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

11. Juni 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Member States May Grant State Aid to Single Beneficiaries

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Introduction The European Court of Justice confirmed, once more, on 30 May 2024, in case C-353/21 P, Ryanair v Commission, that Member States do not have to grant State aid to all undertakings that may be affected by a serious economic disturbance such as a pandemic.2 This is because Member States do not have unlimited resources and because they may […]

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4. Juni 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Special Tax Treatment for a Major Infrastructure Project

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Introduction In April 2013, the Commission received a complaint alleging that State aid had been granted to the Oresund fixed link. The link is a major transport infrastructure project consisting of a bridge, an artificial island and tunnels between Denmark and Sweden. In October 2014, the Commission concluded that the public funding of the hinterland road and rail connections was […]

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28. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

A Research Project Based on Collaboration with a Research Organisation

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Introduction After pre-notification contacts, Croatia notified, in March 2023, State aid amounting to a EUR 179.5 million for an R&D project regarding the development of an innovative autonomous electric vehicle [a “robo-taxi”]. The aid, in the form of a grant, was to be provided to Project 3 Mobility LLC [P3M]. The Commission approved it in decision SA.101759.1 The aid beneficiary, […]

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21. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Authorisation of State Aid after the Start of a Project

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Introduction In June 2021, the European Commission, in decision SA.55526, approved an amount of EUR 167 million of State aid for the construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas [LNG] terminal close to Alexandroupolis in northern Greece. In December 2022, Greece notified a measure involving additional State aid of EUR 106 million for the same project. The Commission authorised […]

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14. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Restructuring State Aid

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Introduction State aid to failing undertakings is the most distortionary form of public subsidies. They prevent the market exit of inefficient companies. For this reason, State aid for rescue or restructuring of undertakings in difficulty must always be notified to the Commission which examines each case very carefully and allows this kind of aid only when, among other things, the […]

Keine Kommentare

7. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Procurement and State Aid

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Introduction A faulty public procurement procedure or the use of discriminatory selection criteria can confer an advantage on the chosen undertaking that may constitute an advantage in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU. The result will be infringement of both public procurement rules and State aid rules. A recent Commission decision, SA.47650, is instructive on how Member States should design […]

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30. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

A Case of a Narrow Tax that Is Not Selective

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 11

Introduction On 17 April 2024, the General Court ruled, in case T-112/22, Ideella föreningen Svenska Bankföreningen med firma Svenska Bankföreningen, Näringsverksamhet & Länsförsäkringar Bank v Commission, that a Swedish tax on only nine banks was not selective by not taxing the many smaller banks.1 The applicants, a Swedish banking association and a Swedish bank, respectively, sought the annulment of Commission […]

Keine Kommentare

23. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Pricing of Access to Infrastructure for the Treatment of Waste Water

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Introduction It is not unusual for EU courts to refer to the Commission’s 2016 Notice on the Notion of State Aid as a means of shedding light to the more obscure aspects of that notion. What is very unusual is for EU courts to treat the Notice as if it has the same status as the guidelines that bind the […]

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16. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Awards by Arbitration Tribunal

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Introduction In an unusual judgment, the Court of Justice found on 14 March 2024, in case C-516/22, Commission v UK, that the UK had infringed Article 4(3) TEU, Article 108(3) TFEU, Article 267(1)&(3) TFEU and Article 351(1) TFEU, in conjunction with Article 127(1) of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU because the UK Supreme Court […]

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9. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

An Innovative Risk-Sharing Tool for the Support of an LNG Terminal

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 8

Introduction The Commission, in decision SA.102163, authorised State aid for the construction of a terminal for liquefied natural gas [LNG] in Brunsbüttel, Germany.1 The project consists of an LNG import, storage and distribution facility with annual capacity of about 10 billion m3. The project is carried out by the German LNG Terminal GmbH [GLNG] which has three shareholders: the Dutch […]

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21. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Authorisation of State Aid after the Start of a Project

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 13

Introduction In June 2021, the European Commission, in decision SA.55526, approved an amount of EUR 167 million of State aid for the construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas [LNG] terminal close to Alexandroupolis in northern Greece. In December 2022, Greece notified a measure involving additional State aid of EUR 106 million for the same project. The Commission authorised […]

