For decades, the agreements of shipowners, say shipping conferences, benefit from an exceptional situation. Having convinced the authorities that the liner shipping market is a special case, they are not subject to the usual rules governing competition.
Of course, there was, there is no doubt, abuses. Hence the reaction (clients) shippers who vowed to have the skin of the system of the conferences and bring everyone, if not in the right way, at least in the working of the common law.
Instances European work now in this sense. Is it now going too far, or simply too fast, in the other direction The owners believe. In any case, things do not always move in the same sense elsewhere.
Preview on the guidelines in preparation for end of 2007
A large majority, the European Parliament (EP) has to adopt the proposal of the European Commission to submit competitive rules normal maritime conferences of the European Union. At the same time, the EP asked the Commission to submit, by end of 2007, guidelines on competitive practices in the sector. Preview on the trend.
According to our information, the guidelines in question would prefer including three major principles. First of all, do not let place to the slightest blur to avoid the multiplication of always costly legal proceedings. Then, maintain flexibility, for example by allowing shipowners members of a Conference to sign agreements on the distribution of the supply (capacity) available. Finally, on the other hand be uncompromising on the issue of the exchange of information as the bodies of the EU are convinced that this application is purely and simply to agree on prices (rates) of an indirect way.
A tendency to discuss matters of form without really advance
With regard to the merits, the question of shipping conferences is to place in the broader framework of the Green Paper on the sea. For the moment, it is only the fruit of cooperation between seven European Commissioners. It remains to study it in Parliament. According to what procedure Some want the usual form of the passage by various commissions. Others argue for a "temporary ad hoc commission". Then, discussed matters of form without really move forward.
On the shipowners is not upset the current strangest because we look at what is happening outside the EU. So in Asia, the SAC (Competition Commission of Singapore's) comes to the opposite of European positions by exempting the shipping lines of the respect of the ordinary competition rules. Comment a good observer of the maritime world: "In Europe, some seem to forget that a boat moves around the world." "Before"final"decisions, so one should not lose sight of what is happening in the antipodes".
A range of 156 regions that the EU does not seem to take into account
The new future situation could also give the EU the opportunity to enhance its peripheral regions. Claudio Martini, President of the Conference of peripheral maritime regions (CPMR), struggles in this sense. But it does not appear to be listened to. However, the issue is 156 regions mobilized for a truly integrated maritime policy in the EU, but with specific aspects.
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