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updates, in November 2021. The Border Operating Model continued to be central to the work of this policy group as it assessed and provided information on the implications and consequences of the rolling implementation programme for new Customs requirements and policies on the EU/GB border. Legal and Insurance Matters The most technically specialist of the Policy Groups, dealing with matters that largely underpin Members’ forwarding activities, met twice in 2021. Its main area of focus was a re-assessment leading to ‘technical amendments’ to the BIFA Standard Trading Conditions (STC) resulting from EU-Exit, leading to a new edition of the BIFA STC during the year. The ongoing impact of the Insolvency Act 2020 on Members’ ability to make use of a lien if a customer was covered by a moratorium under the Act, continued to exercise concerns for the Legal and Insurance Policy Group, the secretariat and the membership, as it had done in the previous year. Throughout 2021, the secretariat continued to field regular enquiries regarding the BIFA STC, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Force Majeure, lost Bills of Lading, cargoes abandoned at destination and criminal activity, as well as scams and fraud within the supply chain.

In The Air The Air Policy Group held four formal meetings during 2021, discussing a variety of topics. BIFA expressed its support for FIATA’s discussions with IATA on the complex negotiations between the two organisations regarding the mechanisms by which airlines consult with freight forwarders; as well as a new agency agreement between airlines and freight forwarders. Throughout the year, BIFA has been actively engaged in supporting FIATA’s Airfreight Institute in its endeavours on both these issues. During 2021, BIFA engaged with the CAA and discussed the operation of the Aviation Security Regime in the UK; whilst facilitating dialogue between CCS (UK) Ltd and the BIFA membership to improve traffic flows, particularly relative to import and export collections and deliveries. Whilst monitoring the impact of EU-Exit on Aviation Security and the movement of air cargo between the EU and UK, BIFA noted that there was considerable concern about how goods moving under transit on a “flying truck”, to be loaded on a subsequent flight, would be affected by increased bureaucracy. In response to Member concerns to improve airline shed security procedures, BIFA engaged with the Airline Operators Committee for Cargo (AOCC).

Training and Education Despite predicting a slowdown in activities from 2020, training continued apace in 2021, with BIFA conducting more courses, and training more people, in a calendar year than ever. In response to EU-Exit, the appetite for Customs training remained as strong as in the year leading up to Great Britain’s departure from the EU. All courses, except for one, were delivered via video conference. The one classroom course took place in Manchester just as the new COVID variant raised its head, meaning others planned for London and the Midlands were unfortunately cancelled. The live online training continues to receive superb feedback, with most delegates saying all elements are very good or excellent. An incredible 99.8% of learners said they would recommend the course to others. In the first half of the year, BIFA designed and developed an eLearning course with our chosen partner ASM, outlining the main differences between CHIEF and the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS). The course went live in mid- September and has received positive feedback and a good take-up. With apprenticeship starts down by approximately 66% in 2020 due to the pandemic, we were encouraged to see an increase in 2021 in young people entering the sector through the apprenticeship pathway.

These included the ongoing provision of advice and guidance on the changes that came into force at the end of January 2021. This saw the policy group highlighting problems with specific issues such as the operation of the NI protocol; whilst discussing the operation and impacts of implementing new systems such as the Goods Vehicle Movement System (GVMS). There was considerable engagement with HMRC’s Customs Declaration Service (CDS) teams regarding the technical impacts of the new system and agreeing an implementation timetable. BIFA Members were also provided with information regarding Rules of Origin and how their customers should evidence that they are claiming preference. Ongoing information and guidance was also provided regarding Customs representation, especially relative to the freight forwarder’s liability when clearing goods under DDP terms. The policy group further considered whether freight forwarders, when acting as a Customs Agent, become a tax adviser; as well as Customs- related issues associated with the new freeports, enabling BIFA to respond to Government consultations on these matters. In addition, in September BIFA organised national events that focussed on the Customs and DEFRA changes that would take effect on 1st January 2022 and 1st July 2022; which were repeated, with additional

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bifa.org | BIFA Annual Report & Accounts 2021

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