European Competition Law provides a wide-ranging review of the European rules relating to competition: restrictive agreements, abuse of a dominant position, impact of intellectual property rights, procedure, merger control, State aid.

European Competition Law

Article 108 TFEU defines the control procedure of State aid by distinguishing between existing aid and new aid. Existing aid is subject to constant review; new aid is subject to an obligation of notification to the Commission. The provisions of the Treaty are supplemented by a procedural regulation, Regulation No 2015/1589 of 13 July 2015 , which, while repeating the classification of Article 108, supplements it by distinguishing depending on whether the aid is a notified, existing, unlawful or misused aid.

The Commission provides, in its State aid action plan , a modernized control procedure which should allow a reduction in the time frame for treatment of cases. The block exemption regulation of 7 July 2008, which has been repealed and replaced by Regulation No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014, falls within that framework by exempting from the obligation of prior notification any new aid which meets the criteria of exemption it lays down.

OJ L 248 of 24 September 2015, 9–29, which repeals and codifies Regulation No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999; supplemented by Regulation No 794/2004 of 21 April 2004, laying down details on transmission of notifications, calculation of time-limits and interest rate applicable for the recovery of unlawful aid. Standard notification forms for new aid are annexed, as amended by Regulation No 733/2013 of 22 July 2013, OJEU 31 July 2013, L 204.

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions (COM(2012)209 final) on EU State Aid Modernisation.

424. Context