• to unite the airfreight forwarding industry within Belgium
• to represent, promote and protect the interests of this industry by participating as advisors or experts in meetings of national and international bodies dealing with transportation of airfreight
• to familiarize trade and industry and the public at large with the services rendered by freight forwarders through the dissemination of information, distribution of publications, etc.
• to improve the quality of services rendered by freight transport industry by developing and promoting uniform forwarding documents, standard trading conditions, etc.
• to assist with vocational training for all players within the airfreight forwarding industry, liability insurance problems, supply chain security, tools for electronic commerce, including electronic data interchange (EDI) and bar-coding, RFID, etc.
Organization
BAFI is structured into different committees, real task forces, dealing with every aspect that affects the international movement of airfreight. (Details see committees)
Each task force has a Chairman and meetings are held when necessary
The Institute, managed by the Board of Administrators, which usually meets 9 to 10 times per year, carries out the technical and political work of the Federation.
(List of board members: see below)
As a member of CEB (Confederation of Belgian Freight Forwarders), BAFI is represented within
National:
BITO (The Belgian Institute for Transport Organizers)
The National Employers’ Organizations
The Ministry of Transport- services for the Intermediaries in the transport of Goods
The Ministry of Finance- National Forum of Customs
Directorate General of Civil aviation- aviation inspectorate: air cargo security
International:
CLECAT- grouping the national European organizations, being the “liaison committee” between the freight forwarding associations and the EU-authorities.
All professional issues on EU-level are tackled here.
FIATA the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association- a non-governmental organization, representing approx. 35.000 forwarding companies, employing more than 8 million people.
FIATA has a consultative status with the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC of the United Nations and UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The influence of FIATA is worldwide.
Important mandates within FIATA are performed by some of the BAFI board members.
BAFI has been recognized by IATA (International Air Transport Association) as the only spokesman of the Belgian airfreight forwarders