Prolongations of the block exemption regulations for ABER, FIBER and sector-specific regulations on de minimis aid.

Policy field

Competition: State aid

 

Target group

All citizens, organisations and public authorities are welcome to contribute to this consultation.

 

Consultation period

From 16.01.2020 to 20.02.2020

 

Objective of the consultation

Block exemption regulations and regulations on de minimis aid allow Member States to implement a wide range of public support measures without prior notification to the Commission. This reduces the administrative burden for public authorities and speeds up delivery of public support.

The Commission has established sector-specific block exemption regulations for agriculture, forestry and rural areas (the “agricultural block exemption regulation” or “ABER”) and for fishery and aquaculture (the “fishery and aquaculture exemption regulation” or “FIBER”) as well as sector-specific regulations on de minimis aid.

State aid rules are limited in time and the ABER, the FIBER and the de minimis regulation for fishery and aquaculture will all expire on 31 December 2020. The Commission is therefore revising them with the aim to replace them with new regulations for the period 2021 to 2027.

However, the design of the future ABER will largely depend on the future regulation on strategic plans under the Common Agricultural Policy (“CAP”). The legislative procedure for adopting the new CAP legal framework is still pending and the Commission has therefore proposed transitional rules to ensure the continuity of CAP support under the conditions of the existing legal framework until 31 December 2021. Consequently, it is necessary to extend also the period of application of the current ABER until 31 December 2021.

Similarly, the FIBER and the de minimis regulation for fishery and aquaculture must be coherent and consistent with the future Regulation on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), which is still in the process of adoption. It is therefore considered appropriate to extend also the period of application of the FIBER and the de minimis regulation until 31 December 2021, to allow their review to be completed subsequently to the adoption of the regulation on the EMFF.

 

How to submit your contribution

We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities.

If you are answering this consultation as a citizen, please COMP-H6-CONSULTATIONec [dot] europa [dot] eu (subject: HT.5787_Reply_from_a_citizen) (click here) to submit your contribution.

If you are answering this consultation on behalf of an organisation, please click COMP-H6-CONSULTATIONec [dot] europa [dot] eu (subject: HT.5787_Reply_from_an_organisation) (click here) to submit your contribution

If you are answering this consultation on behalf of a public authority, please COMP-H6-CONSULTATIONec [dot] europa [dot] eu (subject: HT.5787_Reply_from_a_public_authority) ( click here) to submit your contribution.

Received contributions will be published on this webpage. Only submissions that are clearly marked "CONFIDENTIAL" (in English, in capital letters) will be treated as such and not published. In that case please also provide a non-confidential version of your reply. It is important to read the privacy statement attached to this consultation for information on how your personal data and contribution will be dealt with.

We would appreciate receiving submissions electronically, as attachments to emails in .doc or .pfd format, in English, French or German. Please see for contact details below.

Please note that we cannot guarantee to take account of replies received after the deadline.

 

Consultation document

Draft Regulation amending Regulations (EU) No 702/2014, (EU) No 717/2014 and (EU) No 1388/2014, as regards their period of application
bg cs da de el en es et fi fr hr hu it lt lv mt nl pl pt ro sk sl sv

 

Contact details

Directorate-General for Competition – Unit H6
Please always indicate the reference number in your correspondence: HT.5787

E-Mail address:
COMP-H6-CONSULTATIONec [dot] europa [dot] eu (COMP-H6-CONSULTATION[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)

Postal address:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Competition, Unit H6
State aid registry
1049 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgique/België
Ref.: HT 5787