France pays €79 million compensation to Atosca after A69 highway delay

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The French government has paid €79 million to Atosca, the concessionaire of the future A69 highway, following a prolonged work stoppage in 2025, the Ministry of Transport confirmed Tuesday.

Construction on the Toulouse-Castres route was halted on February 27, 2025, after the Toulouse administrative court annulled the environmental authorization for the project, which had faced persistent opposition from environmental groups since its inception. The work resumed at the end of May after a provisional decision by the Toulouse administrative court of appeal, with the environmental approval ultimately validated on December 30. The case is now before France’s Council of State.

A ministry source explained that the interruption between February and May “disrupted the economic balance of the contract” between the state and Atosca. The €79 million compensation, agreed after negotiations, covers additional costs incurred by the company due to the unexpected halt in construction. This amount is roughly half of Atosca’s initial claim.

The Ministry of Transport expressed regret over the situation, emphasizing that the costs resulted from judicial challenges that obstructed the already advanced project. These additional expenses raise the total budget, initially estimated between €400 million and €500 million. Environmental opponents and activist groups have criticized the compensation, claiming it represents public funds benefiting a private company.