State aid - Shipbuilding - Operating aid linked to contracts for ships - Application for extension of ship delivery limit under Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1540/98 - Causal link between the exceptional event and the delay.

Judgment of the Court of First Instance (Eighth Chamber) of 12 November 2008 – Cantieri Navali Termoli v Commission (Case T-70/07) State aid – Shipbuilding – Operating aid linked to contracts for ships – Application for extension of ship delivery limit under Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1540/98 – Causal link between the exceptional event and the delay 1.                     Actions for annulment – Grounds – Lack of or inadequate statement of reasons – Distinguished from manifest error of assessment (Art. 253 EC) (see para. 37) 2.                     State aid – Not allowed – Exceptions – Shipbuilding aid (Council Regulation No 1540/98, Art. 3(2)) (see paras 53-58) Re: ACTION for annulment of Commission Decision 2006/948/EC of 4 July 2006 on State aid which Italy plans to implement for Cantieri Navali Termoli SpA (OJ 2006 L 383, p. 53). Operative part: The Court: 1. Dismisses the action; 2. Orders Cantieri Navali Termoli SpA to pay the costs.