This blog post is an adapted version of a briefing paper prepared with the economics consultancy, Oxera, in connection with our joint webinar event on the European Green Deal and its implications for regulation, State aid and competition policy.  The webinar, which will feature speakers from the European Commission, the judiciary and private practice, will … Read more

On 17 June 2020, the European Commission (“the Commission”) issued a “White Paper on levelling the playing field as regards foreign subsidies” (“the White Paper”), launching a public consultation on a number of ambitious and far reaching possible options and legal instruments to address distortions in the European Union’s (“EU”) internal market resulting from foreign … Read more

On 8 May 2020 the European Commission adopted the second amendment to its Temporary Framework on the application of the EU State aid rules in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.  The amendment extends the Temporary Framework to cover State recapitalisations of companies in the form of equity and hybrid capital instruments, subject to conditions with … Read more

On 3 April 2020, the European Commission adopted the first amendment to its Temporary Framework on the application of EU State aid rules in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak (the original version of which is covered in more detail in our previous blog post). The amendment allows further liquidity support measures (tax / social … Read more

On 19 March 2020, the Commission issued a Temporary Framework setting out how it will apply the EU State aid rules with respect to certain types of liquidity support granted by Member States to businesses in order to preserve the continuity of economic activity during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. The EU State aid rules … Read more

The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world, and notably Europe, in recent weeks is placing increasing strain on our economies, in addition to the tragic human impact. Several implications for competition law have already emerged, as indicated (non-exhaustively) below. Competition authorities are hot to respond to price gouging and exploitation allegations Numerous competition authorities … Read more

The package of policies, announced on 10 March, aims to be “Making Europe’s businesses future-ready” and to be “A new Industrial Strategy for a globally competitive, green and digital Europe”. Executive Vice-President Vestager summed it up succinctly as a plan “for all, to be green and to be based on fair competition“. It is the … Read more