The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, €4.5 million of investment aid for Paderborn airport. This is a regional airport, located in the German federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, with traffic of approximately 820,000 passengers in 2024. It is operated by the publicly owned company Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport GmbH.
The aid will allow Paderborn airport to finance investments ensuring that it can continue operating as a commercial airport, whilst enhancing the quality of its transport infrastructure and transport services.
The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, in particular the rules on investment aid for airports under the Aviation Guidelines. Among the investments concerned, the Commission concluded that rescue services and firefighting are of non-economic nature, and the segment of the measure financing them did not involve any State aid. For the remainder of the investment, the Commission found that the measure was necessary and appropriate to achieve the objective pursued, namely improving the connectivity of citizens. Furthermore, the Commission found that the measure is proportionate, as it is limited to the minimum necessary to allow the airport to fully cover the investment costs in its infrastructure between 2025 and 2030, without unduly distorting competition in the single market. On this basis, the Commission approved the German measure under EU State aid rules.
The non-confidential version of the decision will be made available under case number SA.109986 in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website once any confidentiality issues have been resolved.
