EU wants to tighten airport subsidies - regional airports could be affected

At the same time, the Commission wants to lower the threshold for investment aid. Today, airports with up to five million passengers can receive support for investments, but in future the threshold is proposed to be three million passengers.

The proposal is part of the EU’s review of the so-called Aviation Guidelines – the framework that governs how member states may financially support regional airports.

According to the Commission, airports with between 500,000 and one million passengers are considered likely in the long term to be able to cover their own costs, but are nevertheless proposed to continue receiving operating aid during a five-year transition period. The very smallest airports, with fewer than 500,000 passengers per year, should however continue to be regarded as eligible for support because they are considered important for regional accessibility.

The reason is that the EU wants to reduce dependence on public subsidies while also limiting distortions of competition between airports. Climate and sustainability issues also carry more weight in the new review than when the current rules were introduced in 2014.

The proposal could be of major significance for regional aviation in the Nordic countries, where many small and medium-sized airports are still dependent on public support after the pandemic and the decline in domestic traffic.

Several European countries with long distances and limited alternatives to air travel, including Sweden and Finland, are expected to argue for continued flexibility in the regulatory framework. At the same time, countries with strong high-speed rail networks have pushed for stricter limits on airport subsidies.

Airlines are also indirectly affected, as many regional and low-cost routes rely on smaller airports being able to offer discounted charges or other forms of public funding.

The Commission has now opened a consultation round in which airports, airlines, member states and industry organisations can submit their views until 11 June. The new guidelines are expected to enter into force from 2027.