State Aid Law Blog

State Aid Uncovered Blog

In Lexxion’s State Aid Uncovered blog, Prof. Phedon Nicolaides publishes weekly critical analyses of recent State aid judgments and decisions. Each post presents the key points of a court judgment or EU Commission decision, places it in the context of similar case law or practice, assesses the underlying reasoning and highlights any inconsistencies or contradictions.

Guest contributions from other State aid experts will also be published on the blog at irregular intervals to complement the content of the blog posts.

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Commission decision on SA.59158 ×

23. May 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Temporary Framework Allows Member States to Grant Aid only to SMEs 
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design
Introduction  Although discrimination is in general prohibited in the EU, the fact remains that in the field of State aid Member States may grant State aid only to certain companies and may also decide how much aid to grant.  That the granting of State aid relies solely on the discretion of Member States has recently been re-confirmed by the General […]
read more
No Comments
12. January 2021  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

A First Evaluation of Covid-19 State Aid
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost2 Covid
There is a significant variation across Member States in terms of the number of aid measures as well as the amount of aid. Introduction On 17 December 2020, the European Parliament published a report evaluating the impact of State aid to combat covid-19.[1] The report was requested by the committee responsible for economic policy. The report is probably the first […]
read more
No Comments
11. June 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Erika Szyszczak

When State Aid Gets Political
State Aid Blogs - brexit 3870554 1920
We are happy to receive a guest comment on the EU – UK post-Brexit trade negotiations from Professor Emerita, Erika Szyszczak, who is a Fellow of UKTPO at the University of Sussex. This is a longer version of an earlier Blog published on the UKTPO website. Control over State aid is a stumbling block for the future of an EU […]
read more
No Comments
19. May 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

No New Aid to Undertakings that Have not Yet Repaid Incompatible Aid
Money in Hands
There is no rule in EU law obliging Member States to grant State aid. The European Commission may refuse to authorise aid until previous aid that was found to be incompatible with the internal market is paid back. Temporary Framework: Number of approved covid-19 measures, as of 16 May 2020: 125* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 10; Article 107(3)(b): 105; Article […]
read more
No Comments
14. May 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Wout De Cock

Belgium and COVID-19: The European Commission Approves Several Belgian State Aid Measures
corona virus
We are happy to share with you an update on the Covid-19 measures that have been approved in Belgium. Our guest auhor Wout De Cock is a PhD candidate at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and part-time teaching assistant at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.* Introduction In issue 1/2020 of the European State Aid Law Quarterly, we concluded that the European Commission […]
read more
No Comments
5. May 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Non-recovery of Incompatible State aid Is Costly
corona virus poster
Legal and practical difficulties in the recovery of incompatible State aid do not constitute justifiable “absolute impossibility”. Temporary Framework On 1 May, the total number of State aid measures to combat covid-19 approved by the European Commission reached 102. Their legal basis was: Article 107(2)(b): 9; Article 107(3)(b): 86; Article 107(3)(c): 7   Introduction The 2020 Temporary Framework for State […]
read more
2 Comments
27. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Identification of Undertakings in Difficulty
corona virus poster
A company is in difficulty if, in practice, its accumulated net losses exceed 50% of its subscribed capital, regardless of whether the subscribed capital is formally written down. The classification of a company as being in difficulty is independent of the sector in which it operates and of whether a private investor would be willing to invest in it. Temporary […]
read more
7 Comments
20. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

How to Price a Guarantee
Football ball on a field
The pricing of a guarantee must take into account not only the financial situation of the borrower but also the value of any collateral. Temporary Framework As of 17 April 2020, the European Commission authorised 61 State aid measures from 23 Member States and the UK to combat covid-19.   Introduction State guarantees on loans make up the largest category […]
read more
No Comments
17. April 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Michail Kamperis

COVID-19 Measures Adopted and State Aid Measures (Hopefully) to Be Adopted: An Update from Cyprus
Corona Virus
We are happy to share with you an update on the Covid-19 measures that are or will be adopted in Cyprus. Our guest auhor Michail Kamperis is a lawyer and partner at the law firm of Ierotheou, Kamperis & Co. LLC Nicosia, Cyprus. * Sign up for our free news alert  Sign Up For Free   Cyprus is one of […]
read more
No Comments
14. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Errors in State aid Procedures Need not Result in Annulment of a Commission Decision
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost15 airport 2
Interested parties have a right to know how the compatibility of aid with the internal market is assessed. Temporary Framework developments As of 13 April 2020, the European Commission had authorised 51 measures adopted by 23 Member States. According to the statement of the Eurozone finance ministers of 9 April 2020, Member States had provided liquidity in the form of […]
read more
No Comments
Next Page »

