The FIATA Headquarters Session held here recently strongly underlined the Federation's role as the global voice of freight logistics. The conference registered a record attendance of 213 delegates from 63 countries, according to Exim News Service.

"The Headquarters Session 2011 was the most successful in the history of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), not just in terms of participants but also in driving many industry issues forward," said the FIATA President, Mr Jean-Claude Delen. "We saw lively, result-oriented debates, highlighting best practices and weaknesses. We took some important steps towards raising industry standards and formulating strategies for the future."

In a strong show of confidence, the FIATA President declared that the airline industry, represented by IATA, should finally face reality and recognise forwarders as its most important customer group, and treat logistics services providers accordingly.

"Forwarders contract over 80 per cent of international air shipments as principals," he said. "Furthermore, the relationship between airlines and forwarders should be future-oriented. Focusing on adding value to the transport chain and driving efficiencies. We should talk at eye level about common standards and best practices, in the areas of security, paperless cargo handling, financial transactions and other professional issues."

The failure of the Air Cargo Agency Conference, which met on March 8 in Istanbul, to adopt a recommendation from the IATA/FIATA Consultative Council (IFCC), has upset forwarders, stressed a release. The recommendation was to amend the IATA resolutions dealing with the accreditation of training for air freight forwarders, and to incorporate programmes accredited by FIATA.

Forwarders were particularly angered at their hopes on the recent launch of the joint Global Air Cargo Advisory Group being dashed. They had been led to believe that IATA was genuinely interested in changing its ways and seeking cooperation with others, the release pointed out.

FIATA continues to work for safer and more secure global, regional and national supply chains. Security in the fields of air cargo, container shipping and land transportation thus attracted a lot of attention as at previous FIATA meetings. The discussions highlighted the different regulations, procedures, levels of compliance, and technical standards around the globe from Hong Kong to Europe and North America and how they affect forwarders.

The global voice of freight logistics together with TIA, CLECAT and the US Chamber continues to lobby for mutual recognition of the US C-TPAT Programme and the EU AEO Programme. The US Chamber in turn is pursuing mutual recognition between C-TPAT, CCSP, and other government security programmes, the release underscored.

The Headquarters Session also discussed raising training standards in the industry, the new INCOTERMS, the new FMC tariff regulations (which came into force on April 18) and the Asia-Europe transport corridors under discussion by the UN European Committee for Inland Transport (UNECE).