
Article 1 
The Commission will carry out an investigation, as provided for in Articles 4(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92, in order to determine whether the public service obligations imposed on routes between the Sardinian airports and the main national airports, published at the request of the Italian Republic in Official Journal of the European Union C 72 of 24 March 2006 and C 93 of 21 April 2006, should continue to apply to these routes.
Article 2 

1. The Italian Republic shall transmit to the Commission, within one month following the notification of this Decision, all the information necessary for examining the conformity of the public service obligations referred to in Article 1 with Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92.
2. In particular, the following shall be transmitted:
— A detailed explanation of the socio-economic objectives pursued by the imposition of the public service obligations referred to in Article 1 and a justification of how such obligations are adequate and proportionate in order to attain these objectives — in particular with respect to the new 10 routes not covered by the Notice of 7 October 2000.
— A detailed explanation of how the measures envisaged in point 1.6 of the two Notices referred to in Article 1 with a view to avoiding ‘overcapacity’ if several carriers accept a route subject to public service obligations will operate in practice and of their justification under Article 4(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92.
— A legal analysis, with regard to Community law, justifying the different conditions contained in the public service obligations referred to in Article 1, and particularly:
— The justification for applying reduced fares to persons born in Sardinia, even if they do not live in Sardinia, particularly in view of the already existing available discounts for flights for students that fall within this category of passengers.
— An explanation of how the requirement to be born in Sardinia in order to qualify for a reduced fare will be enforced in practice.
— The justification for the requirement to provide the performance security and the method for establishing its amount.
— The justification for the differences between the new fare structures and those imposed by the public service obligations published on 10 December 2004.
— An explanation of the reasons why the public service obligations apply with respect to the airport systems of Rome and Milan, rather than with respect to individual aiports within those systems, and of the reasons why 50 % of the connections between Sardinian airports and Rome and Milan must be operated from and to Fiumicino and from and to Milano–Linate.
— The legal basis and the justification for bundling together the following two sets of routes into packages:
— Alghero–Rome, Rome–Alghero, Alghero–Milan and Milan–Alghero, and
— Olbia–Rome, Rome–Olbia, Olbia–Milan and Milan–Olbia.
— A detailed analysis of the economic relations between the regions of Sardinia and the other regions of Italy where the airports concerned by the public service obligations referred to in Article 1 are located.
— A detailed analysis of the current supply of air transport between the Sardinian airports and the other Italian airports concerned by the public service obligations referred to in Article 1 including the supply of indirect flights, as well as an indication of when Decree No 36 entered into force.
— A detailed analysis of the availability of other means of transport and their capacity to meet the transport needs under consideration.
— An analysis of the current demand for air transport for each route concerned by these obligations, including the operating forecasts (passenger traffic, freight, financial forecasts, etc.) communicated by the carrier or carriers.
— A precise description of the journey times and frequency required to connect by road the different Sardinian airports concerned by these obligations.
— A description of the situation on the day of notification of this Decision regarding the operation of services in accordance with the obligations and the identity of the carrier or carriers operating services under the PSO regime.
— Any claims existing before the national courts on the day of notification of this Decision and the legal situation of the notice imposing the public service obligations.
— An explanation of whether the public service obligations published in the Notice of 7 October 2000 continued to apply following the suspension and repeal of the obligations published in the Notice of 10 December 2004 and, if so, on which legal base, as well as of the reasons why the Italian authorities failed to inform promptly the Commission thereof.
Article 3 

1. This Decision is addressed to the Italian Republic.
2. This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 1 August 2006.
For the Commission
Jacques BARROT
Vice-President