Brussels, 05/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 5 June 2013, the European Commission authorised investment aid of €7.75 million that the Free State of Bavaria wants to grant Memmingen Airport, a small regional airport in South Germany, to improve infrastructure to meet increasing demand. The aid was notified in March 2013 under the 2005 EU state aid rules for aviation. The Commission's investigation took account of the airport's importance to the region and the need to strike a balance between the need for fair competition and coping with increases passenger demand. It showed that the infrastructure project would contribute to an objective of common European interest by improving the connectivity of the region. The airport has developed faster than initially foreseen over the last six years. Moreover the project will allow the airport to meet the increasing demand from airlines and passengers in southern Germany. The German authorities demonstrated that the public subsidies are necessary and proportional. The public funding is limited to bridging the funding gap and private investors contribute half of total investment costs. The authorisation is one of some 60 assessments currently under way in the aviation industry, for the financing of airport infrastructure or the running of airports, along with inter-airport and inter-airline agreements. (FG/transl.fl)