Brussels, 29/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 23 October, the European Commission gave the go-ahead to public financial aid for the development of infrastructure at two small regional airports (carrying less than a million passengers a year), one in the UK and one in Poland.
Public funding for Newquay Cornwall Airport in South-West England has been under study ever since the UK Ministry of Defence announced in November 2005 that the military flying operations at the airport would cease (the airport is currently a civil enclave within a military airbase, RAF St Mawgan). Pubic investment should ensure a smooth transition from military to civilian airfield operations. Redevelopment is expected to cost some £44 million (€65m), of which £19.5will come from EU funding. The remainder of the investment will come from public funding agencies in the UK and through borrowing. The European Commission also approved state aid in Poland for Rzeszow Jesionka airport to improve airport infrastructure and security measures. The overall costs of the project are PLN 32,616,600 (around €8.6m) with a maximum state contribution of 49%. (A.By)