The European Commission has approved a €2.5 billion (60 billion CZK) Czech scheme to help manufacturing companies to decarbonise their production processes and improve their energy efficiency to foster the transition to a net-zero economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in industrial sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fossil fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.

The European Commission has approved a €1.2 billion (PLN 5.5 billion) Polish scheme to support energy-intensive companies facing increased energy costs in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.

The European Commission has approved a €193 million Lithuanian scheme to support offshore wind farms to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €910 million Italian scheme made available in part through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF') to support agro-industrial development. The measure contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy by fostering a smart, competitive, resilient and diversified agricultural sector.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, modifications to the Belgian capacity mechanism to safeguard security of electricity supply. The modifications will make the capacity mechanism more cost-efficient in its daily operation. It will also be more environmentally-friendly, with stricter carbon dioxide (CO2) emission limits to better align with the European Green Deal, and will contribute to ending dependence on Russian fossil fuels, under the REPowerEU Plan.

The European Commission has prohibited, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of Flugo Group Holdings AB by Booking Holdings. The acquisition would have allowed Booking to strengthen its dominant position on the market for hotel online travel agencies (‘OTAs') in the European Economic Area. Booking did not offer remedies that were sufficient to address these concerns.
See also Remarks by Commissioner Reynders on the Commission decision, as well as COMP Flash - Prohibition of the proposed acquisition of eTraveli by Booking.

The European Commission has re-imposed a fine of around €376.36 million on Intel for a previously established abuse of dominant position in the market for computer chips called x86 central processing units (‘CPUs'). Intel engaged in a series of anticompetitive practices aimed at excluding competitors from the relevant market in breach of EU antitrust rules.
See also European Commission's Questions & Answers.

The European Commission has fined defence company Diehl €1.2 million for participating in a cartel concerning the sale of military hand grenades together with its rival RUAG.  Both companies admitted their involvement in the cartel and agreed to settle the case. RUAG was not fined as it revealed the cartel to the Commission under the leniency programme.

The European Commission has informed Member States of its plan to launch the Joint European Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest (JEF-IPCEI). The forum aims to increase the effectiveness of IPCEIs and to identify relevant strategic technologies for potential future IPCEIs.

The European Commission has today designated, for the first time, six gatekeepers - Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft - under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In total, 22 core platform services provided by gatekeepers have been designated. The six gatekeepers will now have six months to ensure full compliance with the DMA obligations for each of their designated core platform services.
See also FAQ on the Digital Markets Act.

The European Commission has approved an approximately €800 million (CZK 19 billion) Czech scheme to support companies affected by increased energy costs in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €6.5 billion German scheme to partially compensate energy-intensive companies to address the risk of carbon leakage from higher fuel prices resulting from the German fuel emission trading system.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €26.7 million Spanish measure to support Cobre Las Cruces S.A. (‘CLC') in upgrading its refinery in Gerena, Sevilla. The measure will contribute to the EU's strategic objectives relating to the European Green Deal and to regional development.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €1.5 billion French measure to support ProLogium Technologies (‘ProLogium') in researching and developing a new generation of batteries for electric vehicles.  The measure will contribute to the achievement of the strategic objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU battery strategy.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €246 million Dutch scheme to support the production of renewable hydrogen. The measure aims to contribute to the development of renewable hydrogen in line with the objectives of the EU Hydrogen Strategy and the European Green Deal. The scheme will also contribute to the objectives of the REPowerEU Plan to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the green transition.

The European Commission has approved a €2.36 billion (approximately HUF 880 billion) Hungarian scheme for accelerated investments in strategic sectors to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €40 million German support measure for the construction and operation of a new land-based liquefied natural gas (‘LNG') terminal in Brunsbüttel. The measure will contribute to the security and diversification of energy supplies in Germany and help end dependence on Russian fossil fuels in line with the REPowerEU Plan.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €28.8 million Austrian measure to support the modernisation of Sandoz GmbH penicillin production site in Tyrol. The measure will help to maintain in the EU the last fully integrated production of amoxicillin, the most used penicillin type, contributing to the security of supply of essential and live-saving medicines. The measure will contribute to strengthening the continuity and security of supply of medicines in line with the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe.

The European Commission has approved a €5 billion (CZK 125 billion) Czech scheme to support large energy producers in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis Framework adopted by the Commission on 23 March 2022, based on Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU'), recognising that the EU economy is experiencing a serious disturbance. Such Temporary Crisis Framework was amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022, and replaced by the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023.  

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €89.5 million Italian measure made available through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (‘RRF') to support the expansion of 3Sun's solar panel plant in Catania, Sicily. The measure will contribute to the EU's strategic objectives relating to the European Green Deal and to reinforce the EU strategic autonomy.