FIATA
International Federation of
Freight Forwarders Associations
The global voice of freight logistics

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FIATA e-flash
30 January 2026

2026 FIATA HQ Meeting: Just 2 Months Away!

The 2026 FIATA Headquarters (HQ) Meeting will bring together Members, partners and international stakeholders in Geneva, Switzerland, from 30 March to 2 April 2026 and is only 2 months away!

Register now to secure your spot! FIATA Members and logistics stakeholders are encouraged to confirm their participation as soon as possible. Those requiring a visa should take note that Swiss or Schengen visa processing can take up to two to three months and are therefore advised to initiate their request without delay.

Programme
The programme reflects the evolving responsibilities of freight forwarders within increasingly complex supply chains and highlights FIATA’s role in linking regional perspectives with international commitments. Carefully curated, the sessions are designed to translate expert dialogue into practical outcomes, channelling Members’ knowledge to strengthen FIATA’s actions for the benefit of the global freight forwarding community.

The programme is available here and will cover:

  • Driving Competitiveness of Multimodal Corridors
  • Mastering Risk Management in Airfreight
  • Building Effective Digital Learning
  • Turning Sustainable Compliance into Resilience
  • Coffee & Learn - eFBL User clinic: Practical Demo, Member Support and Insurance Insights
  • Cross Border Action Against Illicit Trade
  • FIATA Regional Committee Meetings: Turning Global Strategy into Regional Action
  • Unlocking Seamless Multimodal Trade in the Digital Age: the new NCD Convention
  • De Minimis and E-Commerce in Practice: What Freight Forwarders Need to Know
  • Coffee & Learn – Leveraging the value of Data
  • Unlocking Value with Emerging Technologies in Freight Forwarding
  • Mastering Public Speaking & GS3 Competition Award Ceremony


For details of each of the session, click here.

Social Events
Participants will have ample time for networking at the Social Events. The week will start with a Welcome Reception on Monday, 30 March, and followed by the Italian Cultural Night on Wednesday, 1 April, a prelude to the 2026 FIATA World Congress in Milan, celebrating FIATA's centenary from 6-9 October 2026. In addition, informal networking opportunities between sessions will allow Members and partners to connect, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships.

Accommodation
Discounted accommodation has been made available for HQ Meeting participants at selected hotels in Geneva. Availability is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and participants are therefore encouraged to secure their accommodation as early as possible. Details of the recommended hotels and booking conditions can be found here.

Further logistical information will be shared closer to the event. Participants are encouraged to follow FIATA communications regularly to stay informed ahead of the HQ Meeting.

Tourism
Participants are invited to discover Switzerland’s remarkable scenery and cultural highlights through a selection of optional tours, available via the official Swiss Tours website. Accompanying persons are also welcome to join and enjoy these experiences.

FIATA HQ Message: Scam Alert

FIATA wants to alert its Members that fraudulent emails have been circulating, falsely claiming that FIATA Events participants lists are available for purchase. The participants list for any FIATA Event cannot be purchased. FIATA follows stringent data protection laws, and your personal data is handled with due care.

Members are advised to remain vigilant when receiving unsolicited messages, particularly where the sender’s identity is unclear. These scams are designed to deceive recipients into disclosing sensitive information or making unauthorised payments.

Particular attention should be paid to the sender’s email address. Legitimate communications from FIATA originate from trusted domains such as @fiata.org. Addresses containing unusual additions or unrelated domains should be treated with caution. The content of the message may also provide warning signs including:

  • spelling or grammatical errors
  • requests for confidential information
  • language designed to create urgency

FIATA will never request passwords, banking details or other sensitive information by email.


Links and attachments should be approached with care. Before selecting any link, hovering over it to verify the destination can help identify suspicious or misleading addresses. Links that appear unusually long, unrelated to the message or inconsistent with FIATA communications should not be opened, and attachments should not be downloaded unless their authenticity has been confirmed.

Adopt SAFE Practices:

  • STOP before responding to unexpected emails or clicking on links
  • ASSESS the sender's identy and the nature of the request.
  • FLAG any message that seems unusual, especially those asking for personal or payment details
  • ESCALATE the issue to your IT team or supervisor before taking action.

