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

- Compatibility ×

3. September 2019 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Presumed v Actual Compatibility of State aid with the Internal Market

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost36 GBER BMW

State aid granted on the basis of the GBER may not be considered as authorised by the Commission. The task of Member States is to ensure that all of the requirements of the GBER are fulfilled. In particular, Member States must confirm the incentive effect of aid to large enterprises. Introduction[1] In March 2019, the Court of Justice delivered […]

Keine Kommentare

30. November 2017 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Legal Basis of the (In)compatibility of Aid Must be Clear

State Aid Blogs - m 3 2

The European Commission may withdraw a decision, but before it adopts a new decision it must give an opportunity to interested parties to submit their comments, especially, if it changes the legal basis of the assessment of the compatibility of the aid. Introduction The most frequent reasons for which the Commission finds aid to be incompatible with the internal […]

Keine Kommentare

9. Februar 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Connecting Public and Private Infrastructure

State Aid Blogs - m 36 1

Public funding of public infrastructure is not State aid. Public funding of connections between public and private infrastructure is not State aid as long as it is open to all users and no fee is charged. Introduction Last week’s article examined the use of a port facility. This week the focus is on a related issue: investment in port […]

Keine Kommentare

29. Dezember 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Regional Aid to Car Manufacturers – Part II

State Aid Blogs - m 42

This is the second part of the article that was published last week. Regional aid, like all State aid, must be necessary and proportional. Regional aid is necessary when investment in an assisted region is more costly. Regional aid is proportional when it does not exceed the amount which can make the investment sufficiently profitable or offset the cost disadvantage […]

Keine Kommentare

18. Februar 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Failure to Satisfy Ex Post the Altmark Criteria, but Compliance with the 2014 Aviation Guidelines

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost2 2019 lexxion stateaid airports

Public service obligations must be entrusted by an official act and defined with sufficient precision. Imprecise definition of public service obligations makes it impossible to identify the costs which are caused by such obligations. Consequently, imprecise definition of public service obligations makes it impossible to grant compensation because subsidisation of non-eligible costs cannot be excluded. Compensation may not be granted […]

Keine Kommentare

- Compatibility ×

3. September 2019 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Presumed v Actual Compatibility of State aid with the Internal Market

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost36 GBER BMW

State aid granted on the basis of the GBER may not be considered as authorised by the Commission. The task of Member States is to ensure that all of the requirements of the GBER are fulfilled. In particular, Member States must confirm the incentive effect of aid to large enterprises. Introduction[1] In March 2019, the Court of Justice delivered […]

Keine Kommentare

30. November 2017 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Legal Basis of the (In)compatibility of Aid Must be Clear

State Aid Blogs - m 3 2

The European Commission may withdraw a decision, but before it adopts a new decision it must give an opportunity to interested parties to submit their comments, especially, if it changes the legal basis of the assessment of the compatibility of the aid. Introduction The most frequent reasons for which the Commission finds aid to be incompatible with the internal […]

Keine Kommentare

9. Februar 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Connecting Public and Private Infrastructure

State Aid Blogs - m 36 1

Public funding of public infrastructure is not State aid. Public funding of connections between public and private infrastructure is not State aid as long as it is open to all users and no fee is charged. Introduction Last week’s article examined the use of a port facility. This week the focus is on a related issue: investment in port […]

Keine Kommentare

29. Dezember 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Regional Aid to Car Manufacturers – Part II

State Aid Blogs - m 42

This is the second part of the article that was published last week. Regional aid, like all State aid, must be necessary and proportional. Regional aid is necessary when investment in an assisted region is more costly. Regional aid is proportional when it does not exceed the amount which can make the investment sufficiently profitable or offset the cost disadvantage […]

Keine Kommentare

18. Februar 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Failure to Satisfy Ex Post the Altmark Criteria, but Compliance with the 2014 Aviation Guidelines

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost2 2019 lexxion stateaid airports

Public service obligations must be entrusted by an official act and defined with sufficient precision. Imprecise definition of public service obligations makes it impossible to identify the costs which are caused by such obligations. Consequently, imprecise definition of public service obligations makes it impossible to grant compensation because subsidisation of non-eligible costs cannot be excluded. Compensation may not be granted […]

Keine Kommentare

- Compatibility ×

3. September 2019 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Presumed v Actual Compatibility of State aid with the Internal Market

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost36 GBER BMW

State aid granted on the basis of the GBER may not be considered as authorised by the Commission. The task of Member States is to ensure that all of the requirements of the GBER are fulfilled. In particular, Member States must confirm the incentive effect of aid to large enterprises. Introduction[1] In March 2019, the Court of Justice delivered […]

Keine Kommentare

30. November 2017 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Legal Basis of the (In)compatibility of Aid Must be Clear

State Aid Blogs - m 3 2

The European Commission may withdraw a decision, but before it adopts a new decision it must give an opportunity to interested parties to submit their comments, especially, if it changes the legal basis of the assessment of the compatibility of the aid. Introduction The most frequent reasons for which the Commission finds aid to be incompatible with the internal […]

Keine Kommentare

9. Februar 2016 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Connecting Public and Private Infrastructure

State Aid Blogs - m 36 1

Public funding of public infrastructure is not State aid. Public funding of connections between public and private infrastructure is not State aid as long as it is open to all users and no fee is charged. Introduction Last week’s article examined the use of a port facility. This week the focus is on a related issue: investment in port […]

Keine Kommentare

29. Dezember 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Regional Aid to Car Manufacturers – Part II

State Aid Blogs - m 42

This is the second part of the article that was published last week. Regional aid, like all State aid, must be necessary and proportional. Regional aid is necessary when investment in an assisted region is more costly. Regional aid is proportional when it does not exceed the amount which can make the investment sufficiently profitable or offset the cost disadvantage […]

Keine Kommentare

18. Februar 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Failure to Satisfy Ex Post the Altmark Criteria, but Compliance with the 2014 Aviation Guidelines

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost2 2019 lexxion stateaid airports

Public service obligations must be entrusted by an official act and defined with sufficient precision. Imprecise definition of public service obligations makes it impossible to identify the costs which are caused by such obligations. Consequently, imprecise definition of public service obligations makes it impossible to grant compensation because subsidisation of non-eligible costs cannot be excluded. Compensation may not be granted […]

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