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PUBLIC LAW 98-237—MAR. 20, 1984 maintain a marine terminal in the United States. In the case of an oral agreement, a complete memorandum specifying in detail the substance of the agreement shall be filed. The Commission may by regulation prescribe the form and manner in which an agreement shall be filed and the additional information and documents necessary to evaluate the agreement. (b) CONFERENCE AGREEMENTS.—Each conference agreement must— (1) state its purpose; (2) provide reasonable and equal terms and conditions for admission and readmission to conference membership for any ocean common carrier willing to serve the particular trade or route; (3) permit any member to withdraw from conference membership upon reasonable notice without penalty; (4) at the request of any member, require an independent neutral body to police fully the obligations of the conference and its members; (5) prohibit the conference from engaging in conduct prohibited by section 10(c)(1) or (3) of this Act; js,.* (6) provide for a consultation process designed to promote— (A) commercial resolution of disputes, and (B) cooperation with shippers in preventing and eliminating malpractices; (7) establish procedures for promptly and fairly considering shippers' requests and complaints; and (8) provide that any member of the conference may take independent action on any rate or service item required to be J filed in a tariff under section 8(a) of this Act upon not more than 10 calendar days' notice to the conference and that the conference will include the new rate or service item in its tariff for use by that member, effective no later than 10 calendar days after receipt of the notice, and by any other member that notifies the conference that it elects to adopt the independent rate or service item on or after its effective date, in lieu of the existing conference tariff provision for that rate or service item. (c) INTERCONFERENCE AGREEMENTS.—Each agreement between carriers not members of the same conference must provide the right of independent action for each carrier. Each agreement between conferences must provide the right of independent action for each conference. (d) ASSESSMENT AGREEMENTS.—Assessment agreements shall be filed with the Commission and become effective on filing. The Commission shall thereafter, upon complaint filed within 2 years of the date of the agreement, disapprove, cancel, or modify any such agreement, or charge or assessment pursuant thereto, that it finds, after notice and hearing, to be unjustly discriminatory or unfair as between carriers, shippers, or ports. The Commission shall issue its final decision in any such proceeding within 1 year of the date of filing of the complaint. To the extent that an assessment or charge is found in the proceeding to be unjustly discriminatory or unfair as between carriers, shippers, or ports, the Commission shall remedy the unjust discrimination or unfairness for the period of time between the filing of the complaint and the final decision by means of assessment adjustments. These adjustments shall be implemented by prospective credits or debits to future assessments or charges, except in the case of a complainant who has ceased activities subject
98 STAT. 71
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