Ayuda estatal — Reino Unido — Ayuda estatal C 16/08 (ex NN 35/07 y NN 105/05) — Subvenciones a CalMac y NorthLink para servicios de transporte marítimo en Escocia — Invitación a presentar observaciones en aplicación del artículo 88, apartado 2, del Tratado CE (1)

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PROCEDIMIENTOS RELATIVOS A LA APLICACIÓN DE LA POLÍTICA DE COMPETENCIA

COMISIÓN

AYUDA ESTATAL - REINO UNIDO

Ayuda estatal C 16/08 (ex NN 35/07 y NN 105/05) - Subvenciones a CalMac y NorthLink para servicios de transporte marítimo en Escocia

Invitación a presentar observaciones en aplicación del artículo 88, apartado 2, del Tratado CE

(Texto pertinente a efectos del EEE)

(2008/C 126/07)

Por carta de fecha 16 de abril de 2008, reproducida en la versión lingüística auténtica en las páginas siguientes al presente resumen, la Comisión notificó al Reino Unido su decisión de incoar el procedimiento previsto en el artículo 88, apartado 2, del Tratado CE en relación con la ayuda antes citada.

Los interesados podrán presentar sus observaciones en un plazo de un mes a partir de la fecha de publicación del presente resumen y de la carta siguiente, enviándolas a:

Comisión Europea

Dirección General de Energía y Transportes Dirección A - Unidad 2 B-1049 Bruselas Fax (32-2) 296 41 04

Dichas observaciones serán comunicadas al Reino Unido. Los interesados que presenten observaciones podrán solicitar por escrito, exponiendo los motivos de su solicitud, que su identidad sea tratada de forma confidencial.

TEXTO DEL RESUMEN

  1. El Ministerio para Escocia (Scottish Office) y, desde la transferencia de 1999, el Gobierno escocés (Scottish Executive), han concedido durante una serie de años subvenciones significativas y condiciones financieras favorables a sus empresas navieras CalMac y NorthLink para la prestación de servicios de transbordador en trayectos entre la Escocia continental y, respectivamente, las Hébridas y las Islas del Norte, que tienen en conjunto unos 85 000 habitantes. NorthLink 1 fue una empresa filial de CalMac hasta 2006 y NorthLink 2, que absorbió los activos de NorthLink 1, es propiedad directa del Gobierno escocés.

  2. La Comisión ha recibido diversas denuncias e intervenciones de partes interesadas según las cuales las ayudas estatales a estas dos empresas públicas son ilegales e injustas y van en detrimento de la posición competitiva de las empresas privadas que operan en los trayectos afectados o en parte de ellos.

  3. Ambas empresas están recibiendo una cantidad creciente de subvenciones públicas del Gobierno escocés para el funcionamiento de servicios de transbordador en los trayectos mencionados. Según la información disponible, la cantidad de dinero público concedido a ambas empresas es en la actualidad de más de 75 millones de GBP al año.

  4. Con respecto a las subvenciones concedidas a CalMac, NorthLink 1 y NorthLink 2, la Comisión se pregunta si estas subvenciones corresponden a obligaciones de servicio público adecuadamente definidas a efectos de lo dispuesto en la legislación comunitaria, y duda acerca de si la compensación consiguiente es compatible con el mercado común.

  5. En conclusión, la Comisión tiene dudas acerca de la compatibilidad con el mercado común de los pagos concedidos por el Gobierno de Escocia a las empresas navieras, según se resume en los cuadros 1 y 3 de la Decisión.

TEXTO DE LA CARTA

1. PROCEDURE

1. By letter of 19 December 2003 (1), the UK authorities informed the Commission of the steps that the Scottish Executive intended to take in order to bring Scottish ferry services "into line with [their] understanding of the European rules in relation to maritime State aids".

2. By letters of 19 April and 30 June 2004 (2), the UK authorities informed the Commission of the intention of the Scottish Executive to put to tender a contract aiming at supporting respectively car and passenger traffic on routes to the Northern Isles and passenger traffic between Gourock and Dunoon.

3. Since then the ferry companies NorthLink and CalMac were the subject of several letters from Members of the European Parliament and third parties raising questions about possible illegal and incompatible State aid which would have been granted to these two companies. Following these letters, and several complaints by third parties on the same topic, the Commission sent requests of information to the UK authorities to which answers were provided.

2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FACTS

4. The CalMac and NorthLink cases are related. NorthLink was a subsidiary of CalMac until 2006. Both cases are therefore being examined together in the present Commission Decision.

5. Based on the information given by the UK authorities and by plaintiffs, the Commission is able to establish the following facts.

