Brussels, 28/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 27 March, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled (case C-17/13) that the regulation on maritime cabotage (3577/92) also applies to cruises following a mixed itinerary (maritime and river) departing from the same port. This 1993 regulation establishes the free movement of maritime transport services within the member states. In its ruling, the Court states that internal transport by navigable waterway, with no maritime element, is excluded from the regulation, but that the notion of “sea” laid down by the regulation is not limited to the territorial sea, but also covers internal maritime waters located beyond the baseline of the territorial sea. It therefore finds that any cruise service provided for remuneration in the territorial waters of a member state is subject to the regulation, irrespective of whether it starts or ends with the same passengers in the same port. The matter was brought before the Court by the Italian Council of State over the refusal of the Port Authority of Venice to grant authorisation to the companies Alpina River Cruises GmbH (a Swiss company) and the German company Nicko Tours GmbH to organise tourist cruises setting off from the Port of Venice, crossing the lagoon and travelling 60 kilometres along the river Po before returning to Venice, on the grounds that, in Italy, maritime cabotage is reserved for vessels flying the flag of a member state of the EU. The Italian court wished to know whether regulation 3577/92 applies in this case. (MD)