Scam Alert, FWC2026 Session Insights, 2027 FWC Addis Ababa Site Visit & eFBL Adoption in Ethiopia and Industry Survey
Scam Alert: Beware of Fraudulent Emails
FIATA has been made aware of fraudulent emails being sent to members requesting payment of membership fees.
These emails falsely claim that a membership payment is overdue and ask recipients either to reply with proof of payment or to request payment instructions. These emails are not from FIATA and should be disregarded.
The fraudulent emails have been sent from addresses including:
Please do not:
- Reply to these emails
- Send payment or banking information
- Share copies of invoices, payment confirmations or other sensitive information
- Click on links or open attachments contained in the emails
If you receive one of these messages, please delete it.
Please note that all legitimate invoices and communications from FIATA are sent from the fiata.org domain.
Your FIATA Member Area is the trusted and secure platform for accessing all official documents, including invoices. We encourage you to log in directly to your account on the FIATA website for any financial or administrative matters.
Do consult the FIATA Guidelines to ensure you do not fall victim to scams!
FIATA takes the security of its members and their information seriously and is taking appropriate steps regarding these fraudulent messages.
If you are ever in doubt about the authenticity of an email or its contents, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
Further guidance is available in the FIATA Cybersecurity Essentials Guide.
2026 FIATA World Congress | Session Insights:
Customs Reimagined: Turning Tariffs, Data and De Minimis into Strategic Advantage
International trade is becoming more complex as tariffs, geopolitical developments, changing trade routes and evolving customs requirements reshape the movement of goods across borders.
The recently published September 2026 issue of FIATA Review explores the changing customs landscape and the challenges facing businesses and logistics operators in 2026. With global trade continuing to grow, albeit at a more modest pace, freight forwarders are increasingly required to navigate rapidly changing trade policies while maintaining efficient, compliant and resilient supply chains.
Among the key challenges are the growth of cross-border e-commerce, changing de minimis thresholds, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, supply chain disruptions, customs fraud and illicit trade, environmental requirements and the need for stronger international cooperation.
For freight forwarders, effective customs processes depend on close coordination across the supply chain. Customs authorities, border agencies, carriers, ports, brokers, warehouse operators and logistics providers all contribute to ensuring goods can move efficiently while meeting regulatory requirements.
FIATA's engagement with the World Customs Organization (WCO), including through the WCO Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG), reflects the importance of bringing industry experience into the development of practical international customs standards and instruments.
These issues will take centre stage at Panel 4: Customs Reimagined: Turning Tariffs, Data and De Minimis into Strategic Advantage at the 2026 FIATA World Congress. The session will explore how businesses and customs administrations can respond to a rapidly changing trade environment and turn new challenges into opportunities for more efficient, connected and resilient global trade.
Read Mr Jaime King’s article in the latest FIATA Review and prepare for the conversation in Milan, 6–9 October.
Read Mr Jaime King's article here
Do not forget to register for the 2026 FIATA World Congress!
2026 FIATA World Congress | Session Insights:
YLP Talk Show
The future of freight logistics is being shaped by a new generation of professionals bringing fresh perspectives, practical experience and new approaches to some of the industry's most pressing challenges.
In the recently published September 2026 issue of FIATA Review, FIATA speaks with the three regional winners of the FIATA Young Logistics Professionals (YLP) Award: Ms Mavis Rwodzi, Region Africa and the Middle East (RAME) winner; Ms Yu Yang, Region Asia-Pacific (RAP) winner; and Mr Ozan Durak, Region Europe (REU) winner.
Their paths into logistics are as diverse as the regions they represent. From banking and international trade to joining a family logistics business and developing expertise across sea freight and foreign trade, each finalist has built their career through hands-on experience, professional development and a strong interest in the wider challenges facing global supply chains.
Their award-winning research reflects this diversity. Ms Mavis Rwodzi examines the balance between economic development, ethical responsibility and responsible trade. Ms Yu Yang explores the integration of multimodal freight transport with energy conservation and emissions reduction. Mr Ozan Durak focuses on the concept of the “Supply Chain Architect” and how technology can help logistics companies anticipate and mitigate operational risks.
Beyond their research, the finalists share a clear ambition to contribute to the future of the industry. They see the YLP Award as an opportunity to broaden their networks, exchange knowledge internationally and bring new ideas into their organisations and markets.
All three finalists will come together at the 2026 FIATA World Congress in Milan, where they will have the opportunity to present their work and connect with logistics professionals from around the world during FIATA's centenary celebrations.
Read the full interviews with the three YLP Award finalists in the latest FIATA Review and discover the ideas shaping the next generation of logistics professionals.
Read the YLP winners' interviews here
Do not forget to register for the 2026 FIATA World Congress!
Airfreight: FIATA Presses for Clarity on DAWB Changes and Their Impact on Freight Forwarders
FIATA participated in the recent Canadian Air Cargo Program Joint Council meeting on 14 September 2026 in its observer capacity, where extensive discussion took place on the forthcoming changes to the Direct Air Waybill (DAWB) framework. Throughout the meeting, participants raised numerous practical, legal and operational questions regarding how airlines and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) intend to implement the new requirements and address their consequences for freight forwarders and shippers. However, no substantive responses were provided to any of the key concerns raised.
