Examples

Examples of what isn't considered to be State Aid

Any public assistance provided to an organisation (public, private and not for profit) engaged in economic activities needs to comply with the European State aid rules. 

However, not all public assistance will be classed as State aid because one or more of the 5 tests is not met.

Some examples of support that would not be classed as State aid are:

• Support for non- economic activities
• Funding for regulatory action and public functions of public authorities and the exercise of state prerogatives;
• Support for primary activities of research organisations relating to the provision of teaching and research;
• Support for state education;
• Support for health services operated as a public function of the state.
• Support where there is no advantage conferred
• Support for general infrastructure projects that do not benefit specific users e.g. streets, water-ways, coastal paths, cycle trails, improvement of public transport infrastructure or road networks, public amenities, sewage collection;
• Support for the renewal or upgrading of residential areas or properties where funding is made available to individual residents, who are the owner/occupiers of the new or renewed dwellings in question;
• Support where the beneficiary is an individual;
• full market value purchases of goods and services (most effectively demonstrated by a competitive tender that accords with EU public procurement rules);
• Support that satisfies the market economy investor principle (MEIP), broadly, support that a private sector investor would provide in like circumstances (with an equal share of both risk and reward).
• Activities that are not considered as selective
• General training schemes such as Modern apprenticeships;
• General awareness raising activities and promotion of best practice through information and guidance available to all;
• General tax measures available for all undertakings throughout the Member State.

The above list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the activities that could not be State aid; there may be other activities which do not meet one or more of the tests.