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FIATA
E-FLASH No 12 – 26 August 2010 FIATA
brochures “Model Correspondents’ Agreement” and “Documents and Forms” We are happy to inform you that the
updated versions of our publications “Documents and Forms” (taking the new UCP
600 into consideration) and “Correspondents’ Agreement” are soon available
and will be for sale at the forthcoming FIATA World Congress 2010 in Bangkok,
Thailand. Please visit the FIATA booth and get your own copy. Joint UIC/FIATA Market Place
Seminar in Barcelona, Spain from 2-3 November 2010 The market place seminar is a platform
which aims to create opportunities for increased cooperation and business
development within the rail sector by offering a common platform for railway
undertakings, freight forwarders and customers and it is jointly organised by
FIATA and UIC This year the seminar will be organised
in Barcelona and it will focus on “Rail Freight Connections between Europe and the Iberian
Peninsula”. For further information please visit http://www.marketplaceseminar.org/
100% screening of cargo on
domestic and US outbound international passenger planes became mandatory
August 1 FIATA received first hand information
from Mr. Brandon Fried, Executive Director of US Airforwarders Association
(AFA) about how the first weeks worked out for the US Airfreight
Forwarders. In a recent poll taken by the AFA, most
responding members categorized the first weeks under 100% screening as a
virtual transparent event similar to the Y2K concerns at the
turn-of-the-century. 96% reported no issues whatsoever with only scattered
problems considered to be minor start-up glitches. Over half of the
forwarders responding to the survey feel quite satisfied that the industry
has things well in hand as we near the peak fall shipping season. Almost 40%
indicate a certain degree of worry but cautious optimism with the industry's
ability to handle the cargo-screening mandate. Many feel the program is off
to a good start thanks to an aggressive outreach program sponsored by TSA
throughout the last year. This resulted in over 1000 entities participating
in the Certified Cargo Screening Program. The initiative permits those
enrolled to screen freight away from the airport thereby reducing the
possibility of congestion resulting in shipping delays. However, despite the relatively easy
beginning of the full screening of freight on passenger planes, some in the
U.S. Congress remain concerned about the screening of shipments arriving in
the United States from other countries. This requirement is also part of the
mandate but remains largely unfulfilled as TSA continues working with foreign
nations in recognizing their cargo screening programs. The agency recently
reported to Congress that full screening of shipments bound for the United
States might not become a reality until 2013. As the US struggles to emerge
from its economic recession, air cargo volumes are expected to significantly
increase this fall. The upsurge may prove to be a decisive test for the
industry's ability to handle the screening challenge. However, as in the time
preceding Y2K, airfreight forwarders in the United States had three years to
prepare and are ready to successfully manage the requirement. How to identify a FIATA
Individual Member? It happens from time to time that FIATA
receives complaints from freight forwarding companies who have a (financial)
dispute with another freight forwarder with whom they have entered into
business connection, but do not get paid as agreed. In some cases the new
“partners” have claimed to be Individual members of FIATA by showing the
FIATA logo on their website. We therefore strongly recommend you to
verify on the FIATA website if the company you intend to work with is really
a FIATA Individual member: visit www.fiata.com and click on > Membership >
Individual Members > Members directory. All our Individual members are
listed in the Members Directory which is updated once a week! Big demand for
re-Validation of Training Programs One of the key tasks of the
FIATA Advisory Body Vocational Training (ABVT) is to ensure a high level of professionalism
and up to date knowledge in our industry. FIATA therefore validates and
re-validates training programs of its Association Members. Associations are
invited to come forward during the main FIATA events (HQ Session and Word
Congress) to submit their training courses for validation or re-validation.
Programs have to be presented for re-validation in intervals of four years.
Training documents must be sent in for examination 60 days prior to the
Validation Session and representatives, familiar with the training must
attend the Validation Session. This year ABVT at the Bangkok Congress 2010, a
record-breaking attendance of nine Associations are coming forward mainly for
re-validations. Out of a total of 109 FIATA
Association Members nearly half of them have validated programs. These
programs, based on the "FIATA Minimum Standards" are
touching on general forwarding knowledge, sea-, air-, road-, rail- and
multimodal transport, as well as inland waterways, insurance, customs,
warehousing, freight logistics, security/safety and IT in forwarding. They
are truly international, and lead to the renowned, industry recognized FIATA
Diploma. WTO – co-operation with FIATA
If WTO is holding a meeting in a country
where a FIATA Association exists (and the meeting is open for NGOs), the
relevant FIATA Association Member is in future allowed to attend the meeting
on behalf of FIATA. However FIATA or its Association members will not have
voting rights as this is limited to WTO member countries only. Relevant future
invitations will be co-ordinated and distributed by the FIATA Secretariat. 26 August 2010 |
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