Brussels, 20/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 20 February, the European Commission authorised an amendment to the restructuring plan and privatisation contract for Brodosplit, one of the Croatian shipyards in difficulty. Brodosplit was taken over by the undertaking DIV, following the competitive tendering process. The Commission has accepted a limited increase in total Croatian state aid in exchange for the proposal by Croatia to further reduce the annual production ceilings for the yard. The Commission considers that these additional compensatory measures are sufficient in view of the relatively modest increase in the amount of restructuring aid requested, if we take into account the contribution of the Brodosplit Group's buyer to the restructuring, free of state aid (as demanded by the Commission), which represents 40% of the total restructuring costs (these costs correspond to all state spending since 1 March 2006 in terms of subsidies paid, as well as additional compensatory measures to the shipyards). The Croatian government is also committed to signing the privatisation contract by 28 February, and this will allow for the Brodosplit privatisation process to be completed by 1 July this year, the date on which Croatia joins the EU. The authorised amendment is the second to date following approval of the shipyard restructuring plan in February 2011. (FG/transl.fl)