Brussels, 26/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission opened an in-depth investigation on Wednesday 25 July to examine whether the Maltese tonnage tax scheme is compatible with EU state aid rules. The Commission has concerns that the favourable tax treatment allowed by the EU Guidelines on state aid to maritime transport for the transport of passengers and freight by sea may have been extended to other categories of beneficiaries that are not suffering from the same handicaps and are therefore not entitled to lower taxes. “In the Maltese case, the support measures apply to yachts, bankers, ship lessors, amongst other beneficiaries. This seems neither justified from a competition perspective, nor appropriate in times of high budgetary constraints”, commented Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia. (OL/transl.rt)