Page 18 - STAT Trade Times Novemmber 2024 Magazine for Website
P. 18
regionalreport
Dubai, UAE
15 - 17 April 2025
SAVE THE DATE
SPIRIT OF BENELUX The IATA World Cargo Symposium, the largest and most
THE UNION THAT prestigious air cargo annual event, comes back in
Dubai, UAE, in April 2025.
FORGED A LOGISTICS The 2024 edition brought close to 2’000 delegates to
GIANT IN EUROPE Liege Airport Hong Kong (SAR), China.
The next WCS will continue offering plenary sessions,
Celebrating 80 years n September 5, 2024, Belgium, 1.7 percent of the European territory and specialized streams, workshops, and executive summits tackling
aspects related to technology, innovation, security, customs, cargo
of unified economic the Netherlands and Luxem- 5.6 percent of the European population, operations, and sustainability.
bourg celebrated Benelux Day,
collaboration, the Benelux Ofor the first time, and the 80th it generates 7.9 percent of Europe’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
region — Belgium, anniversary of the Benelux Customs Agree- The strong economic potential of the
the Netherlands, and ment to mark strong ties between the three region needs a robust logistics infra- Registration will open in a few weeks. Save the Date!
Luxembourg — stands as a countries. It was on this very day eighty structure to maintain its reputation for
vital logistics and air cargo years ago in 1944 that these three inde- excellence in the logistics and transport
pendent sovereign governments, then in
sector. Thus, it is no wonder that airports
hub in Europe. Anchored by exile, signed the Netherlands–Belgium–Lux- in Benelux turn out to be economic pow-
major air cargo facilities, the embourg Customs Convention in London erhouses in the region.
region’s logistics community and decided to stay together closely. The For instance, this is how Dimitri Bettoni,
plays a pivotal role in cooperation was further strengthened in Head of Cargo - Product & Network Develop-
1958 by signing the Benelux Treaty estab-
ment at Brussels Airport Company, describes
sustaining its economic lishing the Benelux Economic Union. Citing the role played by the airport in the country’s Find out more at www.iata.org/en/events
dynamism and ensuring the economic collaboration between the economy, “The airport creates an annual total
seamless movement of states, the Benelux Union calls itself “a living economic impact of €8.8 billion, about 2 per- Host Partner Host Airline
goods across borders lab for the European Union.” cent of gross domestic product, maintaining
The strong ties have also made Benelux
our position as Belgium’s second economic
economically dynamic and prosperous. engine. Brussels Airport creates 85,000 direct
Libin Chacko Kurian For instance, according to the Union, with and indirect jobs.”
16 | NOVEMBER 2024 www.stattimes.com #IATAWCS
