State aid for private investment in port infrastructure

Private port operators will receive financial support of approximately 24 million euros (118.6 million lei) according to the decision of the European Commission, which approved on Friday an aid scheme notified by the Bucharest authorities. The funding will be used to support investments in sea and inland ports in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine, according to a statement from the Community Executive. Aid will be awarded under the scheme in the form of direct grants of limited value. The measure, partially financed by cohesion funds, will support private port operators to improve the operation of Ukraine-EU solidarity lanes.

The aim of the measure is to address the deficiencies related to the capacity of the port superstructure, inter alia regarding the purchase of equipment for the transport of goods over short distances and the expansion of temporary storage capacities. It will also facilitate grain transport and transit through Romanian ports, which need urgent support to cope with the growing flows of goods traffic.

The scheme was approved under the Temporary Crisis and Transitional State Aid Framework adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors that are key to accelerating the green transition and reducing fuel dependency. The new framework partly modifies and extends the temporary crisis framework adopted on 23 March 2022 to allow Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis; it has already been amended on 20 July 2022 and 28 October 2022.

The Commission found that the aid scheme notified by Romania meets the conditions set out in the temporary crisis and transition framework. In particular, the aid will not exceed two million euros per beneficiary and will be granted until December 31, 2023.

The officials of the European Commission have concluded that the support scheme requested by the Government is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance to the economy of a Member State, in accordance with Article 107 paragraph (3) letter (b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and with the conditions provided for in the temporary crisis and transition framework.