Brussels, 23/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - In response to an article in the Handelsblatt, Tilman Lüder, the spokesperson for the Competition Commissioner, denied that Mario Monti "detested" the shipbuilding industry. On the contrary, the temporary defence mechanism adopted by the EU to offset the impact of unfair practice by South Korean shipyards is the result of a proposal by Mario Monti, he recalled, noting with some irony that it would be surprising if the Commissioner were to take such an initiative in favour of a sector that he hated. Mr Lüder pointed out, moreover, that Mr Monti was concerned about the competition distortion entailed by State guarantees in the EU shipbuilding sector, granted by some Member States and not by others, thus allowing more favourable financing conditions to be enjoyed by those who benefit from such guarantees. He recalled that, for two years now, the Commission has been negotiating with the German authorities on these guarantees, and specified that the Commission would not be hostile toward a compromise on this issue. The Commission would therefore envisage payment of a variable premium the amount of which would be determined according to the risk taken by the ship owner or by the entity chartering the vessel (the risk being determined by the kind of vessel - a "high tech" vessel, for example, presents a low commercial risk because it is in high demand on the market). Mr Lüder also specified that, given the time negotiations are taking with Germany, the Commission may, for "legal reasons", have to open infringement procedure (in parallel to this procedure, it would seek a compromise with Germany).