Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines

The 2005 Aviation Guidelines were preceded by Guidelines on the application of Articles 92 and 93 of the EC Treaty and Article 61 of the EEA Agreement to State aids in the aviation sector2 (hereafter: “1994 Aviation Guidelines”). These Guidelines were adopted by the Commission in 1994 in the context of the liberalisation of the market for air transport services in order to provide for level playing field for air carriers.

The purpose of the present consultation is, thus, to invite Member States, other institutions and stakeholders to provide feedback on the application of the 1994 and 2005 Aviation Guidelines as well as any comments and proposals regarding the public financing of airports and airlines.

The present consultation gives the Member States, other Institutions and stakeholders the opportunity to express their views on the various issues at stake. The Commission will carefully analyse the outcome of the consultation before deciding to what extent changes to the current rules are necessary and, if appropriate, come forward with a proposal for revised Aviation Guidelines.