Europäisches Beihilfenrecht Blog

State Aid Uncovered Blog

In Lexxions Blog „State Aid Uncovered” veröffentlicht Prof. Phedon Nicolaides wöchentlich kritische Analysen zu den neuesten Urteilen und Entscheidungen zu staatlichen Beihilfen. Jeder Beitrag stellt die wichtigsten Punkte eines Gerichtsurteils oder einer EU-Kommissionsentscheidung vor, ordnet sie in den Kontext ähnlicher Rechtsprechung oder Praxis ein, bewertet die zugrundeliegende Argumentation und zeigt etwaige Ungereimtheiten oder Widersprüche auf.

In loser Folge werden auf diesem Blog auch Gastbeiträge von anderen Experten für staatliche Beihilfen veröffentlicht, welche die Inhalte der Blogbeiträge ergänzen.

Jetzt abonnieren!

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

State Aid Uncovered ×

Economic Continuity and Recovery of Indirect State Aid

Special insolvency procedures can confer a selective advantage that constitutes State aid. A recovery order can be extended to the new owner of a company that had received incompatible State aid. Introduction Recipients of State aid that is found to be incompatible with the internal market have to pay it back with interest. This liability for repayment also extend to […]

The Impossibility of Proving the Absolute Impossibility to Recover Incompatible State Aid

It is not sufficient to claim that is it absolutely impossible to recover incompatible State aid. It must be shown that alternative methods have been actually tried without success. Introduction It is rather impossible for Member States to prove that it is absolutely impossible to recover State aid that has been found by the Commission, and confirmed by EU courts, […]

Compensation for Universal Service Provision

As long as the compensation does not exceed the net extra costs of the universal service activities, it may be used to offset other costs. Introduction The rules on State aid for services of general economic interest [SGEI] are very generous because they allow both investment and operating aid. Yet, it is not easy to comply with those rules because […]

State Aid and Essential National Interest

State aid that is necessary for protecting essential national interests can be compatible with the internal market. Introduction State aid should support outcomes that the market by itself cannot achieve. This implies that State aid that is restricted to only one or a few undertakings is unlikely to be capable of delivering the desired outcome. Yet, sometimes there may be […]

State Aid Measures May not be Funded through Discriminatory Taxes

A tax that is levied on both imported and domestic products but its revenue finances only domestic products infringes fundamental provisions of the EU Treaty. Introduction Member States finance the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources [RES] with revenue they raise through levies or charges on consumers of electricity. On 14 April 2021, the General Court in judgment in […]

Turnover Taxes Can Be Progressive without Being Selective

Progressive rates can be part of a reference tax system. The reference tax system is, in principle, made up of the tax base, the tax rates and the taxable events. Introduction Progressive turnover taxes were thought to be selective because they are levied on gross revenue before costs are deducted and larger volumes of revenue are taxed at higher rates. […]

Individual Aid Measures to Combat Covid-19

Aid to remedy a serious economic disturbance may be granted to a single company that is important for the national economy. EU law does not extend to competitors a right to the same aid. Introduction Between March 2020 and April 2021, the European Commission has authorised aid totalling more than EUR 2.5 trillion to remedy the serious economic disturbance caused […]

Draft New RDI Framework

The new RDI Framework provides continuity with clarity. On Monday, 19 April 2021, the European Commission published the new Regional Aid Guidelines for the period 2022-2027. They can be accessed at: https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/regional_aid/RAG_2021_adopted_communication.zip Introduction On 8 April 2021, the European Commission published the text of the draft new RDI Framework and launched public consultation.[1] The draft RDI Framework is accompanied by […]

State Guarantee to an Energy Project

A state guarantee can bridge the funding gap of an infrastructure project. Introduction State aid rules allow energy infrastructure projects to be supported by as much aid as is necessary to bridge their “funding gap”; i.e. the difference between the initial investment cost and the present value of their expected net operating revenue which is the future gross revenue minus […]

Lease Contracts and Competitive Selection

Vague award criteria can be discriminatory and harm the transparency of the selection procedure. Introduction After receiving a complaint, the Commission opened a formal investigation into alleged State aid granted by the Estonian Ministry of Rural Affairs to AS Tartu Agro, a private limited company, which produced milk, meat and cereals. According to the complaint, the Ministry had granted unlawful […]

State Aid Uncovered ×

Economic Continuity and Recovery of Indirect State Aid

Special insolvency procedures can confer a selective advantage that constitutes State aid. A recovery order can be extended to the new owner of a company that had received incompatible State aid. Introduction Recipients of State aid that is found to be incompatible with the internal market have to pay it back with interest. This liability for repayment also extend to […]

The Impossibility of Proving the Absolute Impossibility to Recover Incompatible State Aid

It is not sufficient to claim that is it absolutely impossible to recover incompatible State aid. It must be shown that alternative methods have been actually tried without success. Introduction It is rather impossible for Member States to prove that it is absolutely impossible to recover State aid that has been found by the Commission, and confirmed by EU courts, […]

Compensation for Universal Service Provision

As long as the compensation does not exceed the net extra costs of the universal service activities, it may be used to offset other costs. Introduction The rules on State aid for services of general economic interest [SGEI] are very generous because they allow both investment and operating aid. Yet, it is not easy to comply with those rules because […]

State Aid and Essential National Interest

State aid that is necessary for protecting essential national interests can be compatible with the internal market. Introduction State aid should support outcomes that the market by itself cannot achieve. This implies that State aid that is restricted to only one or a few undertakings is unlikely to be capable of delivering the desired outcome. Yet, sometimes there may be […]

State Aid Measures May not be Funded through Discriminatory Taxes

A tax that is levied on both imported and domestic products but its revenue finances only domestic products infringes fundamental provisions of the EU Treaty. Introduction Member States finance the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources [RES] with revenue they raise through levies or charges on consumers of electricity. On 14 April 2021, the General Court in judgment in […]

