Our Representation

The Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia Limited (CBFCA) is Australia’s leading peak national association, which represents customs brokers, international freight forwarders and others involved in international trade logistics and supply chain management. 

We are representing and supporting Individual and Business Members in a difficult regulatory environment in dealing with:

Department of Home Affairs

The CBFCA represents members on the following national committees.

National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF)
The NCTF is a forum for government and industry stakeholders to discuss strategic issues relating to trade facilitation in the domestic and international trade environment, including monitoring of Australia's implementation of the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade Facilitation. NCTF membership is comprised of representatives from peak bodies involved in the shipping, transportation, customs broking, freight forwarding, import and export industries; business councils; academia; and relevant Government agencies.

Compliance Advisory Group (CAG) 

The Trade and Goods Compliance Advisory Group (CAG) has been established as a collaborative forum for industry, the Department and the Australian Border Force (ABF) to develop solutions to emerging and existing trade and goods compliance issues.  The CAG is not a decision-making body, but makes recommendations to senior management of the ABF and the Department to enhance the trade and goods compliance framework and foster positive compliance behaviours. The CAG also provides an effective channel for communication between the Department, the ABF and industry, as part of a wider communications system.

Australian Trusted Trader Industry Advisory Group (ATT IAG)
The ATT IAG provided input, advice and feedback on the design and implementation of the ATT programme.  The group comprised representatives from industry advocacy groups, various industry sectors and government representatives.  Moving forward, a new industry engagement model is being developed to replace the IAG.

Department of Agriculture

We represent members interest on the Department of Agriculture Cargo Consultative Committee (DCCC) a committee for the Department of Agriculture and international trade and international logistics service providers industries to consider practical and strategic biosecurity related international trade/logistics issues. The aim of the DCCC is to provide the department and industry with a consultative committee to ensure that effective biosecurity outcomes are delivered without unnecessary impediments to trade by facilitating efficient and effective biosecurity regulation across the biosecurity continuum.

Department of Home Affairs - Aviation and Maritime Security

We represent members on the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Aviation and Maritime Security Working Group. DHA works with the states and territories, other government agencies, international governments and bodies,  and the aviation and maritime industry to improve security and prevent transport security incidents, through:

• transport security intelligence
• transport operations
• transport security policy, planning and regulation
• audit, compliance and security measures
• ensuring a nationally consistent approach
• complying with international standards, and 
• aviation security training

Australian Taxation Office

We have been working collaboratively with key industry stakeholders in an aim to seek changes to the GST law to take account of unintended consequences arising from amendments to the GST cross border transport provisions made by Tax Laws Amendment (2010 GST Administration Measures No. 3) Act 2010.

Department of Health

We are working in collaboration with the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) who is the statutory scheme administered by the Australian Government Department of Health for the importation of chemicals.

Department of the Environment

We are working in collaboration with the department to increase the awareness of the import requirements for the importation of synthetic greenhouse gases. We also support members through representation with many other Federal and State Regulatory Authorities.

Other national Industry Associations and service providers in the trade logistics supply chain

We represent members at regional and national committees and industry forums to address supply chain issues. The aim is to raise the whole of supply chain awareness and improved supply chain efficiency. 

International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA)

CBFCA is a FIATA member and represents members interest internationally. FIATA, a non-governmental organisation, represents today an industry covering approximately 40,000 forwarding and logistics firms, also known as the "Architects of Transport", employing around 8 - 10 million people in 150 countries. It represents service providers in international trade logistics and supply chain management in over 104 countries.

The CBFCA contributes to the FIATA’s Customs Affairs Institute agenda. One of the key four technical bodies of FIATA providing direction and policy guidance for FIATA members on the interface with governmental and non-governmental international bodies.

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

The CBFCA through FIATA has participated in policy discussions between IATA the International Civil Aviation Organisation  (ICAO)  and FIATA  on aviation  Advance Cargo Information  and has been guest speaker at a variety of  ICAO/WCO conferences and forums on aviation security, cargo reporting and border security arrangements. 
As to Australian aviation cargo arrangements the CBFCA is one of three industry representatives on the IATA South West Pacific Cargo Executive Committee which meets with IATA airline representatives to address aviation cargo matters including IATA  e freight and e air waybill initiatives , cargo agency program initiatives  and are other interlinked aviation cargo matters.

In addition through FIATA there is the FIATA/IATA Customs Working Group which is supported by the FIATA CAI.

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA)

TIACA is based in the United States and represents airlines, international air freight forwarders, terminal operators and others intimately involved in the movement of air cargo. 

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.  

The CBFCA is a member of TIACA and actively participates in its own right and through FIATA (in a FIATA/IATA/TIACA/ and the Global Shippers' Forum (GSF) in an  advisory group to ensure the air cargo industry had a strong, unified voice in its dealings with worldwide regulatory authorities and other bodies whose decisions directly impact on air cargo. 

World Customs Organisation (WCO)

The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.

Today, the WCO represents 179 Customs administrations across the globe that collectively process approximately 98% of world trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organization with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community.

The CBFCA has a long-standing relationship with the WCO in by way of its Observer status through FIATA is able to actively receive information from end participate in WCO activities. The CBFCA as FIATA CAI  Chair is the principal fee after delegate to the WCO Private Sector Consultative  Group (a group set up to act as the industry voice and  sounding board for the WCO on policy and process matters relating to customs). 

This access provides the CBFCA insight as to customs modernisation arrangements in WCO member economies particularly Canada, United States of America, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the European Union. 

This access to information and senior regulators provides for the CBFCA and its members significant opportunity and access.