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Spain: Complaint spurs EU probe into Ryanair agreements

By  |  October 16, 2013

The European Commission announced Wednesday it would investigate allegations that deals made between airlines and Spanish public officials were in violation of state aid rules.

Reports say the regulator received a complaint that airliner Ryanair Holdings made anticompetitive marketing agreements at two Spanish airports, Girona-Coasta Brava and Reus. The complainant claims the agreements constituted illegal state aid in favor of the airline.

While the issuer of the complaint was not revealed, reports say it is a fellow airline with operations in Spain.

The Commission confirmed the probe but said it would focus on whether the agreements unfairly benefitted the airports and will not center its investigation on a singe company.

Full content: Wall Street Journal

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