The European Commission concluded on Thursday 17 June that the public service compensation granted since 2009 to Sicilia Regionale Marittima S.p.A. (Siremar) and Toscana Regionale Marittima S.p.A. (Toremar) for the operation of ferry services in Italy was in line with EU State aid rules. The same applies to the compensation granted to their purchasers, Società Navigazione Siciliana (SNS), since 2016, and Moby S.p.A (Moby), since 2012.
However, the Commission found that certain other measures in favour of Siremar, currently in liquidation, and SNS were incompatible with these same rules.
Italy must now recover approximately €1.9 million in unlawful aid, including interest. The amount to be recovered is €1.7 million for SNS and €200,000 for Siremar.
The Commission also found that there was no economic continuity between Siremar and SNS, so the obligation to repay the €200,000 will not be transferred to SNS.
Following a number of complaints, the Commission opened an in-depth investigation in October 2011 into several aid measures in favour of companies of the former Tirrenia group and their respective purchasers. The Commission was concerned that these measures may have given these companies an unfair competitive advantage over their competitors, in violation of EU State aid rules. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)