Shipping Lines See ‘Uncertainty’ in EU’s Antitrust Regime Shift
- Shares of shipping lines decline as rule set to end in April
- EU says change doesn’t mean alliances will be banned in future
Container ships at Hamburg Port in Germany.
Photographer: Gregor Fischer/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Container carriers are set to lose a special European Union antitrust exemption for alliances to lower cargo costs, in a shift the industry complained would create uncertainty for firms that move most of the $25 trillion in annual goods trade.
The EU won’t extend the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation when it expires April 25 next year, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Shares of European container lines declined as the announcement meant the companies will face a new legal framework to share vessel space.