On 23 February, the European Commission opened a formal investigation into five contracts awarded by France to Corsica Linea and La Méridionale for the provision of maritime transport services for passengers and freight between Marseille and five Corsican ports for the period 2023-2030. France notified the Commission of the compensation to Corsica Linea and La Méridionale of EUR 853,6 million for the provision of these services.
The Commission considers that additional information is necessary to determine whether the public compensation paid to Corsica Linea and La Méridionale is in line with EU State aid rules, and in particular with the rules applicable to Services of General Economic Interest (‘SGEI’).
Among others, the Commission will investigate (i) whether the inclusion of transport of towed freight and truck drivers in the contracts is justified,(ii) whether the volume of freight traffic to be transported exceeds the public service need identified by the French authorities and (iii) whether the award procedure complied with the EU public procurement rules.
Interested parties can submit comments to DG Competition regarding this compensation.
The Commission’s press release is available here