Following a thorough review of the 272-page Border Operating Model released by the UK government last week, the trade association for UK freight forwarders says that whilst it welcomes the greater clarity on certain issues, it is concerned with the introduction of the “Least Worst Case Scenario” into the documentation.
Freight forwarders that are suffering major operational damage and incurring significant additional costs as a result of the ongoing disruption to operations at the port of Felixstowe are demanding that Government steps in to arbitrate between the port’s owners and users.
Noting that from today, customs intermediaries can apply for £50 million of new funding, first announced in June 2020, the British International Freight Association (BIFA), says that it hopes it will help its members to increase their capacity to make declarations ahead of 2021.
The British International Freight Association (BIFA), the trade association that represents UK freight forwarding and logistics companies, says that it welcomes the package of measures unveiled by the Chancellor of the Exchequer today to scale up employment support schemes, training and apprenticeships.
BIFA is collaborating with Drewry and helping to bring the maritime information provider’s confidential freight rate benchmarking service to the trade association’s members.
The British International Freight Association’s (BIFA) next event following the relaunch of its Young Forwarder Network (YFN) online will feature some free ‘bitesize’ training run by BIFA trainers, Graeme Wilkinson and Carl Hobbis.
The British International Freight Association (BIFA), the trade association that represents UK freight forwarding and logistics companies, says that it hopes the package of measures unveiled by HMRC recently to accelerate growth of the UK’s customs intermediary sector is successful.
Commenting on the today’s confirmation by the UK government of new border controls and procedures from the end of the Transition Period, the trade association for UK freight forwarders questioned whether the phased transition will succeed in giving the companies that manage cross-border trade between the UK and EU enough time to make the necessary preparations to facilitate the revised arrangements.
The UK entered a Transition Period at the end January 2020 which lasts until the 31st December this year, however both signatories can seek an extension, of either one or two years, but this has to be agreed by the 30th June.
Following a survey of its members, the British International Freight Association (BIFA) reports that the majority of respondents believe that an extension to the transition period is desirable, if no trade deal is agreed by December 31st 2020 and UK trade with the EU is conducted on WTO lines.
In response to yesterday’s news that the government has signed agreements with six operators to provide up to £35 million to help ensure there is enough freight capacity to prevent disruption to the flow of freight, Robert Keen Director General of the British International Freight Association comments:
BIFA Member survey on mutually agreeing an extension to the Transition period.
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