18/01/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 18 January, the European Commission authorised France’s plan to grant a €20 million loan to the airline Air Austral. Air Austral provides territorial continuity between Reunion and its neighbouring islands in the Indian Ocean (Mayotte in particular) and mainland France. Air Austral is facing pressing liquidity needs, particularly due to the effects of Covid-19. The State loan is intended to provide Air Austral with the necessary cash flow to develop a plan for the restructuring and continuity of its activities. The European Commission’s guidelines on State aid for rescue and restructuring allow Member States to assist companies in difficulty provided, inter alia, that the public support measures are limited in time, well targeted, and proportionate. (LC)