What is the main purpose of an export customs declaration?

1, Ensure the legal export of goods
The primary and fundamental purpose of an export customs declaration is to ensure the legality of the exported goods. In international trade, any goods that need to cross national borders must undergo strict scrutiny and approval by customs. The export customs declaration, as the core document in this process, details key information such as the name, quantity, value, mode of transportation, destination, and information of the exporter and consignee of the goods. These pieces of information provide comprehensive and accurate descriptions of goods for customs, enabling them to determine whether the goods comply with the laws and regulations of the exporting country, international trade rules, and import requirements of the importing country. By reviewing customs declaration forms, customs can ensure that only legal and compliant goods are allowed to be exported, thereby maintaining international trade order and safeguarding national economic security.
2, Customs supervision and taxation
Another important purpose of export declaration is to assist customs in implementing effective supervision and taxation. Customs, as one of the important sources of national taxation, can calculate the tariffs, value-added taxes, and other taxes that should be levied by reviewing the value of goods, trade methods, and other information on the customs declaration form. At the same time, the description of the goods on the customs declaration also provides a basis for customs inspection, enabling them to identify and intercept potential violations such as prohibited goods, dangerous goods, or underreporting of value. Through strict supervision and taxation, the customs not only ensure the collection of national tax revenues, but also maintain the security and stability of national trade.
3, Trade Statistics and Policy Making
The export declaration form is still the basic data for customs to conduct trade statistics and policy-making. By collecting, organizing, and analyzing the information of goods on customs declaration forms, customs can grasp the dynamics and trends of international trade, providing scientific basis for the government to formulate trade policies, adjust tariff rates, optimize trade structures, etc. In addition, the data on the customs declaration provides valuable research materials for economists, market analysts, and others, helping them to more accurately predict market trends, assess trade risks, and provide strong support for business decision-making.
4, Promote international trade facilitation
With the rapid development of global trade, the electronicization, standardization, and mutual recognition mechanism of export declaration forms are becoming increasingly perfect, and their role in promoting international trade facilitation is becoming increasingly prominent. By adopting an electronic customs declaration system, exporters can achieve online declaration and fast customs clearance, greatly improving export efficiency. At the same time, the mutual recognition mechanism of international customs declaration forms enables the reduction of duplicate declarations, shortened customs clearance time, and lowered operating costs for enterprises during cross-border transportation of goods. In addition, the standardization of customs declaration forms also promotes the standardization and transparency of international trade, which helps to build a more fair and open international trade environment.
5, Protecting the rights and interests of exporters
For exporters, the export declaration form is not only a certificate of legal export of goods, but also an important guarantee of their rights and interests. Once the goods encounter customs inspection, detention, or return during the export process, the exporter can use the information on the customs declaration form to file a complaint or claim with customs, insurance companies, or importers to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the cargo information on the customs declaration provides valuable market feedback for exporters, helping them understand the competitiveness and demand changes of their products in the international market, and providing strong support for the company's strategic planning.