Friday, June 12, 2009
EU unveils IACS antitrust proposals
Brussels: The results of the 18-month investigation by EU competition officials into the International Association of Classification Societies and proposed changes to the way IACS operates have been published by the European Commission, writes Anderimar Shipping News. In the current form of the agreement between the two bodies, IACS has offered to set up "objective and transparent membership criteria and to apply them in a uniform and non-discriminatory manner". The proposed commitments foresee detailed rules, including clear deadlines, for the different steps of the membership application, suspension and withdrawal procedure.
With regard to IACS' technical working groups, which develop IACS' technical resolutions, IACS has committed itself to ensure that classification societies which are not members of IACS will nonetheless be able to participate.
In addition, all current and future IACS' resolutions and their related technical background documents will be put into the public domain at the same time and in the same way as they are made available to IACS members. IACS will also set up an Independent Appeal Board to settle possible disputes about access to, suspension or withdrawal of membership of IACS, participation in IACS' technical working groups and access to IACS' resolutions and to their technical background documents. [11/06/09]
