Financial rescue of TAP
16.6.2020
Question for written answer E-003623/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar (PPE), Paulo Rangel (PPE), Maria da Graça Carvalho (PPE), Álvaro Amaro (PPE), Lídia Pereira (PPE), José Manuel Fernandes (PPE)
With its decision SA.57369, the European Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, the Portuguese Government’s request to grant an emergency loan of EUR 1.2 billion to TAP. In view of the current situation on the aviation market, it is likely that TAP will have to submit a restructuring plan. The terms of the agreement have not been made public, but it is essential to maintain a proper and fair geographical distribution of TAP’s routes, particularly to Faro and Porto airports, and to preserve the principle of territorial continuity in relation to the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores.
In view of the above, can the Commission say:
- 1.whether the terms that the Portuguese Government attached to the aid to TAP consider the fair distribution of flights to and from Faro and Porto airports and the principle of territorial continuity?
- 2.whether it was ensured as part of the rescue that restructuring would lead to neither a reduction in the number of routes or in flight frequency between the mainland and the islands, nor an increase in prices on such routes?