Press Release: Report calls for flexible rules on regional aid for airports in wake of Ryanair case

The Committee of the Regions called for the European Commission's new guidelines on state aid for regional airports and start-up aid for airlines to be as flexible as possible and to avoid excessive red-tape. An own-initiative opinion on the issue, adopted by members at their Plenary Session on 7 July 2005, called for state aid for airports to be dealt with 'on its merits and on a case-by-case basis' in the interests of healthy competition and cohesion.