Rough crossing

THE European Commission is examining a complaint from Brittany Ferries that P&O's new service to Spain breaches EC fair trading rules. Brittany alleges that the P&O service to Bilbao, a direct rival to its own Santander link, receives a Spanish government subsidy in the form of a conditional undertaking from the Basque regional authorities to buy up to pounds 5m worth of tickets over the next three years. P&O disputes the claim.