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State Aid Reform


State aid reform – State aid action plan

State Aid Action Plan

In June 2005 the European Commission published their proposals on State aid reform in the form of a set of “Road Map” proposals.

The Commission's Roadmap communication sets out the Commission’s aims to:

  • Encourage less distortive and better targeted aid

  • Introduce a more refined economic approach to assessing and approving aid

  • Make the regime more streamlined, efficient, transparent and predictable, and make enforcement more effective

  • Encourage member states to take a greater share of the responsibility for effective state aids

The Commission has largely completed its reform of the substantive state aid rules including the General Block Exemption Regulation that facilitates the timely payment of less distortive aid.

Next steps will include a review of the Commission procedures where the UK is seeking faster approvals and greater economic input.

See DG Competition State aid reform page for its reform proposals.