Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) host activities (including meetings, webinars and events) that are at all times organised and conducted in accordance with all Australian Antitrust and Competition laws and regulations, ensuring that outcomes do not lead to the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition.
Where practicable, activities will be overseen by the FTA / APSA legal counsel.
Compliance with the following policy is a shared responsibility across FTA / APSA representatives (Directors, Officers, Committee of Management, staff and contractors) to ensure:
· an agenda and details of the FTA / APSA competition policy is provided to participants in advance and during the course of all activities (refer Attachment A);
· minutes of meetings will be provided to all participants;
· activities avoid mentioning or sharing information which relates to or reveals actual or proposed prices, terms and conditions, commercial information and data that may be advantageous to a competitor;
· activities avoid any agreement or suggest to others that they should boycott any individual service or service provider; and
· activities do not discuss market strategies, target customers, product development, prices and margins or costs of production or supply.
In case any participants feel that a conversation, presentation or conduct during a meeting or other event (including any socialising among participants before, during or after the meeting or event) does or could breach antitrust and competition rules, they should:
· make their feelings known to all the participants;
· refuse to participate any further unless the underlying alleged breach/discussion is ended;
· leave the meeting or discussion if the alleged breach/conversation continues;
· report the issue to the FTA / APSA representative conducting the activity;
· the FTA / APSA representative will assess the matter and make a decision as to whether the activity can continue and/or whether the individuals involved will be required to leave the event; and
· the objection should be recorded in the minutes by the FTA / APSA representative including time and reason of objection.