The free trade agreement between Singapore and Taiwan, signed in 2013, opened new avenues for businesses on both sides of the border. Under this agreement, Taiwan removed 83% of the import tax on goods shipped from Singapore. The agreement also allowed Singapore businesses to access a market of 23 million people, whose different needs and preferences let companies expand and innovate product offerings. While shipping to Taiwan serves as a fantastic opportunity to expand your brand overseas, it’s important to keep abreast of recent changes in customs regulations when importing goods into the country.
The new Taiwan customs regulations to be aware of
From 1st July 2022, Taiwan customs will implement the Real Name Authentication (RNA), through which they would allow custom clearance of goods entering the country while improving transparency and identity security.
The RNA entails the pre-registration and pre-clearance authentication for all goods – business-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer – being shipped to consumers in Taiwan. This applies to all types of shipments except for documents.
What do your recipients need to do?
All private consumers of shipments entering Taiwan must download the EZWAY Customs application and go through a one-time registration with their mobile number. With this, Taiwan recipients will not need to provide any copies of their identification to clear their imports at customs moving forward. What happens instead, is as follows:
DHL Express Waybill is created when the shipment is ready for shipping from Singapore to Taiwan.
DHL Express notifies the recipient in Taiwan via SMS or email. At the same time, they will also receive a notification via the EZWAY application to pre-authenticate the shipment against the unique waybill number.
The customer is required to enter the waybill number into the EZWAY application to complete the pre-authentication process.
The shipments are then cleared at Taiwan customs.
Recipients are required to carry out the pre-authentication process through the EZWAY application for each shipment; otherwise, authorities will reject the parcel at customs. The package will then be held back at the Taipei gateway, and DHL Express will contact the recipient to complete the RNA process. Should the recipient not pre-register and pre-authenticate the shipments within 7 days of arrival, the goods will be returned to the shipper. Bond storage charges may apply during the period when the shipment was held.
What is your role as an exporter?
If you’re shipping goods to Taiwan, you will need to inform your recipients to download the EZWAY application before the shipment is sent. At the same time, request their phone number and email address if you do not have them as this is required when creating the DHL shipment – in the event we need to contact the receiver, we can then retrieve the necessary details.
When generating electronic commercial invoices, you will also need to ensure it is completely and accurately filled via our DHL Express Electronic Shipping Solutions, with all the required information. This includes the description of the goods, individual values of each item and country of origin.
Paying attention to these shipping restrictions helps you avoid any cross-border shipping challenges at Taiwan customs, which can be especially costly for businesses.
Key reasons why the new Taiwan customs regulation is necessary
Taiwan authorities at customs, as with any country, must not only ensure that goods move smoothly across borders, but also safeguard consumer interests and rights. With the new RNA, Taiwan customs can:
1. Increase transparency
Both shippers and receivers can enjoy greater transparency with the RNA. Businesses importing into Taiwan can authenticate deliveries more effectively and ensure that goods are well-received when orders are made. At the same time, consumers can rest assured that their shipments will arrive safely and securely at their doorstep after confirming with the RNA.
2. Avoid fake or stolen identities
These new regulatory changes also avoid the problem of fake or stolen identities where some consumers would try to import by using the identity of another to avoid Taiwan tariffs or other duties by shifting the burden of costs to the unintended consumer. With pre-authentication, Taiwan customs can improve the identity security for all imports.
Stay up to date with DHL Express
Sending your shipments to Taiwan via DHL Express is no feat even under the new regulatory changes implemented by the customs authority as long as the steps indicated above are complied with. You can also offer greater transparency to your customers with our express parcel tracking service, so they know where their parcel is at every stage of the shipment journey. Plus, with our on-demand delivery options, you’ll give your customers greater flexibility in choosing how they’d like to receive their orders. Relying on an experienced international shipping services provider in Singapore means you can sit back and focus on other aspects of your business.
Apply for a business account to explore the different shipping options, services, and preferential rates by DHL Express. Get started today.
