The effect of applying the essential facilities doctrine is that the competition authorities can require a particularly pro-competitive behaviour of a dominant firm. In situations when a facility is found to be "essential" it is seen as an abuse not to give competitors access to the facility at non-discriminatory terms. As an example, the European Commission has established, in the Sea Containers/Stena Sealink case, that a port owned by a shipping company can be essential for competing shipping companies.