The EC renewed the BER, which allows container shipping lines to coordinate their networks and utilise space on their vessels, last April for a further four years, saying that the conditions allowing the anti-trust exemption “largely remained unchanged”.
It claimed the consortia agreement was justified, because “consortia generally bring rationalisation and economies of scale” which “help to improve the productivity and quality of available liner shipping services” while benefiting the users.
“In that context, those efficiencies result in lower prices and better quality of service for consumers,” said the commission.
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