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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State Aid Uncovered ×

13. October 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Market Economy Operator Principle: The Case of FIH
State Aid Blogs - danish currency 1139103 1920
Negotiated transactions are not necessarily market conform. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 9 October 2020: 295* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 32; Article 107(3)(b): 248; Article 107(3)(c): 23 – Average number of measures per Member State: 10.5 – Median number of measures per Member State: 12 – Mode number of measures per Member […]
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No Comments
6. October 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Member States Beware: Compliance with the GBER and the SME Criteria has just Become more Difficult
State Aid Blogs - doors 1767564 1920
I am grateful to Péter Staviczky for comments on an earlier draft of this article. I am solely responsible for its contents. The European Commission retains its sole right to assess the compatibility of aid granted on the basis of the GBER. Criteria defined in national law need not be taken into account by the Commission. The SME status has […]
read more
No Comments
30. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Market Economy Operator Test
State Aid Blogs - riga 2935034 1920
A rational airport operator considers only incremental revenue and costs and ignores any cost not caused by an agreement with an airline. State aid developments: New Guidelines in State aid in EU ETS The Commission published on Friday, 25 September, in Official Journal C 317, p.5, the new Guidelines on State aid measures in the context of the system for […]
read more
No Comments
22. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

A Real Estate Deal that Does not Affect Intra-EU Trade
State Aid Blogs - hall 1489766 1920
Operators selected through competitive, transparent, non-discriminatory and unconditional procedures receive no State aid. When only a single bid is submitted, the market conformity of the outcome must be verified with comparative analysis. Activities are purely local when they are not likely to attract customers or operators from abroad. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as […]
read more
No Comments
15. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Non-economic Activities and Services of General Economic Interest
State Aid Blogs - environmental protection 683437 1280
Non-economic tasks and economic activities which are inseparable from those non-economic tasks are together, as a bundle, non-economic in nature. Public compensation for the extra costs of services of general economic interest [SGEI] may not cross-subsidise activities that fall outside the scope of the SGEI. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 11 September […]
read more
No Comments
8. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

State Control without State Imputability
State Aid Blogs - Postnord
A snapshot of Covid-19 State aid Number of Covid-19 approved measures1, 2 [EU27 + UK, 4 September 2020] 19-15 13-11 9-7 6-4 BE CZ DK IT PL DE FR HU LV NL BG EL FI IE LT LU MT RO SE SK UK AT CY EE ES HR PT SI Source: DG Competition, author’s own calculations 1: Data exclude amendments […]
read more
No Comments
1. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Pari Passu Investments
State Aid Blogs - money 3115984 1920
Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 28 August 2020: 270* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 28; Article 107(3)(b): 228; Article 107(3)(c): 21 Four Member States have implemented 15 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy & Poland. – Average number of measures per Member State: 9.6 – Median number of measures […]
read more
No Comments
25. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Non-economic Nature of Certain IT Services for Higher Education
State Aid Blogs - ipad 820272 1920 1
Publicly funded educational services are not economic in nature. Activities intrinsically linked to public tasks are not economic in nature. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 21 August 2020: 262* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 28; Article 107(3)(b): 220; Article 107(3)(c): 20 Four Member States have implemented 16 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, […]
read more
No Comments
18. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

MEIP-Compliant Bank Recapitalisation: CEC Bank
State Aid Blogs - money 1064126 1920
An investor who is already a shareholder would take into account not only the return on new investment but also the impact on the overall profitability of the company in which capital is injected. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 14 August 2020: 252* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 27; Article 107(3)(b): 211; Article […]
read more
No Comments
11. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Commission Must Act in Accordance with the Principle of Proportionality
State Aid Blogs - audit 3929140 1920
The opening of a formal investigation obliges Member States to suspend implementation of their State aid measures. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 7 August 2020: 241* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 25; Article 107(3)(b): 203; Article 107(3)(c): 18 Four Member States have implemented 15 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, Denmark, Italy & […]
read more
No Comments
« Previous PageNext Page »

