European competitiveness ministers have voted to repeal the Block Exemption from restrictive trading practices for container shipping lines.
From 2008 container shipping lines operating into and out of EU ports will need to conform to the competition rules that are imposed on almost all other commercial entities in Europe and respect the rights of their customers to confidential contracts and end their practices of sharing pricing information.
The Freight Transport Association has fought a long campaign to bring about the repeal of the Block Exemption that allows shipping conferences to set a tariff price for container shipments and to regulate the entry of new carriers into the market, so restricting competition and innovation in service development.
