Vestager defends state aid guidelines against industry criticism

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has defended her plans to reform the state aid guidelines for the environment, energy and climate protection against criticism. If aid is granted to sectors that are „not very electricity-intensive and not very trade-intensive, then there is a high risk of distortion when aid is granted,“ she said in the European Parliament on Tuesday evening. Moreover, the cost of supporting such sectors is often borne by other consumers such as households, she said. Furthermore, energy-intensive companies need price incentives to invest in improving their energy efficiency.