The European Commission is inviting comments on its planned review of the criteria for exempting investment aid for ports and airports from prior examination by the Commission under EU state aid rules.
An initial public consultation on the plans to extend the category-based general exemption regulation for 2014 to aid for airports and ports was held from March to May this year. As a result of the first consultation, the Commission has included further simplifications for small investments in ports (below €5 million for seaports or below €2 million for inland ports). The revised proposal also provides for more flexibility as regards the duration of concessions in ports, allowing the time needed for the concessionaire to recoup its investments.
The measures subject to the public consultation that runs until 8 December aim to ensure that aid is only granted for transport-related investment and is no more than the necessary for completion of transport-related work. The Commission aims to adopt the final regulation in the first quarter of 2017. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)