IN D U ST RY N EW S Sector offers support FEDEMAC has launched a COVID-19 crisis response webpage (fedemac.com/ corona), which is updated daily to provide information and guidance to members. Meanwhile, SIRVA, Intouch Relocations and moving tech business Move4U were among the many organisations issuing updates and advice about the impact on the business. At FIDI, Marketing and Communications Manager Magali Horbert said that, in addition to worldwide delays caused by staff shortages at ports and other locations and customs delays, other factors connected to the crisis could cause issues in the future. International moving, by definition, implies a lot of travel, a lot of human contact at origin, during the packing and at destination during the delivery, she said. People may be wary of letting people they dont know into their house, and worry about their goods being handled in unknown locations en route. Meanwhile, a lot of travel has been cancelled, which has delayed contracts as well. Our industry is people-centric so its possible we may be more affected than those that are only handling commercial goods. FIDI Secretary General Jesse van Sas said the organisation was keeping in close contact with Affiliates. COVID-19 has given the international moving industy quite an unprecendented challenge. We have been speaking regularly to Affiliates and affiliated branches as this situation unfolds to understand their specific issues, offer advice and assist the industry as this crisis develops, he said. There will be a futher update on the impact of COVID-19 in the next issue of FIDI Focus. 2020 FIDI CONFERENCE POSTPONED TO 2021 FIDI has rescheduled its 2020 conference in Osaka, Japan, to next year, because of the outbreak. In a statement on 6 March announcing the change, it said: In light of a possible generalised lockdown and real concerns for the health of our Affiliates, the FIDI Board has taken the decision to postpone the 2020 FIDI Conference, scheduled in Osaka, to next year. This difficult decision was not made lightly, as it has far-reaching consequences for FIDI as an organisation, our membership and all who were looking forward to an exceptional event. According to FIDI office staff, Affiliates response to the announcement had been incredibly positive and supportive. The FIDI Conference team has worked hard to reschedule and the next conference will take place in the same place Osaka, Japan from 22 April to 25 April 2021, it said. On the same day, OMNI announced was also postponing its conference, due to take place in Kyoto just before the FIDI event. The EuRA conference, due to take place on 8 May in Seville, was also postponed to March 2021. New dates have been announced for the MiM seminar, which will now take place in Barcelona, Spain, from 20 to 26 September 2020. For more information about FIDI events, please contact the FIDI Global Alliance office at fidi@fidi.org Reason Global Insurance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 12 FF296 AprMay20 pp10-13 Ind News.indd 12 WW W. F I D I FOC U S . OR G 31/03/2020 08:35