European State Aid Law
Online Workshop |
01.10.2026 - 12.11.2026 |
Online |
Language: English

State Aid Academy: An Online Series on the Notion of State Aid and Main Procedures

State Aid Academy: An Online Series on the Notion of State Aid and Main Procedures - Pictures Events 2023 61

This beginner-friendly online series, led by Prof. Caroline Buts and Seppe Maes, offers a practical introduction to EU State aid law, focusing on the key criteria under Article 107(1) TFEU. Delivered in a new format across four separate 2-hour webinars, the course allows participants to build their understanding step by step. Through real cases, quizzes, and live Q&A, participants will explore the concept of State aid, cumulative criteria, procedural rules, and relevant exemptions.

Ideal for public officials, legal professionals, academics, and others new to State aid.

Participants receive a certificate of participation.

+++ For further information, e.g., about prices, please click on Details +++

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Details

Prices

Participation fees for online participation:
Reduced fee for public authorities and full-time academics: € 790,- (excl. VAT)
Regular fee: € 1.090,- (excl. VAT)

What’s included in the price:

For online participation:

  • High-level trainers;
  • High-quality materials (slides and manual) – downloadable during and after the event;
  • Technical support by an experienced conference manager throughout the event;
  • Opportunity for live interactions (e.g., short quizzes, polls, and Q&A sessions);
  • A certificate of participation (with min. 80% attendance).

Discount for European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL) subscribers: € 150,-

VAT will be added if applicable.

Group Discounts

Group registration of five or more participants will automatically receive a 10% discount. We offer group discounts upon request.

Please contact Owen Grieves at [email protected] or call us at +49 (030)81 45 06 17 for additional details. We will be happy to assist you with your group registration.  

Course Material – No need to miss anything!

If you are unable to attend the course you may want to order all the presentations shown during the event. The price is 249€ (excl. of VAT). If interested, please contact Owen Grieves.

 

Who Should Participate?

  • State Aid Monitoring Offices in the Member States
  • National Ministries and Agencies involved in the regulation and provision of public services, such as: Ministries for:
    • Social Affairs
    • Health
    • Transport
    • Infrastructure
    • Telecommunication
    • Economy and Energy
  • Regional and Communal Governments and City Councils concerned with the provision of social services, health care, public transportation, energy and water supply, waste management and of other public services
  • Companies providing public services both on national and local level
  • Lawyers and consultants specialised in public affairs

Methodology

The State Aid Academy series delivers concise and highly focused online sessions on the cumulative criteria of Article 107(1) TFEU. Each 2-hour session combines expert presentations, case law analysis, interactive polls and quizzes, and live Q&A to ensure practical understanding and active engagement.

Participants can submit questions in advance to shape the discussion and receive downloadable slides after each session. In addition, each participant will receive a dedicated compact manual as a comprehensive reference throughout the series. The program concludes with a final assessment exercise, and a certificate of participation will be provided to those who meet attendance requirements (min. 80%).

Programme

Day 1: Thursday, 1. October | *Programme subject to change*

Chair of the Seminar
Caroline Buts Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
11:00-13:00

Module 1: Introduction and the State aid criteria

  • Introduction
    Objectives, control, prohibition, and cumulative criteria
  • Undertakings and economic activities
    The concept of undertaking; economic versus non-economic activities
  • State resources and imputability
    Identifying State resources and attributing a measure to the State
  • Selective economic advantage
    Advantage and the Market Economy Operator Principle (MEOP); general versus selective measures; de jure and de facto selectivity; tax rulings
  • Competition and trade
    Distortion of competition and effects on trade between Member States
Caroline Buts ,  Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
Seppe Maes ,  Postdoctoral Researcher & Teacher, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Day 2: Thursday, 15. October

Chair of the Seminar
Caroline Buts Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
11:00-13:00

Module 2: Procedures

  • State aid actors and the Procedural Regulation
  • Notification, the standstill obligation, and procedural steps
  • New versus existing aid; procedures applicable to new aid
  • Unlawful aid and the procedure for examining it
  • The role of national courts
Caroline Buts ,  Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
Seppe Maes ,  Postdoctoral Researcher & Teacher, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Day 3: Thursday, 29. October

Chair of the Seminar
Caroline Buts Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
11:00-13:00

Module 3: Beyond the prohibition

  • Compatibility routes: Articles 107(3)(b), 107(3)(c), 93, and 106(2) TFEU
  • De minimis aid
  • The General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)
  • Targeted frameworks and guidelines
  • Case law and practical exercises
Caroline Buts ,  Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
Seppe Maes ,  Postdoctoral Researcher & Teacher, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Day 4: Thursday, 12. November

Chair of the Seminar
Caroline Buts Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
11:00-13:00

Module 4: The economics of State aid

  • Clawback mechanisms
    Designing repayment triggers and monitoring excess returns
  • Gross grant equivalent (GGE)
    Quantifying the aid element in grants, loans, and guarantees
  • Compensation for services of general economic interest (SGEIs)
    Net costs, reasonable profit, and avoiding overcompensation
  • Funding gap
    Counterfactual scenarios, incremental cash flows, and the minimum aid required
  • MEOP / MEIP
    The Market Economy Operator Principle and Market Economy Investor Principle: benchmarking and pari passu transactions
  • Economic assessment tools
    Discounting, net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), weighted average cost of capital (WACC), and sensitivity analysis
Caroline Buts ,  Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)
Seppe Maes ,  Postdoctoral Researcher & Teacher, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Speakers

Caroline Buts
Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Academic Director EStALI; Managing Editor European State Aid Law Quarterly (EStAL)

More info
Seppe Maes
Postdoctoral Researcher & Teacher, Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

More info

Partner

The series is organized in cooperation with the Brussels Centre for Competition Policy Research Group.

Venue

Online

Online
Online, Germany
Phone

Online-Registration

Online Workshop | 01.10.2026 - 12.11.2026 | Online | Language: English

Further information incl. prices under Details.

Seating limit
The number of participants is limited.

Please contact [email protected] if you have technical problems with the booking. 

Are you a public authority?

Buchungen sind für diese Veranstaltung nicht mehr möglich.

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