Competition Weekly e-news

The European Commission has approved a €1.2 billion Spanish scheme to support investments in the production of renewable hydrogen to foster the transition to a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (‘TCTF'), adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023 and on 2 May 2024.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €2 billion Dutch measure to support the PALLAS project aimed at producing medical radioisotopes for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The measure contributes to ensuring security of supply of essential and live-saving medicines in line with the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe.

The European Commission has approved a €1.5 billion French scheme to support the production of sustainable biomethane to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (‘TCTF') adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023 and on 2 May 2024.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, amendments to a State aid scheme to support the deployment of very high capacity broadband networks offering Gigabit speeds in Germany.

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether public support that Belgium plans to grant for the lifetime extension of two nuclear reactors (Doel 4 and Tihange 3) is in line with EU State aid rules.

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 opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether Delivery Hero and Glovo have breached EU competition rules by participating in a cartel in the sector of online ordering and delivery of food, grocery and other daily consumer goods in the European Economic Area (‘EEA').

The European Commission has made commitments offered by Vifor legally binding under EU antitrust rules. The commitments address the Commission's competition concerns relating to Vifor's potential disparagement of Monofer, the closest - and potentially only – competitor of Vifor's flagship intravenous iron medicine in Europe, Ferinject.

Joint statement by Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President and Competition Commissioner, European Commission; Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive Officer, U.K. Competition and Markets Authority; Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice; and Lina M. Khan, Chair, U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
"As competition authorities for the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, we share a commitment to the interests of our people and economies. Guided by our respective laws, we will work to ensure effective competition and the fair and honest treatment of consumers and businesses. This is grounded in the knowledge that fair, open, and competitive markets will help unlock the opportunity, growth and innovation that these technologies could provide". [...]