24.3.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L7761 COMMISSION DECISION of 11 December 2002 concerning State aid scheme C 42/2002 (ex N 286/2002) which France proposes to implement to assist French airlines (notified under document number C(2002) 4833) (Only the French text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/196/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 88(2) thereof, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof, Having invited interested parties to submit their comments in accordance with the aforementioned Articles (1), Whereas: I. PROCEDURE 7) (1) By fax dated 11 April 2002, recorded on 12 April 2002 (TREN  (2002) A[56617), France notified the Commission of a compensation scheme for losses in the aviation sector for the period starting on 15 September 2001. (2) By letter dated 5 June 2002, the Commission informed France of its decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the Treaty in respect of the said aid. (3)  The Commission's decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (%). The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid in question. (4)  The Commission received no comments on this matter from interested parties. II. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE AID Background (5)  As a result of the terrorist attacks perpetrated in the United States on 11 September 2001, certain parts of air space were closed for several days. This was particularly true of United States air space, which was entirely off limits from 11 to 14 September 2001 and was only gradually reopened to navigation as of 15 September 2001. Other States were prompted to take similar measures on all or part of their territory. Accordingly, during this initial period, airlines were forced to cancel flights using the air space concerned. In addition, they suffered losses as a result of disruption to other traffic and the impossibility of routing some passengers to their final destination. In view of the scale and sudden nature of these events, and the costs they engendered for the airlines, the Member States were prompted to envisage special compensation arrangements. France's compensation scheme for losses sustained from 11 to 14 September 2001 received Commission approval (}). The decision was taken on the basis of Article 87(2)(b) of the Treaty and the guidelines set out in the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council ‘The repercussions of the terrorist attacks in the United States on the air transport industry’ () (hereinafter the communication of 10 October 2001). The budget authorised for France was EUR 54,9 million. New scheme notified by France The notified scheme covered by the present decision is an extension of the scheme approved for the period ending on 14 September 2001. It provides compensation for losses for the period from 15 to 19 - (*) Decision of 30 January 2002 on aid N 806/2001 (O] C 59, () OJ C 170, 16.7.2002, p. 11. 6.3.2002, p. 25). () See footnote 1. () COM (2001) 574 final, 10.10.2001.