Audible response
DK consultation on state aid - block exemption (GBER)
Danish Ports has read with interest the European Commission's draft amendment to the Block Exemption Regulation with a common interpretation of when state aid in connection with ports is exempt from the general state aid rules. The proposal is of interest because commercial ports are an important part of Denmark's overall infrastructure, and with the right form and clarity, the proposal can curb the Danish authorities' over-cautiousness in state aid infrastructure investments. Danish Ports believes that the exact content of the proposal should be examined further to ensure a sensible implementation and consistency with practice:
- The proposal must not prevent current and possible future financing schemes for port infrastructure development in relation to Danish practice. For example, the Ministry of Business and Growth should consider the possibility of municipal guarantees for public ports,
- consistency between the proposal's definitions and existing EU legislation, especially for ports and infrastructure types,
- that general service interests (SGEI) should be included in the proposal, that it is defined what this covers in relation to Danish commercial ports,
- Maintenance and dredging are integral parts of port infrastructure. The state has certain dredging obligations in, for example, transit waters. It should be just as natural for the state to maintain and expand both the blue roads at sea and the gray roads on land, as this is in line with equal framework conditions for all modes of transport,
- it is necessary to invest in alternative fuel infrastructure and stricter requirements for environmentally friendly transport solutions. Therefore, it should be possible to support these parts to the extent that it leads to innovation and new thinking,
- that the proposal does not open up for much more government support and speculation in loss-making activities,
- the proposal has the right coherence with existing legislation and EU strategy.
Read the Danish Consultation Response here Read the European Commission's proposal here For more information, contact Bjarne Løf Henriksen, Business Policy Consultant