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State Aid

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Karl Soukup and Thomas Deisenhofer

Soukup, Deisenhofer take on senior EU competition roles

ADI

Acciaierie d’Italia restructuring doesn’t change state aid status, court says

icebreaker

Finland’s RMC files EU complaint over foreign subsidies in icebreaker tender

Insight View More

Soukup, Deisenhofer take on senior EU competition roles September 30, 2026 | Lewis Crofts and Nicholas Hirst

The European Commission has appointed Karl Soukup as its most senior official overseeing state aid, and Thomas Deisenhofer as the head of the investigation teams prosecuting cartels.

Faster merger cases, tighter pleadings: Van der Woude’s hopes for EU court September 28, 2026 | Lewis Crofts

EU judges should decide merger appeals within 12 months, with a more assertive approach to case management, Marc van der Woude, outgoing president of the first-tier General Court, told MLex in an interview. Th... (more story)

Acciaierie d’Italia restructuring doesn’t change state aid status, court says September 24, 2026 | Anna Ferrari

Steelmaker Acciaierie d'Italia's extraordinary administration — following a corporate restructuring — doesn't shield it from being classified as an "undertaking in difficulty" under EU state aid rules, the EU'... (more story)

Finland’s RMC files EU complaint over foreign subsidies in icebreaker tender September 10, 2026 | Lewis Crofts

Canadian company Davie may be distorting a public tender for icebreakers because of subsidies from its home government, Rauma Marine Constructions has claimed. The Finnish company filed a complaint with the Eu... (more story)

Japan ramps up public spending on content as Cool Japan Fund falters September 09, 2026 | Toko Sekiguchi

Japan is seeking a sharp increase in public spending on creators and the content industry just as mounting losses at the government-backed Cool Japan Fund force policymakers to reconsider an earlier model for ... (more story)

EU to press ahead with FSR information requests outside the bloc, official says September 08, 2026 | Anna Ferrari

The European Commission will continue asking for information under the EU foreign subsidies rules for mergers despite China's instructions to its companies not to cooperate with the requests, an official from ... (more story)

EU competition chief promises 'sharp' antitrust enforcement with new guidelines September 04, 2026 | Nicholas Hirst

EU antitrust enforcement will be “relevant and sharp” and allow companies to flourish, the bloc's competition chief said the day after new guidelines for assessing abuse of market dominance came into force. Fo... (more story)

Banca Tercas suffered serious breach in state-aid probe, EU court says September 03, 2026 | Anna Ferrari

The European Commission committed a serious breach of EU state aid rules when it wrongly classified support for Banca Tercas as unlawful aid, the EU’s top court has ruled. However, judges rejected BdM Banca's ... (more story)

Comment View More

Times have changed and antitrust needs defending, four former EU chiefs say September 22, 2026 | Lewis Crofts

Antitrust law is under pressure in the new world order and four former EU commissioners came to its defense on Tuesday, bewailing the breakdown of relations with the US and stressing the need for a strong hand... (more story)

Italy yet to trigger EU state aid review of energy plan contesting emission rules March 30, 2026 | Anna Ferrari

Italy’s new energy decree challenging EU emissions trading system costs will be an early test for the European Commission, as it weighs whether or not to soften state aid rules in response to a national measur... (more story)

ADNOC’s curious EU foreign-subsidy remedy creates more questions than answers November 21, 2025 | Nicholas Hirst, Andrew Boyce and Lewis Crofts

The outcome of the EU's foreign-subsidy review of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's Covestro acquisition has few lessons to offer dealmakers in the way of certainty, given that the concessions extracted appeare... (more story)

China's new five-year plan locks in for long US economic fight October 30, 2025 | MLex Staff

China’s newly unveiled outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan draws the line clearly: any quick US-China trade détente won’t alter Beijing’s long-term course. A shift in tone — from the cautiously optimistic frami... (more story)

ADNOC, Covestro optimistic on approval under EU’s foreign subsidies rules September 29, 2025 | Andrew Boyce and Nicholas Hirst

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and German chemicals company Covestro are optimistic of overcoming EU subsidy concerns over their merger, MLex has learned. The companies intend to formally submit remedies befor... (more story)

South Korean government restructuring promises reform but risks overreach September 10, 2025 | Jenny Lee

Just four months after taking office, the Lee Jae Myung administration has unveiled a sweeping plan to remake South Korea’s bureaucracy, setting the stage for one of the most consequential reorganizations in d... (more story)

Broad risk of M&A call-in remains under EU’s draft subsidy guidance August 11, 2025 | Jean Comte and Lewis Crofts

Companies receiving foreign subsidies haven't secured much clarity on when their merger deal or public procurement awards risk being called in for review by the European Commission. The institution's draft gui... (more story)

Guersent jabs at competition cynics as he returns keys to EU’s ‘Rolls-Royce’ August 01, 2025 | Lewis Crofts, Nicholas Hirst and Anna Ferrari

Olivier Guersent has signed off as head of the European Commission’s powerful competition directorate, serving six different commissioners and witnessing the highs and lows of the bloc’s economic policies. In ... (more story)

Official Statement View More

Spielkisten takes EU decision on German aid to WestSpiel to EU court September 28, 2026
Swedbank’s levy reduction prompts EU court questions September 28, 2026
EU foreign subsidies rules to get technical amendments in Q1 2027, document shows September 24, 2026
Acciaierie d’Italia can be excluded from national energy aid, EU court says September 24, 2026
EU decision clearing Lithuanian aid for LNG terminal published September 24, 2026
Norwegian aid for digital games to run for one more year, EFTA watchdog says September 23, 2026
EU start-ups need more targeted treatment in state-aid rules, 11 member states say September 23, 2026
EU Commission calls for input in Spanish arbitration award state aid probe September 23, 2026
EU must step up simplification drive, 13 member states urge September 21, 2026
Latvia calls for higher, reviewed minimum thresholds for EU state aid controls September 21, 2026
EU countries to start aid pre-notifications in first major AI project this month September 16, 2026
Vindenergi challenging Danish aid for wind farms project at EU court September 14, 2026
Czech TV operators ask EU judges to re-allow cancelled state aid September 14, 2026