European officials deny blocking United aid deal

European officials have denied making a ruling that scuppered a state-funded deal to rescue Northern Ireland's only air link with the US. First Minister Arlene Foster had accused "Brussels bureaucracy" of thwarting the Executive's GBP9m support package for United to maintain its Belfast to Newark service. Her DUP colleague and economy minister Simon Hamilton levelled similar criticism against the EC, claiming its rules on state aid torpedoed the deal. A spokeswoman for the commission said: "To be clear, the European Commission received a complaint alleging that the measure was in breach of EU rules, which it looked into, but we did not take any decision on the matter. The Northern Irish authorities and United Airlines have themselves decided to end their arrangement." United will stop the service in the new year.<br/>