27 aprile 2010
The European Commission Vice-President responsible for transport, Mr. Siim Kallas, has just issued a press release which sets out the Commission’s response to the volcanic ash cloud crises.
Commissioner Kallas has presented a range of measures to respond to the crisis. Among the measures proposed is a coordinated application of rules on state aid. The Commissioner indicated that certain measures could be envisaged as state aid from Member States to make good damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences. However, such state aid must be granted on the basis of uniform criteria established at European level. The Commission could produce a communication to establish clear and precise guidance in this respect.
The Commission also proposes a number of short-term and temporary relief measures addressed primarily at airlines, notably: possibility for airlines to retain slots which were not used during the crisis and the period immediately afterwards, possibility for Member States to waive operational restrictions (e.g. flight restrictions) until the return to normality, possibility of deferring payments for en-route charges for a defined period of time.
These and other measures proposed will be discussed at the Transport Ministers meeting on 4 May. A meeting of the Tourism Ministers is scheduled tomorrow.
For reminder, ECTAA has written to the Commission to urge them to include travel agents and tour operators into the economic impact assessment and to grant them equal access to state air or any other form of support measures as those granted to airlines.
ALLEGATI
