IATA lays out plans for Live Animal, ‘Fresh’ CEIV certifications

In a presentation for today’s International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) cargo media day, IATA’s head of special cargo, Andrea Gruber, said that, following the success of the association’s CEIV-Pharma certification, 2018 will likely bring a pilot program for CEIV-Live Animal certification, as well as the potential of “CEIV Fresh” for perishables.

The live-animal CEIV certification would build on IATA’s current Live Animals Regulations (LAR), which require that everyone who transports, accepts, handles or loads animals be familiar with the specific needs of the individual species, ensuring that animals remain safe and healthy in humane conditions. LAR guidelines have been adopted as the national standard by several countries and as the minimum standard by the European Union, as well as their adoption as a reference point by several international organizations and governmental agencies.

However, according to Gruber, discussions with industry members indicate substantial room for improvement in the current LAR guidelines. CEIV certification would target improvement areas, including the reduction of animal stress, injury and death, the improvement of compliance with standards and regulations, and an overall increase in the level of professionalism in the industry.

According to Gruber, IATA plans to launch a pilot program for CEIV-Live Animal certification in cooperation with industry participants during 2018. Also next year, IATA will investigate the potential for launching a similar specialty cargo program called CEIV Fresh, for perishables.