[181110.EN.LOG] TIACA, IATA, FIATA and GSF to Form Industry Advisory Group

Four organisations have signed a letter of intent committing to work towards the formation of an industry advisory group facilitated by TIACA to ensure the air cargo industry has a strong, unified voice in its dealings with worldwide regulatory authorities and other bodies whose decisions directly impact on air cargo.

The agreement commits the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), and the Global Shippers' Forum (GSF) to work together to look at their current positions on issues such as security, customs reform, e-commerce, and the environment and to try to find common ground to best protect and promote the interests of the air cargo industry, the organisations and customers.

The review will also look at the associations' respective resources committed to industry affairs and consider how to make the most effective use of the existing and growing relationships that TIACA, GSF, FIATA and IATA have with relevant government departments and other regulatory

bodies.

The associations will also discuss the involvement of other global industry groups in the air cargo supply chain and seek the support of bodies such as the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

Michael Steen, vice chairman of TIACA, said that, collectively, the four organisations represent the most powerful grouping of all parties involved in the air cargo supply chain.

"We all share a common goal to protect our members against costly and sometimes unnecessary changes in legislation and to have a practical input into any future regulatory challenges before they become mandatory. We also want to have the strongest possible voice when it comes to highlighting to policy makers the vital role air cargo plays in world trade, in employment, in consumer choice and in the growth of developing markets," said Steen.

Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's director general & CEO, commented: "The industry is working together to improve efficiency with programs like IATA e-freight but governments have not always received clear signals from industry on what is needed for efficient global air cargo operations. 

A strong and unified industry voice with the Global Shippers' Forum is a step in the right direction. IATA looks forward to working with FIATA, GSF and TIACA to make it an effective industry tool."

He added: "But we cannot be successful without an effective regulatory environment. We have been proactive in representing the airline industry and we would have a great deal to offer to a wider group representing the interests of the entire air cargo supply chain and customers. 

We believe FIATA and TIACA would be strong partners to work alongside, as well as the

GSF. We are keen to approach our discussions positively. Clearly, regulators will see us as having a more powerful voice as a group than as individual associations when it comes to industry affairs and we hope they will be even more willing to listen to us and to work with us."

Jean-Claude Delen, president of FIATA, said: "We clearly have a lot of areas to consider but we believe it is time for associations like FIATA, TIACA and IATA, and hopefully others, to look at how we can collectively approach the issue of regulatory and industry affairs as this is an area

where we need the strongest representation. We need to be able to influence decisions that are outside of our direct control but that can have the most dramatic impact on the effectiveness of the members of all our associations."

Source : EFT, 09.11.10.