Belgians press Ryanair for return of €2.8m

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Source:Irish Independant

Belgians press Ryanair for return of €2.8m

Saturday July 1st 2006

BELGIUM is set to continue its proceedings against Ryanair for the recovery of over €2.8m provided by the Belgian authorities to the airline for services to and from Charleroi Airport.

The Belgian move follows a decision by the European Commission in February 2004 that many of the financial arrangements agreed between Ryanair and the Walloon Region of Belgium are incompatible with the common market.

Ryanair yesterday lost a High Court bid to put a stay on the proceedings by Belgium pending the determination of Ryanair's appeal against the European Commission decision, which is currently before the Court of First Instance of European Communities.

Refusing the application for a stay in the proceedings yesterday, Mr Justice Iarflaith O'Neill said it was quite clear that Ryanair has put forward no evidence which can come close to satisfying the test for its contention that it would suffer irreparable harm if a stay was not granted. The judge said a letter of October 25, 2005, before the court acknowledges that the only harm apprehended is pure financial loss which is well within their capacity to bear.

The European Commission decision, he said, has to be regarded by the Irish courts as having the force of law unless and until it is annulled and its validity cannot be questioned in these proceedings.

Ann O'Loughlin


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