A Belgian region will ask Ryanair to refund €4 million in subsidies the European Union earlier deemed illegal, a top official at Charleroi airport says.
In February, EU competition regulators ordered Ryanair to repay several million euros in subsidies to the southern Belgian region of Wallonia, arguing incentives it received for setting up a hub at state-owned Charleroi airport were illegal under EU law.
"A letter will be sent without delay to Ryanair to invite it to reimburse some 4 million euros," Mr Laurent Jossart, the head of Charleroi airport, told La Libre Belgiquepaper in an interview.
He said the Commission had earlier granted Wallonia an extension until September 15th before it had to start recovering the funds.