Brussels, 22/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - Following spot checks in May 2011, the European Commission decided on 22 November to open formal antitrust proceedings against several container liner shipping companies to investigate whether they engaged in concerted practices, in breach of EU antitrust rules, in the transport of containers by ship at a fixed time schedule on a specific route between ports in Asia and Europe. The Commission says that, since 2009, these companies have been making regular public announcements of price increase intentions through press releases on their websites and in the specialised trade press. These announcements are made several times a year and contain the amount of increase and the date of implementation, which is generally similar for all announcing companies. The announcements are usually made by the companies successively a few weeks before the announced implementation date. The Commission has concerns that this practice may allow the companies (whose names and number it is refusing to reveal) to signal future price intentions to each other and may harm competition and customers by raising prices on the market for container liner shipping transport services on routes to and from Europe. The Commission has informed the container liner shipping companies concerned and the competition authorities of the member states that it has opened proceedings in this case. No legal deadline has been set for bringing the antitrust investigation to an end. (FG/transl.fl)