During the discussion, FIATA strongly challenged a number of assertions made by IATA regarding the purpose and impact of the proposed changes, highlighting what it considers to be an incomplete and misleading representation of the significant legal, operational and commercial implications for freight forwarders and their customers. FIATA reiterated that it has sought meaningful dialogue on this issue since January 2026, when the proposal was first circulated, and has consistently expressed concerns as raised in FIATA’s consultations, including in correspondence, meetings and written submissions. FIATA also recalled its request to postpone the implementation date until October 2026 and again questioned the basis for the accelerated entry into force of the changes. No clear justification was provided. FIATA stressed that it remains fully committed to engaging constructively with IATA and airlines to identify practical and balanced solutions together with affected stakeholders within the review process envisaged under the IATA governance framework, which require that the effective date is suspended.
FIATA's intervention was welcomed by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA), which expressed support for FIATA's efforts to ensure that industry concerns are properly considered and to pursue a practical and collaborative resolution to the issues arising from the proposed DAWB changes. FIATA continues to work actively on this matter to support freight forwarders all over the world, and will provide further updates to its membership within the appropriate channels in due course.
2027 FIATA World Congress: Updates from the Second Site Visit to Addis Ababa
From 1 to 3 September 2026, FIATA completed the second site visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, marking a further step in the preparations for the 2027 FIATA World Congress. Co-organised with the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association (EFFSAA), the Congress will take place from 5 to 7 October 2027 in Addis Ababa, the first edition of the flagship event to be held as FIATA enters its second century.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to advance the practical preparations for the Congress. The delegation reviewed the Addis International Convention Centre (AICC), the venue that will host the event, and examined in detail the layout of the facilities and the flow of the programme across the various spaces. The official Congress hotels were also confirmed, while further discussions were held with prospective sponsors and on the overall structure of the programme, including both the expert panel sessions and the social events. The Private Congress Organiser (PCO) candidates were also interviewed prior to the final selection.
Addis Ababa, a city that has undergone rapid development in recent years, has emerged as a leading trade and logistics hub, serving as a gateway to the African continent and offering unparalleled connectivity across the region through Ethiopian Airlines. Combined with Ethiopia's growing role in regional and international trade and with Addis Ababa set to host COP32 in 2027, the city's increasing prominence on the global economic stage makes it a particularly fitting setting for FIATA's flagship Congress as the Federation enters its 101st year.
FIATA is pleased to inform its Members and delegates that registration for the 2027 FIATA World Congress will open during the 2026 FIATA World Congress in Milan, the centenary edition marking 100 years of FIATA. Delegates are encouraged to stay tuned for further announcements in the coming months. The FIATA delegation looks forward to welcoming the global freight forwarding and logistics community to Addis Ababa to celebrate together the opening of a new FIATA century in Ethiopia.
Mr Dawit Woubishet, Chair of the Local Organising Committee, President of EFFSAA and FIATA Airfreight Institute Chair.
Digitalisation: FIATA Advances eFBL Adoption in Ethiopia
Alongside the preparations for the 2027 FIATA World Congress, the recent site visit to Addis Ababa also provided a valuable opportunity to advance the implementation of the electronic negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL) in the region. FIATA engaged with key stakeholders, including Zemen Bank, Ethiopian Shipping Lines and the Ethiopian Customs Commission, to discuss the role of the eFBL in accelerating the digitalisation of trade and transport documentation across Ethiopia and the wider African market. A key outcome of these discussions was the agreement to establish a joint multi-stakeholder steering committee to pilot the implementation of the eFBL, positioning Ethiopia at the forefront of digital trade facilitation initiatives on the continent in the lead-up to the 2027 FIATA World Congress in Addis Ababa.
The discussions addressed the key requirements for the successful introduction and adoption of the eFBL, including the role of banks and carriers in the exchange of digital transport documents and the contribution of customs authorities in enabling the acceptance of electronic documentation. As the digital equivalent of the negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FBL), the eFBL enable freight forwarders to issue secure digital Bills of Lading through their existing operational systems, bringing greater speed, security and trust to the exchange of transport documents. As an open, standards-based instrument, it is designed to ensure interoperability across commercial, regulatory and financial processes, supporting the wider digitalisation of international supply chains.
This engagement reflects the growing momentum behind digital trade solutions across Africa and highlights the important role of the eFBL in reducing administrative burdens, enhancing transparency and strengthening legal certainty in cross-border trade. FIATA looks forward to continuing its cooperation with partners in the region to advance digitalisation, interoperability and trade facilitation, while supporting the development of a more efficient and connected trade ecosystem.
Industry Survey: FIATA Calls for Your Perspectives on Supply Chain Security
FIATA is preparing a contribution on behalf of the industry in the context of ongoing cooperation with international organisations working on the prevention of illicit substances moving through the supply chains.
Discussions of this kind often proceed without input from freight forwarders and can rest on assumptions about how the industry operates. FIATA's role is to make sure the practical realities are understood: the limited legal ability of forwarders to inspect goods, the visibility gaps inherent in consolidated shipments, and the fact that public-private collaboration should be enhanced.
To make that case with evidence, FIATA is conducting a short survey of members (preferably companies). Completion takes approximately 6 minutes. We would be grateful for your response by Monday 21 September.
If your company has encountered a shipment involving illicit substances, or refused one on suspicion, FIATA would also welcome a short confidential discussion. Please contact us at [email protected].
Disclaimer: The survey is not an assessment of compliance, and it does not ask you to identify yourself, your company or your territory. The survey is confidential. Responses are reported in aggregates only.
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