CANADA/NORTHERN EUROPE CONFERENCES END INLAND PRICING

CANADA/NORTHERN EUROPE CONFERENCES END INLAND PRICING

CANADA/NORTHERN EUROPE CONFERENCES END INLAND PRICING

    The conferences covering the trade between Canada, continental
northern Europe and the United Kingdom are the latest conferences to have announced the
end of joint inland pricing activities in Europe.
    The Continental Canadian Westbound Freight Conference, the Continental
Canadian Eastbound Freight Conference, the Canadian North Atlantic Westbound Freight
Conference and the Canadian North Atlantic Eastbound Freight Conference have withdrawn
inland tariffs covering road, rail and barge cargo movements within Europe.
    A conference spokesman said that the action has been taken "to
ensure compatibility with the regulatory regimes within Europe."
    The European Commission has opposed inland and intermodal pricing by
conferences in Europe.
    The conferences said that, in future, only individual carriers will
provide quotations of inland rates and intermodal rates containing a European inland
segment.
    The conferences will continue to set joint inland and intermodal rates
covering inland transport within Canada.
    The members of the conferences are Atlantic Container Line, Canada
Maritime, Cast, Hapag-Lloyd and Orient Overseas Container Line.
    The Far Eastern Freight Conference and the Trans-Atlantic Conference
Agreement have also recently stopped inland and intermodal rate-making in Europe.