Brussels: At meetings attended by ACI EUROPE this week in Namur with Mr. Elio di Rupo, Minister-President of Wallonia and Mr. Adrien Dolimont, Minister in charge of Finance and Airports, ACI EUROPE Director General Olivier Jankovec called upon the Walloon Government to ensure the future of Liège Airport and its contribution to the region's economy by urgently amending the environmental permit issued last August for the airport.

It is essential to reconsider both the maximum limit imposed of 50,000 aircraft movements and the planned reduction of the new noise quota for night flights. These two conditions imposed by the environmental permit would not only hinder the development of Liège Airport's activities as foreseen by its 2020-2040 development plan approved by the Walloon Government, but would also condemn it to decline by irreparably compromising its current activities. Far from disappearing completely, these activities would certainly be transferred to one or more other airports in Europe.

Jankovec stated: « No one disputes the need to regulate airport activities in order to limit their environmental impact as much as possible and ensure the conditions for sustainable development. However, it is clear that some of the conditions currently set out in the environmental permit for Liège airport would put an end to what is a real success story for Wallonia - thus depriving the region of a powerful engine for its economy, employment and social cohesion. The approach advocated by this environmental permit is all the more incomprehensible given that Liège airport is recognised at European level as 'best in class' in terms of managing its environmental impact, particularly with regard to noise. The Walloon region has moreover distinguished itself over the last twenty years by a proactive policy aimed at limiting the impact of noise pollution from the airport while ensuring the sustainability of its activities. I therefore urge the Walloon Government today to make the environmental permit fully compatible with the airport development plan that it itself has supported and endorsed. »