COUNCIL LEADER WELCOMES EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S FERRY RULING

Argyll and Bute Council Leader, Councillor Dick Walsh, has welcomed today’s European Commission ruling on the public financing of ferry shipping services in Scotland.

The Commission has found that public financing for the operation of ferry services in Scotland is compatible with state aid rules.

However, this decision is subject to the condition that national authorities launch a transparent and non-discriminatory public tender for the operation of the Gourock-Dunoon route.

“This is something over which I have personally campaigned for 10 years, so I am obviously delighted with the outcome of the investigation,” Councillor Walsh said.

“This is a victory not just for common sense but for Argyll and Bute as a whole - and in particular for those people who live in, work in or visit the Cowal peninsula.

“Argyll and Bute Council has long argued that it is competent within the European state aid rules to tender the Gourock-Dunoon route for vehicles and passengers in a transparent, non-discriminatory way.

“I have personally driven the discussions on this issue – visiting the European Commission on two occasions to press home the competence of developing a tender for the route, as well as being instrumental in the Commission coming to Scotland last year.

“The communities in both Cowal and Inverclyde have been awaiting an outcome which will enable the town centre to town centre service to continue.

“It is my hope that this positive news will be embraced by all within our community, and that together we can go forward and progress our discussions for the long term benefit of all concerned.

“We can now continue to develop our tripartite arrangements with our colleagues at Inverclyde Council and with Scottish Government to prepare the way and the detail for this transparent non-discriminatory public tender.”

The European Commission’s full statement can be accessed at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1598&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en