The British International Freight Association has published revised Standard Trading Conditions to address evolving legal frameworks and operational practices, with the updated terms taking effect from 31 December 2025.
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UK forwarder association BIFA has published a new edition of its Standard Trading Conditions (STC) to reflect changes to the country’s trading procedures.
The updated 2025 edition replaces the 2021 version in light of the increased volume of customs-related activities. It aims to address heightened commercial risks faced by freight forwarders in a more volatile global trade environment, BIFA said.
According to the forwarder association, a key objective of the review was to ensure the STC continues to provide a fair and balanced contractual framework between its members and their customers.
The revised text was assessed against the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 to ensure it remains legally robust.
The new edition also includes modernised language intended to improve clarity and reduce the potential for contractual disputes.
The association added that the changes are designed to reflect evolving legal and operational practices within the freight forwarding sector.
“Over time, in the same way laws must change, so do the contractual rights and obligations that flow from these changes,” said BIFA director general Steve Parker. “Therefore, it is essential to review any set of industry terms against changes in legislation and industry practice.
“The review proved a rather bigger project than expected and has led to a significant revision and expansion of the STC, which has now been completed.
”The importance of BIFA members ensuring that their incorporation of the BIFA STC into their contracts with their customers is effective cannot be stressed enough.”
The updated conditions will come into effect on 31 December 2025, but BIFA has published the document well in advance to allow members sufficient time to review the changes.
To support the transition, BIFA will hold two webinars for members on 14 and 23 October, outlining the key differences between the 2021 and 2025 editions.
