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First joint plenary session for AER Committees 1 & 2

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Joining forces for the first time in a joint plenary session, the members of AER Committees for Economy and Regional development (1) and for Social and Health policy (2), discussed in Edirne (TR) about the state of play of their political priorities and activities.

During the first half of the session the Committee 1 Working Groups invited members to join them for their core activities in the coming months: a Press Conference on [email protected] and Rural Development (29/04) a working morning on TENT-T and Connecting Europe Facility (30/04), the European Business Summit (14-15/05) and the Funding Session on Energy (03/06).

The second half was dedicated to Committee 2 past and upcoming activities: earlier this year, Committee 2 members were actively involved in the 2014 Arctic Light e-Health Conference, the “Have your Say” event on social entrepreneurship and the EASPD Conference on Disabilities. In the coming weeks, members interested in active and healthy ageing are encouraged to participate to the SmartCare and ENGAGED mutual learning workshops taking place in Athens during the E-Health Forum (13-16/05).

Finally all members contributed to the elaboration of a joint AER Position on Entrepreneurship, bringing forward concrete recommendations on how to set up the necessary business infrastructure to create a culture for entrepreneurship in the region.

AER members are invited to submit their amendments to this position until 1 May in order to develop a truly transversal document celebrating the European entrepreneurial spirit.

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Airports & Regions welcome fresh clarity on EU State Aid Rules

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Brussels, Bruxelles-Capitale (B), 20 February 2014

Following a 2-year review process, the European Commission (EC) today released its new State Aid Guidelines for the aviation sector, which will shape the public funding of EU airports in the years ahead. European airport trade body ACI EUROPE, together with the Assembly of European Regions (AER) generally welcomed the fresh clarity that these Guidelines should deliver, but also expressed concern about their medium-term impact on regional airports and connectivity.

Today, European airports are operating in a highly competitive market, yet smaller airports are structurally unable to sustain themselves. This is due to a combination of high fixed costs, limited access to non-aeronautical (commercial) revenues and lower yields compared to larger airports. As a result, clearer rules have long been needed to allow these airports to receive support where really necessary – particularly given it was widely acknowledged that the preceding Guidelines could not be enforced effectively.

The issue of State Aid is a difficult one, in this context. It is essentially a balancing act between limiting distortion of competition and market developments – the EC fully recognises that airports compete – versus the need to safeguard economic activity and social inclusion by ensuring regional infrastructure remains intact. The unparalleled connectivity that an airport can bring plays such an instrumental role in attracting and retaining economic growth – it cannot be omitted from the EU’s growth and jobs strategy.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE commented “European airports compete tooth & nail to retain and attract air services and these much awaited new Guidelines provide a level-playing field upon which to do so. As well as serving the industry, these Guidelines should be implemented in a way that better secures the many economic and social benefits associated with air access in the EU. Hopefully, they will also bring an end to the squabbling between the different types of airlines, as the real world parameters of these new rules become clearer in the months ahead.”

Operating Aid…& 2019

The most contentious aspect was the EC’s initial intention to curb operating aid for all airports with more than 200,000 passengers per annum (ppa) after a 10-year transitional period. This has been reconsidered and the Guidelines now provide for a special regime for airports with up to 700,000 ppa.

However, the EC has fallen short of providing the long-term legal certainty needed for these airports and their communities – as it intends to reassess this stop-gap measure in 5 years’ time. Operating aid for smaller airports remains the most consequential element of the Guidelines, with grave repercussions for regional economies, if the wrong choices are made.

Jan Owe-Larsson, President East Sweden Region (SE), Chairman of the AER Working Group on Transport and Regional Airports and Mr. Jankovec added “Over the past 2 years, the Commission’s initial proposal has evolved and the new Guidelines it has released today better reflect the economic realities of operating a small airport. They also recognise – at least for the time being – that closing down these airports would damage connectivity and kill regional communities not only in remote & peripheral regions, but across Europe.”

They also cautioned “That said, those structural & financial challenges that regional airports face today are still going to be with us in 2019 and if anything, will have intensified. We already know that regulatory-induced costs are going to increase for airports*, while newly permitted levels of operating aid will stand at just 80% of current operating funding gaps. When decision-time comes around again, we will simply not be in a position to get this wrong.”

Investment Aid

On funding for airport development & modernisation projects, the right balance has been achieved and both ACI EUROPE and AER expressed their support for the EC approach based on decreasing aid intensity, as air traffic grows.

