On 16 March 2026, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China announced new measures (Customs Notice 24 of 2026) to facilitate the return of cross-border e-commerce export goods, further enhancing operational efficiency in China’s digital trade framework. The policy will take effect on 1 April 2026 and applies nationwide. Under the updated framework, cross-border e-commerce retail export goods that are returned from overseas will no longer be required to be routed back to their original export customs office. Instead, businesses may complete return procedures at a designated customs office, significantly improving logistical flexibility and reducing administrative burdens.
The measure is designed to streamline reverse logistics processes, particularly for high-volume e-commerce exports where returns are frequent due to consumer behavior and international fulfillment complexities. By removing the requirement to return goods through the original export port, the regulation reduces transit time, lowers transportation costs, and minimizes operational inefficiencies associated with rigid customs routing requirements.
In addition, the new rules support more efficient customs supervision by allowing authorities to manage returned goods through centralized or more accessible processing points, while maintaining compliance oversight. This reflects China’s broader effort to modernize customs procedures and align regulatory controls with the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce.
From a trade compliance perspective, exporters and e-commerce platforms should review their returns management processes, customs declarations, and logistics arrangements to ensure alignment with the updated procedures. Companies may also benefit from optimizing warehouse locations and return routing strategies to take advantage of the increased flexibility.
Overall, the measure enhances supply chain resilience and reinforces China’s commitment to facilitating cross-border digital trade while maintaining regulatory control.
Kindly refer to the following customs notice from General Administration of Customs:
http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/2026-03/16/article_2026031615471568933.html