The Court of Appeal has dismissed the judgment rendered by the District Court of Helsinki on the 27 February 2015 regarding the dispute between Finnlines Plc and the State of Finland. The Court of Appeal sees that the claims of Finnlines have expired. The Company considers requesting for a right to appeal from the Supreme Court, the company said in its press release.
According to Finnlines Plc the Finnish Act on Fairway Dues in force until 1 January 2006 has contained provisions which according to EU law were discriminatory. Finnlines has been charged excessive fairway dues during 2001-2004. Helsinki District Court ordered State of Finland to refund to Finnlines Plc, as plaintiffs, the fairway dues, charged in excessive extent in the years 2001-2004 totalling about EUR 17.0 million including interest.
About Finnlines
Finnlines is a leading shipping operator of ro-ro and passenger services in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Finnlines is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd and is a part of the Grimaldi Group, one of the world’s largest operators of ro-ro vessels and the largest operator of the Motorways of the Sea in Europe for both passengers and freight. This affiliation enables Finnlines to offer liner services to and from any destination in the Mediterranean, North Europe, West Africa as well as the Atlantic coast of both North and South America.