State Aid Uncovered ×

13. October 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Market Economy Operator Principle: The Case of FIH
State Aid Blogs - danish currency 1139103 1920
Negotiated transactions are not necessarily market conform. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 9 October 2020: 295* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 32; Article 107(3)(b): 248; Article 107(3)(c): 23 – Average number of measures per Member State: 10.5 – Median number of measures per Member State: 12 – Mode number of measures per Member […]
read more
No Comments
6. October 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Member States Beware: Compliance with the GBER and the SME Criteria has just Become more Difficult
State Aid Blogs - doors 1767564 1920
I am grateful to Péter Staviczky for comments on an earlier draft of this article. I am solely responsible for its contents. The European Commission retains its sole right to assess the compatibility of aid granted on the basis of the GBER. Criteria defined in national law need not be taken into account by the Commission. The SME status has […]
read more
No Comments
30. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Market Economy Operator Test
State Aid Blogs - riga 2935034 1920
A rational airport operator considers only incremental revenue and costs and ignores any cost not caused by an agreement with an airline. State aid developments: New Guidelines in State aid in EU ETS The Commission published on Friday, 25 September, in Official Journal C 317, p.5, the new Guidelines on State aid measures in the context of the system for […]
read more
No Comments
22. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

A Real Estate Deal that Does not Affect Intra-EU Trade
State Aid Blogs - hall 1489766 1920
Operators selected through competitive, transparent, non-discriminatory and unconditional procedures receive no State aid. When only a single bid is submitted, the market conformity of the outcome must be verified with comparative analysis. Activities are purely local when they are not likely to attract customers or operators from abroad. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as […]
read more
No Comments
15. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Non-economic Activities and Services of General Economic Interest
State Aid Blogs - environmental protection 683437 1280
Non-economic tasks and economic activities which are inseparable from those non-economic tasks are together, as a bundle, non-economic in nature. Public compensation for the extra costs of services of general economic interest [SGEI] may not cross-subsidise activities that fall outside the scope of the SGEI. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 11 September […]
read more
No Comments
8. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

State Control without State Imputability
State Aid Blogs - Postnord
A snapshot of Covid-19 State aid Number of Covid-19 approved measures1, 2 [EU27 + UK, 4 September 2020] 19-15 13-11 9-7 6-4 BE CZ DK IT PL DE FR HU LV NL BG EL FI IE LT LU MT RO SE SK UK AT CY EE ES HR PT SI Source: DG Competition, author’s own calculations 1: Data exclude amendments […]
read more
No Comments
1. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Pari Passu Investments
State Aid Blogs - money 3115984 1920
Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 28 August 2020: 270* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 28; Article 107(3)(b): 228; Article 107(3)(c): 21 Four Member States have implemented 15 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy & Poland. – Average number of measures per Member State: 9.6 – Median number of measures […]
read more
No Comments
25. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Non-economic Nature of Certain IT Services for Higher Education
State Aid Blogs - ipad 820272 1920 1
Publicly funded educational services are not economic in nature. Activities intrinsically linked to public tasks are not economic in nature. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 21 August 2020: 262* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 28; Article 107(3)(b): 220; Article 107(3)(c): 20 Four Member States have implemented 16 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, […]
read more
No Comments
18. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

MEIP-Compliant Bank Recapitalisation: CEC Bank
State Aid Blogs - money 1064126 1920
An investor who is already a shareholder would take into account not only the return on new investment but also the impact on the overall profitability of the company in which capital is injected. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 14 August 2020: 252* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 27; Article 107(3)(b): 211; Article […]
read more
No Comments
11. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Commission Must Act in Accordance with the Principle of Proportionality
State Aid Blogs - audit 3929140 1920
The opening of a formal investigation obliges Member States to suspend implementation of their State aid measures. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 7 August 2020: 241* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 25; Article 107(3)(b): 203; Article 107(3)(c): 18 Four Member States have implemented 15 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, Denmark, Italy & […]
read more
No Comments
« Previous PageNext Page »