Keine Kommentare

14. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Restructuring State Aid

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 12

Introduction State aid to failing undertakings is the most distortionary form of public subsidies. They prevent the market exit of inefficient companies. For this reason, State aid for rescue or restructuring of undertakings in difficulty must always be notified to the Commission which examines each case very carefully and allows this kind of aid only when, among other things, the […]

Keine Kommentare

7. Mai 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Procurement and State Aid

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 2

Introduction A faulty public procurement procedure or the use of discriminatory selection criteria can confer an advantage on the chosen undertaking that may constitute an advantage in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU. The result will be infringement of both public procurement rules and State aid rules. A recent Commission decision, SA.47650, is instructive on how Member States should design […]

Keine Kommentare

30. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

A Case of a Narrow Tax that Is Not Selective

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 11

Introduction On 17 April 2024, the General Court ruled, in case T-112/22, Ideella föreningen Svenska Bankföreningen med firma Svenska Bankföreningen, Näringsverksamhet & Länsförsäkringar Bank v Commission, that a Swedish tax on only nine banks was not selective by not taxing the many smaller banks.1 The applicants, a Swedish banking association and a Swedish bank, respectively, sought the annulment of Commission […]

Keine Kommentare

23. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Pricing of Access to Infrastructure for the Treatment of Waste Water

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 10

Introduction It is not unusual for EU courts to refer to the Commission’s 2016 Notice on the Notion of State Aid as a means of shedding light to the more obscure aspects of that notion. What is very unusual is for EU courts to treat the Notice as if it has the same status as the guidelines that bind the […]

Keine Kommentare

16. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Awards by Arbitration Tribunal

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 9

Introduction In an unusual judgment, the Court of Justice found on 14 March 2024, in case C-516/22, Commission v UK, that the UK had infringed Article 4(3) TEU, Article 108(3) TFEU, Article 267(1)&(3) TFEU and Article 351(1) TFEU, in conjunction with Article 127(1) of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU because the UK Supreme Court […]

Keine Kommentare

9. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

An Innovative Risk-Sharing Tool for the Support of an LNG Terminal

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos 8

Introduction The Commission, in decision SA.102163, authorised State aid for the construction of a terminal for liquefied natural gas [LNG] in Brunsbüttel, Germany.1 The project consists of an LNG import, storage and distribution facility with annual capacity of about 10 billion m3. The project is carried out by the German LNG Terminal GmbH [GLNG] which has three shareholders: the Dutch […]

Keine Kommentare

2. April 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

The Court of Justice Conflates Objective Justification with Policy Objective, in the context of Public Support of Green Electricity

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered SM posts

Introduction Suppose a Member State subsidises the installation of solar panels on the roof of a corporate building situated at number 5 on Main Street. Is this a general measure because there is no other building in the whole country with the same address? Of course, it is not a general measure. The uniqueness of the address is irrelevant. Apart […]

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26. März 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Applying the Funding Gap Method to an Important Project of Common European Interest – Part II

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Introduction On 28 February 2024, the General Court delivered an important judgment in case T-390/20, Scandlines v Commission.(1) The judgment is important because it interpreted the Commission guidelines on Important Projects of Common European Interest [IPCEI], the funding gap methodology for determining the necessary amount of aid and the 2008 Commission Notice on state guarantees. Scandlines sought annulment of Commission […]

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12. März 2024 | State Aid Uncovered von Phedon Nicolaides

Public Infrastructure and State Prerogatives

State Aid Blogs - State Aid Uncovered photos

Introduction On 28 February 2024, the General Court delivered two important judgments on the presence of State aid and its compatibility with the internal market in connection to public funding of the Fehmarn Fixed Link between Denmark and Germany. The Fixed Link is a major infrastructure project consisting of tunnels, bridges and access road and rail connections. The judgments of […]

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27. November 2014 | Guest State Aid Blog von Juan Jorge Piernas Lopez

Tax Rulings and State Aid: Now or Never

apple fiat starbucks

This comment looks at the Commission’s decisions to open in-depth investigations into the tax treatment of Apple, Starbucks and Fiat Finance and Trade by Ireland, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. The European Commission has recently opened three in-depth investigations under Article 108(2) TFEU concerning tax rulings in Ireland, The Netherlands and Luxembourg with regard to the corporate income tax to be paid by Apple, Starbucks […]

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