It has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union the Commission Decision of 14 December 2004 amending Commission Decision 2002/610/EC on the aid scheme which France is planning to implement for the start-up of new short sea shipping services.

The main objective of the proposed amendments is to take into account the new legal framework provided by the Community guidelines as regards aid for the start-up of short sea shipping services and to make the conditions imposed by the final decision compatible with these new Community guidelines on State aid.

The measure to which the final decision refers is entitled “régime d’aides en faveur du lancement de nouvelles lignes de transport maritime à courte distance” (Aid scheme for the start-up of new short sea shipping services).

Background.

On 30 January 2002, after a formal investigation procedure, the Commission adopted Decision 2002/610/EC approving, subject to certain conditions set out below, an aid scheme to promote the start-up of new short sea shipping services.

On 18 November 2004 the French authorities asked the Commission to amend the final decision to take account of the new, more favourable provisions of the Community guidelines on State aid to maritime transport.

Characteristics

• The aid must not exceed three years in duration and its purpose must be to finance a shipping service connecting ports situated in the territory of the Member States.
• Service must be of such a kind as to permit transport (of cargo essentially) by road to be carried out wholly or partly by sea, without diverting maritime transport in a way which is contrary to the common interest.
• The aid must be directed at implementing a detailed project with a pre-established environmental impact, concerning a new route or the upgrading of services on an existing one, associating several shipowners.
• The purpose of the aid must be to cover, either up to 30 % of the operational costs of the service in question, or to finance the purchase of transshipment equipment to supply the planned service, up to a level of 10 % in such investment.
• The aid to implement a project must be granted on the basis of transparent criteria.
• The service which is the subject of the project must be of a kind which can be commercially viable after the period.
• Such aid must not be combined with public service compensation (obligations or contracts)

Detail of the Article 1 from the Decison

“France shall make the granting of individual aid within the framework of this scheme subject to compliance with Chapter 10 of the Community guidelines on State aid to maritime transport”