State aid
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Commission orders recovery of illegal state aid from Italian maritime company Saremar
22 January 2014
After an in-depth investigation, the Commission has concluded that part of the support measures that Sardinia had granted to the maritime company Saremar in 2011 and 2012 was incompatible with EU state aid rules.
In particular, a capital injection not approved on market conditions and the compensation for carrying out certain maritime services have provided an undue economic advantage to Saremar that its competitors did not have.
Saremar needs to pay back this undue advantage of around €10.8 million in total, to remedy the distortion of competition this has created.
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Commission approves amendments to a UK scheme financing small and medium enterprises
22 January 2014
The Commission has found several amendments to a UK scheme allowing publicly-backed funds to invest in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) affected by a market failure, to be in line with EU state aid rules.
The Commission found, in particular, that the measure encourages private investment in SMEs while limiting distortions of competition in the Single Market.
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Commission approves German public service compensation for school bus transport in Rhineland-Palatinate
22 January 2014
The Commission has found a regional law compensating bus and tram companies in the German Land Rhineland-Palatinate that are obliged to offer tickets at a reduced price to pupils, students and trainees, to be in line with EU State aid rules.
The measure ensures affordable school bus transport in Rhineland-Palatinate, while limiting competition distortions in the Single Market.
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Commission approves regional aid map 2014-2020 for Slovakia
22 January 2014
The Commission has approved Slovakia's map for granting state aid between 2014 and 2020 within the framework of the new regional aid guidelines adopted by the Commission in June 2013.
The new guidelines set out under which conditions Member States can grant state aid to businesses for regional development purposes.
They aim to foster growth and promote greater cohesion in the Single Market.
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Commission authorises allocation of 404.6 million free greenhouse gas emission allowances for modernisation of Polish electricity sector
22 January 2014
The Commission has found that Polish plans to allocate free of charge 404.6 million carbon emission allowances for modernising the electricity sector are in line with EU state aid rules.
Today, 90% of Poland's electricity generation is based on coal-fired power stations, which are very carbon-intensive.
The Polish investment plan includes more than 340 investment projects with a total value exceeding €28 billion (PLN 119 billion).
Those investments will be partially funded through the allocation of free greenhouse gas emission allowances.
The Commission found that the funds granted will be used to modernise production infrastructure, diversify the energy mix or build new installations.
This will contribute to liberalising energy markets, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the security of supply, in line with EU objectives, without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.
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Commission and EIB agree on State aid matters in relation to activities of EIB Group
21 January 2014
Joaquín Almunia, EU Commissioner for Competition, and Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) today issued a joint statement on the interaction between the activities of the EIB Group and State aid control.
This joint statement provides a common understanding on the applicable rules and a basis for further cooperation in order to enhance the efficiency of their respective activities.
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Court
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