Commission invites comments on draft revised State aid rules for air transport

The European Commission has today launched a public consultation inviting all interested parties to comment on its draft revised Guidelines on State aid to the air transport sector. These will replace the existing Guidelines, which were adopted in 2014. Interested parties are invited to respond to the public consultation by 11 June 2026.

The new Guidelines

The 2014 Aviation Guidelines set out the conditions under which certain State support for airlines and airports can be declared in line with EU rules, on the basis of Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU ('TFEU').

The draft revised Guidelines update this framework, as the sector has undergone significant transformation since 2014. Continued growth, ambitious decarbonisation targets and challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis all call for a modernised approach to State aid rules in the aviation industry.

The draft revised Guidelines will be complemented by other State aid rules, including the new General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), set for adoption by the end of 2026.

The proposed changes bring several key updates reflecting developments since 2014. They concern the following types of aid:

• Operating aid to airports:
  • Operating aid will be possible for airports with fewer than one million yearly passengers. Airports with more passengers are expected to cover their own operating costs.
  • Airports with up to 500,000 yearly passengers are generally not expected to be viable without public support, but account only for a small share of passenger traffic within the EU, so usually have a limited effect on competition. Against this backdrop, the Commission proposes to block-exempt operating aid for airports with up to 500,000 yearly passengers under the new GBER that is set for adoption in 2026.
  • Airports between 500,000 and one million yearly passengers often still have significantly lower traffic levels than before the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Commission considers that they are large enough to be profitable, it recognises that due to the external shocks in recent years they might require more time to become profitable. The Commission therefore considers it justified to allow operating aid to airports with up to 1 million yearly passengers for a transitional five-year period.

• Investment aid would be possible for airports with up to three million yearly passengers, instead of up to five million yearly passengers, as in the 2014 Aviation Guidelines and subject to green conditionality when new capacity is created.
• A revision and simplification of the analysis of potentially distortive effects of State aid on neighbouring airports, which is part of the assessment when aid is notified. This analysis would cover effects of State aid in a larger geographic area around the airport receiving the aid, than under the 2014 rules. The analysis itself is also streamlined to allow for a more straightforward assessment.
• Start-up aid to launch new routes will no longer be allowed. Start-up aid as provided for in the 2014 Aviation Guidelines was very rarely used. The air transport sector opened many new routes without having to rely on it. In a fully EU liberalised air transport market, air carriers are expected to shoulder the risk of opening new routes.

The Commission notes that under the European Green Deal, the transport sector is expected to reduce its emissions by 90% by 2050 and the air transport sector needs to contribute to that reduction. To that end, the  air transport sector can benefit from specific State aid measures for decarbonisation, available in the existing rules such as the Climate, Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines, the upcoming new GBER and the Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework. To clarify how these rules apply to air transport, the Commission will publish a dedicated guidance paper together with the final revised Guidelines.

Background

The draft follows the conclusions of the 2020 Fitness Check, which identified the need to update the framework in light of market developments, reliance on public funding by regional airports, and evolving EU policy priorities, notably the European Green Deal. The Commission launched a Call for Evidence in August 2024 to gather stakeholder input on current rules and the need for revision, including simplification, alignment with environmental objectives, and adaptation to changes in the air transport sector. This consultation phase was complemented by a public consultation, launched in December 2024, and a dedicated external study.

Next steps

In addition to the public consultation launched today, the draft revised Guidelines will be discussed in a multilateral meeting between the Commission and the Member States.

The adoption of the revised Guidelines is planned for the first quarter of 2027.