Brussels, 11/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the European Commission decided to open an official investigation into the aid to maritime transport granted to tugging operations carried out by Dutch tugboats on waterways and in ports. This aid does not enter into the framework of the 1997 Community guidelines on State aid to maritime transport and could thus prove to be incompatible with the functioning of the single market.
After having consulted the Member States, the Commission had adopted, in 1997, Community guidelines on State aid to maritime transport and the Dutch authorities accepted to modify their aid systems to conform. All the aid to maritime transport not authorised by the Commission granted at a later date is thus considered as a new aid capable of being the object of an investigation procedure. As the 1997 guidelines do not concern inland waterways or ports, the Commission undertook an examination of the aids to tugging operations by Dutch companies in these zones, to judge their compatibility with the single market. This preliminary examination having raised a few doubts, it decided to open an investigation procedure. Furthermore, in order to limit the damage, which could result from the granting of these aids for competing companies, it invited the Dutch authorities to suspend the payment of aids until its has been enlightened over this issue.