State Aid

The European Commission announced in its State Aid Action Plan different reforms, which aim at less and better targeted aid and more economic reasoning for aid. Both were welcomed by the SMEs, which want to see now concrete proposals.

Position Papers

• March 2008: UEAPME comments on the 2nd draft of a Commission Notice on State aid in form of guarantees (Version 21 February 2008)

• March 2008: UEAPME comments on the Draft General Block exemption Regulation (revised version February 2008)

• October 2007: UEAPME comments on the draft Community Guidelines on State Aid for Environmental Protection (Version from 5 October 2007)

• October 2007: UEAPME comments on the Draft General Block exemption Regulation (2007/C 210/10)

• October 2007: UEAPME comments on the EC Consultation Document on State aid in form of guarantees

• July 2007: UEAPME comments on the Community Guidelines for State Aid for Environmental Protection

• June 2007: UEAPME comments on the Draft General Block exemption Regulation

• October 2006: UEAPME comments on the revised proposals from the European Commission on the amended new "de minimis" block exemption

• May 2006: UEAPME Comments on the Consultation Documents from the European Commission on State Aid relevant for SMEs

• December 2005: Comments on the consultation on State Aid for Innovation

Press releases

• 07/07/08: Member States must make use of new General Block Exemption Regulation

• 27/05/08: Energy efficiency: State aid a crucial tool to achieve SMEs’ huge savings potential
  
  
• 20/05/08: State aid: notice on guarantees must be integrated in “General Block Exemption”
  
  
• 28/04/08: State aid: SMEs call on Member States to improve General Block Exemption
  
  
• 09/11/07: Large companies and national champions still reap most of State aid
  
  
• 11/10/07: State aid: SMEs voice their worries on “general block exemption”
  
  
• 02/07/07: Guidelines on environmental State aid must be brought closer to reality
  
  
• 07/06/07: State aid: SMEs insist on the need to polish “general block exemption”
  
  
• 25/04/07: State aid: simplified “General Block Exemption” can be further enhanced
  
  
• 12/12/06: State aid: “de minimis” regulation finally answers SME concerns
  
  
• 22/11/06: EC decision on State aid for R&D and innovation meets key SME demands
  
  
• 19/10/06: State aid: revised “de minimis” block exemption needs some fine-tuning
  
  
• 20/09/06: Revised rules on “de minimis” State aid made more SME-friendly
  
  
• 19/07/06: New rules on State Aid for risk capital will improve innovation outlook for SMEs
  
  
• 21/06/06: State aid rules will endanger support services for innovative SMEs
  
  
• 07/06/06: “De minimis” rule for state aid: 200.000 EUR threshold is sufficient
  
  
• 24/05/06: Proposed state aid regulations are counter-productive for innovative SMEs
  
  
• 30/03/06: Proposed de minimis regulation undermines SME credit guarantee schemes
  
  
• 17/11/05: State aid must promote innovative businesses, not industrial dinosaurs
  
  
• 21/09/05: Proposals on innovation state aid an important step towards dynamism