10 November, 2017
In August, the Hong Kong Competition Commission brought proceedings in the Competition Tribunal seeking penalties against ten construction and engineering companies. The case concerns alleged price-fixing and market-sharing in the provision of renovation services at a public housing estate in Hong Kong.
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Also in August, the Commission issued a limited block exemption order for agreements between container shipping lines. The lines had applied for a block exemption for both vessel-sharing agreements (VSAs) — agreements whereby the lines share capacity — and voluntary discussion agreements (VDAs), whereby they share certain commercial information, including prices. The Commission issued a block exemption for VSAs — up to a market share limit of 40 percent on any given route — but rejected the application in respect of VDAs.
This contrasts with the more lenient approach of Singapore, which in 2015 extended its block exemption regulation for both VSAs and VDAs (subject to certain conditions) for five years to the end of 2020, raising concerns about whether Hong Kong’s container port might lose business to Singapore as a result.
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For further information, please contact:
Laura Liu, Baker & McKenzie
laura.liu@bakermckenzie.com
