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.

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

23. März 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Exclusive Rights and State Aid

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost12 Poste Italiane

Exclusive rights may constitute State aid if they mandate payments with resources over which the state can exercise control. Compensation for the cost of public service obligations may be granted only if the obligations are clear and define a service that is different from market services. Introduction Article 106(1) TFEU requires Member States not to distort competition when they grant […]

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16. März 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Pan-European Guarantee Fund: The First State Aid Instrument at EU Level

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost11 Funds

The Fund managed by the EIB constitutes State aid granted collectively by participating Member States. Introduction One of the many responses of the European Union to the economic harm wreaked by the pandemic was the establishment of the Pan-European Guarantee Fund [the Fund] by the European Investment Bank. Member States were invited to contribute to the Fund. This is both […]

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9. März 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Can the Decision of a Private Entity be Imputed to the State?

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost7 Bank Italy

A measure is imputable to the state whenever the state is involved in its adoption or shapes the decision that leads to its adoption. Introduction One of the trickiest aspects of determining whether a financial transaction involves State aid is its attribution or imputation to a decision of the state, especially when the entity providing the funding is private. Private […]

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2. März 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

State Aid May be Limited to Undertakings with Close Links with the National Economy (Part II)

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost8 9 Ryanair

State aid may be used to compensate airlines licensed by domestic authorities for losses incurred as a result of national travel restrictions. [In case you have missed part I, you can access it here.] Introduction The European Commission acted swiftly to adopt a fairly accommodating and wide-ranging “Temporary Framework” to regulate State aid for the purposes of counter-acting the impact […]

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23. Februar 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

State Aid May be Limited to Undertakings with Close Links with the National Economy (Part I)

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost8 9 Ryanair

State aid may be used to compensate airlines licensed by domestic authorities for losses incurred as a result of national travel restrictions. Introduction The European Commission acted swiftly to adopt a fairly accommodating and wide-ranging “Temporary Framework” to regulate State aid for the purposes of counter-acting the impact of covid-19. The Temporary Framework was welcomed by both Member States and […]

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16. Februar 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Liquidity Assistance to Banks to Counter the Effects of Covid-19

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost7 Bank Italy

Any direct public support of financial institutions affected by covid-19 has to comply with both State aid rules and the rules of the banking union. Introduction The Temporary Framework for State aid to combat covid-19 excludes financial institutions. But it does not mean that banks do not benefit indirectly from State aid granted to other sectors of the economy. This […]

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9. Februar 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The State Acting as a Regulator

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost6 NL gambling

When the state acts as a regulator, it does not have to charge a licence fee that maximises its revenue. Introduction Governments can influence the allocation of resources with at least three instruments: subsidisation, taxation and regulation. All three may contain State aid; if subsidies are selective, if taxes allow for exemptions and if regulation involves charges which are not […]

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2. Februar 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Helsinki Busses, Loans, Article 93 and Indemnification

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost5 Helsinki bus

Bus transportation provided by public authorities constitutes economic activity. Loans given by a public authority to its transport unit have to be priced at market rates. The market value of public assets sold to third parties has to reflect any state indemnities. Temporary Framework The European Commission announced on 28 January 2021 a fifth amendment to the Temporary Framework. [1] […]

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26. Januar 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Training and State Resources

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost4 training

The definition of quality indicators and the establishment of certificates of quality do not amount to control by the state over the resources belonging to non-state entities. Introduction Consider the case of a public university which decides to finance the proposal of one of its researchers to launch a research project in collaboration with a private company. For sure the […]

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19. Januar 2021 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Funding of Public Hospitals

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost3 Hospitals

Public healthcare provided in accordance with the principle of social solidarity is not economic in nature. Introduction There are two sectors where economic and non-economic activities mix and cause potential State aid problems: healthcare and education. Healthcare and education provided by public institutions do not differ much from healthcare and education provided by private institutions. The critical difference is not […]

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13. Oktober 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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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6. Oktober 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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30. September 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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22. September 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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15. September 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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8. September 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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1. September 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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25. August 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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, […]

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18. August 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von 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 […]

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11. August 2020 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Commission Must Act in Accordance with the Principle of Proportionality

investigation

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 & […]

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