Liverpool has won its fight with Southampton over European funding for the city’s cruise terminal.
EU officials have ruled that the £17.8m of public funding granted for the building of the Liverpool cruise terminal, which opened in 2007, is in line with state aid rules.
The council have already agreed to pay back £8.8m of a £9.2m government grant, after the handout from the Department of Transport (DfT) was deemed to breach rules on State Aid.
The move was deemed necessary once Liverpool decided to commence hosting turnaround cruises, starting and finishing from the Pier Head.
It is not expected that the EU decision will enable Liverpool to reclaim the money from the DfT.
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: “We were confident of our position and are disappointed that the biggest UK cruise liner port felt it necessary to ask the European Commission to investigate, especially as the Port of Southampton has benefitted from public investment in infrastructure which has enabled it to grow to its current position.”
