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.

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

1. April 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

State Guarantees

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost39 promotionalbank

The amount of State aid in a guarantee that makes possible the granting of a loan to a well-collateralised firm in difficulty is not the difference in premium but the difference in interest rates. Beneficiaries of guarantees not notified to the Commission do not have any remedy under EU law. Introduction Last week’s article examined State aid in the […]

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30. März 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Lexxion Publisher

Court’s Diary – April 2015

gavel

Got something to say about State Aid? Want to write something on our Blog? Get in touch with us at Stateaidhub[at]lexxion.eu Thursday 16/04/2015 Judgment in Case C-690/13 Trapeza Eurobank Ergasias (Court of Justice – Ninth Chamber) Monday 20/04/2015 Hearing in Case C-357/14 P Dunamenti Erőmű v Commission (Court of Justice – Third Chamber) Wednesday 22/04/2015 Hearing in Case T-499/12 HSH Investment Holdings Coinvest-C and […]

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24. März 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Loans for SMEs

State Aid Blogs - m 17 2

Low-interest loans may be used to support investments. The granting of de minimis aid through loans is possible only if loans are secured against collateral. The 2008 Commission Communication on interest rates does not apply to subordinated, non-collateralised loans. Introduction “Investment for growth” is the slogan which seems to be on everybody’s lips in Brussels. Last Friday, the European […]

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20. März 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

In Brief: Case C‑672/13, OTP Bank Nyrt v Magyar Állam, Magyar Államkincstár

A quick look at the latest ruling of the CJEU from Thursday 19th March. In Case C‑672/13 OTP Bank the CJEU responded to preliminary ruling questions from the Hungarian Fővárosi Törvényszék relating to the categorisation of an agency agreement concluded in 2008 between the the Ministry of Local Government, the State Treasury and OTP Bank on the basis of Paragraph 24(15) of […]

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18. März 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

In Brief: AG Opinion, Case C‑39/14 – Bodenverwertungs- und -verwaltungs GmbH (BVVG), Thomas Erbs, Ursula Erbs v Landkreis Jerichower Land

green field

This note takes a look at the Opinion of AG Cruz Villalón, delivered on Tuesday 17th March (not available in English at the time of posting). In his 80 paragraph Opinion the AG proposed that the CJEU reply to the preliminary reference question from the German Bundesgerichtshof as follows:Article 107 TFEU should be interpreted to mean that a rule of […]

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17. März 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Lexxion Publisher

Roundup of EStAL Intensive Workshop, London

workshop

Interactive Seminar on The Role of the Market Economy Investor Principle (MEIP) | Infrastructure Funding in Compliance with State Aid Rules March 11th 2015 was a busy day for the State Aid crowd who gathered at King’s College in London for an Intensive Workshop organized by Lexxion. First of all we would like to thank all those, both speakers and participants, […]

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16. März 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Relief from Pension Contributions and Reduction of Taxes

State Aid Blogs - StateAidHub blogpost38 saleofbank

Compensation for structural disadvantages encumbering undertakings is still State aid. Compensation for structural disadvantages encumbering SGEI providers is not State aid only if it satisfies the Altmark criteria. Reductions of excise duties approved by the Council may still be subject to scrutiny by the Commission under State aid rules. Exception of fossil fuel from energy taxes when it is not […]

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10. März 2015 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Non-Economic Activities

State Aid Blogs - 05.12.Imputability of Aid State aidz

Health insurance which is based on the principle of social solidarity is not economic in nature. Solidarity means that citizens have a right to the service in question and the quality of the service they obtain is not linked to the price they pay, if any. Health services which are provided privately for remuneration are economic in nature. Services provided […]

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5. März 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Gherardo Carullo

Procedures for examining abnormally low tenders as a State aid tool? A note on Case C-568/13 Data Medical Service

hospital

A look at the Court’s ruling of 18th December 2014 and the use of abnormally low tenders in public service contracts as indicators of illegal State subsidies. This short note examines Case C-568/13 Data Medical Service on the award of public service contracts, which is particularly interesting from a State aid perspective. While stressing that there are no exclusions whatsoever – at a […]

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4. März 2015 | Guest State Aid Blog von Lexxion Publisher

