State Aid Law Blog

State Aid Uncovered Blog

On a weekly basis Phedon Nicolaides posts critical analysis pieces on the latest State aid judgments and decisions on his blog State Aid Uncovered. Each article presents the main points of a court ruling or Commission‘s decision, places them in the context of similar case law or practice, assesses the underlying reasoning, and identifies any inconsistencies or contradictions.
Occasional guest blog posts by other State aid experts complement the State aid knowledge hub.

Join the debate now!

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

Guest State Aid Blog ×

17. December 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Can a Tax (rather than a Tax Exemption) Confer a Selective Advantage?
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost52 Stateaid Lexxion TAX Water Spain European Commission
A tax that is levied at one level of government and does not apply to products and activities at a different level of government need not be selective. Introduction A tax exemption normally confers a selective advantage, unless it is justified by the logic of the tax. Counterintuitively, a tax itself can be selectively advantageous if its scope is too […]
read more
No Comments
30. October 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Operator of an Economic Infrastructure is an Undertaking
State Aid Blogs - m 1
The assignment of public service tasks to an infrastructure operator is not sufficient to prevent the application of State aid rules. Introduction The characterisation of an entity as an undertaking is activity based, not status based. If it carries out activities for which there is a market, it becomes an undertaking, regardless of providing services which are in the general […]
read more
No Comments
18. June 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Is it OK to Tax Company Size?*
State Aid Blogs -
Progressive tax rates that are consistent with the objective of the tax system are not necessarily selective. Introduction Member States are free to design their corporate tax systems as long as they do not grant State aid or infringe fundamental internal market freedoms. A question that arises in discussions on what Member States may or may not do when designing […]
read more
2 Comments
12. December 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Challenge of Identifying the Reference Tax System: The Spanish Goodwill Case, Again
State Aid Blogs - SAH blog49 Lexxion tax
To determine whether an aid measure is selective, the treatment of the beneficiaries has to be compared to those undertakings which are in a comparable position.   Introduction   On 15 November 2018, the General Court ruled in case T-239/11, Sigma Alimentos Exterior v European Commission.1 Sigma Alimentos Exterior (SAE), a Spanish company, appealed against Commission decision 2011/282 which found that […]
read more
No Comments
27. July 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Definition of the Reference Tax System is still a Puzzle
State Aid Blogs - SAH Blogpost 27 30 Tax System
A selective measure should be determined on the basis of its effects, not on the basis of the legally defined regulatory techniques.   Introduction A tax measure is selective in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU when it basically deviates from the normal tax system. In the case of a tax reduction or a tax exemption the normal system is […]
read more
No Comments
29. May 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Exemptions from Product-Specific Taxes
State Aid Blogs - SAH Blogpost 21 Product Tax
Tax exemptions do not constitute State aid when they aim to induce change in the behaviour of consumers, when they distinguish between harmful products and non-harmful products and for reasons of administrative simplicity.   Introduction   In the past two weeks, an article was published in two parts criticising the judgments of the Court of Justice in three cases of […]
read more
No Comments
15. May 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Exemption from Taxes that Protect the Environment May not be Selective – Part I
State Aid Blogs - 14.05.18 Part1 Blog19 Spain Regional Tax
Member States have discretion to impose taxes that penalise environmentally harmful activities. Exemption of undertakings whose activities do not harm the environment does not constitute State aid whenever the exempted undertakings are not in a comparable situation.   Application of Article 107(1) to the Asturias tax   In this case, exempted establishments were those with sales area less than 4000m2 or […]
read more
No Comments
13. December 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Hungarian Advertisement Tax, Polish Retail Tax and Estonia Package Tax
State Aid Blogs - m 8 1
Progressive taxes can constitute State aid. Exemption from a packaging tax of packaged goods which are taken abroad is within the logic of the tax system.   Introduction This article reviews three tax measures which levied taxes on specific activities and products. In particular, they concern taxes on advertising, retail sales and an exemption from a tax on product packaging. […]
read more
No Comments
25. October 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Belgium’s Alternative Tax Regime for the Diamond Sector
State Aid Blogs - m 13 1
Alternative tax regimes do not provide State aid as long as they raise the amount of tax paid and they are justified by the nature or general scheme of the normal system of taxation.   Introduction During the past three years, the Commission has been pursuing multinational companies that pay too little tax. Its main objection to the tax treatment […]
read more
No Comments
23. February 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

How to Determine the Selectivity of a Tax Measure
State Aid Blogs - m 8 1
A tax exception is normally a selective measure. However, exceptions which are open to all undertakings are not selective, even if they deviate from the standard tax rate or base. Exceptions which are open only to a few undertakings escape from being classified as selective only when the beneficiary undertakings are in a different legal or factual situation than non-beneficiaries. […]
read more
No Comments

