Brussels, 22/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 21 April, the European Commission decided not to raise any objections to the British aid programme Waterborne Freight Grant (WFG). Under this programme, subsidies will be granted to any company located in the EU or in the European Economic Area that uses new or existing short distance maritime or inland waterborne transport services, as long as these services present valid and quantifiable environmental advantages for the United Kingdom, and that the companies in question undertake to carry by waterborne means given quantities of goods each year. The new programme completes the existing Freight Facilities Grant (FFG). Aid will be limited to 30% of the total operating costs during three years at most, after which the projects should be viable. Before granting aid, verification of the viability of projects on the basis of the results of a feasibility study and an undertaking plan will be carried out. Projects for which aid is requested will also be submitted to assessment from the angle of negative impact on competition, such as the deviation of traffic to the detriment of neighbouring ports or other forms of transport. The programme will run for six years. During the first three years, FFG and WFG will have an annual budget of around ¨£20 million. The budget for the six-year period is estimated at £60 million. The Commission considered that the programme envisaged is compatible with competition law. It believes the measure proposed is compatible with the goals of combating congestion and development of intermodality set out in the 2001 White Paper on transport policy. Promotion of other means of environmentally-friendly transport where there are unused capacitites such as coastal maritime or short distance transport, is part of this policy.