What will being shortlisted as a comprehensive pilot zone for cross-border e-commerce bring to Wuhan?
Before answering this question, it is necessary to clarify the connotation and classification of cross-border e-commerce.
The so-called cross-border e-commerce refers to an international business activity in which trading entities in different customs territories reach transactions, conduct payment settlements through e-commerce platforms, and deliver goods and complete transactions through cross-border logistics. It includes export cross-border e-commerce and import cross-border e-commerce.
The proposal of the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone in 2015 and the cross-border e-commerce import pilot cities that began in 2012 have made cross-border e-commerce differentiate between general cross-border e-commerce and E-trade cross-border e-commerce.
Among them, general cross-border e-commerce is mostly carried out in cities that are not shortlisted for cross-border e-commerce import pilot cities or cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones, and there are two forms.
The more standardized form is B2B, that is, after the transaction subjects reach a transaction and complete the payment on the platform, they complete customs clearance, logistics distribution and other links in accordance with the general trade supervision method. It is necessary to provide invoices, freight bills of lading and other documents, and the customs clearance process is time-consuming and laborious. In addition, for exporting companies, the export tax refund process is relatively long, which is not conducive to capital flow. For importing companies, in addition to tariffs, they also need to pay value-added tax and consumption tax, which leaves them with a relatively small profit margin.
In the gray area is the B2C format. Since businesses deal directly with consumers, they often use commercial express companies or the post office to clear mail and express items as personal belongings. This is because personal items are tax-free if the value is within the limit and tax amount. Even if it exceeds the relevant amount but is within a reasonable quantity, only a relatively low tax will be levied on the mailing items.
Therefore, many B2Cs under general cross-border e-commerce are not included in customs statistics. For exporting companies, they cannot enjoy the export tax rebate policy; for importing companies, although it is profitable, it is a gray operation. What's worse, some companies take advantage of the loophole that customs will not open and inspect personal belongings one by one, and underreport the value of items to evade taxes.
In order to regulate and promote the development of cross-border e-commerce, there is E-trade cross-border e-commerce that can only be carried out in cities approved for pilot qualifications, commonly known as the "bonded stocking" model based on bonded areas and other special customs supervision areas.
Different from the general cross-border e-commerce model that requires orders before exporting and importing, E-trade cross-border e-commerce can first prepare stocks in the bonded area and clear customs one by one after selling. At the same time, we implement the management method of tax refund for export products entering the zone, taxation of imported products leaving the zone, and supervision of retail imports as personal imported articles for personal use.
Not only that, E-trade cross-border e-commerce has also realized an online "single window" big data comprehensive service platform. That is, the market side is mainly connected to e-commerce platforms, logistics companies and third-party operating organizations, and the backend is connected to customs, national inspection and national taxation, so as to achieve one-time declaration, one-time inspection and one-time approval, which greatly improves the efficiency of customs clearance, inspection and quarantine, logistics and other links of the enterprise.
Therefore, for companies engaged in export cross-border e-commerce, they can conveniently enjoy the export tax rebate policy. A more favorable measure is that starting from October 1 this year, the country will implement new tax exemption regulations for export companies in the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones. For companies engaged in cross-border e-commerce imports, especially retail imports, it can reduce costs in procurement and logistics. On this basis, cross-border e-commerce transactions and circulation will become even more efficient.
However, it is worth noting that the rights that are approved as cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones and cross-border e-commerce import pilot cities are also different.
"The two refer to the qualifications for export and import 'bonded stocking' respectively." The relevant person in charge of the Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Commerce explained that at present Wuhan only has the right to export "bonded stocking", which will be officially carried out soon.