Guest State Aid Blog ×

17. December 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Can a Tax (rather than a Tax Exemption) Confer a Selective Advantage?
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost52 Stateaid Lexxion TAX Water Spain European Commission
A tax that is levied at one level of government and does not apply to products and activities at a different level of government need not be selective. Introduction A tax exemption normally confers a selective advantage, unless it is justified by the logic of the tax. Counterintuitively, a tax itself can be selectively advantageous if its scope is too […]
read more
No Comments
30. October 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Operator of an Economic Infrastructure is an Undertaking
State Aid Blogs - m 1
The assignment of public service tasks to an infrastructure operator is not sufficient to prevent the application of State aid rules. Introduction The characterisation of an entity as an undertaking is activity based, not status based. If it carries out activities for which there is a market, it becomes an undertaking, regardless of providing services which are in the general […]
read more
No Comments
18. June 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Is it OK to Tax Company Size?*
State Aid Blogs -
Progressive tax rates that are consistent with the objective of the tax system are not necessarily selective. Introduction Member States are free to design their corporate tax systems as long as they do not grant State aid or infringe fundamental internal market freedoms. A question that arises in discussions on what Member States may or may not do when designing […]
read more
2 Comments
12. December 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Challenge of Identifying the Reference Tax System: The Spanish Goodwill Case, Again
State Aid Blogs - SAH blog49 Lexxion tax
To determine whether an aid measure is selective, the treatment of the beneficiaries has to be compared to those undertakings which are in a comparable position.   Introduction   On 15 November 2018, the General Court ruled in case T-239/11, Sigma Alimentos Exterior v European Commission.1 Sigma Alimentos Exterior (SAE), a Spanish company, appealed against Commission decision 2011/282 which found that […]
read more
No Comments
27. July 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Definition of the Reference Tax System is still a Puzzle
State Aid Blogs - SAH Blogpost 27 30 Tax System
A selective measure should be determined on the basis of its effects, not on the basis of the legally defined regulatory techniques.   Introduction A tax measure is selective in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU when it basically deviates from the normal tax system. In the case of a tax reduction or a tax exemption the normal system is […]
read more
No Comments
29. May 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Exemptions from Product-Specific Taxes
State Aid Blogs - SAH Blogpost 21 Product Tax
Tax exemptions do not constitute State aid when they aim to induce change in the behaviour of consumers, when they distinguish between harmful products and non-harmful products and for reasons of administrative simplicity.   Introduction   In the past two weeks, an article was published in two parts criticising the judgments of the Court of Justice in three cases of […]
read more
No Comments
15. May 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Exemption from Taxes that Protect the Environment May not be Selective – Part I
State Aid Blogs - 14.05.18 Part1 Blog19 Spain Regional Tax
Member States have discretion to impose taxes that penalise environmentally harmful activities. Exemption of undertakings whose activities do not harm the environment does not constitute State aid whenever the exempted undertakings are not in a comparable situation.   Application of Article 107(1) to the Asturias tax   In this case, exempted establishments were those with sales area less than 4000m2 or […]
read more
No Comments
13. December 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Hungarian Advertisement Tax, Polish Retail Tax and Estonia Package Tax
State Aid Blogs - m 8 1
Progressive taxes can constitute State aid. Exemption from a packaging tax of packaged goods which are taken abroad is within the logic of the tax system.   Introduction This article reviews three tax measures which levied taxes on specific activities and products. In particular, they concern taxes on advertising, retail sales and an exemption from a tax on product packaging. […]
read more
No Comments
25. October 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Belgium’s Alternative Tax Regime for the Diamond Sector
State Aid Blogs - m 13 1
Alternative tax regimes do not provide State aid as long as they raise the amount of tax paid and they are justified by the nature or general scheme of the normal system of taxation.   Introduction During the past three years, the Commission has been pursuing multinational companies that pay too little tax. Its main objection to the tax treatment […]
read more
No Comments
23. February 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

How to Determine the Selectivity of a Tax Measure
State Aid Blogs - m 8 1
A tax exception is normally a selective measure. However, exceptions which are open to all undertakings are not selective, even if they deviate from the standard tax rate or base. Exceptions which are open only to a few undertakings escape from being classified as selective only when the beneficiary undertakings are in a different legal or factual situation than non-beneficiaries. […]
read more
No Comments

