State aid: Guidelines amended to improve transparency
The EFTA Surveillance Authority has reviewed its state aid guidelines, introducing new transparency requirements. The decision adopted today aligns the transparency provisions across the different guidelines and simplifies the current provisions. They are now in line with the the European Commission's initiative.
The EFTA States are required to publish all state aid grants above €500,000 on a dedicated website. The information to be made available includes the name of the beneficiary and the amount of aid granted. It will specify whether the beneficiary is an SME or a large company, where the beneficiary is located and in which sector it is active. It will also concern the aid instrument, the date of granting and the legal basis.
The information will be published on national or regional websites within 6 months from the granting of the aid. Full and timely publication is a condition for the validity of the aid.
The EFTA States are requested to put in place the website and an appropriate system to collect the information by July 2016.
Consolidated versions of the concerned guidelines:
- Guidelines for the application of state aid rules in relation to the rapid deployment of broadband networks
- Guidelines on regional state aid for 2014-2020
- Guidelines on state aid for films and other audiovisual works
- Guidelines on state aid to promote risk finance investments
- Guidelines on state aid to airports and airlines
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Andreas Kjeldsberg Pihl
Press & Information Officer
tel. (+32)(0)2 286 18 66
mob. (+32)(0)492 900 187