EU Competition Policy

📣 The European Commission 🇪🇺 has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €227 million Austrian 🇦🇹 measure to support ams Osram in the construction of an advanced manufacturing facility in Premstätten, Austria. The measure will strengthen Europe's security of supply, resilience and technological autonomy in semiconductor technologies, in line with the objectives set out in the European Chips Act Communication and the Political Guidelines for the European Commission 2024-2029 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ey6hEytb 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eZhTcXRr Austria notified the Commission of its plan to support ams Osram in setting-up a wafer manufacturing facility in Premstätten. The wafers will be used in chips that serve a diverse range of applications across the automotive, consumer, industrial and medical markets. 🔗 https://europa.eu/!gPXQbK

🔴 The European Commission approves Belgian State aid measure to support lifetime extension of two nuclear reactors ✔️ 🔍 Following an in-depth investigation the revised Belgian support measure for the lifetime extension of two nuclear reactors, Doel 4 and Tihange 3, is approved. ℹ️ Under Belgium’s 2003 nuclear phase-out law, all nuclear reactors were set to close by 2025. However, in response to energy security concerns following the energy crisis and Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Belgian government decided in 2022 to extend the operation of these two reactors. The approved support measure includes: ⚡ Financial arrangements, including the creation of ‘BE-NUC’ (a joint venture between the Belgian State and Electrabel); ⚡ A €15 billion lump sum payment for transferring nuclear waste liabilities from Electrabel to the Belgian State; ⚡ Risk-sharing and legal protections in case of future legislative changes affecting nuclear operators. The Commission carefully assessed the necessity, appropriateness, and proportionality of these measures, ensuring they comply with EU State aid rules. For all information 👉 🔗 https://europa.eu/!FYFk9J #EUStateAid

🔴 The European Commission has published a new State aid brief on the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF). The TCTF allows targeted aid to: ✅ Accelerate the rollout of renewable energy ✅ Facilitate the decarbonisation of industrial processes ✅ Boost investments in strategic net-zero sectors The Brief shows that ⬇️ 📌 Since March 2022 and end of June 2024, the Commission has approved over 370 national measures under crisis and transition frameworks, with a total budget exceeding €796 billion. 📌 In the same period, around €219 billion has been granted to companies - representing 0.52% of the EU’s cumulative GDP on an annual basis. 📌 Transition measures - supporting renewables, industrial decarbonisation, and key net-zero sectors - have been in place since March 2023. By June 2024, €47 billion in aid was approved, with €2.4 billion granted. These measures ensure targeted and proportionate support while preserving the level playing field in the Single Market. 🔎 For all details and to the Brief 👇 🔗 https://europa.eu/!kNqXdM 🔗 https://europa.eu/!NwWRYT #EUStateAid 

📃 Today, DG Competition has published a new ex post evaluation study on the implementation and effectiveness of EU antitrust remedies.    ℹ️ The study assesses the effectiveness of antitrust remedies imposed or accepted by the European Commission over the past 20 years under Articles 7 and 9 of Regulation 1/2003.     The study draws on (1) an ex post evaluation of a carefully selected sample of twelve significant antitrust remedy cases (2) a statistical analysis of a comprehensive dataset of non-cartel antitrust decisions (2003-2022), (3) interviews with experts and (4) an in-depth literature review.    The ex post evaluation of twelve significant remedy cases suggests: 📌While most remedies were fully implemented, fewer than half in the selected sample was fully effective in achieving their goal. ❌ Purely behavioral remedies were less likely to be both fully implemented and effective, than other remedies. 📈 Implementation and effectiveness seem to have improved over time.   The study also provides a set of non-binding recommendations including: ➡️ Revisiting the hierarchy between behavioral and structural remedies under Article 7; ➡️ Using market testing more widely; ➡️ Increasing the use of monitoring trustees and strengthening reporting obligations.   The study was prepared by a consortium led by the law firm Grimaldi Alliance and the economic consultancy NERA.   📅 SAVE THE DATE!    DG Competition will host a workshop on 27 March at lunchtime with the authors of the study and leading experts – stay tuned for all the details!   Curious to learn more? Read the full study here 👇 🔗 https://europa.eu/!rFTxGB   #EUCompetition