Awareness enables security. Protect personal data and safeguard the FIATA community against malicious activity. Further guidance is available in the FIATA Cybersecurity Essentials Guide.

For any questions or concerns, Members may contact the FIATA HQ at [email protected].

Training and Professional Development: Deadline Extended for the 2026 YLP Award!

The deadline to nominate your candidate for the 2026 Young Logistics Professionals Award has been extended to 10 February 2026 to give you the chance to take part in this memorable experience!

 

The YLP Award invites young professionals to submit a dissertation addressing real trade and logistics challenges from their region. It offers a platform to showcase analytical thinking, research skills and practical insight while gaining international visibility. The four regional finalists will present their work at the FIATA World Congress 2026 in Milan, held during FIATA’s one hundredth anniversary, providing a unique opportunity to engage with industry peers and leaders and take part in a landmark professional event.

What Are the Eligibility Criteria?

  • The candidate must be aged between 18-35 years old when entering the contest.
  • The candidate must have 1-2 years of full-time experience in logistics or freight forwarding.
  • The candidate must be nominated by their local FIATA Association Member no later than 10 February 2026 to [email protected].  

Candidates who would like to participate in the YLP Award but do not have an Association Member established in their territory are kindly asked to contact [email protected].

For more details about the competition and to download the supporting document, visit the FIATA Website. Information is available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

Want more information on the Young Logistics Professionals Award ?

Quiere más información sobre el premio YLP en español?

想了解更多有关 YLP 奖的信息吗?

International Trade & Law: FIATA Advances Digital Multimodal Corridors

On 22 January 2026, FIATA participated in the Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Economic Forum, held during SPECA Week in Ashgabat under the 2025 Chairmanship of Turkmenistan. The Forum, supported by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), brought together governments, international organisations, and industry stakeholders to strengthen connectivity across trade, transport, energy, and digitalisation in the SPECA region.

FIATA participated online, contributing to Session IV: Digital Trade and Economic Corridors using UN standards, with a focus on the legal aspects of moving to electronic exchange of data in trade. The presentation highlighted FIATA’s work on the use of the electronic negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL) in corridor environments, the relevance of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCD) Convention in providing legal certainty for electronic negotiable documents in the multimodal transport environment, and the importance of technical and legal harmonisation. Particular emphasis was placed on the need for early and structured engagement between customs and industry to ensure interoperability, risk management, and regulatory acceptance of electronic trade documents across borders.

FIATA will continue its work to facilitate the operationalisation of digital trade corridors through targeted pilot transactions focused on the use of the eFBL in line with the NCD Convention, with the involvement of customs. These pilots will support practical implementation, address regulatory and operational gaps, and help translate international standards into scalable, real-world solutions that reduce trade friction and support resilient, sustainable connectivity across the SPECA region and beyond.

Trade Facilitation: EU–India FTA - Operational Implications for Freight Forwarders

Source: European Union

On 27 January 2026, India and the European Union formally concluded negotiations on a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after nearly two decades of talks, marking a major milestone in global trade relations. The agreement, announced at a high-level summit in New Delhi by senior leaders of both parties, is expected to liberalise trade across goods, services and regulatory cooperation between two of the world’s largest economies.

With trade already exceeding EUR 180 billion annually and significant tariff reductions foreseen across industrial goods, agri-food products and services, trade volumes and supply chain activity between Europe and India are expected to expand.

For freight forwarders, the agreement points to growing demand for logistics and customs expertise. Changes to tariff structures, expanded market access and commitments on trade facilitation will require careful management of documentation, rules of origin and compliance processes. Increased transparency and predictability are likely to support smoother cross-border movements, while digital and procedural enhancements will place greater emphasis on data accuracy and system readiness.

FIATA will continue to support its Members by monitoring implementation developments, engaging with international and regional institutions, and providing a platform for exchange on operational and regulatory implications. This ongoing work helps ensure that freight forwarders remain well positioned to facilitate efficient, compliant and resilient EU–India trade.

Read the official Press Release here.

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