Brussels, 11/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On 10 July, the European Commission announced the launch of several investigations into planned state aid for airports in different member states. It also announced authorisation of aid for an airport in Sweden.
The European Commission opened a formal investigation into the NERES incentive scheme (New and Existing Route Expansion Scheme) whereby the publicly owned company operating Dortmund airport provides incentives for airlines (like AirBerlin, EasyJet, Germanwings and WizzAir) establishing new routes or extending existing routes to and from the airport. NERES may constitute illegal state aid, as it offers airlines more favourable airport charges than those foreseen by the published airport charge regulation. Given that Flughafen Dortmund GmbH is a public company, this may constitute illegal state aid. The Commission believes that the cross-subsidisation of operating losses at Dortmund airport by the publicly owned Stadtwerke Dortmund AG may also constitute state aid in favour of the airport operator.
The Commission also doubts the legality of aid for Tampere Pirkkala airport in Finland for transforming and operating Terminal 2, operating aid for the state airlines Finavia and Airpro, and special operating conditions for RyanAir (a private Irish airline). The investigation will determine whether the arrangements in question follow the principle of the market economy investor. Lubeck and Berlin Schoenefeld airports in Germany are also under investigation (see EUROPE 9465).
Good news for the city of Norrköping in Sweden. The Commission decided to allow Norrköping Municipality along with seven private companies and entities to participate in a marketing and business development fund, in the form of a risk and development fund of 6 MSEK (€ 640,000) to encourage air operators to provide services to the municipally owned airport. The airport is crucial for the economic and social development of the city and its catchment area, and the aid is designed to encourage the private sector to invest in new air services by sharing the risk between the airlines and the public authorities. The Commission found that the scheme did not amount to state aid. (cd)