Groupe ADP, the French state-backed operator of Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, has come under scrutiny for fees collected from sanctioned Russian airline Ural Airlines through its subsidiary TAV Airports. Operating via a joint venture with Germany's Fraport at Antalya airport in Turkey, TAV has continued services for Ural Airlines despite EU sanctions imposed in June 2024. At least 54 Ural flights have been listed at Antalya for Volgograd and Moscow since September 21.
TAV's subsidiary Havas serves as Ural's ground-handling provider. The EU sanctions initially applied only to entities within the bloc, meaning overseas subsidiaries like TAV were not initially in scope. Brussels later added a "best efforts" requirement for companies to ensure they do not undermine sanctions through non-EU entities, applied to Ural since February 2025.
An international trade lawyer stated Groupe ADP's actions "would appear, at least, to go against the spirit of the EU sanctions." Groupe ADP affirmed strict compliance, while TAV denied violating sanctions, stating it provides only the minimum services required by local regulations. Fraport also stated full compliance with applicable laws. The situation highlights the limits of western blacklists and the challenges of enforcing sanctions when control over overseas subsidiaries is limited by local legislation.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing