Laws on state aid are becoming an increasingly important part of European and national competition legislation. Our lawyers formulate practical solutions for public authorities and enterprises and have wide-ranging experience of state aid cases. We can perform notifications and advise you on the utilisation of the exemption facilities. We are also knowledgeable about services of general economic interest, which are a permitted ground for compensation by the government, where necessary. State aid law prohibits authorities from supporting enterprises in any manner not in keeping with the market.

Due in part to an increasing number of complaints, the European Commission is now performing more frequent and more stringent checks for violations, which can result in an order to recover support received. Increasingly, competing businesses are also seeking to enforce compliance with state aid law via civil proceedings at the national courts.
We have wide experience of state aid litigation at the European Commission and national court level, and of advising authorities and companies on state aid legislation in connection with market entries, property and area development, public-private partnerships (PPP), property acquisition, sales and leases, concessions and exclusive rights, public funding, institutional subsidisation (e.g. in the care and cultural sectors) and funding support for professional football clubs.