British International Freight Association Annual Report and Accounts ...

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Year in Review Traditionally, this section of the Annual Report is dedicated to the work of the various Policy Groups under the management and administration of the Trade Services division of the Secretariat. These include the Air, Surface, Customs, Legal & Insurance and Training & Development Groups that direct, influence and implement the policies of the Association. These Groups report to the BIFA Council three times a year and their delegate Members contribute on a voluntary basis. Those who participate do so for the benefit, and on behalf of, the wider membership as a whole, of the Association. Their names are listed at the back of this report. We wish to recognise them for their invaluable contribution, given freely with the support and blessing of their employers. Following is a report on various events and developments in 2008 which provides a snapshot of the activities of the Association, its Members and the business context in which much of our work and lobbying takes place. January - March 2008 2008 proved to be a year where significant elements of the freight industry arena and the work of BIFA were influenced by key decisions and new regulations made by the European Commission (EC) and implemented in the UK by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). A good example of this was when on the stroke of midnight 2007/08 the EC invited applications from traders in all EU member states for the status of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO). This programme invites businesses that are actively involved in Customs operations and international trade to gain certification and become internationally recognised as a compliant, safe and secure trader. BIFA’s Customs Policy Group supported this initiative and encouraged Members to undergo the voluntary certification process. Indeed, we had contributed significantly to HMRC’s thinking regarding the preparations required for the implementation of the AEO accreditation in the UK by assisting with the design of the application process and providing guidance on content for the supporting documentation. On a more local basis, the Surface Division informed Members, who make road deliveries or collections in connection with London addresses, including goods travelling to and from London Heathrow, that the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was to start in February and would apply 24/7. Initially it would cover all ‘older’ diesel lorries over 12 tonnes operating within the LEZ. By 2012, the regulations would extend the scope of vehicles covered. Since then, however, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced his intention to suspend the third phase of the LEZ, which was due to affect vans and minibuses from October 2010. In order to meet EC Regulations, enhanced import and export electronic Customs Entry filing requirements were introduced in January. Our Training offering went from strength to strength as the year progressed, with a significant increase in the number of students trained, and courses offered. BIFA Training increases +16% in number of delegates attending courses 8 BIFA Annual Report and Accounts 2008
Known as SAD Harmonisation (SAD H) the changes were designed to align the rules for the provision of Customs entries throughout the EU and to pave the way for the upcoming EC requirement to pre-report export and import cargo from 2009/10. Once again, the smooth manner in which the switch was made was down to the efforts of the BIFA Secretariat, the Customs Policy Group, the Air Cargo Agents Executive (ACAE) and Agency Sector Management (ASM). Members were invited to visit the training pages on the BIFA website to see some changes. Those who did, found the list of courses had been changed to display the whole range for ease of use. At the click of a mouse, when a course is selected a list of dates and venues is displayed which allows a booking email to be sent directly to BIFA Training Services. The great and the good of the British freight forwarding industry gathered at the end of The Air Division represented its sector at January at a glittering lunch in London to a number of consultative meetings hosted celebrate excellence of the industry at the 19th by HM Treasury to highlight concerns BIFA Freight Service Awards ceremony. Some about the Government’s plans to impose a 400 members and their guests attended. so-called ‘Plane Tax’ on aircraft movements The winners were revealed by guest speaker, rather than tax the individual passenger broadcaster and former MP, Gyles Brandreth. under the Air Passenger Duty regime. The winners had been selected from 25 Importantly, the Treasury’s proposals companies who had made the shortlists in included, for the first time, an implied threat nine categories. Schenker, Uniserve Group, to include air cargo in the scope of this new Ital Logistics, Premier Showfreight, Wincanton, tax revenue-raising initiative. The change APL Logistics and JF Hillebrand all picked up was due to come into effect in November service awards, while Eve Gogarty became 2009, but after industry submissions, the Young Freight Forwarder of the Year, and including that from BIFA, the programme Derek W Johnson MBE was presented with was subsequently abandoned as being the Lifetime Achievement Award. unworkable, much to our delight, as this would have been a further obstacle At 31 Dec to traders 2008 In 2008, BIFA Members were warned At 31 Dec of 2007 and Members offering air freight services. Registered some of the latest scams targeted Registered at freight Members forwarders. The scammers use a Members range of The Training & Development Policy 1,213 Group false communications and forgeries 1,231 in an started the new year with a new online Associate look: attempt to steal money from BIFA Associate Members Members Members 38 39 Probationary Members 153 Probationary Members 132 The British freight forwarding industry celebrated excellence at the 19th BIFA Freight Service Awards ceremony. who were told to look out for the directory invoice scam, the car shipping scam, the website domain scam and the forged letter requesting transfer of funds overseas. The air membership were duly advised of the amended International Air Transport Association (IATA) air waybill Conditions of Contract that came into effect in March 2008. BIFA’s Trade Services delegate to the IATA/FIATA Consultative Committee ensured that this and other relevant air industry issues were communicated back to the wider membership throughout the year. The sociable side of BIFA membership was put on show to good effect in two different parts of the UK. The Scottish Regional BIFA Training Total 1,404 Total 1,427 Number of delegates attending courses Number of training days 1,972 1,696 681 535 2008 2007 2008 2007 BIFA Annual Report and Accounts 2008 9
Page 1 and 2: British International Freight Assoc
Page 3 and 4: BIFA Members came through this diff
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Page 15 and 16: Report of the Independent Auditors
Page 17 and 18: Balance Sheet as at 31 December 200
Page 19 and 20: 5. Tangible Fixed Assets Land and b
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Page 23 and 24: Our People Policy Group Key l Chair

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