Overview   Legislation

The European Commission has today launched a public consultation on the draft of a simpler and more streamlined General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER). The new version will align the GBER with current social, market and technological conditions. The Commission invites Member States and all other interested parties to comment on the draft by 23 April 2026.

The Commission is seeking stakeholder views on the draft for a new General Block Exemption Regulation (“GBER”).
Following a broad public consultation and call for evidence in 2025, the Commission has reviewed the GBER with the aim to simplify it, bring it into line with social, market and technological developments and streamline it by addressing inconsistencies and improving readability. The draft for a revised GBER submitted for this public consultation reflects those objectives.

Today, the European Commission published a summary of the contributions received in response to the public consultation on the ongoing review of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). These contributions will feed into the Commission's review report, which will be presented to the European Parliament and the Council later this year as required by the FSR.

Today, the European Commission published a summary of the contributions received in response to the public consultation on the ongoing review of Regulation 1/2003, the EU's procedural framework for enforcing its antitrust rules.
The Commission welcomes the high level of participation, with over 80 contributions submitted by a broad range of interested parties, including businesses, associations, legal professionals, civil society organisations, academics, citizens, public authorities and national competition authorities. The assessment of the contributions will inform the Commission's legislative proposal for the revision of Regulation 1/2003, which is foreseen within a year. The public consultation, which was launched on 10 July 2025 as part of the ongoing review, included a questionnaire and a call for evidence. The individual contributions received in the context of the consultation are already public.

The European Commission has published Guidelines under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) to bring further predictability and ensure transparency for companies. They clarify several concepts, such as how the Commission concludes whether there is a distortion of competition caused by a foreign subsidy, how distortive effects are balanced against any positive effects of a foreign subsidy, and the Commission's power to request prior notification of below-threshold cases.
See also COMP Flash.

The European Commission has today adopted an amendment to the Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post-2021 (‘ETS State aid Guidelines'). As announced in the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan, the amendment addresses the increased risk of carbon leakage for additional energy-intensive industries, due to the sustained rise of emission costs under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) in the last years. The inclusion of additional sectors will contribute to the competitiveness of EU industry while incentivising their decarbonisation.

The Commission addressed one of the most pressing needs of EU citizens by presenting the first European Affordable Housing Plan, focusing on increasing housing supply and triggering investment.
Investments in housing supply have declined over the last decade, and supply has not kept up with demand. This is due to higher construction costs, shortages of skilled labour and red tape.
Under this plan, EU State aid rules have been revised to facilitate financial support from Member States for affordable, and social housing, including: (i) No need for pre-approval from the Commission; (ii) Special exemptions and simplified compliance for non-profit entities; and (iii) Reduced reporting and streamlined checks to minimise procedural hurdles.

The European Commission has launched today its first review of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (‘FSR'). As a first step of this review, the Commission is seeking feedback from interested parties, with a deadline of 18 November 2025.

The European Commission has today launched a Call for Evidence and public consultation to seek input on the scope and content of its review of the General Block Exemption Regulation (‘GBER'). The aim of the review is to reduce red tape for businesses as well as for Member States, and facilitate necessary support for industry. At the same time, EU State aid rules should continue protecting the level playing field within the EU.

The European Commission has issued informal guidance on the compatibility with EU competition rules of a sustainability agreement for the joint purchasing and the setting of technical specifications for electric container-handling equipment used in ports. This would accelerate the shift from diesel to electric equipment in EU ports, contributing to reducing CO2 emissions.

The European Commission has issued an informal guidance letter to provide antitrust guidance for the creation of a licensing negotiation group in the automotive sector (the Automotive Licensing Negotiation Group or ‘ALNG') that would negotiate licences to use technologies covered by standard essential patents (‘SEPs'). With this guidance letter, the Commission aims to contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the EU's automotive sector, as set out in the context of the Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive sector put forward in March 2025.

The European Commission has today adopted a new State aid framework supporting the Clean Industrial Deal (CISAF), to enable Member States to push forward the development of clean energy, industrial decarbonisation and clean technology.
See also Factsheet - Clean Industrial Deal State aid Framework as well as COMP Flash.

The European Commission has adopted today amendments to its State aid rules to provide public access to justice in environmental matters in relation to EU State aid decisions. For that purpose, the Commission revised rules which allow non-governmental organisations (‘NGOs')  to request a Commission review of certain State aid decisions to establish whether they contravene EU environmental law. This new review mechanism addresses the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee's findings in case ACCC/C/2015/128.  

Today, the Commission presents the Clean Industrial Deal, a bold business plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of our industry. The Deal will accelerate decarbonisation, while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe.
Competition policy will continue to provide a framework for investment and innovation. Through the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, it will help direct investment where needed - supporting the roll-out of renewable energy, driving industrial decarbonisation, and ensuring sufficient manufacturing capacity for clean tech - while safeguarding fair competition.

Today, the European Commission has adopted an amendment of the 'de minimis' Regulation for the agricultural sector (‘Agricultural de minimis Regulation'). The Regulation exempts small amounts of support in the agricultural sector from State aid control since they are deemed to have no impact on competition and trade in the Single Market. The revised Regulation will enter into force three days after its publication in the Official Journal and will apply until 31 December 2032.

The European Commission has decided to withdraw its 2021 communication providing guidance on the application of the referral mechanism set out in Article 22 of the EU Merger Regulation (‘EUMR') to certain categories of cases (‘Guidance').

How should the concept of market distortion for a foreign subsidy be interpreted? You can read about this and other Q&A on the Foreign Subsidies Regulation in the Commission Staff Working Document just published.
The new Staff Working Document offers initial clarifications on the following:

• Distortion in the internal market caused by a foreign subsidy;
• Application of the balancing test;
• Assessment of distortion in public procurement procedures.

The European Commission has adopted an amendment to the Guidelines on Regional State aid (‘RAG') to allow Member States to grant higher amounts of regional aid for investment projects covered by the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP'). The STEP aims to support the development and manufacturing of critical technologies relevant to the EU green and digital transitions, as well as the EU's strategic sovereignty.

The European Commission has sent to Member States for consultation a draft proposal for a limited prolongation of the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (‘TCTF') in order to allow continued support for the primary agricultural sector in view of the persisting market disturbances.

The European Commission has today adopted a revised Market Definition Notice (“the Notice”). Market definition requires identifying the boundaries of competition between companies when assessing mergers and most antitrust cases. The revised Notice brings the Commission's guidance in line with new market realities, as well as with developments in the Commission's case practice and EU case law. It will enhance transparency and legal certainty for businesses, facilitate compliance and contribute to a more efficient competition enforcement.
See also Questions and answers on the revised Market Definition Notice; the COMP Flash by Inge Bernaerts, Director of Policy and Strategy at DG COMP, as well as the remarks by Executive Vice-President Vestager.