Competition and state aid

Consistent and effective application of EU competition rules in accordance with relevant fundamental rights and procedural safeguards is essential for the integrity of the single market; it provides protection and legal certainty. BusinessEurope is very supportive of transparency and predictability of antitrust procedures.

The assurance of procedural fairness contributes to the vigorous and credible enforcement of antitrust law, while high-quality procedures and safeguards in EU competition helps ensure sound administration and decision-making.

Divergent decision-making at national level harms the level playing field for companies operating in the single market. The work of the European Competition Network (ECN) should therefore be strongly supported to strengthen the coherent application of EU antitrust rules by all enforcers. The EU needs a genuinely common competition enforcement policy.

State Aid rules are essential to help avoid distortions of competition due to member states intervening in support of certain firms. Strengthening State aid mechanisms is key to further improving the functioning of the single market and must go hand in hand with a strong focus on stimulus and growth.

State Aid must be well-targeted, transparent, proportionate, limited in time and carefully monitored.  European State aid law is often seen as complicated and burdensome, especially in comparison to public support systems in third countries.

Companies, especially SMEs, should be able to understand the rules to apply for public funding. Therefore, rules should be simplified where possible, bureaucracy reduced, and procedures accelerated.