FIATA leads the way on digital trade solutions for the industry
Meet Luna, and interact with 40+ Speakers and FIATA's Partners at the upcoming Congress in Brussels!
In the weeks leading up to the highly anticipated 97th FIATA World Congress this year (2023 FWC), Forward Belgium brings you updates on the multi-part story of Luna, a young inventor whose dreams are turned into reality with logistics. Watch the first and the second video now!
FIATA will be joined at the event by organisations that are a part of the FIATA Partnership Programme, including ZAKAT, the Tax and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia, as a Platinum Partner. FIATA's Bronze Partners include Wisetech Global' subsidiary, Cargowise, and Pledge, delivering software and sustainability-related solutions to the transport and logistics industry respectively. FIATA's partners who help FIATA deliver specific services and projects to its Members, seen at the Congress include: TT Club, Avalon Risk Management, Cargo IQ and Willis Towers Watson. You are encouraged to visit the Congress Exhibition to interact with all of them.
Come witness the full spectacle at Brussels between 3-6 October and explore the interactive programme, which will include:
• Participants from 76 countries
• 40 + speakers from around the world
• 45+ exhibitors & sponsors
• 5 pre- and post-Congress tours in addition to excursions for accompanying persons
• 3 special social events, and more!
Follow FIATA's social media for more updates on 2023 FWC speakers and sessions!
View the interactive programme
Register now for the 2023 FIATA World Congress!
"FIATA Focus" Legal Newsletter (Issue 3) - OUT NOW!
Issue 3 of FIATA's Quarterly Legal Newsletter "FIATA Focus" is out now, and brings with it important insights on fostering fair competition in the supply chain!
With a staggering 90% of global trade being controlled by just a few major shipping lines, ensuring appropriate regulatory responses that prevent the risk of abuse is crucial to defend the diversity of supply chain actors. In line with FIATA's ongoing work, the insights featured in this issue of FIATA Focus take into consideration emerging factors such as digitalisation and decarbonisation, and the need to ensure a framework that supports the diversity of supply chain actors, in particular SMEs, in the interests of building a better and more resilient trade marketplace.
For more information, or if you would like to contribute to the next edition, please contact [email protected].
Launch of the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023
15 September 2023 marked the launch of the fifth UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation (UNTF), which brings together information from countries worldwide regarding implementation of a set of 60 measures from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) according to an evidence-based approach. The results are brought together in the UNTF Survey report.
FIATA notes with interest the valuable insights brought by the report in a number of key areas which FIATA is working on, in particular the need to strengthen trade facilitation measures in relation to small and medium-sized enterprises and cross-border paperless trade. FIATA was also pleased to note that the cites FIATA's work on the Digital FIATA Bill of Lading as one of the "good practices in paperless and cross-border paperless trade".
FIATA was pleased to be invited to participate in the launch event to provide a commentary from the industry perspective, alongside member states sharing their best practices and progress in the WTO-TFA implementation. The event provided the occasion for FIATA to discuss its work on trade facilitation and industry digitalisation, presenting its work on technical and legal interoperability for digital trade documents and emphasising the importance of collaboration and consistent exchange between industry and governments.
FIATA and CIFA reinforce their collaboration on the Digital FBL
FIATA and the China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA) have extended their cooperation to include the implementation of the FIATA Digital Multimodal Bill of Lading (Digital FBL) in the Chinese market. In-depth discussions were held at a workshop attended by Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General, and Mr Li Zhimin, CIFA Secretary General, together with Mr Liu Feng, Director of CIFA Digitisation Working Committee, and Ms Shi Jing and Ms Yang Xue from the Communication and Information Centre of the Chinese Ministry of Transport. The development of a digital multimodal bill of lading is part of the Chinese government's 14th five-year plan from 2021 to develop a modern, integrated transport system.
This collaboration between FIATA and CIFA represents a pivotal moment in the project, with the signing of the agreement for CIFA to distribute the Digital FBL and implement the FIATA data standard domestically, and follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in July this year between the two organisations. It also marked the early start of technical collaboration to provide FIATA global documents and CIFA national documents in a single system, to enable CIFA members to become digital freight forwarders and access the benefits of digitalisation, while improving access to a global market.
FIATA presents on digital trade solutions at the Incheon Law and Business Forum 2023
On 11 September 2023, FIATA was pleased to particpate in an event held by the United Nations Commission on International Trade and Law (UNCITRAL) Regional Centre for Asia and Pacific (RCAP) "From Documents to Data: Legal and Commercial Solutions for Digital Trade", held at the occasion of the 2023 Incheon Law and Business Forum. In the aftermath of the FIT Alliance eBL Declaration, it was a timely demonstration of the commitment of FIATA members that have already adopted the Digital FBL towards digital supply chains.
The event provided the occasion for FIATA to present its Digital Strategy, highlighting the significance of the Digital FIATA Multimodal Bill of Lading (Digital FBL) and how it facilitates secure and trusted data exchange. FIATA also provided an update on its ongoing work towards a legal framework that supports digital trade documents. In particular, it highlighted the need to ensure proper data governance, have greater clarity and harmonisation including through the implementation of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferrable Records (MLETR), and to ensure that digitalisation facilitates accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
For more information, please contact [email protected].
Information to note for the FIATA Electoral General Meeting
FIATA issued the Call of Meeting for the Electoral General Meeting (EGM) which is taking place during the 2023 FIATA World Congress in Brussels on the statutory deadline of 25 August via FDDS. The procedure for the elections was detailed in the Circular letter issued earlier this year by FIATA on 5 May 2023, which provided official notification of the elections.
The meeting will be held in hybrid format to ensure maximum participation, so FIATA Individual Members can also follow the meeting as observers via Microsoft Teams.
Meeting Details
The FIATA 2023 EGM will take place on 6 October between 11:00-13:00 CEST.
• In-person participants can attend the meeting at Hall 400 - Level +4 at SQUARE, the Congress venue.
• Virtual participants can register on Microsoft Teams here to follow the meeting online and are requested to join 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
Voting Delegates and Proxies
Whether the participation is virtual or in person, FIATA Association Members will need to follow the same procedure adopted for the Statutory General Meeting (SGM) to nominate their official delegates who may vote at the EGM, as per the instructions noted in the Call of Meeting. Please note that the voting platform and procedures will remain the same as the one applied for the FIATA SGM that took place on 30 June 2023.
Association Members are reminded that while each association may have one voting delegate with access to the voting platform, other delegates from the association may also follow the meeting in-person or virtually as observers.
Association Members are requested to use the following link to nominate their voting delegates or proxies:
Test sessions for voting delegates
Please note that these sessions are aimed at the voting delegates to ensure they are comfortable with the voting platform.
• Register here for the Wednesday, 27 September test session at 17:00 CEST.
• Register here for the Thursday, 28 September test session at 10:00 CEST.
Deadlines to note
• Deadline for Association or Group Members to appoint proxies is Wednesday, 20 September 2023.
• Deadline for Association or Group Members to register their voting delegate or request any motions for extensions or modifications to the Agenda is Friday, 22 September 2023.
• Last date for questions, comments and requests to take the floor should be addressed to [email protected] no later than Friday, 22 September 2023.
Agenda
Upcoming events:
- 19 September ¦ Air Cargo Tech Summit, Brussels, Belgium
- 3-6 October ¦ FIATA World Congress 2023, Brussels, Belgium
- 20-21 November ¦ FIATA-UIC Market Place Seminar, Istanbul, Türkiye