Brussels, 06/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - Adopting the own-initiative report by Rodi Kratsa (EPP-ED, Greece) by 408 votes to 139 and 62 abstentions on application of European competition rules to maritime transport, the Parliament invites the Commission to take into earnest consideration the effect that such a system would have, as it replaces maritime conferences which group companies using regular service lines. The maritime conferences have for the past twenty years enjoyed exemption from competition rules banning restrictive practices, but the Commission is contemplating putting an end to this. MEPs mainly said that the conclusions reached in a recent study by Global Insight experts does not provide a sound base for abolishing block exemption (EUROPE 9065). Thus, MEPs, who note that there is nothing pointing to the fact that eventual abolition of maritime conferences would entail a fall in prices, believe complete modification of the system would probably have an adverse effect especially on medium and small dimension lines. Although the Parliament approves the proposed revision of Regulation 4056/86, mainly ruling out the possibility of directly fixing freight rates, it does not seek its repeal.