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CLECAT, representing freight forwarders and logistic companies, the shippers (ESC) and the independent rail freight companies (ERFA) have written an open letter to Members of the European Parliament regarding their views, expectations and concerns over the European Commission’s proposal for a directive establishing a single European railway area (Recast) COM(2010)475.

Debating the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) instrument at an event hosted by MEP Filip De Backer last week, Mark Huybrechts, President of the European Freight Forwarders Organisation, CLECAT, said that this instrument published by the European Commission in October last year, represents a big leap forward in the transport policy field for many years. Together with the TEN-T guidelines they establish the framework for the building of one trans-European network, complementing national infrastructure policies and adding genuine European value to them.

Reliability, Capacity & Efficiency: Improving container supply chain performance in an era of volatility and change is the conference theme for 2012. More information on the event can be found here: http://www.tocevents-europe.com/CCAT/ A special rate has been agreed upon for CLECAT members. To receive the discount, please use this link for registration: http://www.tocevents-europe.com/CLECAT/

The International Transport Forum at the OECD is an international strategic think tank for the transport sector. Each year, it organises an “invitation only” Summit that brings together Ministers from the Forum’s 53 member countries, along with leading decision-makers and actors from the private sector, representatives of civil society and research. At the 2012 Summit, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) and European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistic and Customs Services (CLECAT) are jointly organising a side event titled "E-Documents for Co-modal Transport of Goods", at which they hope you may be able to attend. The event is on 2 May from 10:00 to 13:30 and is part of the Summit’s programme. Further information on this event as well as details regarding Summit keynote speakers, plenary and expert sessions and their panellists may be found at the dedicated website: www.internationaltransportforum.org/2012. The programme for the FIATA/CLECAT event, which includes more information and the list of speakers, can be found here: CLECAT/FIATA side event on E-Documents for Co-modal Transport of Goods

Why DiSCwise? DiSCwise is a European pilot action that aims to improve the information exchange between stakeholders in the transport and logistics sector and to operationally assist them in building digital supply chains with a co-modal approach. It is a project with a strong SME focus.

The 11th edition of the Freight Forwarders’ Conference Thursday, 17th of November 2011       “FACILITATION and COMPLIANCE”   Logistics Service Providers facing compliance challenges and seeking facilitation       Following the successful conclusion of this year's Freight Forwarders' Conference, we have the pleasure to make available all the presentations that were given during the conference. A report on the conference will be available in due time. The following presentations were given during the event: Presentation by Mike Sturgeon, ECG Presentation by Denis Choumert, ESC Presentation by Nicolas Dbaisieux, EC, DG CLIMA Presentation by Graham Floater, Climate Aspect Presentation by Andreas Wilhelm, K+N Presentation by Volker Böhringer, Panalpina Presentation by Michael Lux, EC, DG TAXUD Presentation by Keith Vaughn, EEA Presentation by Libor Lochmann, CER         Vice-President Kallas delivers a speech at CLECAT's Freight Forwarders' Conference 2011. We wish you all a successful conclusion of 2011 and happy holidays, and we hope to see you again at our next events in 2012.

On November 16th, just one day ahead of the Freight Forwarders’ Conference held in the magnificent venue of the WCO headquarters, the CLECAT General Assembly elected a new Board, including a new President. A large number of delegates coming from all Member Countries elected the entire Board by acclamation.  Clive Broadley (left) and Marc Hubrechts (right) The new Board is formed by the following individuals: PRESIDENT   Marc Huybrechts BE SECRETARY GENERAL Francesco Parisi IT TREASURER  Frank Huster DE CHAIR OF AIR INSTITUTE  Klaus Pfab  FR VICE CHAIR OF AIR INSTITUTE       Andrew Melton  UK CHAIR CITI  Pierre Cornet  FR VICE CHAIR OF CITI Mario de Matos Oliveira  PT CHAIR OF MARITIME INSTITUTE Willem van der Schalk  DE VICE CHAIR OF MARITIME INST.       Robert Keen  UK CHAIR OF RAIL INSTITUTE  Ivan Petrov  BG VICE CHAIR OF RAIL INSTITUTE  Veronique Corduant  BE CHAIR ROAD INSTITUTE Mark Bromley  UK VICE CHAIR OF ROAD INSTITUTE Jeroen Eijsink NL CHAIR OF SECURITY INSTITUTE  Maurizio Fasce IT VICE CHAIR OF SECURITY INST.  Sören Kullberg  SE ELECTED, WITHOUT PORTFOLIO Frantisek Komora  SK ELECTED, WITHOUT PORTFOLIO Jerzy Wójtowicz  PL For more information, please see this Press Release.

