A little over 12 million kroner has been returned to the Danish state treasury after a prolonged process concerning illegal tax benefits related to the financing of the Øresund Link.
The co-owner of the Øresund Link, A/S Øresund, has received illegal tax discounts from the Danish state at various times and has now repaid a substantial amount.
Paid in June
Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V) stated in a response to the Transport Committee that the amount, including interest, totals exactly 12,191,723 kroner. It was paid by A/S Øresund on June 10th.
– The European Commission had previously approved the calculation method and the calculated amount, wrote the Transport Minister.
The EU Commission ruled in February that Denmark should demand the repayment of an amount for the tax discounts.
The media outlet MobilityWatch has reported that the issue concerns the scheme regarding A/S Øresund’s depreciation of assets and carryforward of tax losses. This scheme has, at times, been at odds with the EU’s state aid rules.
Long and complicated Process
The Commission’s decision in February followed a long and complicated process with various rulings back and forth.
In 2018, the court annulled the approval of state guarantees related to the Øresund Link after a complaint from HH Ferries, now called ForSea, which operates between Helsingør and Helsingborg.
Subsequently, at the initiative of Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, the EU Commission launched a deeper investigation into the financing.
In February of this year, the Commission found that the funds had to be repaid.
The Øresund Link has been in use since July 2000 and connects Denmark and Sweden from Amager to Skåne.
/ritzau/
