Link: https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2024-11/cp240187en.pdf

Languages available: es de en fr it hu pl pt ro

PRESS RELEASE No 187/24

Luxembourg, 6 November 2024

Judgment of the General Court in Case T-827/22 | Wizz Air Hungary v Commission (TAROM II; Covid-19)

State aid: the General Court dismisses an action brought by Wizz Air in respect of aid granted by Romania to national airline TAROM in order to provide compensation for the damage suffered owing to the COVID-19 pandemic

That aid, amounting to almost €2 million, is compatible with the internal market

On 3 February 2022, Romania notified the Commission of individual aid of almost €2 million, in the form of a capital injection, for the Romanian airline TAROM. The aid was financed from the general budget of Romania and is intended to compensate TAROM for the damage suffered on 14 specific international routes in the period from 1 July to 31 December 2020 owing to the travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 29 April 2022, the Commission found that aid to be compatible with the internal market under Article 107(2)(b) TFEU without initiating the formal investigation procedure.

Competing airline Wizz Air challenges that decision before the General Court of the European Union, which today dismisses its action. (...)