What Is a Routed Transaction?

What Are Routed Transactions?

A routed export transaction is one in which the foreign buyer (the foreign principal party in interest) authorizes a US agent to facilitate the export of goods from the United States and to prepare and file the Electronic Export Information (EEI) on its behalf. This differs from a standard export transaction, where the US seller controls the movement and the export filing.

Under the Foreign Trade Regulations, the way an export is classified as routed or standard determines who is responsible for controlling the movement of the cargo and for filing the export declaration. Understanding which party holds those responsibilities is essential to remaining compliant.

Key Points

• In a routed transaction, the foreign principal party in interest authorizes a US agent to facilitate the export and file the Electronic Export Information (EEI).
• The foreign buyer selects the US forwarding or service agent that controls the movement of the goods.
• Responsibility for the export filing shifts depending on whether the transaction is routed or standard.
• Authoritative guidance is published by the US Census Bureau and in the Foreign Trade Regulations governing export filing under a routed transaction.

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