Brussels, 21/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - As announced in yesterday's edition (p 10), the European Commission opened an examination procedure into French government aid to Air Lib airlines. This involves rescue aid totalling €30.5 million in January 2002 (notified to the Commission after it had been on several further occasions without a restructuring plan being submitted and the deferral of payment of social security contributions and airport charges amounting to €60 million which were not notified by France to the Commission). The Commission harbours doubts as to the compatibility of the measures taken by the French government with regard to Community provision on competition and will examine whether (1) rules permit the payment of rescue and restructuring aid to an enterprise newly set up; (2) the extended duration of the rescue aid, given the failure to notify a restructuring plan. The extended duration of the rescue aid of twelve months was given without prior Commission authorisation; 3) other contributions from public funds to rescue the company in the form of loans, payment periods, guarantees and any other benefits, including tax benefits, were notified to the Commission. The Commission will also examine whether these public funds are not already being used by Air Lib to finance restructuring and expansion via the opening of new national, Community and international routes and the new low-cost fares used by the French company to the detriment of its competitors.