The Commission is reviewing its guidelines for the provision of State Aid to airports and airlines within the EU. On 3 July, it began a public consultation, providing aviation market participants with an opportunity to have their say on the new draft guidelines and to seek to influence future guidelines and policy. The consultation will last for 12 weeks.
This is a contentious and politicised area of the aviation market, and it does have significant impact on the ability of airlines and airports to trade and to compete with each other. It also impacts heavily on other airport users, such as FBOs, MROs, fuel users and suppliers and others. The Commission currently has around 60 on-going investigations into state aid in the aviation market.
Here is a link to the consultation.
Have your say! If you would like to discuss these issues or would like any help in making a submission, then please contact either Richard Mumford or Gustaf Duhs. Richard is Head of Aviation at Stevens & Bolton LLP and has long experience of acting for clients in the aviation market including airlines, airports, FBOs, lessors, suppliers and regulators. Gustaf is Head of Competition and Regulatory law and is well used to advising on state aid issues.
Gustaf Duhs