Swedish Enterprise - GBER consultation

The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise welcomes the Commission’s review of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) for state aid. GBER plays a central role in state aid control and creates opportunities for the Commission to focus on the potentially most problematic state aid measures.

We therefore welcome that GBER will continue to make it possible to handle several smaller state aid measures at Member State level. At the same time, there is a need to clarify the rules and make them more legally certain for companies, which bear the risk of any mistakes made by granting authorities. The rules also need to be updated to reflect technological developments and political priorities, while continuing to limit the overall use of state aid.

We would therefore like to make the following recommendations to the Commission in its continued work on reviewing the rules:

1. Update the rules and improve the structure, without watering down the rules in general.

2. Address the risk that GBER entails for aid receiving companies.

3. Expand the possibilities of granting aid from “renewable” to “fossil-free” energy technologies.

4. Revise the provisions on vehicles and recharging or refuelling infrastructure to better support the transition of the European vehicle fleet.

5. Ensure better possibilities to safeguard efficient and predictable financing opportunities for regional airports.