Press Release: Differentiation in airport charges: France abolishes existing State aid

The European Commission accepted the measures taken by France to put an end to the differentiation in passenger charges between domestic flights and flights from/to countries in the Schengen area. Following a complaint from a low-cost airline, the Commission examined the rules applicable in France for setting the level of airport charges. It concluded that the differentiation in the levels of charges between those two categories of flights constitutes existing State aid, which is incompatible with the internal market. Meanwhile, France adopted the measures necessary to abolish that aid.