By
Rebecca Gibson |
P&O Ferries has said that it will complain directly to the European Commission if the French government steps in to save troubled operator SeaFrance.
According to reports French president Nicholas Sarkozy is trying to prevent the firm from being wound up at a court hearing today (3 Jan), backing a plan to turn the company into a co-operative.
Thierry Mariani, the French transport minister, was quoted in The Times as saying that the government was prepared to back the trade union proposed co-operative which has so far raised just €12 million of the €40-50 million required.
However a P&O Ferries spokesman said: “If there is any suggestion that the French state will continue to support this company, we will lodge an immediate complaint with Brussels and we will pursue that complaint most vigorously.”
SeaFrance owner SNCF had tried to save the operator with a €223 million recapitalisation last summer, but the package, which included a €100 million state loan, was rejected in October on competition grounds by the European Commission.