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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Guest State Aid Blog ×

1. August 2023  |   by Phedon Nicolaides

Profitability as a Criterion of the Compatibility of State Aid with the Internal Market
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 4
Introduction When the state has a realistic prospect of making profit, its financial transactions with third parties do not constitute State aid. The absence of profit is a strong indicator of the presence of State aid but not necessarily its compatibility with the internal market. For State aid to be compatible with the internal market it must, among other things, […]
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10. May 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

PART I: Regional Development and i) Market Economy Operator Test, ii) Services of General Economic Interest
State Aid Blogs - m 28 1
A market economy operator undertakes activities whose incremental revenue exceeds their incremental costs. A market economy operator ignores costs which are unaffected by those activities. A service of general economic interest has special characteristics that set it apart from other services with positive impact on the economy. Having a positive impact is not enough.   Introduction National and regional authorities […]
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29. September 2015  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Airport Infrastructure, Public Remit and the MEOT
State Aid Blogs - ashim d silva pGcqw1ARGyg unsplash
A public authority, acting as a private investor, may provide finance which is free of state aid to an airport and at the same time grant state aid to the same airport. Public funding of activities that fall within the exclusive tasks of the state is not state aid. When a public authority defines the activities that fall within the […]
read more
No Comments
28. February 2014  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The New Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines (part 1)
man looking airplane takeoff
Introduction[1] One more set of State aid rules for 2014-20 has been adopted. On Thursday, 20 February 2014, the Commission published its Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines.[2] The other main substantive rules which are already in place are the following, in chronological order:[3] The package on services of general economic interest (SGEI): A Communication, a Decision (like a […]
read more
No Comments
4. February 2014  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Guidelines on State Aid to Promote Risk Finance Investments
financial graph
Introduction   On 15 January the Commission adopted the fourth set of guidelines for the programming period 2014-2020 [the first three were those on broadband, SGEI, and regional aid]. The latest guidelines replaced those on risk capital for SMEs. What is immediately noticeable from the title of the new guidelines is that they are not confined only to funding in […]
read more
No Comments

Guest State Aid Blog ×

1. August 2023  |   by Phedon Nicolaides

Profitability as a Criterion of the Compatibility of State Aid with the Internal Market
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 4
Introduction When the state has a realistic prospect of making profit, its financial transactions with third parties do not constitute State aid. The absence of profit is a strong indicator of the presence of State aid but not necessarily its compatibility with the internal market. For State aid to be compatible with the internal market it must, among other things, […]
read more
No Comments
10. May 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

PART I: Regional Development and i) Market Economy Operator Test, ii) Services of General Economic Interest
State Aid Blogs - m 28 1
A market economy operator undertakes activities whose incremental revenue exceeds their incremental costs. A market economy operator ignores costs which are unaffected by those activities. A service of general economic interest has special characteristics that set it apart from other services with positive impact on the economy. Having a positive impact is not enough.   Introduction National and regional authorities […]
read more
No Comments
29. September 2015  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Airport Infrastructure, Public Remit and the MEOT
State Aid Blogs - ashim d silva pGcqw1ARGyg unsplash
A public authority, acting as a private investor, may provide finance which is free of state aid to an airport and at the same time grant state aid to the same airport. Public funding of activities that fall within the exclusive tasks of the state is not state aid. When a public authority defines the activities that fall within the […]
read more
No Comments
28. February 2014  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The New Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines (part 1)
man looking airplane takeoff
Introduction[1] One more set of State aid rules for 2014-20 has been adopted. On Thursday, 20 February 2014, the Commission published its Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines.[2] The other main substantive rules which are already in place are the following, in chronological order:[3] The package on services of general economic interest (SGEI): A Communication, a Decision (like a […]
read more
No Comments
4. February 2014  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Guidelines on State Aid to Promote Risk Finance Investments
financial graph
Introduction   On 15 January the Commission adopted the fourth set of guidelines for the programming period 2014-2020 [the first three were those on broadband, SGEI, and regional aid]. The latest guidelines replaced those on risk capital for SMEs. What is immediately noticeable from the title of the new guidelines is that they are not confined only to funding in […]
read more
No Comments

Guest State Aid Blog ×

1. August 2023  |   by Phedon Nicolaides

Profitability as a Criterion of the Compatibility of State Aid with the Internal Market
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 4
Introduction When the state has a realistic prospect of making profit, its financial transactions with third parties do not constitute State aid. The absence of profit is a strong indicator of the presence of State aid but not necessarily its compatibility with the internal market. For State aid to be compatible with the internal market it must, among other things, […]
read more
No Comments
10. May 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

PART I: Regional Development and i) Market Economy Operator Test, ii) Services of General Economic Interest
State Aid Blogs - m 28 1
A market economy operator undertakes activities whose incremental revenue exceeds their incremental costs. A market economy operator ignores costs which are unaffected by those activities. A service of general economic interest has special characteristics that set it apart from other services with positive impact on the economy. Having a positive impact is not enough.   Introduction National and regional authorities […]
read more
No Comments
29. September 2015  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Airport Infrastructure, Public Remit and the MEOT
State Aid Blogs - ashim d silva pGcqw1ARGyg unsplash
A public authority, acting as a private investor, may provide finance which is free of state aid to an airport and at the same time grant state aid to the same airport. Public funding of activities that fall within the exclusive tasks of the state is not state aid. When a public authority defines the activities that fall within the […]
read more
No Comments
28. February 2014  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The New Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines (part 1)
man looking airplane takeoff
Introduction[1] One more set of State aid rules for 2014-20 has been adopted. On Thursday, 20 February 2014, the Commission published its Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines.[2] The other main substantive rules which are already in place are the following, in chronological order:[3] The package on services of general economic interest (SGEI): A Communication, a Decision (like a […]
read more
No Comments
4. February 2014  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Guidelines on State Aid to Promote Risk Finance Investments
financial graph
Introduction   On 15 January the Commission adopted the fourth set of guidelines for the programming period 2014-2020 [the first three were those on broadband, SGEI, and regional aid]. The latest guidelines replaced those on risk capital for SMEs. What is immediately noticeable from the title of the new guidelines is that they are not confined only to funding in […]
read more
No Comments

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