🔴 The European Commission has approved a €920 million German aid measure for the construction of a new semiconductor manufacturing plant in Dresden ✔️ The project, led by Infineon, will strengthen Europe's security of supply, resilience, and technological autonomy in semiconductor technologies, in line with the European Chips Act. 🆕 This new facility will be the first of its kind in Europe, capable of flexibly switching between the production of two key semiconductor technologies: 📌 discrete power technologies 📌 analog/mixed-signal integrated circuits The plant will reach its full capacity in 2031 🎯 💶 The aid will take the form of a direct grant of up to €920 million to Infineon to support its investment amounting to €3.5 billion. The Commission found that: ✅ The project is a first-of-a-kind semiconductor facility in Europe ✅ It helps strengthen the EU’s semiconductor supply chain ✅ The aid has a clear incentive effect, ensuring investment in Europe that would not happen otherwise For all information 👇 🔗 https://europa.eu/!93GQYG #EUStateAid

Today, at The Parliament Tech, Digital & AI Summit, Carlota Reyners Fontana, DG Competition Director of Technology, Communication & Media, shared her insights on how to dissect EU Barriers to Innovation and Competition 🗣️   Here below are her main messages 👇 🔹 Protecting innovation is at the heart of EU competition law. A loss of competition can impact not just prices but also quality, variety, and technological progress. 🔹 DG COMP is committed to a more equitable future for SEP litigation in Europe. The Commission’s amicus curiae intervention plays a key role in ensuring legal predictability, protecting innovation, and fostering fair licensing ⬇️ 📖 Learn more at https://europa.eu/!jf9fgr 🔹 With the Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBER) and Guidelines under review, improving legal guidance is crucial—especially in view of the possible withdrawal of the SEP Regulation proposal and ongoing uncertainty about a legislative alternative.   ℹ️ DG COMP has launched a public consultation to gather feedback from stakeholders on the applicable legal framework.   📅 Submit your views before 25 April 2025 👉 https://europa.eu/!mYRcdw   #CompetitionPolicy

📣 DG COMPETITION experts are contributing to workshops to public procurement officials and National Authorities. The objective is to better designing tenders to limit bid rigging & to raise awareness on the importance of reporting bid-rigging suspicions to competition authorities. The project to fight bid rigging is financed by the European Union (DG REFORM) through the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the OECD. The workshops are organised in the context of a multi-country project including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania. The last workshop for public procurement and competition officials took place between 17 and 18 February at the Commission for the Protection of Competition of the Republic of Cyprus (CPC). 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dBh7rNBj 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d3cWDiVE More information about the project and upcoming events 🔗 https://oe.cd/fbr6 #OECD #bidrigging #procurement

👉 The updated Annexes to the Merger Implementing Regulation are now available on our website! ℹ️ The European Commission adopted a Correcting Act updating the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/914 on 31 October 2024. Following that, a consolidated version of the Implementing Regulation was published. 📌 Now, the Commission has made available on its website word versions of the Annexes to the Implementing Regulation, that include the Form CO, Short Form CO, Form RS and Form RM. 🆕 The updated notification and reporting forms, which must be used for merger filings and other submissions, can be found here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ePdDC8tQ Access the Consolidated version of the Implementing Regulation here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dfCQp3Zg At DG Competition, we remain committed to transparent and efficient enforcement, making it easier for companies to comply with EU competition rules. #EUCompetition

🔴 The European Commission approves €2.3 billion Finnish State aid scheme to foster the transition to a net-zero economy ✔️ This builds on a previous €400 million scheme adopted in December 2024. 🔹 What does this scheme support? ✅ Renewable energy & storage – Investments in renewable energy production (excluding electricity generation), energy storage, and renewable fuels. ✅ Decarbonisation & energy efficiency – Helping companies cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% and/or reduce energy consumption by at least 20%. ✅ Strategic sectors – Boosting production of batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, heat pumps, electrolysers, and carbon capture technologies. The aid will be in the form of a tax credit and will be available across all sectors (except financial institutions). 📅 Deadline for support: 31 December 2025 For all information ⬇️ 🔗 https://europa.eu/!mdJkwj #EUCompetitionm #EUStateAid

Today, we hosted the stakeholder workshop on the Draft Article 102 TFEU Guidelines on Exclusionary Abuses 🗣️ 🤝 It is essential to foster an open dialogue and exchange with stakeholders from all backgrounds, from academia to the business community. Such interactions are crucial for shaping policies and adapting them to market realities to promote fair competition for everyone. During the workshop, we discussed about: 📌 the concepts of competition on the merits and exclusionary effects in an abuse of dominance analysis; 📌 the different types of abuses and how the draft Guidelines approach their analytical frameworks; 📌 the concept of objective justification and its possible articulations. To stay up to date with the evolution and latest news on Article 102, follow the link below 👇 https://europa.eu/!hW4Ryy #EUAntitrust #EUCompetition