Customs Affairs Institute (CAI)

Customs issues and formalities are the daily bread of the forwarder like this always used to be in the past and same applies for the future.

CAI meets twice a year at the HQ Session in Zurich and at the Annual World Congress. The meetings cover reports from the four geographical regions of FIATA. This is a platform where Customs related problems or news will be reported and discussed. Working groups are established when necessary.

The strategic CAI Agenda addresses amongst others the following items that are of major concern to the freight forwarding industry.

• To leverage a partnership between global customs authorities and FIATA members in protecting trade and industry from customs related fraud and security threats, (as example the EU Commission TAXUD Taxation and Customs Union Directorate-General) in order to improve productivity and revenue.
• To promote FIATA, and its member, as primary representatives of global trade and industry in customs matters.
• To support other FIATA Institutes in identifying and securing commercial advantage from new customs laws and procedures.
• Through the WCO, WTO, UN/ECE UNCTAD, ICC, IRU and other relevant bodies, to promote and encourage closer coordination between customs authorities to obtain commercial benefits for FIATA members.
• To observe, examine and influence all customs security policies to defend the interests of FIATA members.

Any member who has an issue which it believes is of concern to forwarders in general, should send first a report to the chairman of the region.

For further Documents relating to Customs Affairs please look up under Downloads.