Poland gets nod from EU

The European Commission has given Poland permission to grant state aid to shipbuilders in order to improve its competitiveness against South Korean shipyards. Under the so-called ‘temporary defence mechanism’ which the EU introduced to protect its industry from low cost Korean newbuildings, Poland will be allowed to give aid to struggling shipbuilders especially in Gda?sk, Gdynia and Szczecin, worth up to 6% of the value of the yards’ contracts.

The EU considers Korean subsidies to its ship production illegal and The Netherlands, Italy, France, Denmark, Spain and Germany already aid their own shipyards.