On Wednesday 2 March, the European Commission authorised a €687 million Italian aid scheme to compensate commercial long-distance rail passenger service providers for damage suffered between 1 July 2020 and 30 April 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Beneficiaries will be entitled to compensation in the form of direct grants for the damage suffered during the relevant period.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Italian government has implemented a range of measures to limit the spread of the virus, including a mandatory staggered seating reservation system, which reduces the number of available seats by 50%, strict limitations on face-to-face business meetings and travel, and the cancellation of events.
From 1 July 2020 to 30 April 2021, passenger numbers fell by 90% compared to 2019, resulting in a significant fall in revenue for rail passenger operators.
This measure is similar to a scheme authorised by the Commission on 10 March 2021 to compensate commercial passenger rail operators for damage suffered between 8 March and 30 June 2020.
In addition, on Thursday 3 March, the Commission approved a Slovenian incentive scheme (€7 million) for airlines affected by the pandemic. This is a re-introduction of aid initially approved by the Commission on 16 November 2020, which expired on 31 December 2021. The support will take the form of direct grants. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)