Commission decision on SA.59158 ×

23. May 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Temporary Framework Allows Member States to Grant Aid only to SMEs 
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design
Introduction  Although discrimination is in general prohibited in the EU, the fact remains that in the field of State aid Member States may grant State aid only to certain companies and may also decide how much aid to grant.  That the granting of State aid relies solely on the discretion of Member States has recently been re-confirmed by the General […]
read more
No Comments
12. January 2021  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

A First Evaluation of Covid-19 State Aid
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost2 Covid
There is a significant variation across Member States in terms of the number of aid measures as well as the amount of aid. Introduction On 17 December 2020, the European Parliament published a report evaluating the impact of State aid to combat covid-19.[1] The report was requested by the committee responsible for economic policy. The report is probably the first […]
read more
No Comments
11. June 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Erika Szyszczak

When State Aid Gets Political
State Aid Blogs - brexit 3870554 1920
We are happy to receive a guest comment on the EU – UK post-Brexit trade negotiations from Professor Emerita, Erika Szyszczak, who is a Fellow of UKTPO at the University of Sussex. This is a longer version of an earlier Blog published on the UKTPO website. Control over State aid is a stumbling block for the future of an EU […]
read more
No Comments
19. May 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

No New Aid to Undertakings that Have not Yet Repaid Incompatible Aid
Money in Hands
There is no rule in EU law obliging Member States to grant State aid. The European Commission may refuse to authorise aid until previous aid that was found to be incompatible with the internal market is paid back. Temporary Framework: Number of approved covid-19 measures, as of 16 May 2020: 125* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 10; Article 107(3)(b): 105; Article […]
read more
No Comments
14. May 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Wout De Cock

Belgium and COVID-19: The European Commission Approves Several Belgian State Aid Measures
corona virus
We are happy to share with you an update on the Covid-19 measures that have been approved in Belgium. Our guest auhor Wout De Cock is a PhD candidate at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and part-time teaching assistant at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.* Introduction In issue 1/2020 of the European State Aid Law Quarterly, we concluded that the European Commission […]
read more
No Comments
5. May 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Non-recovery of Incompatible State aid Is Costly
corona virus poster
Legal and practical difficulties in the recovery of incompatible State aid do not constitute justifiable “absolute impossibility”. Temporary Framework On 1 May, the total number of State aid measures to combat covid-19 approved by the European Commission reached 102. Their legal basis was: Article 107(2)(b): 9; Article 107(3)(b): 86; Article 107(3)(c): 7   Introduction The 2020 Temporary Framework for State […]
read more
2 Comments
27. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Identification of Undertakings in Difficulty
corona virus poster
A company is in difficulty if, in practice, its accumulated net losses exceed 50% of its subscribed capital, regardless of whether the subscribed capital is formally written down. The classification of a company as being in difficulty is independent of the sector in which it operates and of whether a private investor would be willing to invest in it. Temporary […]
read more
7 Comments
20. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

How to Price a Guarantee
Football ball on a field
The pricing of a guarantee must take into account not only the financial situation of the borrower but also the value of any collateral. Temporary Framework As of 17 April 2020, the European Commission authorised 61 State aid measures from 23 Member States and the UK to combat covid-19.   Introduction State guarantees on loans make up the largest category […]
read more
No Comments
17. April 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Michail Kamperis

COVID-19 Measures Adopted and State Aid Measures (Hopefully) to Be Adopted: An Update from Cyprus
Corona Virus
We are happy to share with you an update on the Covid-19 measures that are or will be adopted in Cyprus. Our guest auhor Michail Kamperis is a lawyer and partner at the law firm of Ierotheou, Kamperis & Co. LLC Nicosia, Cyprus. * Sign up for our free news alert  Sign Up For Free   Cyprus is one of […]
read more
No Comments
14. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Errors in State aid Procedures Need not Result in Annulment of a Commission Decision
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost15 airport 2
Interested parties have a right to know how the compatibility of aid with the internal market is assessed. Temporary Framework developments As of 13 April 2020, the European Commission had authorised 51 measures adopted by 23 Member States. According to the statement of the Eurozone finance ministers of 9 April 2020, Member States had provided liquidity in the form of […]
read more
No Comments
Next Page »

