EU approves aid for completion of delayed Berlin airport

The European Union (EU) has approved 1.2 billion euros (US$1.6 billion) in state aid for the completion of Berlin's new airport, the EU executive announced Wednesday. The cash injection was necessary as the operator building the airport did not have the means to cover additional costs to the delayed project, the EU wrote. It ruled that the funding, provided by Germany and the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, was in line with European Union rules as it met the same conditions as capital acquired by private investors on the free market, according to a report of DPA. The airport announced early this year that it would miss its planned opening date of June. It now expects to begin operations in October 2013.