European State Aid Law

Summer Course |

25.08.2025 - 28.08.2025 |

Cluj-Napoca |

Language: English

Summer Course: State Aid – Core Concepts, Principles, Exemptions, and Guidelines

During these four immersive days, share best practices with our experts, engage in interactive case studies, dive into the essentials of State aid regulations, and gain practical tools to assess and design compatible public measures. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your expertise in Cluj-Napoca, the historic capital of Transylvania.

Participants receive a certificate upon participation.

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

+++ Register before 30 June 2025 to avail of our 10% early bird discount! +++

Prices

Participation fees for participation in Cluj-Napoca:
Reduced fee for public authorities and full-time academics: € 3.380,- (excl. VAT)
Regular fee: € 3.880,- (excl. VAT)

What’s included in the price:

High-level trainers;
High-quality materials – printed in a booklet and downloadable after the event;
A copy of the latest issue of the “State Aid Uncovered” book;
Experienced conference manager’s support throughout the event;
Coffee and lunch breaks throughout the event;
Walking tour on the first evening;
Two networking dinners;
Lexxion-branded gift bags.

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

+++ Register before 30 June 2025 to avail of our 10% early bird discount! +++

VAT will be added if applicable.

Group Discounts

Group registration of three or more participants will automatically receive a 10% discount.

We offer group discounts upon request. Please contact Camilla Coltorti at [email protected] or +49 (030)81 45 06 17. We will be happy to assist you with your group registration.

Course Material – No need to miss anything!

If you were unable to make it to the workshop you may want to order a copy of the printed material including the access data to all presentations shown during the event. The price is 299€ (excl. of VAT). If interested, please contact Camilla Coltorti.

Who Should Participate?

Public officials from:
- Ministries and other national authorities
- National Competition Authorities
- State Aid Monitoring Offices
- Courts of Auditors
- Regional governments
- Communal and city councils
- National and regional development agencies

involved in granting State aid in sectors such as: Transport and infrastructure; finance; environment and energy; telecommunication and broadband; social services and health; agriculture; research, development & innovation

ESI funds experts from:
- Institutions coordinating the national strategies for ESI Funds
- Managing and audit authorities
- Bodies in charge of the accounting function
- Intermediate bodies
- Bodies implementing EU-funded projects
- Lawyers and consultants
Experts from public and private banks
Academics

Methodology

The four-day Intensive Course offers the possibility to meet with experts from EU institutions and Member States as well as the private sector, academia, and diplomacy. Varied perspectives of our experienced trainers will support you in applying complex rules to your own daily practice.

To ensure that you get the best possible understanding of the topics at hand, our Intensive Course sessions combine theoretical presentations, case study analysis, and highly interactive discussions on practical issues. You will have ample opportunities to present your issues and exchange information and experiences with speakers and participants from other Member States.

Just send us your cases and questions in advance! We will forward them to our speakers, who will include your issues in the discussion. All relevant information will be treated confidentially.

Various social activities are organised for our participants to network with the experts and other participants in an informal atmosphere.

Intensive Course materials will be available for download after the event.

Programme

Day 1: Monday, 25. August | Concept & Assessment of State Aid

Chair of the Seminar

Phedon Nicolaides Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

08:30

Registration & Welcome Coffee

09:00

Welcome Note & Introduction Round

09:30

System and Structure of State Aid Control in the EU

Statistics on state aid
System of gradated control
Responsibilities of the European Commission, Member States, and beneficiaries

Phedon Nicolaides , Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

10:00

Coffee Break & Networking

10:30

Concept and Principles of State Aid

The requirements of Art. 107 TFEU
The notion of aid
The notion of undertaking
Economic vs. non-economic activity
Determining advantage and selectivity of measures
Effect on trade and distortion of competition

Phedon Nicolaides , Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

12:30

Lunch Break

13:30

Case Studies & Working Group Exercise

Phedon Nicolaides , Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

15:00

Coffee Break & Networking

15:30

Compatibility Assessment of State Aid

Is there a need for a subsidy?
Appropriateness of State aid measure
Funding gap method and market failure
Incentive effect and proportionality
Avoidance of undue negative effects on competition and trade between Member States
Transparency and evaluation

Phedon Nicolaides , Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

17:30

Summary and Lessons Learnt of Day 1

18:30

Social Activity (tbc) followed by a Networking Dinner

Day 2: Tuesday, 26. August | State Aid Exemptions: De Minimis & GBER and State Aid Procedures

Chair of the Seminar

Phedon Nicolaides Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

09:00

De minimis Regulation

Application of Regulation 2023/2831
Thresholds, gross grant equivalent, cumulation, national registers

Péter Staviczky , Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

09:30

General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)

The GBER rules: Common and specific provisions
Scope and categories of exempted aid
Thresholds, incentive effect, and cumulation rules

Péter Staviczky , Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

11:00

Coffee Break & Networking

11:30

State Aid Procedures: Notification & Recovery of Unlawful Aid

Notification procedure: Regulation 2015/1589
What needs to be notified and how?
Types of procedures
Practical Case: How to Notify a Measure?
Non-compliance and recovery of unlawful aid
Practical Case: How to Recover Unlawful Aid?

