Europäisches Beihilfenrecht 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

- Germany ×

31. Mai 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Support for Green Electricity: State Resources and “PreussenElektra”

State Aid Blogs - m 27 1

Arrangements established by law whereby undertakings are compensated for any extra payments they make to producers of green electricity are likely to bring those payments under the control of the state. Those payments will then be classified as state resources regardless of whether they are managed by private entities. Introduction On 10 May 2016, the General Court issued its […]

Keine Kommentare

3. Dezember 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Emanuela Matei

The Interpretation of Conflicting Norms regarding the Validity of State Aid Infolding Contracts Must Be Consistent with the Safeguard of Individual Rights Created by EU State Aid Law (C 505/14, Klausner)

forest

The following blog post is another contributory piece by Emanuela Matei, Associate Researcher at the Centre of European Legal Studies, Bucharest. Matei holds a Juris Master in European Business Law (Lund University, June 2012), a Magister legum (Lund University, June 2010) and a BSc in Economics & Business Administration (Lund University, June 2009). We are very glad to welcome her […]

Keine Kommentare

3. Juli 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Land Development without State Aid

construction site

Activities which are part of the performance of public duties are non-economic in nature [e.g. spatial development]. Public funding of these activities does not constitute State aid. The transfer of resources from one level of government to another is transfer between public authorities and does not constitute State aid. Competitive selected developers obtain no advantage. Purchasers of subsidised assets who pay market prices […]

Keine Kommentare

12. Juni 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Price Discounts and Compensation for Public Service Obligations: A Case of Questionable Need for Aid

school busses

SGEI can be defined and public service obligations can be imposed only when the market underprovides. The parameters of compensation must be determined in advance. Public service compensation may not exceed the next extra costs of the SGEI or PSO. Member States are free to devise their own method of compensation, but irrespective of the method used, compensation must comply with the basic […]

Keine Kommentare

14. März 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

SMEs Linked through Natural Persons

corporate building

Two or more enterprises may constitute a single undertaking when their owners and/or managers are related in a way that they can act jointly to exercise influence over the decision of those enterprises. Introduction On 27 February 2014, the Court of Justice rendered a judgment on the notion of “linked enterprises” following a request for preliminary ruling from a […]

Keine Kommentare

8. Juni 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Funding of Stadiums and Arenas

sports arena

Introduction After the judgments of the General Court and the Court of Justice on public funding of infrastructure in the now landmark case of Leipzig-Halle, the European Commission is scrutinising more closely than ever the construction and operation of stadiums and arenas. In March 2012, the Commission opened two in-depth investigations into public funding for multi-function arenas, one in Uppsala […]

Keine Kommentare

26. Mai 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Puzzle of Environmental Aid: Why Do Firms Make Environmental Investments?

windmills

Introduction Environmental aid is the second largest horizontal category of state aid, after regional aid. It accounts for about 24% of all aid to industry and services. Yet, one often hears from public officials that the current Environmental Aid Guidelines (EAG) do not provide sufficient incentives for environmental protection. The problem is that aid is calculated as a percentage not […]

Keine Kommentare

- Germany ×

31. Mai 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Support for Green Electricity: State Resources and “PreussenElektra”

State Aid Blogs - m 27 1

Arrangements established by law whereby undertakings are compensated for any extra payments they make to producers of green electricity are likely to bring those payments under the control of the state. Those payments will then be classified as state resources regardless of whether they are managed by private entities. Introduction On 10 May 2016, the General Court issued its […]

Keine Kommentare

3. Dezember 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Emanuela Matei

The Interpretation of Conflicting Norms regarding the Validity of State Aid Infolding Contracts Must Be Consistent with the Safeguard of Individual Rights Created by EU State Aid Law (C 505/14, Klausner)

forest

The following blog post is another contributory piece by Emanuela Matei, Associate Researcher at the Centre of European Legal Studies, Bucharest. Matei holds a Juris Master in European Business Law (Lund University, June 2012), a Magister legum (Lund University, June 2010) and a BSc in Economics & Business Administration (Lund University, June 2009). We are very glad to welcome her […]

Keine Kommentare

3. Juli 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Land Development without State Aid

construction site

Activities which are part of the performance of public duties are non-economic in nature [e.g. spatial development]. Public funding of these activities does not constitute State aid. The transfer of resources from one level of government to another is transfer between public authorities and does not constitute State aid. Competitive selected developers obtain no advantage. Purchasers of subsidised assets who pay market prices […]

