Question 1: At what point should agent export income be recognized?

According toAccounting Standards for Business Enterprises No. 14 - RevenueFor agency export revenue recognition, three core conditions must be simultaneously met:
Control of goods has been transferred to the overseas buyer
Transaction amount can be reliably measured
Related economic benefits are likely to flow to the enterprise

In practice, there are three mainstream recognition time points:

• customs clearanceSingle release date(Applicable to EXW/FOB terms)
• Bill of lading issuance date(Applicable to CIF/DDP terms)
• Customer confirmation of receipt date(Electronic receipt certificate must be obtained)

It is recommended that enterprises make decisions based onTrade termsandPayment methodsEstablish standardized confirmation processes, for example, L/C transactions typically use the bill of lading date as the benchmark.

Question 2: How to handle documents between agents and principals?

2025 cross-border service VAT new policy requirements:

• Agency party issues6% service fee invoice
• Issued by the principal13% goods sales invoice
• The customs declaration form must clearly indicate the words "agency export."

Special Attention:State Administration of Foreign Exchange 2025 new policyThe agent's foreign exchange collection must be clearly marked with an "agent" identifier on the bank documents; otherwise, it may be deemed as self-operated export.

Question 3:The exchange rateHow does volatility affect revenue recognition?

Two scenarios need to be handled differently:

• Transactional exchange rate risk
  • CalculateSpot rate on transaction dateConverted revenue
  • The difference shall be recorded in "Financial Expenses - Exchange Gains and Losses".
• Settlement exchange rate risk
  • CalculateSpot exchange rate on settlement dateAdjust accounts receivable
  • Exchange rate fluctuation sharing clauses must be stipulated in contracts

Companies are advised to useForeign exchange hedging instruments, the 2025 new cross-border RMB settlement facilitation policy can reduce exchange rate risks.

Question 4: Can income be recognized before tax rebates are received?

According to the State Taxation Administration 2025Export tax refundManagement Measures:

• Must recognizeMain business revenue
• in the month of customs declaration export23. Other receivables,
• Refundable tax amount recorded separatelyNon-operating income and expenses

Special notice:Cross-year tax refundThe unrefunded amount and reasons must be disclosed in the annual report notes.

Question 5: How to prevent compliance risks in revenue recognition?

Proposal to establishFour-layer risk prevention mechanism:

1. Contract filing: Retain trade contracts, proforma invoices, and payment vouchers
2. Logistics tracking: Obtain scanned copies of original ocean bills of lading and air waybills
3. Fund monitoring: Establish a dedicated foreign exchange account for agency payments
4. Document management: Keep complete customs declarations, VAT invoices, and tax refund application forms

Implemented by the General Administration of Customs in 2025Electronic customs declaration verification systemCan effectively prevent risks of false customs declarations.

Conclusion: Agency export revenue recognition is not only a financial and tax issue, but more importantly arisk management system project. It is recommended that enterprises conduct special audits for revenue recognition quarterly, promptly follow changes in international trade rules in 2025, and consult professional foreign trade service agencies when necessary.