Van Miert elaborates. (European Commission vice-president Karel Van Miert comments on shipping competition cases) (Fortress Europe)

Agreements that raise transport costs to the point where users are uncompetitive simply won't be tolerated.

In a speech delivered on June 20, the European Commission's competition chief, Karel Van Miert, swept away any lingering doubts about the outcome of several key competition cases pending before the Commission.

Comments by the Commission vice president alluding to the Far Eastern Freight Conference, the Trans-Atlantic Agreement and the Europe Asia Trades Agreement made it clear that none of these agreements in their form (as of June 20) stand a chance of being cleared.

"Several individual cases are currently at an advanced stage in the Commission's proceedings and nothing that I wish to say today should be taken as …