Europese Commissie: staatssteun voor Deens vervoerbedrijf ontoelaatbaar (en)
IP/09/1126
Brussels, 13 July 2009
Commission declares state aid awarded to the Danish transport company Combus incompatible with the common market
The European Commission today ruled that aid awarded by the Danish government to the Combus company is not compatible with the common market. Between 1999 and 2001 Combus A/S received two capital injections amounting to a total of DKK 471.8 million (EUR 63.7 million) as part of a restructuring operation.
Following an in-depth examination initiated in March 2005 (see IP/05/233 ), the European Commission concluded that the aid awarded by Denmark to the public bus transport company Combus A/S constituted state aid under EC Treaty state aid rules. This aid is incompatible with the common market and is to be recovered from the company which received it.
In March 2005 the Commission decided to open an investigation procedure following the Court of First Instance's March 2004 annulment 1 of its previous decision of March 2001 2 in which it had declared these capital injections compatible with Community law.
Judgment of the Court of First Instance of 16 March 2004, Danske Busvognmænd/Commission, Case T-157/01 (ECR 2004, p. II-917).
European Commission Decision of 28 March 2001 SG(2001) D/287 297.