Dallas/Fort Worth (18 April 2013): The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) signed a Declaration of Intent today to strengthen co-operation on technical matters.
The declaration was officially signed in Dallas at TIACA’s 2013 Executive Summit by the Association’s Chairman, Michael Steen, and by ICAO’s Secretary General, Raymond Benjamin.
Under the terms of the new agreement, ICAO and TIACA will work more closely on air cargo and mail security and facilitation, accelerating the evolution from paper-based to electronic processes, environmental stewardship, the liberalization of market access for air cargo services, and air cargo safety.
Michael Steen said: “This is another highly significant breakthrough in the new era of collaboration between our industry and leading regulatory bodies. ICAO is taking a lead in critical areas of aviation, such as security and the environment, and the Secretary General and his team have made a clear point of meeting with us, listening to our views and participating in our events to learn more about the requirements and concerns of the air cargo industry. ICAO clearly sees air cargo as the vital industry that it is and we welcome the opportunity to help this important global standards setter realize its objectives, based on a stronger understanding of the views of our sector.”
Raymond Benjamin, added: “ICAO has been grateful for the input and advice received by TIACA as we have begun to develop closer ties with the air cargo sector. With this agreement now supporting our future cooperation across a wide range of shared priorities, ICAO will be focusing its near-term efforts on evolving our regulatory frameworks with States and industry stakeholders, including TIACA, toward the greater liberalization of air cargo services.”
ICAO and TIACA have agreed to ‘consult, confer and cooperate on a continuous basis, over an above attendance at formal meetings. They will keep each other informed of project activities and programs of work in the areas identified in the Declaration of Intent.
TIACA, which is already on the list of international organizations that may be invited to attend suitable ICAO meetings, has agreed to disseminate information on relevant ICAO standards and recommended practices, policies and technical guidance materials, and to promote implementation by its members.
Each of the parties will also invite the other to be represented by observers at global and regional conferences or meetings relating to the areas of cooperation.
This new commitment by ICAO and TIACA follows a joint communiqué for ‘Enhanced Cooperation in the Field of Air Cargo Transportation’ last October, which was issued at TIACA’s 26th International Air Cargo Forum & Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia.
About ICAO
A specialized agency of the United Nations, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States. Website: www.icao.int
About TIACA
TIACA is a global not-for-profit trade association representing all the major segments of the air cargo and air logistics industry – combination and all-cargo airlines, forwarders, airports, ground handlers, road carriers, customs brokers, logistics companies, shippers, IT companies, aircraft and equipment manufacturers, trade press, and educational institutions. TIACA’s objectives include:
- facilitating and monitoring the implementation of e-commerce practices throughout the air cargo supply chain;
- supporting security measures that are effective, workable, and affordable, and that create minimal disruption to the vital flow of air cargo, which essentially relies on speed;
- developing and promoting strategies and principles that address legitimate public concerns for sound environmental policies;
- reforming and modernizing customs practices and raising industry performance standards;
- increasing market access by the elimination or reduction of constraints imposed on air cargo by its current dependence on bilateral traffic rights agreements; and
- representing the interests of the air cargo industry before relevant regulatory bodies, at the national and multinational levels.
To accomplish its mission, TIACA engages in activities that seek to improve industry cooperation, promote innovation, share knowledge, enhance quality and efficiency, and promote education. TIACA aims to inform both the public and its membership about the role and importance of air cargo, industry developments and technical trends. TIACA engages with relevant authorities, and publishes position papers on industry issues and the TIACA Times newsletter. The TIACA website is a valuable industry resource which contains a fully searchable database of information on industry issues. TIACA has developed research relationships with several universities through joint projects and student scholarship programs. For more information, see the TIACA website at www.tiaca.org
