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Brussels to probe Antwerp terminal operators

[ January 15, 2016   //   ]

The European Commission has opened an inquiry into whether reductions in compensation payments granted by the Port of Antwerp to two container terminal operators gave them an undue advantage over competitors, in breach of EU state aid rules.
The concession agreements for the PSA Antwerp and Antwerp Gateway container terminal operators included a requirement that a minimum amount of containers must be handled in the port every year but neither operator reached these levels between 2009 and 2012. Under the agreements, they were supposed to pay compensation to the Authority but,, in March 2013 the Antwerp Port Authority retroactively revised the minimum tonnage requirements downwards, reducing the amount of compensation to be paid by the operators by around 80%).
Following a complaint from a competitor, the Commission has opened an investigation.

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