Brussels, 14/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - In a decision adopted on Wednesday 14 October 2009, the European Commission accepted the suggestions made by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to appease the Commission's fears about the anti-competitive nature of the IACS' work on ship classification.
The IACS has always maintained that cooperation among its members is in the interest of maritime safety and it welcomed Wednesday's decision, which will enable it so 'continue to make an essential contribution in maintaining an effective global regime for enhancing safety' in shipping, explained IACS chairman Dr Hermann Klein. The Commission is concerned about potential anti-competitive behaviour and has opened a consultation of interested parties about IACS' meetings and the exchange of information among its members (see EUROPE 9918).
After the consultation exercise and in the light of its outcome, the IACS suggests the following measures: the establishment of qualitative membership criteria and guidance for this application, the possibility for non-IACS classification societies to participate in IACS' working groups and full access to IACS' technical resolutions and related background documents. The Commission says it is satisfied that these measures solve the main problem - the impossibility in the past of non-IACS members to gain access to the technical information used for classification purposes. 'This decision opens up the ship classification market,' explained EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes in a European Commission press release.
Classification societies decide on the technical standards that apply to ships and issue certificates of compliance with these standards. More than 90% of the world's freight shipping tonnage is covered by the classification rules and procedures of ten members of the IACS, which are the biggest classification societies in the world. (C.D. trans fl)