Keine Kommentare

12. Juni 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Price Discounts and Compensation for Public Service Obligations: A Case of Questionable Need for Aid

school busses

SGEI can be defined and public service obligations can be imposed only when the market underprovides. The parameters of compensation must be determined in advance. Public service compensation may not exceed the next extra costs of the SGEI or PSO. Member States are free to devise their own method of compensation, but irrespective of the method used, compensation must comply with the basic […]

Keine Kommentare

14. März 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

SMEs Linked through Natural Persons

corporate building

Two or more enterprises may constitute a single undertaking when their owners and/or managers are related in a way that they can act jointly to exercise influence over the decision of those enterprises. Introduction On 27 February 2014, the Court of Justice rendered a judgment on the notion of “linked enterprises” following a request for preliminary ruling from a […]

Keine Kommentare

8. Juni 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Funding of Stadiums and Arenas

sports arena

Introduction After the judgments of the General Court and the Court of Justice on public funding of infrastructure in the now landmark case of Leipzig-Halle, the European Commission is scrutinising more closely than ever the construction and operation of stadiums and arenas. In March 2012, the Commission opened two in-depth investigations into public funding for multi-function arenas, one in Uppsala […]

Keine Kommentare

26. Mai 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Puzzle of Environmental Aid: Why Do Firms Make Environmental Investments?

windmills

Introduction Environmental aid is the second largest horizontal category of state aid, after regional aid. It accounts for about 24% of all aid to industry and services. Yet, one often hears from public officials that the current Environmental Aid Guidelines (EAG) do not provide sufficient incentives for environmental protection. The problem is that aid is calculated as a percentage not […]

Keine Kommentare

- Germany ×

31. Mai 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Support for Green Electricity: State Resources and “PreussenElektra”

State Aid Blogs - m 27 1

Arrangements established by law whereby undertakings are compensated for any extra payments they make to producers of green electricity are likely to bring those payments under the control of the state. Those payments will then be classified as state resources regardless of whether they are managed by private entities. Introduction On 10 May 2016, the General Court issued its […]

Keine Kommentare

3. Dezember 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Emanuela Matei

The Interpretation of Conflicting Norms regarding the Validity of State Aid Infolding Contracts Must Be Consistent with the Safeguard of Individual Rights Created by EU State Aid Law (C 505/14, Klausner)

forest

The following blog post is another contributory piece by Emanuela Matei, Associate Researcher at the Centre of European Legal Studies, Bucharest. Matei holds a Juris Master in European Business Law (Lund University, June 2012), a Magister legum (Lund University, June 2010) and a BSc in Economics & Business Administration (Lund University, June 2009). We are very glad to welcome her […]

Keine Kommentare

3. Juli 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Land Development without State Aid

construction site

Activities which are part of the performance of public duties are non-economic in nature [e.g. spatial development]. Public funding of these activities does not constitute State aid. The transfer of resources from one level of government to another is transfer between public authorities and does not constitute State aid. Competitive selected developers obtain no advantage. Purchasers of subsidised assets who pay market prices […]

Keine Kommentare

12. Juni 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Price Discounts and Compensation for Public Service Obligations: A Case of Questionable Need for Aid

school busses

SGEI can be defined and public service obligations can be imposed only when the market underprovides. The parameters of compensation must be determined in advance. Public service compensation may not exceed the next extra costs of the SGEI or PSO. Member States are free to devise their own method of compensation, but irrespective of the method used, compensation must comply with the basic […]

Keine Kommentare

14. März 2014 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

SMEs Linked through Natural Persons

corporate building

Two or more enterprises may constitute a single undertaking when their owners and/or managers are related in a way that they can act jointly to exercise influence over the decision of those enterprises. Introduction On 27 February 2014, the Court of Justice rendered a judgment on the notion of “linked enterprises” following a request for preliminary ruling from a […]

Keine Kommentare

8. Juni 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Funding of Stadiums and Arenas

sports arena

Introduction After the judgments of the General Court and the Court of Justice on public funding of infrastructure in the now landmark case of Leipzig-Halle, the European Commission is scrutinising more closely than ever the construction and operation of stadiums and arenas. In March 2012, the Commission opened two in-depth investigations into public funding for multi-function arenas, one in Uppsala […]

Keine Kommentare

26. Mai 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Puzzle of Environmental Aid: Why Do Firms Make Environmental Investments?

windmills

Introduction Environmental aid is the second largest horizontal category of state aid, after regional aid. It accounts for about 24% of all aid to industry and services. Yet, one often hears from public officials that the current Environmental Aid Guidelines (EAG) do not provide sufficient incentives for environmental protection. The problem is that aid is calculated as a percentage not […]

Keine Kommentare

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.

Gastbeitrag einreichen