BRUSSELS, July 13 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Monday it had approved state aid worth a total of about 500 million euros ($695.5 million) for 10 Polish airports.
The Commission, the 27-nation European Union's executive, said in a statement the aid was, among other things, for the construction of new terminals and the modernisation of runways.
"The aid measures notified by the Polish authorities are intended for existing small regional airports near Poznan, Rzeszow, Krakow, Lodz, Bydgoszcz and airports which will be built in the future such as Lublin, Modlin, the airport of Podlaskie, Olsztyn-Szymany and Zegrze Pomorskie," it said.
The EU executive, which must approve all state support in the EU, said the aid for the airports was proportionate and necessary.
"The Commission concluded that the measure meets the objectives of clearly defined general interests, such as the development of transport networks and the accessibility of Polish regions," it said.
The small airports would receive aid to cover the full investment costs and the medium-sized airports, Poznan and Krakow, would receive aid amounting to a maximum of 76 percent of the investment costs, it said.
The Commission also authorised a Polish state aid scheme intended to encourage the development of intermodal transport -- transportation that involves more than one form of transport -- through the construction of logistics centres and container terminals.
The scheme will be in place until the end of 2015 and will have a budget of 111 million euros. Subsidies will be granted for constructing and developing infrastructure and buying equipment, it said.
(Reporting by Timothy Heritage; editing by Bate Felix))