Moreover, further improvements of initial EC proposals means that airports should be better placed to meet the needs of the travelling public in the years ahead. Airports with 3-5 million ppa now have greater investment opportunities than the originally-proposed Guidelines allowed. And the possibility now remains for some public support for very large greenfield airport projects – a crucial change if Europe is to remain a player in the global race for air connectivity. Aviation is not limited to European borders and in every other continent, airport infrastructure can and frequently does receive considerable public financing. This is part of national economic strategies aimed at boosting connectivity – and indirectly supporting airlines.

Mr. Jankovec added “The new framework on investment aid is of major significance and here the Commission has clearly taken note of the unique value airports bring to society. As EUROCONTROL has repeatedly warned, Europe is facing a looming airport capacity crunch with 12% of demand for air transport expected to be unaccommodated in 2035. In order for Europe to stay globally relevant, we should be able to address airport investment as flexibly as our peers in other world regions.”

Start Up Aid

There has been significant media interest in the proposals concerning aid by regional airports and/or local public authorities to incentivise airlines to start up new routes.

On this, Jankovec commented “We like the thought and focus which the Guidelines give to the regulation of start up aid to airlines. However, the implementation and enforcement of these new rules will ultimately determine whether clarity and simplicity have been achieved. With this in mind, we eagerly await the precedents set by forthcoming decisions on individual cases.”

Intermodal Competition

It is worth noting that other sectors within Transport, such as rail in particular, do not have to operate under such restrictive rules on public financing. In the wider scheme of things, this puts aviation at a competitive disadvantage, while allowing the rail sector over €30 billion in public funding each year.

* The new safety regulatory framework established by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will include new requirements and duties for regional airports and thus impact their operating costs.

** This refers to the notified state aid to the rail sector in 2011, according to the European Commission.

ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International, the only worldwide professional association of airport operators. ACI EUROPE represents over 450 airports in 44 European countries. Member airports handle 90% of commercial air traffic in Europe, welcoming over 1.5 billion passengers, 18 million tonnes of freight and more than 20 million aircraft movements each year.

For more information: [email protected]

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Plenary session of Committee 1 – preparing 2014

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rp_IMG_0579-240x180.jpgOne of the major events in the Committee 1 calendar, the Autumn Plenary Session gathered in Brussels on 6 November.

During this fruitful meeting key steps were taken to strengthen Committee 1:
The Committee 1 Presidium was reinforced through the election of Kenneth Backgård,  Norrbotten (SE), Vice-President for Rural Development, Energy and Environment.

 

Moreover, chairmen were elected for the following working groups:

Jean-Luc Vanraes, Brussels Capital (BE) for the Working Group on Investment, Business and SMEs.
Jan Owe-Larsson, East Sweden (SE) for the Working Group on Transport and Regional airports.
The two representatives for equal opportunities are: MonaLisa Norrman, Jämtland (SE)
and Marianne Saenen, Wallonie (BE)
In addition to taking stock of 2013 activities and progress, the members debated on the key priorities for 2014, which are translated into a concrete work plan: Economic development, innovation, energy and climate, rural development and transport will all remain high on next year’s agenda.

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Meeting with Delegate General of Quebec representation

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Quebec-are

End of October, AER President Dr Hande Özsan Bozatli met with Caroline Émond, Delegate General of the Quebec representation in Brussels.

 

Québec is a longstanding and active member of AER. The visit was foreseen to strengthen the personal relationships and to see how the cooperation between AER and Quebec can be emphasized, especially in the fields of energy and climate change, transport, governance and citizenship as well as business development. Further visits and concrete exchanges are planned.

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Ensuring that regional airports and economies are sustained:

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With the consultation on the EU revised guidelines on State Aid for Airports and Airlines coming to a close, members of the AER Working Group on Regional Airports gathered in Brussels to discuss the potential threats the new guidelines will pose to the survival of Regional Airports, and subsequently to the ability of Europe’s regions to define coherent territorial development strategies.

AER recognises the need for change, in favour of fair competition, efficiency in public financing and attracting more private investment. However, the current EC proposal does not allow for sufficient flexibility and incentives to promote regional growth, as well as ensure economic, social and territorial cohesion. AER thus calls on DG Regio to lead on a Regional Impact Assessment in order to establish the potential effects the new rules will have on the local communities served by the Regional Airports affected. It is primordial that regions are at the heart of the decision-making processes when it comes to supporting and developing key regional infrastructure, as per the EU principle of subsidiarity.

