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

27. Februar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

A Large Regional Investment Project in Spain
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 6
Introduction Most State aid to “large” investment projects is granted by the Member States in Central and Eastern Europe. Moreover, most of the aid goes to induce companies to locate their projects in those countries and to overcome regional handicaps that make the investments less profitable or even loss-making than in other locations. By contrast, regional aid granted to large […]
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20. Februar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Another Case of Indirect State Aid
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 4
Introduction On 19 May 2021, the General Court, in case T-643/20, Ryanair v Commission, annulled Commission decision SA.57116 by which it authorised State aid in favour of KLM in the context of the measures implemented by the Dutch government to address the covid-19 pandemic. In July 2021, the Commission re-adopted its original decision without the errors that had been identified […]
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13. Februar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

State Resources, Control and Imputability
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 1
Introduction A public measure can be classified as State aid only when it is funded from state resources. Measures funded from the budgets of public authorities are always considered to be supported by state resources. However, measures not funded from state budgets may still be supported by state resources. This is because, rather counterintuitively, the concept of state resources covers […]
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6. Februar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Indirect Beneficiaries of State aid
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 3
Introduction The prohibition of State aid in Article 107(1) TFEU applies both to direct and indirect beneficiaries. The direct beneficiary is the formal recipient of the aid. However, the formal recipient may only act as an intermediary through which aid flows to third parties or may in fact be required by the aid measure to pass on some or most […]
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30. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Non-contractual Liability in the Field of State aid
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 2 1
Introduction The Commission, in its control of State aid, occasionally makes mistakes. EU courts may annul erroneous Commission decisions. This raises the question whether affected undertakings may ask for compensation. The answer is that in order to be eligible for compensation, an undertaking must have suffered damage as a result of an error that constitutes a “serious breach” of EU […]
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23. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Service Compensation and Indexation of Costs
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 2
Introduction Member States may impose public service obligations [PSO] on undertakings and compensate them for the extra costs they incur. The public service compensation [PSC] may also include reasonable profit. Naturally, the PSC may not cover costs that are not related to the PSO or the service of general economic interest [SGEI]. So, for multi-service providers, account separation is absolutely […]
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16. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Undertakings May also Carry out Non-economic Activities
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 1
Introduction An undertaking is any entity that carries out economic activities regardless of how it is classified in national law or how it is financed. The General Court, in its judgment of 20 December 2023, in case T-166/21, Autorità di sistema portuale del Mar Ligure occidentale v European Commission, also clarified that if an undertaking also carries out tasks assigned […]
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9. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

National Court May Order Recovery of Illegal Aid that Is Considered Existing Aid
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos
Introduction The European Commission is required by Regulation 2015/1589 to order recover of State aid that it finds to be incompatible with the internal market. However, it may not order recovery of illegal aid – i.e. non-notified aid – until it assesses its compatibility with the internal market. By contrast, national courts have no competence to assess the compatibility of […]
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2. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Selectivity
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 1
Introduction On 14 December 2023, the Court of Justice, in its judgment in joined cases C-693/21 P and C-698/21 P, EDP España & Naturgy Energy Group v European Commission, faulted the Commission for failing to provide a sufficient explanation why a Spanish measure was selective in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.1 According to the Court of Justice, the Commission […]
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27. Dezember 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Consequence of the Tax Autonomy of Member States
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos
Introduction The favourable tax treatment of multinational companies has long been in the sights of the Commission. However, the recent judgments on Fiat [C‑885/19 P, Fiat v Commission] and Engie [C‑454/21 P, Engie v Commission] have made it clear that Commission may not rely on principles which are not recognised in the tax laws of Member States. This fundamental rule […]
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30. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Non-contractual Liability in the Field of State aid
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 2 1
Introduction The Commission, in its control of State aid, occasionally makes mistakes. EU courts may annul erroneous Commission decisions. This raises the question whether affected undertakings may ask for compensation. The answer is that in order to be eligible for compensation, an undertaking must have suffered damage as a result of an error that constitutes a “serious breach” of EU […]
Mehr lesen
Keine Kommentare
23. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Service Compensation and Indexation of Costs
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 2
Introduction Member States may impose public service obligations [PSO] on undertakings and compensate them for the extra costs they incur. The public service compensation [PSC] may also include reasonable profit. Naturally, the PSC may not cover costs that are not related to the PSO or the service of general economic interest [SGEI]. So, for multi-service providers, account separation is absolutely […]
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Keine Kommentare
16. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Undertakings May also Carry out Non-economic Activities
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 1
Introduction An undertaking is any entity that carries out economic activities regardless of how it is classified in national law or how it is financed. The General Court, in its judgment of 20 December 2023, in case T-166/21, Autorità di sistema portuale del Mar Ligure occidentale v European Commission, also clarified that if an undertaking also carries out tasks assigned […]
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Keine Kommentare
9. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

