Brussels, 11/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 10 March the European Commission authorised a series of state aids to transport. This authorisation extends a Belgian state aid scheme to combined rail/road transport and authorises the Dutch authorities to introduce tax reductions to help maritime companies.
Belgian beneficiaries will be combined goods transport operators using rail, who can now be compensated on the one hand for spending linked to combined transport infrastructure that road transport cannot use (particularly transhipments) and on the other hand, for compensating part of the difference in external rail and road costs. The measure will enter into force for four years and has a budget of €25 million a year with subsidies for operators using at least 51 kilometres of rail transport. This system extends the system already authorised by the Commission in 2005 but also introduces aid to start up new international combined transport services. Combined transport operators benefiting from subsidies should pass on the benefits to customers. In a similar way, the Commission authorised the German state aid system which intends to encourage the development of combined transport. The maximum aid intensity is up to 85% of costs and will be granted for the construction and extension of terminals of combined transport, and the purchase of loading equipment for transhipment. The scheme will be in place until 31 December 2011 with a budget of €115 million annually. The European Commission also approved a Czech aid scheme benefiting transport undertakings that carry out public services in the most deprived areas of the country: Jihovýchod, Jihozápad, Moravskoslezsko, Severozápad, Severovýchod, Støední Èechy and Støední Morava. The state aid scheme for 2009-11 aims at facilitating the acquisition and modernisation of buses, trams, trolleybuses, rail rolling stock and other vehicles. Grants will also cover the installation of information and ticketing systems, addressing access to people with reduced mobility as well as technical evaluations to meet the latest emission standards.
The European Commission also authorised the changes the Dutch plan to make to their tonnage tax scheme for maritime transport companies. This means shipping companies will not pay company tax but a flat-rate tax based on the tonnage of their fleet instead. The Dutch authorities notified their intention to introduce two changes in their tonnage tax scheme. The first one relates to large vessels exceeding 50,000 net tonnes, for which they propose to apply a much lower tax base of €0.5 per day per 1000 net tonnes. The second change concerns ship management companies, for which the Dutch authorities propose to lower the tonnage tax base by 75%. The planned reduction aims to offset the lack of incentives for such companies to develop their activities in the Community. The amendments may be applied as from 1 January 2009. (A.By./transl.rh)