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Proposed new EC State Aid rules threaten regional growth & jobs

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European Commission new Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines

Strasbourg (F), 3 July 2013

Reacting to the publication today by the European Commission of proposed new Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and European airport trade body ACI EUROPE denounced the harsh consequences of these new rules for regional development.

With these new Guidelines, the Commission is explicitly seeking to curb the public financing of airport infrastructure. National, regional & local authorities would therefore have to comply with more restrictive rules limiting their ability to invest in the development of new or existing airport infrastructure (investment aid) as well as in the financing of day-to-day operations of smaller airports (operating aid).

While the AER and ACI EUROPE consider that promoting fair competition, efficiency in public financing and attracting more private investment are legitimate goals, they are extremely concerned with some of the Commission’s proposals, for a number of reasons.

These proposals will affect regional airports in particular. Following a 10 year transitional period, regional airports with more than 200,000 passengers per year will no longer be able to receive public operating aid. Instead, they will be required to hike the fees they charge to passengers and airlines so as to fully cover their costs. This ignores the blunt economic reality of the airport business, where full cost recovery through user charges is simply unachievable due to extremely high capital intensity and fixed costs. This is particularly the case at smaller airports, where these costs need to be borne by fewer airlines and a much smaller number of passengers. The result will be a loss of air services and decreasing connectivity, and even airport closure – with very harsh consequences for the regional communities they are serving.
Per Inge Bjerknes, Chairman of the AER Working Group on Regional Airports and Vice-Chariman of the County Council of Østfold (N) commented “For our Regions, there is no escaping the fact that airports are strategic public infrastructure and that they need to be treated as such. In particular for peripheral and scarcely populated regions, the connectivity they afford is essential and unparalleled – it allows more than 5 million jobs across Europe and needs to be supported, not degraded. Part of these new State aid rules seem to show that the Commission is more concerned with fiscal austerity than promoting growth and jobs. They absolutely need to be reconsidered”.
Beyond regional airports, the Commission is also looking at prohibiting investment aid at larger airports. While these airports are usually able to self-finance their development, public aid can still be required for once-off landmark airport projects involving massive investment. The Commission proposal is in sharp contrast to the way airport development is being financed outside Europe in both developed and emerging economies. Public financing is an essential part of airport infrastructure development not only in the Gulf and Asia, but also in the United States.

Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General added: “These new rules will either condemn small regional airports to limit their development or to close down. They are also introducing limitations on public financing of airport development that are flying in the face of the airport capacity crunch we are facing in Europe – and a move that would be considered foolhardy or irrational in the rest of the World. Clearly, these proposals have not been properly thought through in terms of their impact on our sector and beyond on the wider European economy.”
He added: “We fail to understand the overt discrimination these rules would introduce in favour of the competing rail sector, which gets an astonishing and unquestioned €32 billion of public aid every year.”
The Assembly of European Regions (AER – aer.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together 250 regions from 35 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.

ACI on State Aid for Regional Airports

For more information: [email protected]

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The future of cars – AER at EU Sustainable Energy Week

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Electric vehicles are an essential part of the solution to Europe’s twin challenges of reducing carbon emissions and improving energy security. Following the adoption of the AER Kendal Report, AER member regions discussed with DG Move, the European Electromobility Observatory of HyER, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, BMW and EURELECTRIC on the present bottlenecks to the take-up of electric vehicles: the lack of confidence in the current battery charging infrastructure, the inconvenient payment methods for battery charging, and the lack of promotion of the benefits of the vehicles.

In order to respond to the challenges, the industry and public authorities must continue to work together in order to share the costs and risks related to the development of this sector, while setting up innovative incentives, promoting universality of the infrastructure and increasing customer confidence and comfort.

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Regions shaping e-transport

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A political report, adopted on 18 May 2013, aims to highlight the importance of facilitating electric vehicles. The main recommendations include: need for further Inter-operability of the supporting infrastructure behind vehicle charging, ‘Universality’ which will allow the owners of electric vehicles drive outside there locality, Promotion and Communication to tackle the lack of confidence in electric vehicles and current battery charging systems.

Regions participating in this report: Lead-Melville Kendal, Deputy Leader of Hampshire (UK), Västra Götaland (SE), Alsace (FR), Baden-Württemberg (DE), Norrbotten (SE), Poitou-Charentes (FR), Quebec (CA), Sarajevo (BiH) and Timis (RO).

