State aid: European Commission authorises Belgian scheme of 12.7 million euros to support Walloon airports

The European Commission has authorised, under EU state aid rules, a Belgian scheme in the Walloon Region aimed at supporting airports affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictive measures put in place to limit the spread of the virus.

The scheme was authorised on the basis of the Temporary State Aid Framework. Under this scheme, the aid will take the form of support for fixed costs not covered by the cancellation of claims for concession fees owed by Walloon airports.

The amount of aid per beneficiary will be established on an individual basis and will correspond to the concession fees due under the operating agreements concluded between the Walloon Region and the airports. The amount of aid will not exceed EUR 10 million per beneficiary. The objective of the mechanism is to provide beneficiaries with the financial capacity necessary to meet their cash flow needs.

The Commission concluded that the Belgian scheme complies with the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework as revised on 18 November 2021. The Commission concluded that the measure is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State, in accordance with Article 107 (3) (b) of the TFEU and the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework. On this basis, the Commission authorised the measure in accordance with state aid rules.

More information on the temporary framework and other measures taken by the Commission to deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under case number SA.63455 in the State Aid Register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.