State Aid

Recent Articles

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  23/04/2025

  Germany

  German retention supply contracts integrate civilian security and defence industries as Germany bolsters its armed forces

  In a bid to strengthen its armed forces, the German government is using retention supply contracts to integrate the civilian security and defence industries. These contracts can efficiently integrate civilian companies into the defence plan, and carry both legal and commercial implications for the companies involved.The main features of these contracts are outlined in the following article:Retention supply contracts: background and applicationRetention supply contracts are nothing new for the security and defence industry, having been used in the past in areas such as infrastructure, health care...

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  08/04/2025

  European Union

  European Defence Readiness 2030 regulatory shifts and the call for joint action

  On 19 March 2025, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented the Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030, which is a sign of a fundamental shift towards enhanced defence coordination, procurement harmonisation, and industrial strengthening within the EU.For businesses operating in the defence and dual-use sectors, the White Paper signals significant regulatory changes aimed at streamlining procurement processes, boosting European industrial capacity, and simplifying compliance frameworks.The following article...

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  01/04/2025

  European Union

  The European Commission consults on draft State aid framework supporting Clean Industrial Deal

  On 11 March 2025, the European Commission launched a public consultation on its draft State aid framework supporting the Clean Industrial Deal (CISAF). The draft CISAF provides several key provisions designed to accelerate the roll-out of renewable energy, deploy industrial decarbonisation and ensure sufficient manufacturing capacity of clean tech.The European Commissioner Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, has been given the mandate through a mission letter to develop a new State aid framework to accelerate the roll-out of renewable energy, deploy...

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  11/03/2025

  EU

  The EU General Court confirms the legality of rescue aid granted to TAP during the COVID-19 crisis

  FR

  Following a first annulment of its decision in June 2020 to authorize rescue aid in favour of TAP, the European Commission adopted in May 2021 a new decision on the same aid. Ryanair challenged the decision, for a second time, before the General Court of the EU. Its appeal was rejected on 5 February 2025.BackgroundOn 10 June 2020, under the 2014 Guidelines on rescue and restructuring aid, the European Commission authorized rescue aid of EUR 1.2 billion granted by the Portuguese State to TAP. TAP is a Portuguese airline whose main operations are in Portugal. Before the COVID-19 crisis, TAP encountered...

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  18/12/2024

  EU

  European Commission consultation on the revision of its State aid aviation guidelines

  FR

  On 11 December 2024, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the targeted revision of the 2014 Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines. The aim of the consultation is to gather comments from industry stakeholders on the application of the current Aviation Guidelines and the measures that should be adopted in the future. The consultation is open until 5 March 2025.The current Guidelines set out the European Commission's interpretation of aid in the context of airport financing (e.g. assumption of the deficit, investment subsidies, etc.) and the incentives granted...

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  02/10/2024

  Belgium

  First annual report on Belgian foreign direct investment screening

  On 1 June 2022, following the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of 19 March 2019 establishing a framework for screening foreign direct investments in the EU, the various Belgian competent governments concluded a draft cooperation agreement, ratified by all competent Belgian parliaments, which aimed to introduce a foreign direct investment (“FDI”) screening mechanism in Belgium.The FDI control mechanism, which entered into force on 1 July 2023, provides for a mechanism of mandatory ex ante notification to the Interfederal Screening Committee (“ISC”) for investment projects...

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