National Court May Order Recovery of Illegal Aid that Is Considered Existing Aid
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos
Introduction The European Commission is required by Regulation 2015/1589 to order recover of State aid that it finds to be incompatible with the internal market. However, it may not order recovery of illegal aid – i.e. non-notified aid – until it assesses its compatibility with the internal market. By contrast, national courts have no competence to assess the compatibility of […]
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Keine Kommentare
2. Januar 2024  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Selectivity
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 1
Introduction On 14 December 2023, the Court of Justice, in its judgment in joined cases C-693/21 P and C-698/21 P, EDP España & Naturgy Energy Group v European Commission, faulted the Commission for failing to provide a sufficient explanation why a Spanish measure was selective in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.1 According to the Court of Justice, the Commission […]
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27. Dezember 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Consequence of the Tax Autonomy of Member States
State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos
Introduction The favourable tax treatment of multinational companies has long been in the sights of the Commission. However, the recent judgments on Fiat [C‑885/19 P, Fiat v Commission] and Engie [C‑454/21 P, Engie v Commission] have made it clear that Commission may not rely on principles which are not recognised in the tax laws of Member States. This fundamental rule […]
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21. Dezember 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Recovery of Incompatible Aid in an Agreement between an Airport and an Airline
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 16
Introduction On 23 November 2023, the Court of Justice, in case C-758/21 P, Ryanair v European Commission, rejected Ryanair’s action against the judgment of the General Court in case T-448/18, Ryanair v European Commission.1 In its judgment, the General Court dismissed Ryanair’s appeal against Commission decision 2018/628. In that decision, the Commission found, among other things, that Austria had granted […]
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19. Dezember 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Indirect Advantage
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 30
Introduction It is an established principle in the State aid case law that Article 107(1) TFEU applies both to direct and possibly indirect aid beneficiaries. Yet, it is not always easy to identify any indirect beneficiaries. On 15 November 2023, the General Court, in case T-167/21, European Gaming and Betting Association v European Commission, faulted the latter for failing to […]
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11. Dezember 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Member States Have Discretion to Determine their Own Tax System and Interpret its Provisions
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 29
Introduction In the landmark cases on turnover taxes implemented by Hungary and Poland, the Court of Justice censured the European Commission for defining its own hypothetical reference tax system that was different from the relevant tax provisions in those two countries. The Court again faulted the Commission in its more recent judgments on advance tax rulings. Given the discretion of […]
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4. Dezember 2023  |   State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Concept of Undertaking and Land Valuation
State Aid Blogs - Untitled design 15
Introduction Must an entity that acquires an asset but does not exploit it commercially not be regarded as an undertaking? This was one of two questions that the Court of Justice had to answer on 19 October 2023, in case C-325/22, TS & HI. The answer was no. The second question was how to value land. The answer to that […]
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27. Januar 2015  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Erika Szyszczak

Black Cabs in London Retain ‘Exclusive’ Rights to Drive in Bus Lanes
black cab
A detailed note on Case C-518/13 The Queen, on the application of Eventech Ltd v The Parking Adjudicator (judgment of 14th January 2015) An enduring feature of EU law is that it may be used in an opportunist manner in some of the lowest tribunals in the EU to create challenges to national rules and policies. This was how the Eventech case arose. […]
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22. Januar 2015  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Dimitrios Kyriazis

