The European Commission decided to authorise the creation and funding of a public private joint venture company for the operation of Antwerp`s International Airport at Deurne…
The European Commission decided to authorise the creation and funding of a public private joint venture company for the operation of Antwerp`s International Airport at Deurne. The joint venture company will be established by the Flemish Region, three regional partners (the Antwerp Municipal Port Authority, GOM Antwerp and the Diamond High Council) and a commercial partner that has been selected following a tendering procedure. Private skills and knowledge are beneficial for the development and operation of transport infrastructure, said Jacques Barrot, Vice President of the European Commission responsible for transport, adding this particular project complies with EU competition rules and is positive for public administrations, companies and citizens.
The joint venture will be responsible for tunnelling the road Krijgsbaan in order to ensure that the airport can comply with new international safety regulations, for operating the airport under a concession contract and for developing a business park at the airport grounds. Following analysis of the project, the European Commission has concluded that the public participation and contributions to the joint venture company is compatible with Community rules on State aid. It has considered in particular that, whereas the management of airports constitutes an economic activity, this project has a very limited impact on trade and competition. It is also in line with the European transport policy and serves to promote business activity as well as economic, social and regional cohesion within the EU and is thus in the common European interest.
Moreover, the amount of public contributions and the choice of a commercial partner were finally determined by means of an open and non-discriminatory public tendering procedure, which has respected the principle of equal treatment between competitors and ensured that the level of public participation is limited to the minimum necessary.
The European Commission is currently preparing a set of Guidelines for the application of State aid rules for financing of airports and start-up aid for airlines departing from regional airports. These Guidelines will serve to further clarify and make more transparent the rules under which financing of airports may be permissible under State aid rules. The Commission is expected to adopt these guidelines over the Summer.
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