ELAA welcomes new EC Block Exemption for consortia

In welcoming the new BER Chris Bourne, the European Liner Affairs Association (ELAA) executive director said, “The new Block Exemption is crucial to our industry, particularly in the present difficult economic circumstances. It allows lines to work together within consortia and with legal certainty of providing services to its customers. It is also gratifying to know that the Commission has listened to the arguments of ELAA members and has made improvements to the wording of the original BER draft.

We would have preferred, as in other regimes, not to have a market share threshold or a lock-in period but we appreciate that these were always difficult matters for the Commission.”