Double insularity islands and de minimis aid

18.4.2019

Question for written answer E-002068-19
to the Commission
Rule 130
Roberta Metsola (PPE)

The EU already provides for de minimis aid which exempts state aid of less than EUR 200 000 from the requirement to notify the Commission in advance. The latest revision of the de minimis Regulation extended its scope and doubled the de minimis ceiling.

However, the de minimis ceiling that applies to road transport is set at EUR 100 000, which is half the maximum ceiling for a de minimis ceiling in other areas. This is particularly problematic for islands in the periphery of the EU that suffer from double insularity. A case in point being the island of Gozo, which would require more flexible rules on de minimis aid for road transport due to its geographical location and its inherent challenges.

To this end, will the Commission look into the challenges faced by islands like Gozo in order to grant additional flexibility, including by increasing the de minimis aid ceiling for road transport?