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Regional airports and State aid: AER is preparing its lobbying action

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At the invitation of the ACI Network (Airports Council International) – which gathers almost 400 regional airports in Europe – the AER Secretary General presented the AER at the ACI’s annual conference in Lyon. In front of over 100 representatives from airports, he highlighted the work of the AER’s working group on Regional Airports and presented their key arguments, focusing in particular on the future legislation concerning State aid. Present in the panel with the European Commission (DG COMP), he underlined the common interests between AER and ACI and announced that AER will officially ask the Commissioner to undertake a regional impact assessment.

Moreover, the working group on Regional Airports, chaired by Per Inge Bjerkenes (Østfold-N), met in Dnipropetrovsk (UA) to work on the future public consultation and find the best way to highlight our economical, social or territorial arguments.

ACI website

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AER takes on European commission on regional airports

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AER Working Group on Regional Airports: “The future of our Regions is closely interlinked with that of our airports”

At the verge of the publication of the revision of the Community guidelines on the financing of airports and start-up state aid to airlines, the AER, together with over 20 member regions and partner organizations Airports Council International and Airport Regions Conference, met with representatives from DG Competition and DG Move, in order to urge the EC to further consider the impact the guidelines will have on the survival of certain regional airports, which play a major catalyst role in the economic development of regions.

The revised guidelines will propose stricter rules for public financing of regional airports, the removal of subsidies for airports with less than 200,000 passengers per year, and the drastic reduction of aid for airports with between 200,000 and 1 million passengers per year. These measures, will lead to the closure of dozens of airports and infringe the ability of Regions to organise their transport services and therefore define coherent territorial development strategies, as well as damage the connectivity and attractiveness of certain regions with regards to local and international businesses.

Driven by its mandate to defend the regional interest of its regions and strengthen their economic growth, the AER will launch a campaign aiming to include the regional voice into the EC guidelines revision and secure the future of airports and regions across the European continent.

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The Role of Regional Airports in a future Transportation System

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A Study commissioned by the region of Østfold (N)
on behalf of the AER Working Group on Regional Airports

Conclusions

  1. The working group acknowledges the results of the study and will use it as a base for further work on the framework for regional airports, including state aid.
  2. The working group gives a mandate to the chair of the group to secure the conclusions of the study among potential alliance partners.
  3. The working group emphasises that the result of the study should be spread broadly among the members of the AER, including the AER Bureau usingwebsites, brochures, lectures, etc.
  4. The present study focuses on passenger traffic. The working group recommends that it should be extended with a study related to freight, and affected regions are encouraged to take responsibility for such an extension.

(Use Pop Out button to Download/Open)

Photo by Eder Pozo Pérez on Unsplash
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The AER Takes the Silk Road In North East Asia

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An AER delegation goes to Seoul to meet the members of NEAR, its North East Asian counterpart

Seoul, South Korea, 2 November 2011

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) was the guest of honour at the 5th International Forum organised by its counterpart, the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments (NEAR). A delegation led by Michèle Sabban, AER President, went to Seoul to attend this event. The delegation was formed by Kenneth Backgård, President of the AER working group ‘Energy and climate change’ and Regional Councillor of Norrbotten (S), Preben Jensen, Vice-president of the Committee ‘Economy and regional development’ and Regional Councillor of Syddanmark (DK), and Jacek Pilawa, President of the subcommittee ‘International Commission’ and Regional Councillor of Dolnoslaskie (PL).

Together with business leaders, they presented examples of projects and cooperation plans led by European regions in the fields of energy, environment and transports.

Mrs. SABBAN brought into focus the fight against global warming and invited the NEAR members to join the R20, a group of regions and federated states, whose main priority is to establish cooperation between infra-national governments in order to ensure a sustainable development for the planet.

« Europe and Asia have decided to build bridges between their organisations’ member regions to make the voice of the regions heard and amplify the R20, which aims to develop solutions as a counterbalance to G20 » Michèle Sabban and Jae Hyo Kim, General Secretary of NEAR, declared. « Our ambition is to rise up together to the greatest challenges of the 21Ist century in order to build together new economic models, that will favour green investments and the development of infrastructures to fight against climate change », they added.

Created in 1996, NEAR brings together 70 regional governments from South Korea, China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia and North Korea.

For more information: [email protected]

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A huge “Yes” to electric vehicles! The AER evaluates the framework and conditions for their roll out

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Brussels (B), 30 June 2011.

The ‘Energy and Climate Change’ working group of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) met today to discuss both the opportunities and the challenges presented by the new technology of clean vehicles. The participants were offered the chance to test-drive an electric car being marketed by the automobile designer BMW.

