News
The Asian Shipowners' Association (ASA) has issued a statement against the decision the European Commission (EC) recently made not to extend the EU's Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) beyond April 25, 2024.
Jointly with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the World Shipping Council (WSC), the ASA submitted to the EC in October 2011 its position that the CBER is an important regulatory tool that yields significant benefits to a variety of stakeholders, with no downside from a competition or consumer welfare perspective, recommending that it be extended for another term without amendment.
Therefore, the recent recommendation by the EC's Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) not to renew the block exemption for liner shipping consortia was met with disagreement, and the ASA would like to once again emphasize that the importance of antitrust immunity for carrier agreements remains unchanged for the purpose of enhancing the economic efficiency of liner services with a wider range of services and port calls at a higher frequency without legal uncertainty.
"The European Commission recognizes the value of liner shipping consortia and vessel sharing agreements," said ASA Secretary-General Yuichi Sonoda. "The ASA continues to voice the importance of antitrust immunity in jurisdictions worldwide to ensure efficient and sustainable maritime transport for the global economy."
