Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, on behalf of the European Commission, has defended the closure of an investigation into the sale of shares in Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA) to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), stating that market information did not provide sufficient grounds to show unlawful state aid. The answer, given on 26 June 2026, responds to a parliamentary question from MEP Fabio De Masi (NI), who had pressed the Commission on why it closed the case without a formal decision and whether it was aware that the City of Hamburg had not obtained an independent valuation or conducted a competitive tender before the sale.
Ribera confirmed that the Commission is aware of the lack of an independent evaluation and competitive tender, but stressed that these factors do not automatically imply state aid or a below-market sale price. The Commission had previously closed the case, as stated in its reply to De Masi's earlier question (E-002992/2025), because no interested party had submitted an admissible formal complaint under Article 1(h) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1589. During a meeting with the European Ombudsman (case 3118/2025/MAS), the Commission also determined that an ex officio investigation was not necessary.
The answer provides no new concrete measures or timelines, instead reiterating the Commission's assessment that the available information did not meet the threshold for opening a formal state aid probe. This leaves the transaction unchallenged, impacting competitors in the port and logistics sector who may view the lack of a tender as a distortion of competition, while the City of Hamburg and MSC benefit from regulatory certainty. The Commission's stance signals a high bar for ex officio investigations in the absence of formal complaints, a policy orientation that prioritises procedural thresholds over proactive market scrutiny.