Clean vehicles for a Green Europe

As we need to face the challenge of global warming and oil depletion, it becomes necessary to institute clean transport alternatives to petrol. The European Commission articulated two strategies that reflect the potential offered by electrics vehicles in the fields of clean technology and energy savings. The first, “Transports 2050”, seeks to reduce the present dependence of the European Union on imported petroleum, while also cutting carbon emissions by 60% by removing most gasoline-operated vehicles from cities by 2050. The second strategy for the advancement of clean and energy-efficient vehicles involves setting up mechanisms for their promotion, such as common battery standards, or the installation of publicly available charging stations.

Challenges to be met, with great gains to be made

While making these changes will be very beneficial, establishing the infrastructure that would allow clean vehicles to function remains nevertheless complex for many regions. One example is Norrbotten (S): “In Sweden, the sun is not always shining, and our land area is greater than 400 000 km. It will prove very complicated to use a car that must be charged every 200 km, not to mention to charge the battery from clean energy sources”, said Kenneth Backgard, Chairman of the AER working group on Energy and Climate Change and member of the regional council of Norrbotten. “Replacing the present car fleet with clean vehicles involves increasing European electricity consumption by 15%. This electricity must be generated by a green energy source”, he concluded.

The region of Wallonie (B) has meanwhile identified another core problem regarding the role the State must play in order to encourage citizens and businesses to use electric cars. Here several good ideas have arisen: fiscal or economic incentives for companies and citizens, investment in research to improve lithium-based batteries (which can be very harmful to the environment) and in smart infrastructure, commercialisation of charging stations and city centre carpooling incentives.

The example of the Land of Baden-Württemberg (D) is quite emblematic, since one fourth of the regions’ jobs depends on the automotive sector. “It is essential to support the industrialisation of electric cars in order to keep our leading position on the world market. With ‘e-mobil BW’, the region created a specialised agency that brings together all relevant actors from industry, research and education paying special attention to small and medium sized companies in the supply chain.” stated Franz Loogen, CEO of e-mobil BW.

“The electric car was born in Europe, and is perfectly placed to overcome the challenges of the future. During the past 2½ years with the MiniE, we have learned much about the wishes and expectations of our clients in the field of electromobility.“, declared Andreas Sauer, BMW Group Representative. “Now it is important to draw the right conclusions and to develop our projects quickly in order to make them competitive in the industry.”

For more information: [email protected]

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1st European Regions Energy Day: Energy subsidiarity on its way in Brussels

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Brussels (B), 29 April 2010

The Assembly of European Regions (AER), the Ministry of environment, nature protection and transport of the Land Baden-Württemberg (D) as well as GE Energy launched today the European Regions Energy Day. This event crowns a year of close collaboration between public and private stakeholders in the energy field. It is a vivid symbol of the rise of interregional dynamics in the area of sustainable development and a witness of the boom of energy subsidiarity at European level.

Two days to give the European regions “The energy of tomorrow”

As the first edition of a yearly event, unique in its kind in Brussels, this meeting represents a key step in the renewal of regional energy policies. It illustrates the success of interregional action in the face of the compelling insufficiency of global climate negotiations.

For two days, 300 regional decision makers and European energy experts gathered to discuss the role of the regions in the implementation of environmental policies and to present regional best-practices. This event is in line with the pro-active approach that characterises AER and GE’s action and constitutes an echo chamber of regional responses to current energy challenges.
The European Regions Energy Day aims to:

  • Provide regional responses to key energy questions as well as clear recommendations regarding three main factors: energy efficiency, security of supply and carbon dioxide emissions reduction.
  • Support the establishment of a regional participatory democracy to confront energy and environmental issues.

Tanja Gönner, Environment Minister of the Land Baden- Württemberg (D), Michèle Sabban, President of  the Assembly of European Regions, Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Ricardo Cordoba, President of GE Energy for Western Europe and Northern Africa, Steve Howard, CEO of the Climate Group and Knud Andersen, Vice-President of the Chamber of Regions, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, were present at this event.

Michèle Sabban said: “This day represents an important stage for the AER in its engagement with the energy transition of our territories. Since 2006, a ‘common declaration of European regions for energy efficiency and the development of sustainable energy sources’ was made, creating the basis for our current actions. We are convinced that regions should find the way to take their future into their own hands in a responsible and autonomous way, especially concerning energy, which is an issue that affects the daily life of all citizens and their future, and is fundamental for the local development.”

Ricardo Cordoba commented: “We are proud to participate, together with AER in the recognition of the importance of regions in the development and establishment of efficient energy policies, so decisive for everyone’s future.”

