Internal operator
Article 8
1. Without prejudice to Article 6(6), the managing body of the port, or the competent authority, may decide either to provide a port service itself or to do so through a legally distinct entity over which it exercises a degree of control similar to that which it has over its own departments, provided that Article 4 applies equally to all operators providing the port service concerned. In such a case, the provider of port services shall be considered to be an internal operator for the purpose of this Regulation. 2. The managing body of the port, or the competent authority, shall be considered to be exercising a degree of control over a legally distinct entity similar to that which it has over its own departments only if it has a decisive influence over both the strategic objectives and the significant decisions of the legal entity concerned. 3. In the cases provided for in points (a) to (d) of Article 6(1), the internal operator shall be limited to performing the assigned port service only in the port or ports attributed to it in the assignment to provide the port service.