Court’s Diary – March 2015

gavel, animal figures, euros

A look at the month ahead Got something to say about State Aid? You can get in touch with us at Stateaidhub[at]lexxion.eu Thursday 05/03/2015 Judgment in Case C-667/13 Banco Privado Português and Massa Insolvente do Banco Privado Português (Court of Justice – Second Chamber) Friday 06/03/2015 Hearing in Joined Cases T-60/06 RENV II and T-62/06 RENV II Italy v Commission, Eurallumina v Commission (General Court – First Chamber, […]

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21. April 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Ex Post Evaluation of State Aid: A New Instrument

evaluation smileys

Introduction: The need for evaluation The State Aid Modernisation that was launched by the European Commission in May 2012 aims primarily to channel State aid to remedying genuine market failure. Subsequent policy documents have all been based on this underlying aim: to ensure that State aid is truly needed and effective in addressing market failure. The need and effectiveness of […]

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12. April 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Objectively Justified Pricing: The Market Economy Operator Principle

office table

Introduction: Objective justification of price differentiation In a landmark judgment 25 years ago [February 1988], the Court of Justice established that business behaviour that appears to deviate from normal market practices can still conform with the market economy operator principle [MEOP] which is a variation of the better known market economy investor principle [MEIP]. Both principles are based on the […]

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7. April 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Sale of State-owned Airlines [Commission Decision SA.33337 on sale of subsidiaries by LOT Polish Airlines]

airplane on the runway

Introduction In the previous posting I examined the funding of a regional airport. In this posting I look at a case concerning an airline; more specifically, the sale of three subsidiaries of Polish airline LOT.[1] During the past five or so years, the Commission has had to deal with many measures involving different kinds of public support to airlines [e.g. Alitalia, […]

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30. März 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Airport Operators and Budget Airlines [Commission Decision SA.23324: Finavia, Airpro and Ryanair at Tampere-Pirkkala Airport

people on the airport

During the past 18 months or so, the European Commission has launched more than 20 investigations in the funding of regional airports and the arrangements that these airports have concluded with budget airlines such as Ryanair. This posting analyses a very recent Commission decision which found that no State aid was granted to either the airport operator or Ryanair. This […]

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25. März 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Where is the Money? The Link between Advantage and Transfer of State Resources

100 euro detail

On 19 March 2013, the Court of Justice delivered an important judgment in case C-399/10 P, Bouygues v European Commission concerning aid that was granted by France to France Telecom. The case was an appeal to an earlier ruling of the General Court in case T 425/04 France and Others v Commission which annulled Article 1 of Commission Decision 2006/621 […]

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16. März 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Loans, Guarantees and Credit Worthiness

contract signing

This post examines the two latest judgments of EU courts on State aid. They do not introduce any novel approaches to the interpretation of Article 107(1) TFEU but they confirm and clarify the obligations of the State in its dealings with undertakings. T-387/11, Nitrogenmuvek Vegyipari v European Commission On 27 February 2013, the General Court rendered its judgment in […]

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8. März 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

An “Alternative” Method of Valuation for State-Aid-Free Sale of Public Land

construction site

The obligation of the state to act as a private vendor When a public authority sells an asset to an undertaking, it must sell it at market price. The case law is clear on this point, especially with respect to the sale of public land or a building. Such a sale may constitute state aid “where it is not […]

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1. März 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Market Economy Vendor Principle: Sale of Public Land by the Dutch Municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg [Commission Decision SA.24123]

Cadastre

The previous posting examined a case where the European Commission applied the Market Economy Investor Principle [MEIP]. This is the principle that is used to determine whether there is state aid in commercial transactions between public authorities and undertakings. According to Article 345 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union [TFEU], the European Union is neutral with […]

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18. Februar 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Curious Case of Applying the Market Economy Investor Principle to a Monopoly

monopoly game

On 3 October 2012, the European Commission concluded, in case SA.33988, that OPAP, the Greek operator of games of chance received no state aid because the Market Economy Investor Principle applied.[1] At first glance there is nothing unusual about a finding of no aid. But, as always, the devil is in the detail. OPAP holds the exclusive rights to organise various […]

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19. Februar 2013 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Blog Intro

pen and paper

State Aid Uncovered State aid law and policy evolve all the time. The basic rules are fairly stable but their interpretation and application are frequently adjusted to take into account changes in market conditions, novel forms of cooperation between public authorities and companies and ever more complex funding instruments and arrangements. This blog tracks the evolution of state aid law […]

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