Poland goes back to drawing board
Polish shipbuilding leaders have started to revise the yard restructure proposal that was deemed to be “insufficient” last week by the European competition commissioner Neelie Kroes. Among the major amendments to be made is a significant reduction in output. Poland suggested a 30% cut to output estimated to be 900,000 compensated gross tons, but Kroes wants the level to be the real output – 500,000 cgt in 2006 – and deeper than 30%. Kroes told Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski last week that his country could not be viewed as an exception to the EC’s tough stance on public support for state industries, although a spokesman later said she “understands the sensitivity and complexity of the Polish case”. The long-drawn-out privatisation process is clearly frustrating Brussels; Gdynia Shipyard’s mid-2007 privatisation is almost certain to be further delayed, but Warsaw is adamant than none of the three larger builders – Gdynia, Gdansk and Szczecin – will be closed. Meanwhile Polish ministers are making no comment on developments, nervously reiterating the stance that “the process is underway”. Commissioner Kroes is expected to meet Polish finance minister Piotr Wozniak on 7 May.