Commission approves €43.63 million aid to compensate CFR Calatori for the damage suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, a €43.63 million aid to compensate CFR Calatori, the largest public service operator of rail passenger transport in Romania, for the damage suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak and the restrictive measures that the Romanian government had to implement to limit the spread of the virus. This measure will enable Romania to compensate CFR Calatori for the damage suffered during the period between 1 April and 31 August 2020 as a direct result of the restrictions in place. The aid will take the form of an equity injection. The measure was approved under Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which enables the Commission to approve state aid measures granted by member states to compensate companies for the damage directly caused by exceptional occurrences, such as the coronavirus outbreak. The Commission found that the notified measure will compensate damage that is directly linked to the coronavirus outbreak. It also found that the measure is proportionate, as the compensation does not exceed what is necessary to make good the damage. On this basis, the Commission concluded that the measure is in line with EU state aid rules. More information on actions taken by the Commission to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case number SA.60996 in the state aid register on the Commission's competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.

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