The British International Freight Association is the prime United Kingdom trade association representing UK freight forwarders. These are companies that forward goods internationally on behalf of importers and exporters. It is a not-for-profit organisation owned by its members and managed by a small Secretariat. The board has seven non-executive directors and three executive directors.
The Association acts as an authoritative voice for the industry at official and government levels. The Association is responsible for setting industry standards and providing both educational courses and required mandatory training programs which enhance the professional levels of freight forwarders and logistics service providers in the United Kingdom.
The British International Freight Association is the UK National Association member of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations FIATA.
It is one of a number of freight trade associations and is listed by the UK government on their Business Link website. and is also consulted by H.M. Revenue and Customs as a member of the Joint Customs Consultative Committee.
The role of The British International Freight Association is to represent freight forwarders in discussions with the UK government and various international NGOs and to thus provide advice and information on legislative issues that affect the industry sector. It is consulted by UK media organisations concerning air cargo security.
Online freight transport ticket masters and brokers whom are members of The British International Freight Association tend to trade in conditions better managed and regulated. An example is of an online freight ticket master joining the association to help BIFA represent general freight forwarding concerns in an industry notoriously undervalued by successive UK governments.