The European Commission announced, on Monday 15 January, that it had approved, in particular under the guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines and under Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, an Italian scheme worth €120 million to support companies setting up new passenger air routes between one of Calabria’s three airports and another airport in the European Common Aviation Area.
The aid will reach eligible companies in the form of direct grants.
The European Commission has specified that the aid will cover up to 50% of the cost of airport charges paid by each beneficiary company for each newly established air route.
The European Commission took the view that the aid would improve connectivity in the Calabria region and that the potential beneficiaries would not make the investments without public support.
The scheme will run until 27 March 2027. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)