Fiona Wishlade was a speaker at the 11th experts' forum on new developments in European State aid law in Brussels on 7 June. She was invited to comment on the presentation of the proposed Regional Aid Guidelines 2014-20 given by Blanca Rodriguez-Galindo, Head of the Regional Aid Unit at DG Competition.
Fiona's comments focussed on the issues of incentive effect, the role of economic analysis in the Commission's assessment of regional aid policy and the proposals to restrict the use of regional aid to large firms in all but the most disadvantaged areas.
In addition, she provided a background paper outlining the main issues in the reforms on regional aid in the draft Regional Aid Guidelines 2014-20 and in the draft General Block Exemption Regulation 2014-20.
The background paper is available here.