Airports & Regions: Money MattersSergi Alegre Calero, President

World Airport Lawyers AssociationAmsterdam

25 April 2012

The democratically elected representatives of all the people who live nearby an airport

The local and regional authorities hosting and neighbouring an international airport

The voice of local and regional authorities for dialogue with aviation stakeholders, economic and institutional partners at national, European and international level

What is the ARC?

Recognition of concerns

Economic development

Spatial Planning

Environment

Local and regional

authorities

Why am I Here?

Governance

Employment, employability,

training

investments

Noise & ground noise

Emissions and carbon foot print

Optimal land use

Spatial Planning & ATM

Information and communication

Mutual understanding

As a politician, I deal with

Quality of life

Airports have a direct economic impact on regional economies in terms of demand for goods & services they provide

Jobs:

Regional Economic Impact

FRA

OSL

CDG

Airports serve as economic catalysts for regions

Case Studies: ◦ Paris-Ile de France◦ Vienna ◦ Barcelona-El Prat

Indirect Impact

BCN

CDG

VIE

Large airports connect airport regions to the world

Gateway to Europe & Beyond

Airports need tailor-made investments! (ARC Quality of Life in Airport Regions Report)

◦ Public Transport: Stockholm-Arlanda Express

◦ Mitigation Programs

◦ Vocational Programs: Gothenburg-Landvetter

Airport Costs to a Region

ARN

GOT

State Aid is assistance from a public body, or publicly-funded body which has the potential to distort competition and affect trade between Member States of the European Union.

Can be allowed on a “discretionary basis” as decided by the European Commission

Public Service Obligations (PSOs) are links between remote regions and mainland and can be allowed if they are deemed necessary to the “general economic interest.”

State Aid (Present)

LPA

The European Commission is going to be revising the 2005 Guidelines and has stated that it is “going to be more strict on deciding what type of State Aid is permissible.”

The European Commission wants to:

◦ Avoid duplication of unprofitable airports and creation/maintenance of overcapacity

◦ Avoid waste of public money and reduce the need for public funding (State Aid)

◦ Airports to be able to cover their costs and support increased private investment into airports

State Aid (Future)

Changes are on the way !

Thank You!info@airportregions.org