Brussels (Belgium), November 26, 2024 (AFP) – The European Commission approved on Tuesday the state aid granted by the French authorities to Corsica Linea and La Méridionale, two ferry companies providing passenger and freight services between Marseille and Corsica.
« After a thorough investigation, the Commission concluded that the measures were in line with EU state aid rules, » announced the European executive, which ensures compliance with free competition within the EU.
« The contributions from France and the interested parties clarified the issues initially raised by the Commission, » it added in a statement.
At the heart of the case is a so-called « public service compensation » support amounting to €853.6 million granted to Corsica Linea and La Méridionale, covering the Corsica service for the period 2023-2030.
Under the subsidized maritime public service, these two companies have shared, since January 2023, individually or in coordination, the five routes between the Mediterranean island (ports of Ajaccio, Bastia, Propriano, L’Île-Rousse, Porto-Vecchio) and Marseille.
In February, the European Commission announced the launch of an in-depth investigation into this public aid.
The investigation was primarily to check « whether including the transport of towed goods and truck drivers in the contracts was justified by a public service need, given the already existing commercial offer on the market by Corsica Ferries from Toulon, a neighboring port to Marseille. »
The investigation announced on February 23 by Brussels followed new complaints filed by Corsica Ferries with the European Commission in the spring of 2023.
A legal dispute has been ongoing for years between this Italian-flagged ferry company (a leader in passenger transport between Corsica and the mainland) and the Collectivité de Corse.
Ultimately, the European Commission concluded that, given the volume of freight to be transported between Corsica and the mainland, the support for La Méridionale and Corsica Linea was not likely to distort the market in their favor and to the detriment of Corsica Ferries.
« These volumes transported by the companies under public service contracts are clearly not disproportionate, » the Commission emphasized on Tuesday.
Corsica Linea welcomed Brussels’ approval of the public aid, seeing it as a way to « stabilize the maritime public service between Corsica and Marseille. »
« This is excellent news (which) secures and strengthens the public service delegation framework for the maritime service to Corsica. It also further solidifies Marseille as the freight port hub for Corsica, » the company said in a statement.
Source: marine oceans