The 11th edition of the Freight Forwarders’ Conference Thursday, 17th of November 2011   “FACILITATION and COMPLIANCE”   Logistics Service Providers facing compliance challenges and seeking facilitation   The FFC2010 material is far from being obsolete, but we are now facing the challenges of 2011. Last year we have seen that embracing the objective of reducing emissions, to eventually decarbonise EU transport and logistics, is now mainstream thinking of our companies’ management: it has even entered their commercial processes, despite the fact that our Members still regret the absence of a commonly agreed measurement system for CO2 emissions. The freight forwarding sector has learnt that there is great value in compliance, which is today the main building block of our companies’ reputations.  This is the reason why this year we have asked a number of distinguished professionals to explain how compliance can be more or less burdensome and how they managed to reap certain advantages by enhancing the compliance element of their processes. The idea was that trade facilitation is not an abstract concept, but it becomes realistic if it is triggered and justified by compliance.  Today’s logistics landscape is scattered with a number of constraints that make the flow of goods all the more difficult, exactly when our technology should make it simpler. We face both old and new challenges in our quest for compliance. Social legislation, corporate social responsibility and fiscal compliance rightfully require a continuous improvement in standards. Improvements in the protection of the environment are featured in the agendas of our management meetings, as they are perceived as a strong competitive element. Supply chain security is all-embracing and logistics without safety and security awareness seems today uncanny. Non-proliferation treaties are putting a strain on our business processes and, last but certainly not least, full compliance with competition rules is an idea that our sector has learnt how to fully embrace. In simple terms, making business choices in logistics today is more complex than it was a few decades ago. Making business choices is however at the very heart of entrepreneurship. The role of a representative federation such as CLECAT is to help its members to deal with the panoply of requirements, so that their member companies can also make well informed decisions in their business, whilst complying with existing legislation. With the FFC2011 the goal is to portray the picture of reputed logistics companies that have been able to achieve facilitation through their compliant records thereby extending the benefit to their customers.  Compliance also has another crucial aspect in today’s logistics business pertaining to the area of investments. Both public and private investments that are not mindful of present and future compliance run the risk of being wasted. This latter aspect of compliance is central in CLECAT’s activities and drives our work with the EU’s future legislative agenda. There are also other aspects of regulatory compliance that have emerged in our assessment as strong discussion items: is the enhanced compliance with the regulatory pressure just a burden for business or can it also stimulate innovation? Is voluntary best practice at odds with regulatory compliance, or is the former the best way to prepare the implementation of the latter? With this last tease in mind, we look forward to seeing you again at the conference.  We hope that the programme we have prepared will attract your attention and elicit your reactions. CLECAT Members are very thankful to the speakers and panellists that have confirmed their participation. The CLECAT Secretariat   View the Conference programme here Register for the Conference here Practical Information here

Nicolette van der Jagt has succeeded Marco Sorgetti as the Director General of CLECAT following Mr Sorgetti’s selection as the new Director General of FIATA in Zurich. The President and the Secretary General are pleased to have secured the appointment of Nicolette van der Jagt and that Nicolette will ensure a smooth transition and will continue and expand the achievements secured under Mr Sorgetti’s leadership. For more information, please see the attached Press Release.

On the occasion of the ongoing Transport Council in Brussels, today CLECAT has published its comprehensive comments on the Commission’s Transport White Paper (COM/2011/0144). In this 19 page document CLECAT comments on the general principles of the White Paper, but also undertakes a detailed assessment of all the 40 actions that are relevant for CLECAT members. CLECAT Press Release CLECAT's comments on Transport White Paper