Brussels, 22/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - On 14 December, the Commission decided to abolish block exemption that allows maritime shipping lines, organised in cartels since 1870 with “maritime conferences”, to escape competition rules under Article 81 banning restrictive trading practice under EEC Regulation 4056/86. According to the Commission, the authorisation of carriers to fix prices and jointly regulate capacities did not meet the conditions set. This repeal will be beneficial for European exporters as it will entail a fall in prices, improved service quality and the development of innovation. “The European maritime transport industry is strong and has everything to gain from a competitive market. Customers are clamouring for business in this industry to be conducted as it is in all other sectors”, the Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, Charlie McCreevy, said. The Commission also provides for the inclusion of cabotage services (maritime transport services between ports of one and the same Member State) and tramp services (non-regular maritime transport of non-containerised bulk cargo) within the scope of Council Regulation 1/2003, which will give the Commission authority to monitor compliance with competition rules. In order to facilitate transition towards a competitive environment, the Commission recommends that the repeal regulation should take effect two years after its adoption by the Council (the EP has own-initiative competence) and that guidelines should be published by end 2007 on the terms and conditions for application of competition rules to regular maritime transport as well as to cabotage and tramp services.