Péter Staviczky , Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

13:00

Lunch Break

14:00

Practical Exercise on a Fictional Case: Procedural Rules, GBER & Notion of Aid – When to Notify?

Péter Staviczky , Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

15:30

Summary and Lessons Learnt of Day 2

15:45

End of Day 2

Day 3: Wednesday, 27. August | SGEI & Main Horizontal Guidelines

Chair of the Seminar

Phedon Nicolaides Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

09:00

Environmental and Energy Aid & Practical Cases

Guidelines and Legal framework for energy and environment projects: Scope of application
Notifiable energy and environmental aid
Specific State aid provisions for energy efficiency and renewable energy
Practical experiences

Péter Staviczky , Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

10:00

Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI)

Concept of SGEI
Recent judgments and Commission decisions
SGEI Package (2012) and Altmark criteria

Phedon Nicolaides , Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

11:30

Coffee Break & Networking

12:00

Case Studies on SGEI

How to define a market gap?
How to calculate compensation?
How to notify SGEI aid?

Phedon Nicolaides , Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

13:30

Lunch Break

14:30

State Aid for R&D&I & Practical Cases

GBER rules
The Framework for State Aid for R&D&I
Non-economic research vs economic research
Collaboration between research organisations and undertakings
Practical experience

Péter Staviczky , Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

15:30

Coffee Break & Networking

16:00

Regional Aid & Practical Cases

Guidelines on Regional State aid 2022-2027
Regional aid under the GBER – Implications for Member States’ authorities
Compatibility measures of regional aid
Treatment of SMEs and large investment projects
When does a Member State have to notify? Can a Member State withdraw a notification?

Dr. Anita Gyürkés , Head of Department, State Aid Monitoring Office, Budapest

17:00

Summary and Lessons Learnt of Day 3

19:00

Networking Dinner

Day 4: Thursday, 28. August | Infrastructure Funding in Compliance with State Aid

Chair of the Seminar

Phedon Nicolaides Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

09:00

Funding of Infrastructure in Compliance with State Aid

Infrastructure Funding in regional policy
Funding infrastructure after Leipzig/Halle: What are public authorities still allowed to finance?
MEIP and its application to infrastructure funding
Compatibility principles of infrastructure funding
The 20% rule of infrastructure funding

Dr. Anita Gyürkés , Head of Department, State Aid Monitoring Office, Budapest

10:30

Coffee Break & Networking

11:00

Practical Exercises and Group Work on Infrastructure Funding

Transport infrastructure
Financing of airports
Research infrastructure
Sport and multifunctional recreational infrastructures
Public Utilities infrastructure: water, sewerage, and waste

Dr. Anita Gyürkés , Head of Department, State Aid Monitoring Office, Budapest

13:00

Lunch Break

14:00

Problem-Solving Session and Final Discussion – Discuss your case and questions in full confidentiality.

Dr. Anita Gyürkés , Head of Department, State Aid Monitoring Office, Budapest

15:00

Summary and Lessons Learnt of Day 4

15:15

End of the Summer Course

Speakers

Phedon Nicolaides

Professor at Maastricht University; Professor at University of Nicosia, and Academic Director at Lexxion Training

More info

Péter Staviczky

Hungarian Permanent Representation, Brussels

More info

Dr. Anita Gyürkés

Head of Department, State Aid Monitoring Office, Budapest

More info

Venue

Vibre Hotel

Strada Constantin Brâncuși 48-54
Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Phone +40364431223
[email protected]

Online-Registration

Summer Course | 25.08.2025 - 28.08.2025 | Cluj-Napoca | Language: English

Further information incl. prices under Details.

Seating limit
The number of participants in Cluj-Napoca is limited.

Please contact [email protected], if you would like to register.

Are you a public authority?

YES, I will take part in

19% VAT (Romania) will be added if applicable. The participation fee covers conference/course materials. If attending face-to-face the participation fee includes drinks and snacks during breaks and warm meals (if indicated).

Teilnehmerdaten | Participant Information

Ticket Type	Price	Spaces
Early Bird / Frühbucherrabatt \| Summer Course: State Aid – Concept, Principles, Exemptions & Guidelines \| Cluj-Napoca Reduced fee for public authorities / Reduzierter Preis für Angehörige einer Hochschule/Behörde	€3.042,00	N/A

Summer Course: State Aid – Concept, Principles, Exemptions & Guidelines \| Cluj-Napoca Reduced fee for public authorities / Reduzierter Preis für Angehörige einer Hochschule/Behörde	€3.380,00
First name of the participants * Surname of the participants * Position of the participants * Department of the participants * E-mail of the participants * Telephone of the participants
Early Bird / Frühbucherrabatt \| Summer Course: State Aid – Concept, Principles, Exemptions & Guidelines \| Cluj-Napoca Regular fee / Regulärer Preis	€3.492,00	N/A

Summer Course: State Aid – Concept, Principles, Exemptions & Guidelines \| Cluj-Napoca Regular fee / Regulärer Preis	€3.880,00
First name of the participants * Surname of the participants * Position of the participants * Department of the participants * E-mail of the participants * Telephone of the participants

Zusammenfassung | Summary

Please select at least one space to proceed with your booking.

Coupon Code

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Summer Master Class – “State Aid Uncovered” with Prof. Dr. Phedon Nicolaides

August 2025

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Summer Course, Language: English