Luxembourg, Amazon, and the State aid connection
amazon package
The Commission’s opening decision: What should we make of Amazon’s ‘advance pricing agreement’ (APA) and its alleged (non-) compliance with the ‘arm’s length principle’ (ALP)? In early October 2014, the European Commission notified Luxembourg of its decision to open a state aid investigation in relation to the tax treatment of the Amazon group by the Luxembourgish tax authorities. This opening […]
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16. Januar 2015  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

In Brief: Case C-518/13 Eventech and Case T-1/12 France v Commission
Lady Justice
A quick look at the two new rulings this week. This post gives a preliminary overview of the two new judgments this week (more in depth posts with analysis will be online soon!): On Wednesday 14th January the CJEU passed its ruling in the hotly awaited Eventech case (Case C-518/13), while a day later the General Court gave its word on […]
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9. Januar 2015  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

In Brief: Case T-58/13, Club Hotel Loutraki AE and Others v Commission (judgment of 08.01.2015)
hotel pool
On Thursday the 8th January the GC dismissed all four pleas in the action for annulment of the Commission Decision finding that the exclusive rights granted to operate 35 000 Video Lottery Terminals and 13 games of chance were not State aid.   The case is can be accessed here (English and French versions currently available) and the press release here.Background to the […]
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5. Januar 2015  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

State aid in 2015 – Court’s diary and events
gavel
Wishing all our readers and contributors a very happy 2015, this post takes look at the Court’s diary for January and some events in coming months. This is a quick post firstly to thank everybody who has been part of the StateAidHub for their support so far and to wish all our readers an excellent year ahead. If you are interested […]
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23. Dezember 2014  |   Guest State Aid Blog von María Ortiz Vilela

Two Europes and a single SAM
sheeps
Keeping the flock together: A response to discussions on the GBER and SAM at ESTALI Vienna.   Maria Ortiz is a technician for the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE). The views expressed in this post are purely those of the author and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of IVACE. Two weeks ago, the European […]
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5. Dezember 2014  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

In Brief: T‑57/11 Castelnou Energía v Commission (judgment of 03.12.2014)
burning coal
On Wednesday 3rd December the GC found Spanish aid granted to coal power plants to secure supply to be compatible State aid (judgment not yet available in English). After a busy day at the EStALI Autumn Workshop yesterday (we’ll give you all the hubbub from that as well as the conference later today), the following is a preliminary post on […]
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28. November 2014  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Dimitrios Kyriazis

Driving in the wrong direction? The opening decision in Fiat
fiat
What are we to make of the Commission’s decision to open an in-depth investigation into the tax treatment of Fiat Finance and Trade (FFT) by Luxembourg? In late September 2014, the Commission published its decision to open an in-depth State aid investigation in relation to the tax treatment of Fiat Finance and Trade (FFT) by Luxembourg.This investigation is part of the recent […]
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28. November 2014  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Emma Linklater

Case T-512/11 Ryanair : Commission’s ATT Ireland Decision Partly Annulled (ATT Act I)
On Tuesday (25.11.2014) the General Court delighted the StateAidHub team by dishing out a shiny new ruling just in time for our launch date. Here’s a quick first look at the ruling. This post takes a preliminary look at Case T-512/11 Ryanair Ltd v Commission.This is only one of the appeals being brought against the Commission’s dabblings with the Irish Air […]
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28. November 2014  |   Guest State Aid Blog von Erika Szyszczak

State Aid for Nuclear Power: No Thanks! Maybe? Yes Please!
State Aid Blogs - workers in nuclear plant
The Commission’s decision on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station of 8th October 2014 and what this might mean for the approach to nuclear energy… In 2014, the European Commission adopted new Guidelines on State aid for energy and the environment. These were followed by the adoption of a new General Block Exemption Regulation that also included measures relating to energy […]
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