www.bifa.org


Robert Keen’s Column


BIFAlink


BIFAlink is the official magazine of the British International Freight Association Redfern House, Browells Lane, Feltham TW13 7EP Tel: 020 8844 2266 Web site: www.bifa.org E-mail: bifa@bifa.org (A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England: 391973. VAT Registration: 216476363)


Director General Robert Keen r.keen@bifa.org Executive Director Robert Windsor r.windsor@bifa.org Executive Director Spencer Stevenson s.stevenson@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor Pawel Jarza p.jarza@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor David Stroud d.stroud@bifa.org Training Development Manager Carl Hobbis c.hobbis@bifa.org Editorial Co-ordinator Sharon Hammond s.hammond@bifa.org


Published by Park Lane Publishing peter@parklanepublishingltd.com Contributors Robert Keen, Robert Windsor, Pawel Jarza, David Stroud, Spencer Stevenson, Carl Hobbis, Sharon Hammond


Regional Consultants to BIFA Scotland and the Borders Len Hobbs: bifa.scot@gmail.com Northern Ireland Carson McMullan: carsonconluce@aol.com Midlands and the North Paul Young: youngyes@aol.com London West and the South West Mike Jones: m.jones@bifa.org Anglia, London East and the South East Paul Newman: paul@pnauk.com


Note to media: If you wish to use items in this magazine that are older than 1 month, please contact the editor to ensure that the item in question still reflects the current circumstances.


Please be advised that BIFA DOES NOT OFFER LEGAL ADVICE. BIFA is not a law firm and the authors of this publication are not legally qualified and do not have any legal training. The guidance and assistance set out herein are based on BIFA’s own experience with the issues concerned and should not be in any circumstances regarded or relied upon as legal advice. It is strongly recommended that anyone considering further action based on the information contained in this publication should seek the advice of a qualified professional.


The consequences of coronavirus


Sorry if you are fed up with the word Coronavirus but we have to mention it. BIFAlink is produced a couple of weeks before it is received by you in the post, so at the time of writing the coronavirus pandemic is causing worldwide disruption. Of course, it is often difficult to separate the hype from facts but in our view some of the industry press comments about force majeure are wide of the mark and we cover this in an article on page 7, which we hope is of use. As I write, the country seems to be shutting down. There have been multiple


cancellations for our training courses and as we recently reached ‘the tipping point’, we have provisionally stopped delivering courses until the end of April. It is likely this will be extended. We have also cancelled all Regional and Policy Group meetings. We are


currently working from Redfern House with no visitors, but it seems likely we will need to work from home soon. Full contact details will be published on the BIFA website if this action has to be taken. Scams are still being reported to us. Beware a quotation request where you are paid upfront and then asked


to purchase the goods for the person enquiring. A BIFA Member found that the company he was quoting for was listed on scampulse.com, a website worth remembering. I often look back at the columns that I wrote in prior years. In April 2017, we were preparing for the


Multimodal exhibition where BIFA was the star attraction at one of the centrepiece seminars on how Brexit would affect the freight forwarding sector. We of course had no idea and we were quite flippant, starting our session with a crystal ball and references to Mystic Meg. After many years of not being able to answer the question of ‘what is going to happen’, it does now seem that border declarations are on the way, although whether the transition period will have to be extended due to the coronavirus pandemic will be a political decision. Talking about political decisions, I wonder how many readers remember life before Nigel Lawson’s 1984


Budget? Prior to that Budget, all that was needed on a Customs declaration, in respect of VAT, was the VAT registration number of the importer. There was no monetary outlay of VAT. Chancellor Lawson changed the rules so that VAT was collected at the same time as Duty. At the time there was a divided opinion with many freight forwarders irate that their deferment guarantees would cost more, but others were keen to embrace the changes with increased revenue for advancing money on a customer’s behalf. In Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s March Budget the clock has been turned back to 1984 with the promised re-introduction of postponed VAT accounting. More details to follow as they emerge from the Treasury. April sees Mike Jones change his role from a Policy and Compliance Advisor to our Regional Representative


covering the London Airports, the Solent, South West and West. Colin Young covered this area until his retirement a year ago and Mike has been undertaking two roles whilst getting David Stroud up to speed as his replacement here in Feltham. Finally, a mention for one of my early managers who passed away in February. John Mangan worked as


manager of FTS Freight Forwarders when I was the office junior in 1971 and stayed there until his retirement as a director of the firm. Times were more formal then and I always addressed him as Mr Mangan. Even when I met him at an industry function many years later, I could not bring myself to address him as John. A kind man with a great work ethic and a great mentor to me. My condolences to his family and the staff of FTS.


Robert Keen Director General


April 2020


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