FIATA-RAMs Field Meeting, Rail Transport, Decarbonising Aviation, and Industry Highlights

25 November 2024

Join the FIATA President and Presidents of FIATA Association Members at the 2025 FIATA-RAMs Field Meeting!

Join the Presidents of FIATA Association Members from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and the United States, to name a few, along with the FIATA President, at the FIATA-Region Americas (RAMs) Field Meeting in Barranquilla, Colombia on 4 December 2024! It is the perfect chance to connect, share insights, and tackle the key challenges facing the region while shaping the future of freight forwarding together. Do not miss out on this exciting opportunity to make an impact!

By building insights with experts at Fitac International Congress (FIC), organised by Federación Colombiana de Agentes Logísticos en Comercio Internacional (Fitac), the discussions at the 2025 FIATA-RAMs Field Meeting will help pave the way for collective action to strengthen and shape the future of freight forwarding.

Register now for FIC and the FIATA-RAMs Field meeting (2-4 December) and benefit from a FIATA Member discount.

Register now FIATA-RAMs Field Meeting (4 December) free of charge

FIATA attends WCO PSCG and SAFE Working Group meetings

On 4-5 November, FIATA attended the World Customs Organization (WCO) Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG) meeting. The meeting provided the oppportunity to discuss some of the key takeaways from the recent FIATA survey on e-commerce, as part of the PSCG's discussion on e-commerce and trade facilitation. FIATA emphasised the need to strengthen advance electronic data and risk management and fair and efficient revenue collection. The need for efficient use of electronic systems, accurate and initial risk analysis, and appropriate sharing of risk analysis data was highlighted. Discussions also took place regarding AEO status and its extension to e-commerce matters, in accordance with the WCO E-Commerce Package. In addition, discussions took place on technology and customs, green customs, and the ongoing review of the SAFE Framework of Standards. FIATA underlined the importance of collaboration between industry and customs to ensure secure and efficient trade, and the importance of mutual recognition agreements, intra-government cooperation, and ensuring feasibility for Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs).

Following the PSCG meeting, on 6-7 November the WCO SAFE Working Group meetings were held. Significant discussions took place on AEO programmes and the relevance of including other emerging regulatory and policy measures within their remit. Crucially, the integration of MSMEs into AEO programmes was highlighted, which FIATA strongly supported given the crucial role of MSMEs in international trade and the need to ensure appropriate support for them to be able to effectively implement certification requirements and access AEO programmes. In addition, the SAFE Working Group endorsed the draft WCO Shenzhen Action Plan, a product of the 6th WCO Global AEO Conference where FIATA actively participated, for inclusion in the SAFE Working Group Work Programme for 2025-2028. This is a positive step towards strengthening AEO Programmes to be more effective and accessible for all supply chain stakeholders.

FIATA Meets with OTIF's Incoming Secretary General to Advance Collaboration in the Rail Transport Sector

FIATA recently held a meeting with the representatives of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) at its headquarters to advance collaboration in the rail transport sector. The meeting included OTIF's incoming Secretary General, Mr Aleksandr Kuzmenko, who will assume his role on 1 January 2025, as well as members of OTIF's legal team, including Mr Steve Davey, Senior Legal Advisor and Ms Emilia Carcabassi, Legal Advisor.

The discussions centred on legal matters, such as the application of FIATA transport documents in the railway sector, alongside the organisations' joint involvement in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) project on negotiable cargo documents and their alignment with underlying transport conventions as well as the digitalisation of the rail transport documents. Furthermore, OTIF recently initiated an industry consultation on the potential revision of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) and its contractual appendices. FIATA has been invited to this consultation and is actively contributing by consulting its Working Group Rail and Advisory Body on Legal Matters delegates to ensure that the perspectives of freight forwarders are integrated into the future legal review.

Both organisations agreed to collaborate during the next FIATA meetings focused on rail transport, which will provide a platform for exchanges between the private and international sectors and will be a great opportunity to promote the role of rail transport in global logistics.

This meeting reinforced the shared goal of FIATA and OTIF to address the challenges and opportunities in rail transport while promoting international rail freight transport as the most sustainable mode of transport. FIATA looks forward to continuing its longstanding cooperation with OTIF to ensure rail transport interoperability, efficiency, and adaptability within developing legal frameworks. FIATA congratulates Mr Kuzmenko on his appointment and wishes him success in his new role.

Cargo Agency Commissioner Launched a New Website

FIATA is pleased to announce that the Cargo Agency Commissioners* have launched a new website, which can be accessed here! The website serves as a resource platform for freight forwarders and other stakeholders engaged in international air freight operations and contains information related to the IATA Cargo Agency Programme.

The new website includes sections such as:

• An explanation of the Commissioner Programme
• The role of the Commissioners
• Links to essential documents and guidelines, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Cargo Agent Handbook and the CASSLink (Cargo Account Settlement Systems) User Manual
• A dedicated section with compliance tips, highlighting common issues observed by the Commissioners

A key feature of the new website is a contact area to raise cases directly with the Commissioners. Freight forwarders can now raise cases directly through the website's contact page. Submissions will be emailed to the Commissioners, providing the main details about the submitter and the issue.

Be aware of your rights!

FIATA would like to remind its Members of the rights available to IATA Cargo Agents and CASS Associates where adverse decisions are taken against them under the Cargo Agency Programme, including:

• The right to appeal or raise a complaint with the Cargo Agency Commissioner.
• The right to appeal in cases where a Notice of Termination letter has been issued.

FIATA encourages its members to make use of this new website and email address, as the previous ones will be decommissioned by the end of the year. FIATA encourage its Association Members to transmit this communication to their members.

Explore the new website here!

Please find the previous FIATA communication on the Commissioners here.

*The Cargo Agency Commissioners are independent arbiters appointed jointly by IATA and FIATA to conduct reviews on decisions and/or actions affecting Agents/Intermediaries and applicants under the Cargo Agency Program and Intermediary programmes, including the Cargo Accounts Settlement System (CASS)

ITF publishes Report on Decarbonising Aviation

The International Transport Forum (ITF) has officially published its report, Decarbonising Aviation: Exploring the Consequences. The comprehensive report is now accessible on the ITF website here.

This milestone follows months of rigorous feedback, including reviews of the draft report in October and insights gained from a dedicated workshop held in March 2024, in which FIATA actively participated.

To mark the launch, ITF hosted an event at the OECD COP29 Virtual Pavilion, on 21 November. The session featured a presentation of the report's key findings, followed by an engaging panel discussion with prominent stakeholders such as Airbus, BP, Air New Zealand and others, which can be viewed here.

ITF will be hosting an online 'Ask the author' session for this report on Thursday 28 November 2024. You can register here.

Upcoming EU ICS2 Technical-Operational Call

What challenges or obstacles are you facing with the implementation of the European Union Import Control System 2 (ICS2) and its Release 2 for air and/or Release 3 for maritime transport?

FIATA invites its Members to submit questions ahead of the upcoming ICS2 Technical-Operational Call.

Please send us your questions to [email protected]by 29 November 2024 to ensure these issues can be addressed during the meeting.

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