Turnover Taxes Can Be Progressive without Being Selective

Progressive rates can be part of a reference tax system. The reference tax system is, in principle, made up of the tax base, the tax rates and the taxable events. Introduction Progressive turnover taxes were thought to be selective because they are levied on gross revenue before costs are deducted and larger volumes of revenue are taxed at higher rates. […]

Individual Aid Measures to Combat Covid-19

Aid to remedy a serious economic disturbance may be granted to a single company that is important for the national economy. EU law does not extend to competitors a right to the same aid. Introduction Between March 2020 and April 2021, the European Commission has authorised aid totalling more than EUR 2.5 trillion to remedy the serious economic disturbance caused […]

Draft New RDI Framework

The new RDI Framework provides continuity with clarity. On Monday, 19 April 2021, the European Commission published the new Regional Aid Guidelines for the period 2022-2027. They can be accessed at: https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/regional_aid/RAG_2021_adopted_communication.zip Introduction On 8 April 2021, the European Commission published the text of the draft new RDI Framework and launched public consultation.[1] The draft RDI Framework is accompanied by […]

State Guarantee to an Energy Project

A state guarantee can bridge the funding gap of an infrastructure project. Introduction State aid rules allow energy infrastructure projects to be supported by as much aid as is necessary to bridge their “funding gap”; i.e. the difference between the initial investment cost and the present value of their expected net operating revenue which is the future gross revenue minus […]

Lease Contracts and Competitive Selection

Vague award criteria can be discriminatory and harm the transparency of the selection procedure. Introduction After receiving a complaint, the Commission opened a formal investigation into alleged State aid granted by the Estonian Ministry of Rural Affairs to AS Tartu Agro, a private limited company, which produced milk, meat and cereals. According to the complaint, the Ministry had granted unlawful […]

State Aid Uncovered ×

Economic Continuity and Recovery of Indirect State Aid

Special insolvency procedures can confer a selective advantage that constitutes State aid. A recovery order can be extended to the new owner of a company that had received incompatible State aid. Introduction Recipients of State aid that is found to be incompatible with the internal market have to pay it back with interest. This liability for repayment also extend to […]

The Impossibility of Proving the Absolute Impossibility to Recover Incompatible State Aid

It is not sufficient to claim that is it absolutely impossible to recover incompatible State aid. It must be shown that alternative methods have been actually tried without success. Introduction It is rather impossible for Member States to prove that it is absolutely impossible to recover State aid that has been found by the Commission, and confirmed by EU courts, […]

Compensation for Universal Service Provision

As long as the compensation does not exceed the net extra costs of the universal service activities, it may be used to offset other costs. Introduction The rules on State aid for services of general economic interest [SGEI] are very generous because they allow both investment and operating aid. Yet, it is not easy to comply with those rules because […]

State Aid and Essential National Interest

State aid that is necessary for protecting essential national interests can be compatible with the internal market. Introduction State aid should support outcomes that the market by itself cannot achieve. This implies that State aid that is restricted to only one or a few undertakings is unlikely to be capable of delivering the desired outcome. Yet, sometimes there may be […]

State Aid Measures May not be Funded through Discriminatory Taxes

A tax that is levied on both imported and domestic products but its revenue finances only domestic products infringes fundamental provisions of the EU Treaty. Introduction Member States finance the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources [RES] with revenue they raise through levies or charges on consumers of electricity. On 14 April 2021, the General Court in judgment in […]

Turnover Taxes Can Be Progressive without Being Selective

Progressive rates can be part of a reference tax system. The reference tax system is, in principle, made up of the tax base, the tax rates and the taxable events. Introduction Progressive turnover taxes were thought to be selective because they are levied on gross revenue before costs are deducted and larger volumes of revenue are taxed at higher rates. […]

Individual Aid Measures to Combat Covid-19

Aid to remedy a serious economic disturbance may be granted to a single company that is important for the national economy. EU law does not extend to competitors a right to the same aid. Introduction Between March 2020 and April 2021, the European Commission has authorised aid totalling more than EUR 2.5 trillion to remedy the serious economic disturbance caused […]

Draft New RDI Framework

The new RDI Framework provides continuity with clarity. On Monday, 19 April 2021, the European Commission published the new Regional Aid Guidelines for the period 2022-2027. They can be accessed at: https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/regional_aid/RAG_2021_adopted_communication.zip Introduction On 8 April 2021, the European Commission published the text of the draft new RDI Framework and launched public consultation.[1] The draft RDI Framework is accompanied by […]

State Guarantee to an Energy Project

A state guarantee can bridge the funding gap of an infrastructure project. Introduction State aid rules allow energy infrastructure projects to be supported by as much aid as is necessary to bridge their “funding gap”; i.e. the difference between the initial investment cost and the present value of their expected net operating revenue which is the future gross revenue minus […]

Lease Contracts and Competitive Selection

Vague award criteria can be discriminatory and harm the transparency of the selection procedure. Introduction After receiving a complaint, the Commission opened a formal investigation into alleged State aid granted by the Estonian Ministry of Rural Affairs to AS Tartu Agro, a private limited company, which produced milk, meat and cereals. According to the complaint, the Ministry had granted unlawful […]

Sie möchten einen Beitrag einreichen oder zur Weiterentwicklung des Blogs State Aid Uncovered beitragen? Weitere Details finden Sie auf der englischsprachigen Seite.

Gastbeitrag einreichen

Abonnieren Sie unseren Newsletter für aktuelle Informationen zu Entwicklungen, Konferenzen, Seminaren und Veröffentlichungen in Ihrem Interessenbereich.

Newsletter: Jetzt abonnieren