The privatization of the Itanian carrier ITA Airways could face obstacles in Brussels. This is what the European Commissioner for Competition, Didier Reynders, predicted regarding the agreement between the Italian Economy and Finance (Mef) ministry and the German aviation group Lufthansa: 41% of ITA for 325 million of Euro. In the best case scenario, the European antitrust examination could lead to the green light on January 15, 2024.

"It is a very important case and we intend to proceed as quickly as possible even if it is difficult to express the timing of our decision". I have had "many contacts with the different parties for a real provisional phase and on what possible remedies can be proposed for this operation, now we have received the notification and we are in an official phase in which we evaluate the partners' proposal", explained the European commissioner.

Everything "will depend on the evaluation of the remedies, discussions with the parties and perhaps additional conditions on the remedies" to comply with the competition rules, Reynders concluded. There are five issues in the negotiation that Brussels technicians will examine before giving the green light to the agreement: flight in European skies, some intercontinental connections, cargo transport, maintenance services, ground operations at airports.

On the topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.