Code:
) transparent
ii) enforced
iii) enforced uniformly.
Now what makes me think that the second and third condition have been "conspicuous by their absence" in the airline/ airport subsidies "game" to date ?
Ask Malev and Cyprus Airways - Oh wait both fell fowl and result the EU rules forced their closure and thousands lost their livelihood.
Alitalia forced restructuring twice and required external financing from the sandpit.
Olympic forced into bankruptcy and restructuring and eventual merger with Aegean.
Plenty of cases where EU competition rules HAVE been enforced right across the continent actually.
As for PSOs on island and very narrow routes to distant corners they can be legal exception situations when considered vital