DG COMP has launched a public consultation on a draft de minimis regulation. It is open until the 10th January 2023.  

Under this regulation, public aid under EUR 200 000 that is granted to a firm over 3 years, is not deemed State aid and, therefore, the Commission does not need to be notified. Under the current regulation a lower ceiling of EUR 100 000 applies to the freight road transport sector. This is a useful tool that enables Member States to grant aid quickly and with legal certainty, particularly to SMEs. 

The current regulation expires on the 31st December 2023. This revision aims to increase the ceilings in order to take into account past (since 2014) and future (until 2030, the next regulation) inflation. The revision would also introduce a mandatory public register (at national or EU level) setting out the beneficiaries and the amounts of aid granted in order to meet the transparency requirements. 

The draft submitted for public consultation increases the ceilings by 37,5% (from 200 000 to 275 000 and from 100 000 to 137 500).  

Click here for more details and to give your feedback on the proposed changes.