According to Tanja Gönner, “Regions are strong motors for climate protection. It is of utmost importance, that regions and the European Union work together to reach the goal of limiting global warming”.

Presentation of a ‘White Paper’ on AER forefront activities aimed at supporting regional initiatives in the fields of energy and climate change as well as a detailed study on regional energy policies in Europe

One of the highlights of this event was the presentation of a White Paper presenting AER activities on energy and climate change. This document proposes a dynamic overview of the different activities AER implemented in order to support European regions in the establishment of mitigation and adaptation measures.

In 2009 more than ever, AER took it at heart to propose an even wider range of tools to policy makers in order to ensure a more efficient tackling of regional challenges. Through peer reviews, European projects such as MORE4NRG et PRESERVE, thematic conferences and innovative partnerships with a considerable diversity of stakeholders AER juggles successfully between field experience, research and analysis thus demonstrating its pragmatic approach of members’ needs. Above all, its role is eminently political, which is why the White Paper also sums up AER’s recommendations for efficient climate policies.

The European Regions Energy Day provided an excellent opportunity to unveil the results of its exclusive survey, which evaluated the needs and expectations of 67 European regions in terms of sustainable energy policies. According to the findings of the survey, broader competences of local authorities accompanied with adapted financial incentives allow a better response to global energy challenges through better harnessing of local potentials. It is indeed thanks to the creative use of endogenous resources such as snow, straw, waves or black liquor (by-product of the kraft process) that regions contribute to the diversification of their energy portfolios as well as to the enhancement of security of energy supply.

This survey furthermore showed that 92% of the answering regions consider energy as one of the key priorities for the next years and that 77% of them already implemented an energy strategy.
This gives ground for a horizontal approach of energy policies with the integration of the parameter of sustainability in numerous sectors (land settlement and city planning, transports, tourism or agriculture…).

These findings should moreover be put into perspective with the results published in the IPCC fourth assessment report. This states that 50 to 70% of climate mitigation and adaptation measures will have to be implemented at regional level in the next years.

For more information: [email protected]

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Regional airports call for “more support, less burden” in EU state aid guidelines

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Brussels (B), 8 September 2009

“Future revisions to EU guidelines on state aid for regional airports must not block economic development,” Assembly of European Regions’ (AER) secretary general Klaus Klipp said today at an AER conference hosted by the Valencia (E) representation office in Brussels.

“A region’s economic competitiveness improves with its greater accessibility, which is why airports are important regional assets. The European Commission must ensure that its revisions to the guidelines support, rather than hinder, the development of such assets with a minimum of administrative burdens,” Mr. Klipp added.

AER’s conference examined the implications for regional airports, low fare airlines and regional authorities of upcoming revisions to the EU’s “Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports”. Regional airports from across Europe presented their experiences of the current guidelines (adopted in 2005), including examples of good practices and ongoing challenges.

One of the speakers at the conference and minister of transport for the region of Flevoland (NL), Harry Dijksma, drew attention to the importance of the EU regulations in the long term: “By 2020 more than half of all passengers travelling in Europe will be using low-cost airlines, so regional authorities and airports having to adjust to these developments will require EU regulations that strike a balance between market protection and market freedom.”

Juan Manuel Revuelta, director general of the Valencian regional office in Brussels, stressed the “paramount importance that the debate on regional airports and state aids mean to the Valencian region”. The Valencian region, which already receives more than 15 million arrivals yearly through the airports of Valencia and Alicante, has planned a new airport in the province of Castellón to channel important passengers and freight flows in the area.

The conclusions of AER’s conference will be included in a position paper to be published ahead of the EC’s revisions to the state aid guidelines.

 

Background

In the so-called “Charleroi case” of 2004, the European Commission found that Brussels South Airport and the Wallonie region had received state aid to attract the low-cost airline Ryanair. As a result, in the following year the EU adopted its “Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports”. The guidelines will be revised in 2010.

AER began working with regional airports in 2003, at a time when the growth of low-cost carriers were paving the way for the expansion of regional airports across Europe. AER conferences held in 2006 and 2007 focused on the economic importance of regional airports and called for greater EU support for their development.

In 2008, AER set up a working group on regional airports to facilitate good practice exchange among regions and to formulate positions on the relevant EU policies. An upcoming position paper will focus on next year’s revisions to the EU’s “Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports”.

The regional airports working group is coordinated by AER Committee 1 (Economy and Regional Development).

For more information: [email protected]

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