Brussels, 22/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - After an in-depth investigation, the European Commission decided on Wednesday 22 January that part of the support measures that Sardinia granted to ferry company Saremar in 2011 and 2012, which Sardinia bought up when the Tirrenia company was wound up, was incompatible with EU state aid rules. In particular, a capital injection of €6.1 million not approved on market conditions and the compensation for carrying out certain maritime services have provided an undue economic advantage to Saremar that its competitors did not have. In total, Saremar must pay back this undue advantage of around €10.8 million gained from running two ferry services between Sardinia and the Italian mainland in 2011 and 2012, to remedy the distortion of competition this has created. (FG/transl.fl)