European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
state aid
Exceptional coronavirus support measures of benefit to EU regions
The coronavirus pandemic is severely impacting the European population and the economy. Consequently the social and economic impact of the crisis is being felt in all EU regions. Continue reading
State aid and the pandemic: How State aid can back coronavirus economic support measures
The coronavirus pandemic and its financial and economic consequences have caused a major economic downturn, and the European Union (EU) has moved rapidly to respond with monetary and fiscal policy measures. Continue reading
Public economic support in the EU: State aid and special economic zones [Policy podcast]
State aid can be defined as an advantage given by a government that may provide a company with an unfair competitive edge over its commercial rivals. State aid can take several forms, such as public subsidies, tax relief, or the purchasing of goods and services on preferential terms. Continue reading
State aid in sport: Striking a difficult balance [Policy Podcast]
Written by Ivana Katsarova, Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a measure constitutes state aid if it grants a selective economic advantage to one or more enterprises through state resources, thus distorting or threatening to distort competition. However, not all forms of state aid are prohibited. Indeed, under certain conditions the … Continue reading
Apple state aid decision in a nutshell
Corporate aggressive tax avoidance uses loopholes, asymmetries and mismatches of tax rules that allow MNEs to stay ‘One step ahead’. Such schemes are based on MNEs’ size and their structure which allows them to organise in such a way as to shift profits to low, or no-tax locations, resulting in a reduced tax bill. Continue reading
Tax rulings and state aid – literature
Written by Veronika Kunz and Teresa Garcia Lopez The Special Committee of the European Parliament on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect (TAXE) “will look into tax ruling practices […], but will also review the way the European Commission treats state aid in member states and the extent to which they … Continue reading
Unemployment and Labour Market Support
Written by Eulalia Claros and Verena Kern Labour Market Supports are government interventions that provide financial assistance to individuals in difficult labour market circumstances: to compensate them for loss of wage or salary and to support them during job search, or to facilitate early retirement. Long-term unemployed are those who were registered as unemployed throughout … Continue reading
Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived
A €3.5 billion Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) is poised to replace and expand on the EU food aid programme discontinued last year. It aims to support MemberState schemes providing food to the poorest, as well as clothing and other essential goods to the most deprived. Poverty and social exclusion in … Continue reading
Annual report on competition policy
The European Commission (EC) publishes annual reports on EU competition policy, covering the main developments and enforcement actions. The 2011 edition focused on the role of State aid policy in the resolution of financial crisis. Context The Commission is responsible for the enforcement of EU competition law, subject to the control of the Court of … Continue reading
Business relocation in the EU
Businesses continuously relocate for three main reasons: improved access to markets, lower costs and better skills. There are many factors that need to be looked at in comparing locations. Some of the main ones are labour (costs, availability, productivity and skills), the infrastructure (communication, transport….), the legal, political and regulatory environment, the size of the … Continue reading
EU competition policy. State aid control measures
State aid is an important mechanism to control the conditions for competition in markets. Member States are required to notify the European Commission (EC) of plans to grant or alter state aid unless it is of a kind exempted by the relevant European Regulation. The Commission has sole competence to decide on the legality of … Continue reading
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