FIATA E-Flash No. 170 – 22 January 2018_CIRCULAR R.EMP.-F- 05/18

24 enero, 2018 Ateia

ASSOCIATIONS’ AFFAIRS

FIATA Presidency Meets with Pakistan PM

A delegation of International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) headed by its President Mr. Babar Badat, called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at Prime Minister’s Office. Minister of State for Industries and Production Sardar Muhammad Arshad Khan Laghari was also present during the meeting.

Welcoming FIATA delegation to Pakistan, the Prime Minister said that growing economy of Pakistan with a growth rate of around 5.5%, offered huge business opportunities in diverse areas including logistics and transport sector.

For more details please visit: http://dunyanews.tv/en/Business/423689-PM-Abbasi-meeting-FIATA-delegation-Pakistan-Economy

FIATA Market Analysis – Infrastructure and Policy

FIATA is collecting data on from its members to help assess the state of the industry in regards to infrastructure and policy. The survey will only take 10 minutes and responses will remain confidential within the Secretariat.

The responses will help FIATA identify key trends in the industry. To complete the survey please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/fiatasurvey

FIATA Participates in COMESA’s Digital Free Trade Area Meeting

COMESA, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is looking to roll out a digital free trade area – the first in Africa – modelled along the Malaysian Free Trade Zone, where parties to a transaction are connected in real time through a web of ledgers that are secure.

FIATA participated in the latest meeting last week in the Seychelles to provide input from the freight forwarding community and identify areas of collaboration on the project.

For more details, please visit: https://www.tralac.org/news/article/12574

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

US Announces New Cargo Screening for Some Middle East Flights

The US Transport Security Administration has brought in a new set of rules for air cargo coming from five Muslim-majority Middle Eastern nations. Cargo planes headed to the US from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will all face additional screening.

The decision was based on intelligence indicating potential bomb attacks, officials said. The new rules will apply to all cargo on passenger or cargo-only flights. A programme called Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) – which is usually voluntary – will now be required for flights departing from the five countries.

For more details, please visit: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42780223

WTO – Developing Countries Should Continue Trade-easing Reforms

New UNCTAD research reveals how nearly 60 countries have prepared the ground to cut red tape and streamline revenue collection in the year since the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) entered into force in February 2017, but says such reforms should go beyond TFA compliance.

The TFA obligates most of the world’s trading nations to recognize trade-easing measures in international law and so reduce the loss to developing countries of billions of dollars that lengthy waiting time, uncollected income and spoiled goods can cause.

For more details, please visit: http://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=1655&Sitemap_x0020_Taxonomy=UNCTAD%20Home;#510;#Trade Facilitation;#1721;#Transport

WCO Addresses Customs Union Group under EU Bulgarian Presidency

Congratulating Bulgaria on assuming EU Council Presidency, Secretary General Mikuriya first wished the Presidency and delegates every success as they faced a challenging year for Customs.

He went on to outline the WCO’s extensive work programme for the coming year, placing particular emphasis on the six priorities identified by Members, namely: Trade Facilitation, E-Commerce, Security, Illicit Financial Flows, Customs/Tax Cooperation, and Performance Measurement.

For more details, please visit: http://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2018/january/wco-addresses-customs-union-group-under-eu-bulgarian-presidency.aspx

WCO Supports SAFE and AEO Implementation in Sri Lanka

The WCO, with the support from the China Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF), conducted a Workshop on the SAFE Framework of Standards (SAFE Framework) and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme from 8 to 11 January 2018 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The main objective of the Workshop was to provide participants with the WCO perspective and improve their understanding of various tools for the enhanced implementation of the SAFE Framework and an AEO Programme.

For more details please visit: http://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2018/january/wco-supports-safe-and-aeo-implementation-in-sri-lanka.aspx

UNECA – Implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area and Shared Gains

The 10th session had the objective to examine the efforts being made to fast track the implementation of the Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) and an agreement to establish a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). Forty-eight African member states and representatives of various institutions attended the session.

