Brussels, 20/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 20 February, the European Commission opened an in-depth investigation into a number of public support measures granted by Estonia in favour of its flag carrier airline Estonian Air, which is in financial difficulties. The Commission has doubts whether these measures are in line with EU state aid rules. The most recent of these measures was notified to the Commission in 2012 and involved its plan to grant a rescue loan of €8.3 million to Estonian Air. The Commission believes that it could be illegal because companies in difficulty can receive rescue aid only once over a period of ten years (according to the so-called “one time last time” principle). This aid came on top of three capital injections of €7.3 million (in 2009), €19.9 million (in 2010) and €30 million (in 2011-2012). These measures were not notified to the Commission. While private shareholders participated in the 2009 and 2010 capital injections, the 2011-2012 injection was carried out exclusively by the state. Moreover, the sale in 2009 of Estonian Air's ground handling business to the state-owned Tallinn Airport may have involved state aid to Estonian Air. The Commission will now examine whether the aid can be found compatible with EU rules, in particular with the rules applying to the airline industry and to companies in difficulty. The interested parties have two months to comment on the measures under assessment. (FG/transl.fl)