BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission started an in-depth investigation if Danish and Swedish public money for the Oresund fixed railroad link was in line with EU State aid rules after an EU court annulled the Commission's decision approving the support.
"The Commission already approved State aid for the building and operating of the link in 2014 but the Court annulled this decision, finding that the Commission should have opened an in-depth investigation," EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.
"Today's opening of such an investigation is an invitation for all stakeholders to provide their input, which will allow the Commission to adopt a new, well-informed final decision," she said.
The Oresund fixed rail-road link consists of n a toll-funded 16 kilometres long bridge, an artificial island and a tunnel for road and railway traffic from the Swedish coast to the Danish island of Amager.
It is the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe and connects Copenhagen to the Swedish city of Malmo.
The link was built between 1995 and 2000 and has been in operation since June 2000. It is operated by a consortium formed by Danish and Swedish governments with state guarantees for loans to build the project.
(Reporting By Jan Strupczewski)