The 10th session also hosted five parallel, pre-session ad hoc Expert Group Meetings (EGMs) on 31 October. These meetings served as a platform to discuss with experts the results of studies conducted during the biennium under sub programme 2, shared, and validated the policy recommendations emanating from these studies with the Committee members.

For more details, please visit: https://www.uneca.org/stories/crci10-implementation-continental-free-trade-area-and-shared-gains

The EU and Mexico Make Progress in Bridging Remaining Gaps in Latest Trade Talks

Talks have resulted in very good progress. A number of areas have already been finalised, including competition, small and medium companies, transparency, sanitary issues, good regulatory practices, and trade and sustainable development.

Further work on a number of issues is still required, related to both market access and rules, including geographical indications and investment protection. The EU and Mexico both remain strongly committed and with the aim to conclude the talks as soon as possible

For more details, please visit: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news17_e/mc11_10dec17_e.htm

AIR CARGO

IATA – November Peak Season Air Freight Demand Up 8.8%

IATA released data for global airfreight markets showing that demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTKs), climbed 8.8% in November 2017 compared to the year-earlier period. This was an increase from the 5.8% annual growth recorded in October 2017. Despite indicators pointing to air cargo having passed a cyclical growth peak, demand remains strong.

Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometres (AFTKs), rose by 4.0% year-on-year in November. This was the 16th consecutive month in which demand growth outstripped capacity growth, which is positive for industry load factors, yields, and financial performance.

For more details, please visit: http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2018-01-10-01.aspx

ICAO – Continued Passenger Traffic Growth and Robust Air Cargo Demand in 2017

Underpinned by the improving global economic conditions and world trade with increasing import and export orders, air cargo demonstrated a strong rebound in 2017. World scheduled freight traffic, measured in freight tonne-kilometres (FTK) grew robustly by 9.5% in 2017, a significant improvement from the 3.8% growth registered in 2016.

The international segment of freight traffic which represents nearly 87% of total air freight grew by around 10.3% up from the 3.7% growth in 2016. The scheduled international freight load factor improved as well from around 53% in 2016 to 55% in 2017.

For more details, please visit: https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/Continued-passenger-traffic-growth-and-robust-air-cargo-demand-in-2017.aspx

SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS & CONNECTIVITY

ICAO and Partners deliver Advocacy for Aviation’s Contributions to Sustainability

ICAO, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (UN-OHRLLS), the World Bank Group, and the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) – highlighted aviation’s crucial contributions to sustainability mobility and sustainable development at the 2018 Transforming Transportation conference (#TTDC18).

The APSD’s activities at #TTDC18 included the organisation of the a side event aimed at emphasizing the importance of bringing air transport into multi-modal transport systems in support of Sustainable Mobility for All (#SuM4All) initiative, with a specific focus on airport planning.

UNFCCC – New York City to Divest Pension Funds of Fossil Fuels

In a move demonstrating its commitment to tackle the threats posed by climate change, New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced plans to divest the City’s USD 189 Billion pension funds of fossil fuel assets.
The latest announcement is part of a growing international trend to divest from fossil fuels companies and invest in clean, renewable energy in order to accelerate the transition toward a low carbon economy.

UNFCCC – Investors Push 100 Top Emitters To Align with Paris Goals

225 of the most influential global institutional investors with more than USD $26.3 trillion in assets under management launched a new collaborative initiative to engage with the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters so these companies step up their actions on climate change.

The initiative, known as Climate Action 100+, <http://www.climateaction100.org/> led and developed by investors and supported and co-ordinated by five partner organisations from around the world, launched on 12 December, the second anniversary of the Paris Agreement. Betty T. Yee, a board member of California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), the largest U.S. public pension fund and a participant in Climate Action 100+, made the announcement during a panel discussion at the One Planet Summit.

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