EU Commission Applauds Greece’s Maritime Policy Reforms

Brussels (Eurotoday) – The EU Commission welcomed Greece’s pledge to bring its tonnage tax scheme in adherence with EU state aid regulations.

According to the European Commission, Greece has accepted the appropriate steps presented by the Commission to bring the existing Greek tonnage tax scheme and related efforts into compliance with State aid rules. The measures had been submitted by Greece to back the shipping sector.

As reported by the EU Commission, it acknowledges the significance of maintaining a competitive maritime transport sector in the EU. EU State aid rules specify common rules on how Member States can keep maritime transport providers, without unduly deforming competition in the Single Market. The Maritime Guidelines allow Member States to tax shipping businesses based on tonnage rather than actual earnings, among other things.

Why did the EU propose reforms to Greek tax laws?

In December 2015, the EU Commission sent a set of proposals to Greece to ensure that State support to the maritime sector in Greece yields with EU State aid rules, in particular the Maritime Guidelines. The Commission had situations in the Greek tonnage tax scheme and related actions were not well targeted in terms of scope and beneficiaries. Since the efforts have already been in place since 1975, before Greece joined the EU, these efforts are “existing aid” and are subject to a specific collaboration procedure.

In light of the ongoing exchange with the Greek authorities, the Commission settled on 6 November 2024 to partially amend the proposal of December 2015 as regards certain tax benefits linking to dividends and capital gains of shipping companies, as well as the function of various types of vessels, while maintaining its estimate that these measures are incompatible with the internal market. In addition, the Commission no longer deemed it expedient to propose appropriate actions with the inheritance tax exemption.

The Greek government in November 2024, accepted the proposed suitable measures. Finally, the Commission formally records the approval of the proposed appropriate measures by Greece and brings the collaboration procedure to an end.