Guest State Aid Blog ×

17. December 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Can a Tax (rather than a Tax Exemption) Confer a Selective Advantage?
State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost52 Stateaid Lexxion TAX Water Spain European Commission
A tax that is levied at one level of government and does not apply to products and activities at a different level of government need not be selective. Introduction A tax exemption normally confers a selective advantage, unless it is justified by the logic of the tax. Counterintuitively, a tax itself can be selectively advantageous if its scope is too […]
read more
No Comments
30. October 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Operator of an Economic Infrastructure is an Undertaking
State Aid Blogs - m 1
The assignment of public service tasks to an infrastructure operator is not sufficient to prevent the application of State aid rules. Introduction The characterisation of an entity as an undertaking is activity based, not status based. If it carries out activities for which there is a market, it becomes an undertaking, regardless of providing services which are in the general […]
read more
No Comments
18. June 2019  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Is it OK to Tax Company Size?*
State Aid Blogs -
Progressive tax rates that are consistent with the objective of the tax system are not necessarily selective. Introduction Member States are free to design their corporate tax systems as long as they do not grant State aid or infringe fundamental internal market freedoms. A question that arises in discussions on what Member States may or may not do when designing […]
read more
2 Comments
12. December 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Challenge of Identifying the Reference Tax System: The Spanish Goodwill Case, Again
State Aid Blogs - SAH blog49 Lexxion tax
To determine whether an aid measure is selective, the treatment of the beneficiaries has to be compared to those undertakings which are in a comparable position.   Introduction   On 15 November 2018, the General Court ruled in case T-239/11, Sigma Alimentos Exterior v European Commission.1 Sigma Alimentos Exterior (SAE), a Spanish company, appealed against Commission decision 2011/282 which found that […]
read more
No Comments
27. July 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Definition of the Reference Tax System is still a Puzzle
State Aid Blogs - SAH Blogpost 27 30 Tax System
A selective measure should be determined on the basis of its effects, not on the basis of the legally defined regulatory techniques.   Introduction A tax measure is selective in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU when it basically deviates from the normal tax system. In the case of a tax reduction or a tax exemption the normal system is […]
read more
No Comments
29. May 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Exemptions from Product-Specific Taxes
State Aid Blogs - SAH Blogpost 21 Product Tax
Tax exemptions do not constitute State aid when they aim to induce change in the behaviour of consumers, when they distinguish between harmful products and non-harmful products and for reasons of administrative simplicity.   Introduction   In the past two weeks, an article was published in two parts criticising the judgments of the Court of Justice in three cases of […]
read more
No Comments
15. May 2018  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Exemption from Taxes that Protect the Environment May not be Selective – Part I
State Aid Blogs - 14.05.18 Part1 Blog19 Spain Regional Tax
Member States have discretion to impose taxes that penalise environmentally harmful activities. Exemption of undertakings whose activities do not harm the environment does not constitute State aid whenever the exempted undertakings are not in a comparable situation.   Application of Article 107(1) to the Asturias tax   In this case, exempted establishments were those with sales area less than 4000m2 or […]
read more
No Comments
13. December 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Hungarian Advertisement Tax, Polish Retail Tax and Estonia Package Tax
State Aid Blogs - m 8 1
Progressive taxes can constitute State aid. Exemption from a packaging tax of packaged goods which are taken abroad is within the logic of the tax system.   Introduction This article reviews three tax measures which levied taxes on specific activities and products. In particular, they concern taxes on advertising, retail sales and an exemption from a tax on product packaging. […]
read more
No Comments
25. October 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Belgium’s Alternative Tax Regime for the Diamond Sector
State Aid Blogs - m 13 1
Alternative tax regimes do not provide State aid as long as they raise the amount of tax paid and they are justified by the nature or general scheme of the normal system of taxation.   Introduction During the past three years, the Commission has been pursuing multinational companies that pay too little tax. Its main objection to the tax treatment […]
read more
No Comments
23. February 2016  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

How to Determine the Selectivity of a Tax Measure
State Aid Blogs - m 8 1
A tax exception is normally a selective measure. However, exceptions which are open to all undertakings are not selective, even if they deviate from the standard tax rate or base. Exceptions which are open only to a few undertakings escape from being classified as selective only when the beneficiary undertakings are in a different legal or factual situation than non-beneficiaries. […]
read more
No Comments

How to Submit a Blog Post

Do you want to share your analysis of a State aid law topic? We invite you to submit your post on, for example: recent European, national or international judgments or legislation with relevance to EU State aid law; new developments, publications, hot topics in EU State aid law. The recommended length of the post is 500-2,000 words incl. references (endnotes). Your analysis will be published under the category ‘Guest State Aid Blog’.

Here’s how you can publish a post on the Blog as a guest author:

Step 1: Submit your draft to Nelly Stratieva at stratieva@lexxion.eu.

Step 2: We at Lexxion will review your draft to make sure its content and quality fit the blog. If needed, they will suggest what improvements you should make.

Step 3: Once your draft has been finalised and accepted, we will publish your post.

Submit your guest blog post

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