IP/09/671

Brussels, 29 April 2009

Regional airport infrastructure: Commission approves Polish aid to Rzeszów airport

The European Commission today approved the use of public funding for the development of Rzeszów Jasionka regional airport. The aid totalling 650 million Polish zloty will be used to modernise the airport.

The project concerns new investment in the construction of a new terminal, an apron area and taxiways. The funding itself comes from the Subcarpathia (Podkarpackie) region, the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund.

The Commission believes that the measures proposed comply with Community rules^[1] since the funding is in the public interest and does not distort competition, which would be incompatible with the common market.

The Commission has also accepted that public property (land, buildings and airport equipment) will be transferred to the new airport operator.

^[1] Community guidelines on financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines departing from regional airports (OJ C 312, 9.12.2005, p.1).