News / French and Belgian corporation tax exemption for ports must end, rules EC

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The European Commission has told the French and Belgian governments they must end the corporation tax-exemption for their major ports, as it breaches state aid rules.

The EC’s competition commission said the French and Belgian policy of not levying corporation tax on profits at ports such as Antwerp, Marseilles, Le Havre and Dunkirk distorts competition in the sector.

An EC investigation found that Belgian ports were “subject to a different tax regime, with a different taxable base and tax rates, resulting in an overall lower level of ...