In an interview with EURACTIV, the former Italian prime minister called for a "Europe of Power", a European approach to industrial policy to counteract fragmentation risks, and a completion of the EU's Capital Markets Union (CMU).
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck's plans to subsidise electricity for energy-intensive companies to help them with increasing costs have prompted criticism from EU Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager.
The EU’s Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF), which allows member states to subsidise sustainable technologies, is welcomed by advocates for green industrial policy - but some NGOs fear it will be counterproductive for the environment and SMEs.
Europe’s green subsidy splurge risks increasing market concentration through capture by large corporations. The EU must seek to ensure that its relaxed state aid framework benefit a wide set of companies, not just big business, argues Max von Thun. Max von …
When EU leaders meet in Brussels at the end of March, the conversation over how Europe should subsidise its green transition will clash with the discussion over the reform of the bloc's fiscal rules, providing opportunities for a compromise deal.
Trading with international partners at "whatever costs" no longer makes sense, French Trade Minister Olivier Becht said, urging that the EU must react to the US Inflation Reduction Act with an industrial plan.
Just days after the Commission presented its new Green Deal Industrial Plan to counter foreign subsidies for clean industry, a leaked communication details the full extent of the temporary bending of state aid rules across the bloc, including a rule to prevent a German go-alone.
On Wednesday (1 February), Margrethe Vestager presented a new framework for state aid that will allow member states to subsidise more companies for longer, while also warning that such subsidies were a threat to the integrity of the single market.
A draft communication, seen by EURACTIV, laid out the measures the European Commission is due to propose on Wednesday (1 February) in reaction to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The European Commission has several "red lines" in its drive to simplify state aid rules, including the protection of the EU single market and avoiding a harmful subsidy race within Europe, EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said on Wednesday (25 January).
The Common Agricultural Policy’s crisis reserve could be used to aid farmers in countries like Poland or Romania that are struggling with an influx of grain from neighbouring Ukraine, according to EU agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski.
The executive vice-president of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, on Friday (13 January) proposed a 'Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework' for state aid.
As the EU celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Single Market, some sectors are still largely nationally structured instead of being integrated into the borderless intra-European market.
The German and French economy ministers on Monday (19 December) said Europe must match US subsidies for green industry and called for the EU to implement state aid rules to prevent distortions in the single market.
As the EU is struggling to find a reaction to the US’s multi-billion dollar heavy Inflation Reduction Act, German finance minister Christian Lindner has made it clear that such a response would not entail any form of joint borrowing on the EU level.
The EU’s attempts to crack down on sweetheart tax deals between corporate giants and national treasuries have suffered a major setback after the European Court of Justice struck down a European Commission ruling that Luxembourg had granted selective tax advantages to Fiat through transfer pricing.
The European Commission on Wednesday (19 October) adopted amendments to the state aid framework that should make it easier for member states to financially support research, development, and innovation activities with the goal to support the green and digital transition.
The European Commission is planning to give member states more leeway to support businesses suffering from the consequences of the Russian aggression in Ukraine and high energy prices, according to a document seen by EURACTIV.
Given the circumstances, the European Union's economy is doing reasonably well. However, this success currently relies on the EU circumventing its own rules, putting into question how sensible they are in the first place.
New state aid rules spelling out conditions under which EU governments are allowed to support companies on environmental grounds, boost clean energy, and phase out support for fossil fuels were unveiled by the European Commission on Tuesday (21 December).
After 16 years in opposition, the Germans Greens are back in government, taking the reins of three powerful ministries – an unprecedented feat, which also strengthens their hand in Brussels as they now have a direct link to the new government in Berlin.
As EU leaders looks towards economy recovery in the wake of the pandemic, they need to give businesses the environment needed to thrive, writes Stefano Mallia.
Concerns that Germany may have an unfair competitive advantage because of billions of euros pumped into its virus-hit companies are not backed by data which show other EU states doing as much if not more for their businesses, Europe's antitrust chief said.
Britain wants to establish a more flexible system of subsidy rules than those in place when it was a member of the European Union, business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said on Wednesday (3 February).
