Overview
The General Block Exemption Regulation (‘GBER’) declares specific categories of State aid compatible with the internal market if they fulfil certain conditions. Such aid is exempt from the requirement of prior notification to, and approval by the Commission. This enables Member States to quickly provide aid, where conditions limiting the distortion of competition in the Single Market are met.
The Commission is reviewing the GBER, in line with the EU’s Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal. The aim is to cut red tape and promote necessary investments, while keeping a level playing field in the Single Market.
On 14 July 2025 the European Commission has launched a Call for Evidence and public consultation to seek input on the scope and content of the review. Until 6 October 2025 public authorities, companies and other interested parties can reply to the questionnaire. Please submit your reply in EU Survey only, to ensure that your reply is properly considered.
Next Steps
The results of the Call for Evidence and public consultations will feed into the ongoing review of the GBER. The Commission will consult stakeholders on the draft of a GBER before finalising its review process.
Background to this initiative
Under Article 108(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, Member States must notify the European Commission of any plans to grant State aid and await Commission approval before putting the aid into effect. The General Block Exemption Regulation (EU) 651/2014 (‘GBER’) exempts specific categories of State aid from the requirement of prior notification and Commission approval if they fulfil certain conditions.
The GBER entered into force in 2014. Since then, it has become the most important part of EU State aid rules. In 2023, Member States implemented 69% of all non-crisis aid measures under the GBER, for example aid for research and innovation, broadband connectivity, energy efficiency or for SMEs and start-ups. Over time, the Commission has kept the GBER up to date. The most recent amendment, in 2023, gave Member States more flexibility to support sectors that are key for the transition to climate neutrality and to a net-zero industry.
Read more information on the GBER, its legal basis and past amendments over time.
The review will seek to reduce the administrative burden of Member States and undertakings, as well as to reduce implementation difficulties or errors and to give Member States more flexibility in designing support measures. This includes a review of the current rules for social enterprises, training and employment aid, following up on 'The Action Plan for the Social Economy' (2021) and 'The Union of Skills' (2025), as well as a review the rules for aid for affordable and energy-efficient housing, complementary to the review of the State aid rules on the Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI). Finally, the initiative aims to streamline the GBER by addressing inconsistencies, improving readability through changes in the structure and by clarifying existing provisions.
The Call for Evidence and questionnaire are accessible on the Commission’s Have Your Say portal until 6 October 2025. We encourage all public authorities, companies and other interested parties to participate in this very important consultation.