Pre-shipment inspection is a step of the complete quality inspection carried out by suppliers, buyers, and agencies. What is pre-shipment inspection and what does it include? Understanding pre-shipment inspection and quality control more to check the quality of manufactured products.

What is Pre-Shipment Inspection?

Pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is an inspection method often used in international commodity trade. It is a customs measure for inspection institutions to verify the quality, quantity, price, tariff catalog, and commodity classification of all products involving user members. It is a legal verification measure of imported goods under the framework of the WTO agreement. Usually, the relevant departments of the importing country’s government issue decree to designate one or more transnational notaries to carry out a mandatory pre-shipment inspection on domestic imported goods. Its purpose is to prevent illegal activities such as arbitrage and tax avoidance.

Content of Pre-Shipment Inspection

Pre-shipment inspection agreement is a multilateral trade agreement under the jurisdiction of the World Trade Organization (WTO). According to relevant provisions, the Agreement applies to all pre-shipment inspection activities carried out by the member governments in the territory of the exporter by designated special inspection institutions through government authorization or government contract on the quantity, quality, price, exchange rate, and financing conditions of imported products, as well as the customs classification of goods. Pre-shipment inspection is an effective means for importing countries to prevent the import of inferior goods and fraud and false reporting.

Pre-shipment inspection includes product inspection, price verification, and loading monitoring. After the pre-shipment inspection, the inspection and quarantine organ shall issue the pre-shipment inspection certificate as an important certificate for the customs declaration and release of the importing country and the settlement of foreign exchange by the bank. Commodities that have not obtained the pre-shipment inspection certificate issued by the China entry exit inspection and quarantine authority will not be allowed to enter the country.

Which Countries Require Pre-Shipment Inspection?

Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Kampuchea, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo Republic (Brazzaville), Congo Democratic Republic (Kinshasa), Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ecuador, Ecuador, convergence, and so on. Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Leon, Togo, Uzbekistan.

The scope of import and export inspection and Quarantine of the above-mentioned products shall not be subject to the import and export inspection and quarantine by the bilateral inspection and quarantine agencies in accordance with the above-mentioned catalogue. For the commodities in the catalogue of entry-exit commodities subject to inspection and quarantine by Entry-Exit Inspection and quarantine institutions, the statutory inspection shall be handled together with the pre-shipment inspection, with a one-time inspection application, one-time inspection, and a one-time charge.

Which Institutions Can Issue Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificates?

The entry-exit inspection and quarantine institutions under the General Administration of quality supervision, inspection, and Quarantine of the people’s Republic of China are the official institutions for pre-shipment inspection and the only legal institutions.

At present, there are some illegal businessmen taking advantage of this opportunity to sell false certificates in society. You should choose a formal agent inspection application company or go to the inspection and quarantine institution to handle relevant business and obtain relevant certificates. When the goods enter the other country, the customs of the importing country will not only check the paper documents but also check the certificate and electronic documents transmitted by the Chinese inspection and quarantine authority. Therefore, the pre-shipment inspection certificate must be applied to the inspection and quarantine institution to avoid the economic loss of goods unable to enter the country due to the purchase of a false certificate.