Brussels, 21/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission estimated that aid paid by Italy to the maritime company Tirrenia di Navigazione from 1990 to the end of 2000 could be authorised in compensation for its public service obligations on regular links between Sicily and Sardinia. Nonetheless, in order to take into account developments on the market effected by cabotage liberalisation since 1 January 199ç and the recent arrival of new operators, the compensation paid to this company from 1 January 2001 will be limited to covering the deficit recorded for the provision of services corresponding to commitments made by Italy for the period 2000-2004. The latter provide for Tirrenia di Navigazione's offer of services to be reduced in order to leave more place for the other operators on commercially profitable lines. In addition, the public service obligations of Tirrenia di Navigazione for the period of 2005-2008 should be notified to the Commission in advance. It should be noted that this decision only concerns Tirrenia di Navigazione. In August 1999, the Commission opened review procedure against aid paid to the five other companies in the Tirrenia group (Adriatica, Caremar, Saremar, Siremar and Toremar) in the context of public service conventions concluded in 1991 for a duration of twenty days.