The Commission open a public consultation on draft provisions to simplify implementation of unproblematic state support for ports and airports.

The modification concerns the investment aid for regional airports, maritime port and inland ports.

The draft provisions also are intended to address some technical issues encountered in the current General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), in particular for the regional operating aid schemes in outermost regions.

All citizens, organisations and public authorities are welcome to contribute to this consultation.

The draft provisions is a modification of the regulation (EU) n. 651/2014 (GBER), exempting categories of aid from the obligation to notify in article 108(3) TFEU. The recital 1 of the GBER announce that the Commission envisages developing criteria for port and airport infrastructure.

This first public consultation on draft provisions to extend the 2014 GBER is open until 30 May 2016. The Commission will take into account views and comments by stakeholders and prepare an updated draft, which will be subject to a second public consultation, currently planned for autumn this year, before deciding on the final Regulation.

The initiative is part of the Regulatory Fitness and Performance of EU Legislation (REFIT) agenda.
The objectives and the procedure of this initiative are explained in the Roadmap.
For more information, see the Press release.
For the draft provisions and for details see the consultation page.