(1) Registered under Reference TREN(2003) A/38572. (2) Registered under References TREN(2004) A/18803 and 26209.

2.1. Western Scotland

2.1.1. Maritime routes

6. The existing routes in Western Scotland are set out below in Map 1:

Map 1

Maritime routes operated by CalMac in Western Scotland

2.1.2. The operators

2.1.2.1. CalMac: historical background

7. Between 1990 and 2006 Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd had been a ferry company wholly owned by the State under the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland, and, after devolution in 1999, by the Scottish Executive.

Chart 1

Pre-2006 structure of ownership (based on the information at the disposal of the Commission)

Source: European Commission based on information granted by the UK authorities

8. In October 2006 Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd was restructured to separate the vessel and shore asset ownership role from the ferry operating role. The new structure is shown in Chart 2 below.

9. The ferry service operations were transferred to two new companies, CalMac Ferries Ltd and Cowal Ferries Ltd, which were created as two wholly-owned subsidiaries of David MacBrayne Ltd. The latter was previously a dormant company 100 %-owned by the Scottish Executive.

10. CalMac Ferries Ltd took over the services to the Hebrides, along with two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing (Guernsey) Ltd and Caledonian MacBrayne HR (UK) Ltd, which employ respectively embarked and shore-based personnel.

11. Cowal Ferries Ltd took over the services on the Clyde. Cowal Ferries Ltd was intended to participate in an upcoming tender on a future public service contract for the route concerned.

12. In parallel, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (hereinafter CMAL), retained ownership of the vessels and piers that are used for the operation of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

13. Under the new arrangements, CMAL leases the vessels and piers to the CalMac Ferries Ltd and Cowal Ferries Ltd. It also owns and operates the port facilities in nearly half of 50 destinations that the latter serve. CMAL is wholly and directly owned by the Scottish Executive.

Chart 2

Current structure of ownership (based on the information at the disposal of the Commission)

Source: European Commission based on information provided by the UK authorities

14. CalMac Ferries Ltd at present charters a fleet of 29 vessels from CMAL to provide passenger, vehicle and shipping services to the islands off the West Coast of Scotland and in the Clyde estuary. Two other vessels are retained on separate charters. The restructuring did not lead to any alteration in ships' livery or branding.

15. The Commission understands that Cowal Ferries Ltd also charters its three vessels from CMAL.

16. Furthermore, the Commission understands that, whether for CalMac Ferries Ltd or for Cowal Ferries Ltd, the restructuring did not lead to any alteration in ships' livery or branding.

17. At this stage of the investigation, the Commission is not in a position to exclude that there may be continuity between Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd and the various above-described companies.

18. Therefore, in the following, the term "CalMac" is used to cover, for the period prior to the restructuring, Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd and, for the period posterior to the restructuring CalMac Ferries Ltd, Cowal Ferries Ltd, CMAL, Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing (Guernsey) Ltd and Caledonian MacBrayne HR (UK) Ltd. This is however without prejudice to the conclusion the Commission may reach on the basis of further information acquired in the course of the present procedure. The Commission notes in particular that CMAL is a separate company from CalMac Ferries Ltd and Cowal Ferries Limited, with whom it merely shares a common shareholder and has a trading relationship.

19. There are currently 26 routes within the network served by CalMac. As regards only CalMac Ferries Ltd, in the year ended on 31 March 2006, it transported 5,3 million passengers, 1,1 million cars, 94 000 commercial vehicles and 14 000 coaches on these routes.

20. CalMac has virtually no competition on the routes it serves. Its sole competitor, Western Ferries, operates only on the Clyde estuary between Gourock, situated on the Upper Firth of Clyde, and Dunoon, located on the Cowal peninsula of Scotland as illustrated on Map 2.

Map 2

Maritime routes on the Clyde estuary

2.1.2.2. Western Ferries

21. Western Ferries only operates the route between Gourock and Dunoon.

2.1.3. Public Service

2.1.3.1. Historical background

22. The general framework for financial support for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services until September 2007 was provided by contracts named "undertakings" and signed between the Scottish Office/Executive and CalMac, under the Highlands and Islands Shipping Services Act 1960, as modified by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 and the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005.

23. The most recent undertaking (3) between the Scottish Office and CalMac (hereinafter "the Undertaking") was approved by the United Kingdom Parliament in 1995 and signed shortly thereafter. Pursuant to the Undertaking, the Scottish Office/Executive committed to grant subsidies to CalMac by way of revenue and/or capital grants for maintaining or improving sea transport services to the Highlands and Islands. This was done to support the so called "approved services" that, in the opinion of the Scottish Office/Executive, were necessary to maintain or improve the economic or social...

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