Brussels, 17/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has authorised Italy to grant aid to five companies of the Tirrenia group operating on the maritime freight and passenger cabotage market, in Italy and on various national routes, as it feels that these fulfil public service obligations, for which public aid is authorised. In the future, however, Italy will have to provide separate accounts for each line in question (Adriatica, Caremar, Saremar, Siremar and Toremar). The Commission considered that although these annual subsidies give the companies that receive them advantages over their competitors, they respect article 86§2 of the Treaty (which states that companies carrying out services of general interest are subject to competition rules), and the criteria developed in the communication of 17 January 2004 on State aid to maritime transport. The Commission also verified that the money paid corresponded strictly to taxation on public service obligations. These companies carry out regular services in maritime transport for goods and passengers, to and from minor Italian islands, and thus respond to the mobility needs of local populations, and the social and economic development of these regions. However, aid to Adriatica, for the line connecting Greece and Italy for the period from January 1992 to July 1994 were declared incompatible, and must be repaid.