Press Release: State aid: Commission prolongs specific state aid rules for shipbuilding

The European Commission has decided to prolong the Framework on state aid rules for shipbuilding by two years, until 31 December 2008. The current Framework, which came into force at the beginning of 2004 (see IP/03/1607) and is due to expire on 31 December 2006, takes into account the characteristics of the shipbuilding industry, including provisions about the use of aid for innovation which are unique in EU state aid law. Given the limited period of application of these rules, the Commission wants to acquire more experience before deciding on the future of these rules.