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BIFAlink OBITUARY


Elphinstone (Alph) Forrest 1940-2020


Alph Forrest had recently retired from Scottish Express when he joined BIFA in 2005 as our Scottish Regional Representative. Regional representatives were


Changes to the BIFA Standard Trading Conditions BIFA 2021


As a consequence of EU Exit, there are changes to Direct/Indirect Representation with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) which have necessitated a new edition of the BIFA STC. Whilst Members should move to the new 2021 edition as soon as possible, the changes are technical and represent an additional safeguard for BIFA Members concerning representation with HMRC. If HMRC wishes to verify that a


BIFA Member is acting in a Direct capacity, it will look at the contractual terms between buyer and seller and will seek evidence of authorisation, such as the type of template BIFA has been providing for many years. BIFA’s guide to representation and establishment has been updated and can be


found at our website under the INFORMATION > GOOD PRACTICE TOOLBOX section. There are two changes between


the 2017 and 2021 STC, both relating to the law surrounding the Member when acting as a Customs agent. In Clause 1 of the 2017 Edition, a


“Direct Representative” is defined as being “the company acting in the name of and on behalf of the customer and/or owner with HMRC as defined by Article 18 of Regulation (EU) No. 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, or as amended”. This has been changed in the


2021 Edition to read “Direct Customs Agent” defined as “the company acting in the name of and on behalf of the customer and/or owner with HMRC as defined by the


Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Act 2018, Clause 21.1(a), or as amended”. Clause 7 in the 2017 Edition


states: “In all and any dealings with HMRC for and on behalf of the customer and/or owner, the company is deemed to be appointed, and acts as, Direct Representative only.” The 2021 Edition sees this clause


amended to read: “In all and any dealings with HMRC, for and on behalf of the UK established customer and/or owner, the company is deemed to be appointed and duly empowered to act as a Direct Customs Agent only, to make Customs declarations in the name of the customer (principal) as their Direct Agent.” New templates of the 2021


edition of the STC are available from


a fairly new initiative and our profile in Scotland was poor. However, with his enthusiasm Alph took on the role with gusto, leaving his successor a firm base when he retired in 2010. As well as holding regular local


meetings and establishing himself with Scottish members, Alph re- invigorated forwarding social events with some superb Burns suppers. A highlight was his singing at the 2008 Burns Supper where nearly 100 people met for a BIFA celebration. Unthinkable only a few years before. My favourite memory was his


spur of the moment invite to a lunch at his rugby club after a morning regional meeting. England had lost a football match the night before and I was outnumbered about 150 to 1. Great fun was had at my expense! A lovely man who will be


missed by family, friends and many Scottish forwarders. Robert Keen


By sea – Hague Visby rules (2 SDR): £2.11 per kg £703.54 per package


By road – CMR (8.33 SDR): £8.79 per kg


By air –Montreal Convention (22 SDR): £23.22 per kg


February 2021


By air –Warsaw Convention (17 SDR): £17.94 per kg


BIFA STC: (2 SDR): £2.11 per kg


(The SDR rate on 22 January 2021, according to the IMF website, was 1.05531)


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