Otherwise a conviction would have already made

A respite, or even more. On tenterhooks for two months, the main users of the interest group (GIE) economic tax (shipowners, railway and aviation manufacturers and their bankers-arrangers) come to obtain a stay. This device, approved by the French Treasury to finance the purchase of heavy equipment leasing while receiving a tax saving is in the interest of the European Commission for several months.

Brussels plans to claim a refund of tax rebates under the scheme of State aid. However, at the end of a meeting at the beginning of week between shipowners and the cabinet of Neelie Kroes, Commissioner for competition, it seems that no decision be taken before the next re-entry.

"Death sentence".

The record would still be in the hands of this direction, and would not yet submitted for agreement to transport and energy management. And it will still have to await that decision gather the approval of the directors of offices of the Commissioners and is then proposed to the College of Commissioners.

In view of the status of the record, still so perhaps a bit of flexibility. Professionals are in any case fire all wood to mobilize policy. Shipowners have written there are about ten days to the French Ministers of transport, finance and the Budget to raise again.

If the European Commission, which criticizes the France of not him having notified this tax device support for heavy investments granted under the approval of the Government, requesting a refund of the tax savings, the impact would be important. Since the establishment of the mechanism in 1998, Bercy has validated for more than 4 billion euros in investments, which would be more than 600 million euros in tax savings, if we wanted to extrapolated elements in the number of files and figures of the maritime sector. For this sector alone, which was more than 80 of the records registered by the Government, the addition would be over $ 500 million. "But it is the bottom of the range!" says Yves Perrin, President of owners of France.

In their letter to various Ministers, shipowners have thus warned that many of them would not have the means pay "invested in vessels and seagoing personnel salaries" tax cuts: "This would sign their death sentence," said Yves Perrin.

"Legitimate expectations".

However the shipowners, reminds shipowners of France President, eight years "in good faith and legitimate expectations" use this device set up to replace the number system approved by Brussels. "It is one thing that the France be condemned for a lack of information from Brussels on the device, it is another to condemn the final beneficiaries," said Yves Perrin.

A compromise seems possible. At the end of their meeting with the cabinet of Neelie Kroes, the owners want to believe that the distinction between the legal dimensions and the economic dimension of the file has been understood. "It seems to us that the Directorate-General of the competition distinguishes both." And we also understand that Brussels regarded this issue as complex, said Yves Perrin. Otherwise a conviction would have already made.