated or exempted from administrative punishment. If, after the release of goods, the taxpayer discovers through self-inspection that the duty has been underpaid or not paid, takes the initiative to disclose the situation and makes up the payment, the customs may reduce or exempt the late payment fee according to law.

24. Strengthen coordination and linkage between Beijing and Tianjin for trading across borders.

The mode of "declaration in advance + direct pick-up by vessel side" for imports at Tianjin ports shall be promoted to ensure the operation efficiency of "direct pick-up by vessel side" for imported goods of Beijing enterprises.

The above measures shall take effect as of the date of promulgation and expire on March 31. Some measures shall be subject to adjustment according to the need of COVID-19 prevention and control. Some policies and measures intended to improve the business environment and ensure stable foreign trade shall be implemented in the long term.

Beijing Customs District

February 12, 2020