State Aid Uncovered ×

13. October 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Market Economy Operator Principle: The Case of FIH
State Aid Blogs - danish currency 1139103 1920
Negotiated transactions are not necessarily market conform. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 9 October 2020: 295* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 32; Article 107(3)(b): 248; Article 107(3)(c): 23 – Average number of measures per Member State: 10.5 – Median number of measures per Member State: 12 – Mode number of measures per Member […]
read more
No Comments
6. October 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Member States Beware: Compliance with the GBER and the SME Criteria has just Become more Difficult
State Aid Blogs - doors 1767564 1920
I am grateful to Péter Staviczky for comments on an earlier draft of this article. I am solely responsible for its contents. The European Commission retains its sole right to assess the compatibility of aid granted on the basis of the GBER. Criteria defined in national law need not be taken into account by the Commission. The SME status has […]
read more
No Comments
30. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Market Economy Operator Test
State Aid Blogs - riga 2935034 1920
A rational airport operator considers only incremental revenue and costs and ignores any cost not caused by an agreement with an airline. State aid developments: New Guidelines in State aid in EU ETS The Commission published on Friday, 25 September, in Official Journal C 317, p.5, the new Guidelines on State aid measures in the context of the system for […]
read more
No Comments
22. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

A Real Estate Deal that Does not Affect Intra-EU Trade
State Aid Blogs - hall 1489766 1920
Operators selected through competitive, transparent, non-discriminatory and unconditional procedures receive no State aid. When only a single bid is submitted, the market conformity of the outcome must be verified with comparative analysis. Activities are purely local when they are not likely to attract customers or operators from abroad. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as […]
read more
No Comments
15. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Non-economic Activities and Services of General Economic Interest
State Aid Blogs - environmental protection 683437 1280
Non-economic tasks and economic activities which are inseparable from those non-economic tasks are together, as a bundle, non-economic in nature. Public compensation for the extra costs of services of general economic interest [SGEI] may not cross-subsidise activities that fall outside the scope of the SGEI. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 11 September […]
read more
No Comments
8. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

State Control without State Imputability
State Aid Blogs - Postnord
A snapshot of Covid-19 State aid Number of Covid-19 approved measures1, 2 [EU27 + UK, 4 September 2020] 19-15 13-11 9-7 6-4 BE CZ DK IT PL DE FR HU LV NL BG EL FI IE LT LU MT RO SE SK UK AT CY EE ES HR PT SI Source: DG Competition, author’s own calculations 1: Data exclude amendments […]
read more
No Comments
1. September 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

Pari Passu Investments
State Aid Blogs - money 3115984 1920
Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 28 August 2020: 270* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 28; Article 107(3)(b): 228; Article 107(3)(c): 21 Four Member States have implemented 15 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy & Poland. – Average number of measures per Member State: 9.6 – Median number of measures […]
read more
No Comments
25. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Non-economic Nature of Certain IT Services for Higher Education
State Aid Blogs - ipad 820272 1920 1
Publicly funded educational services are not economic in nature. Activities intrinsically linked to public tasks are not economic in nature. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 21 August 2020: 262* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 28; Article 107(3)(b): 220; Article 107(3)(c): 20 Four Member States have implemented 16 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, […]
read more
No Comments
18. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

MEIP-Compliant Bank Recapitalisation: CEC Bank
State Aid Blogs - money 1064126 1920
An investor who is already a shareholder would take into account not only the return on new investment but also the impact on the overall profitability of the company in which capital is injected. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 14 August 2020: 252* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 27; Article 107(3)(b): 211; Article […]
read more
No Comments
11. August 2020  |   State Aid Uncovered by Phedon Nicolaides

The Commission Must Act in Accordance with the Principle of Proportionality
State Aid Blogs - audit 3929140 1920
The opening of a formal investigation obliges Member States to suspend implementation of their State aid measures. Update on Temporary Framework: Number of approved and published covid-19 measures, as of 7 August 2020: 241* Legal basis: Article 107(2)(b): 25; Article 107(3)(b): 203; Article 107(3)(c): 18 Four Member States have implemented 15 or more covid-19 measures each: Belgium, Denmark, Italy & […]
read more
No Comments
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