Year In Review On the Surface and In the Customs Arena
Year In Review In the Air and Legal & Insurance Matters
Monitoring the move to competency- based training for Dangerous Goods by Air also occupied the time of the policy group during the course of 2022.
In the road freight sector, work continued to assess the likely impact of the imposition of the EU mobility package on freight flows.
In the Customs Arena It came as no surprise that this was a very busy year for the Customs Policy Group in light of the wide array of changed business practices that impacted Customs processing activities following the UK’s exit from the EU. The policy group met 12 times during the year; seven of which were bi-lateral meetings with HMRC to discuss CDS-related issues; whilst five were scheduled meetings dealing with all aspects of customs activities - four online and one in-person. Specific subjects related to HMRC which were addressed during the year included issues with the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), which required regular engagement with the relevant team to improve matters. This remained ongoing at the end of 2022 and we are likely to see further HMRC system development during much of the year that follows this annual report. Other areas of activity addressed the impact of ICS2 on imports into the EU from the UK; as well as DEFRA- related activity including feeding into discussions regarding the Target Operating Model.
There was also ongoing engagement with HMRC regarding CDS implementation to address technical issues, methods of payments, user support and implementation timelines including discussions which eventually allowed members longer timeframes, in specific circumstances, to use CHIEF. The year saw the early stages in the preparation for the implementation of NCTS5; and ongoing liaison with the Cabinet Office and HMRC concerning the intentions about the implementation of the planned Single Trade Window.
In The Air The Air Policy Group held four formal meetings during 2022, three online and one in person, and a number of topics were discussed.
Specific issues connected with import collections at London Heathrow were a regular subject of discussion for the policy group. From a generic perspective, the policy group continued to work with the Secretariat to advise members regarding BIFA Training and Young Forwarder Network (YFN) events related to air cargo; the impact of ICS2 and other Customs-related matters on the air mode; as well as discussing environmental matters connected with this mode.
From a mode-specific perspective, negotiations continued between FIATA and IATA seeking agreement on an updated cargo agency agreement between airlines and freight forwarders. The policy group discussed and demonstrated its support for the north runway plan for London Gatwick airport; and had ongoing discussions with the CAA, ensuring members’ views were represented regarding potential changes to the Aviation Security Regime.
On the Surface The Policy Group met four times during the year, all of which were online. From an ocean freight perspective, much of the discussions and work of this group continued to focus on ongoing competition issues within the deep-sea container market and how it was affecting members’ operations, as well as the challenges of quay rent and demurrage. Considerable work was done to prepare for and participate in discussions concerning the EU Container Block Exemption Review (CBER) and BIFA sought to represent the views of members to the
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) relative to UK market conditions leading to confirmation that such a review will be undertaken in the UK. Dangerous Goods also came under the spotlight and the group sought to assess the likely impact of an amendment to ADR regulations requiring “office only” traders to appoint a DGSA. Ongoing issues surrounding undeclared and misdeclared dangerous goods continued to be a topic of conversation as well as the increased liability issues associated with members accepting “back-to-back” shipments.
Throughout the year, the Secretariat
Legal & Insurance Matters This group, which is the most technically specialist of the Policy Groups dealing with matters that largely underpin
continued to field regular enquiries regarding the BIFA STC; the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, issues related to Force Majeure, lost Bills of Lading, cargoes abandoned at destination and criminal activity, as well as scams and fraud within the supply chain.
members’ forwarding activities, met once in 2022, online.
Its main areas of focus were the ongoing impact of the Insolvency Act on the UK freight forwarding sector, as well the UK concerns regarding arranging insurance cover for goods whilst moving to, from or through the EU.
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BIFA Annual Report & Accounts 2022 | bifa.org
bifa.org | BIFA Annual Report & Accounts 2022
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