The coronavirus pandemic has ushered in an era of government spending on a scale not seen since the financial crisis. The Chancellor has so far announced £330bn of financial support in the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme and further support for the self-employed. With some squeezed industries such as aviation clamouring for help, many predict that larger bailouts are around the corner. Continue reading
Category Archives: State aid
Of Megabytes and Men: the private use exception under the judicial lens and lessons for state aid claims
On 19 June 2015, the High Court allowed a claim for judicial review against the decision to introduce a narrow ‘private copying’ exception to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (the “CDPA 1988”). The decision is of interest to EU and competition lawyers for two reasons: (1) its examination of the standard of review in public law cases with an EU law dimension and also (2) its analysis of the state aid issues which were raised. Continue reading
Filed under State aid
The ECJ on the Bus Lane Wars
Minicab giant Addison Lee recently suffered another defeat in the latest battle in the bus lane wars – this time at the ECJ. The outcome is no great surprise, but the Court’s approach to the question of when inter-state trade is affected is likely to be of broader interest. Continue reading
Filed under Free movement, State aid
“What’s in a Commission Decision?” and other lessons for national courts
In a decision of 13 February 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) added a little gloss to an otherwise well-trodden path in relation to the binding aspects of a Commission Decision. For instance, it is well established that assessments made in recitals to a decision “are not in themselves capable of forming the subject of an application for annulment” unless they are “the necessary support for its operative part” (see Case T-138/89 Nederlandse Bankiersvereniging and Nederlandse Vereniging van Banken v Commission [1992] ECR II-2181 at [31]). What of statements of position by the Commission subsequent to its Decision, e.g. in order to facilitate its enforcement at national level? Continue reading
Competition round-up: Summer 2013
It is time for what has become the Competition Bulletin’s regular half-yearly update of EU and UK competition law developments. (For our previous round-ups see here).
Thinking big Continue reading
Filed under Abuse, Agreements, Conflicts, Damages, Free movement, IP, Mergers, Penalties, Pharmaceuticals, Policy, Procedure, Procurement, Round-Up, State aid, Telecoms
Competition Bulletin 