Commission approves €122.2 million Swedish state aid recapitalization measure to support the airport operator Swedavia

The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, a Swedish €122.2 million (SEK 1.418 billion) measure to support Swedavia, the operator of ten international and regional airports in Sweden.

The aim of the measure is to compensate Swedavia for the damages suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic, when Sweden introduced a number of restrictions that caused a dramatic decline of air travel in Sweden. The Commission assessed the measure under Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which enables member sates to compensate damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences. The EU Courts confirmed that the coronavirus pandemic was such an exceptional occurrence.

The Commission found that the measure is necessary and appropriate to compensate the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the travel restrictions Sweden imposed to contain it. In addition, the Commission found that the measure is proportionate, as Sweden ensured that the aid intervention did not go beyond the damage caused, while Swedavia had taken measures to keep its losses suffered during the pandemic to a minimum. On this basis, the Commission approved the Swedish measure under EU state aid rules.

In October 2020, Sweden had granted €215.5 million (SEK 2.5 billion) for the recapitalisation of Swedavia. Following exchanges with the Commission to calculate precisely the amount of damages that Swedavia could be entitled to, Sweden already recovered €75.8 million (SEK 879 million) (plus interest) from Swedavia in October 2022 and will still recover an additional amount of €17.5 million (SEK 203.5 million) (plus interest).

The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under the case numbers SA.58880 and SA.57025 in the state aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.

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