The European Commission decided on Friday 28 February to open an in-depth investigation to determine whether a 400 million euros loan granted by Italy to the airline Alitalia constitutes State aid and whether it complies with the rules on State aid for companies in difficulty (see EUROPE 12415/16).
The opening of an in-depth investigation “is a standard step, which provides Italy and other interested parties with an opportunity to provide their views”, says the Commission, which says it is working closely with the Italian authorities on the matter.
At the end of 2019, the Italian authorities announced that they would grant a new 400 million euros loan to Alitalia to facilitate the streamlining of the company in an attempt to sell its assets. The decree-law authorising this loan was approved by the Italian Government in December 2019.
In January 2020, the decree-law was converted into law by the Italian Parliament. The decree also provides that the procedure for the sale of Alitalia's assets must be completed by 31 May 2020. A new sales process, carried out by the Extraordinary Commissioner, is expected to be launched shortly.
In this context, the Commission's in-depth investigation will provide Italy and the company, as well as interested buyers, clarity on whether the 400 million euros loan constitutes State aid and whether it complies with EU State aid rules.
The Commission's role under the EU Treaty is to help ensure a level playing field in the Single Market in the interest of European consumers and businesses. Interested parties can trigger State aid investigations by lodging complaints with the Commission. In this case, the Commission has received several complaints alleging that the loan constitutes State aid and is incompatible with the applicable EU rules. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)