Commission decision on SA.59158 ×

23. May 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Temporary Framework Allows Member States to Grant Aid only to SMEs 
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design
Introduction  Although discrimination is in general prohibited in the EU, the fact remains that in the field of State aid Member States may grant State aid only to certain companies and may also decide how much aid to grant.  That the granting of State aid relies solely on the discretion of Member States has recently been re-confirmed by the General […]
read more
No Comments
12. January 2021  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

A First Evaluation of Covid-19 State Aid
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost2 Covid
There is a significant variation across Member States in terms of the number of aid measures as well as the amount of aid. Introduction On 17 December 2020, the European Parliament published a report evaluating the impact of State aid to combat covid-19.[1] The report was requested by the committee responsible for economic policy. The report is probably the first […]
read more
No Comments
11. June 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Erika Szyszczak

When State Aid Gets Political
State Aid Blogs - brexit 3870554 1920
We are happy to receive a guest comment on the EU – UK post-Brexit trade negotiations from Professor Emerita, Erika Szyszczak, who is a Fellow of UKTPO at the University of Sussex. This is a longer version of an earlier Blog published on the UKTPO website. Control over State aid is a stumbling block for the future of an EU […]
read more
No Comments
19. May 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

No New Aid to Undertakings that Have not Yet Repaid Incompatible Aid
Money in Hands
There is no rule in EU law obliging Member States to grant State aid. The European Commission may refuse to authorise aid until previous aid that was found to be incompatible with the internal market is paid back. Temporary Framework: Number of approved covid-19 measures, as of 16 May 2020: 125* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 10; Article 107(3)(b): 105; Article […]
read more
No Comments
14. May 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Wout De Cock

Belgium and COVID-19: The European Commission Approves Several Belgian State Aid Measures
corona virus
We are happy to share with you an update on the Covid-19 measures that have been approved in Belgium. Our guest auhor Wout De Cock is a PhD candidate at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and part-time teaching assistant at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.* Introduction In issue 1/2020 of the European State Aid Law Quarterly, we concluded that the European Commission […]
read more
No Comments
5. May 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Non-recovery of Incompatible State aid Is Costly
corona virus poster
Legal and practical difficulties in the recovery of incompatible State aid do not constitute justifiable “absolute impossibility”. Temporary Framework On 1 May, the total number of State aid measures to combat covid-19 approved by the European Commission reached 102. Their legal basis was: Article 107(2)(b): 9; Article 107(3)(b): 86; Article 107(3)(c): 7   Introduction The 2020 Temporary Framework for State […]
read more
2 Comments
27. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Identification of Undertakings in Difficulty
corona virus poster
A company is in difficulty if, in practice, its accumulated net losses exceed 50% of its subscribed capital, regardless of whether the subscribed capital is formally written down. The classification of a company as being in difficulty is independent of the sector in which it operates and of whether a private investor would be willing to invest in it. Temporary […]
read more
7 Comments
20. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

How to Price a Guarantee
Football ball on a field
The pricing of a guarantee must take into account not only the financial situation of the borrower but also the value of any collateral. Temporary Framework As of 17 April 2020, the European Commission authorised 61 State aid measures from 23 Member States and the UK to combat covid-19.   Introduction State guarantees on loans make up the largest category […]
read more
No Comments
17. April 2020  |   Guest State Aid Blog by Michail Kamperis

COVID-19 Measures Adopted and State Aid Measures (Hopefully) to Be Adopted: An Update from Cyprus
Corona Virus
We are happy to share with you an update on the Covid-19 measures that are or will be adopted in Cyprus. Our guest auhor Michail Kamperis is a lawyer and partner at the law firm of Ierotheou, Kamperis & Co. LLC Nicosia, Cyprus. * Sign up for our free news alert  Sign Up For Free   Cyprus is one of […]
read more
No Comments
14. April 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Errors in State aid Procedures Need not Result in Annulment of a Commission Decision
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost15 airport 2
Interested parties have a right to know how the compatibility of aid with the internal market is assessed. Temporary Framework developments As of 13 April 2020, the European Commission had authorised 51 measures adopted by 23 Member States. According to the statement of the Eurozone finance ministers of 9 April 2020, Member States had provided liquidity in the form of […]
read more
No Comments
Next Page »

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