EXW
EXW (Ex Works) is the Incoterm imposing the minimum obligation on the seller: the seller simply makes the goods available at their own premises (factory or warehouse), and the buyer takes over all cost and risk from that point — loading, export clearance, carriage, insurance and import.
Because the buyer is responsible even for loading and export formalities in the seller's country, EXW can be impractical for international trade, where the buyer may struggle to handle export clearance abroad. FCA is often recommended instead. EXW can be used with any mode of transport.
EXW looks simple — the buyer collects the goods — but it quietly puts export clearance and loading in the buyer's hands in a country where they may have no standing. That is why experienced traders usually shift to FCA, which keeps the low seller obligation but hands export clearance to the local seller.
Who handles export clearance under EXW?
The buyer — which is why EXW is often awkward internationally, and FCA is preferred.
Does the seller load the goods under EXW?
Strictly, no — loading is the buyer's responsibility, though in practice sellers often assist.