On the 16th of June 2010, the State Aid Unit of the Centre of International and European Economic Law organized a conference on specific State Aids issues. Key subject of the conference, which took place in Athens, was the recent financial crisis. The lecturers were mostly members of the State Aid Unit, the European Commission, University Professors and lawyers. The event was attended by a great number of people, mainly members of Managing as well as Public Authorities.
At the first session, emphasis was given on the examination of new state aids, which were granted in order to remedy the effects of the financial crisis. Mrs Ek. Sgouridou, member of the State Aids Unit, gave lecture on the notion of state aid in the light of recent jurisprudence. The financial crisis issue dominated the following speeches. More specifically, Mr Ph. Nicolaides, Professor at the European Institute for Public Administration in Maastricht presented the basic parameters of state aid to banks, whereas Mrs D. Shina, lawyer and Researcher of the State Aid Unit, referred to the Greek Framework applied in support of the banking sector. Afterwards, Mrs. E. Mouameletzi, Research Director of the Centre of International and European Economic Law and Coordinator of the State Aid Unit, analyzed the temporary Scheme on state aid measures aimed at companies acting in the real economy. The last lecturer, Mr L. Papadias, member of the European Commission, focused on the policy regarding companies’ tax in relation to the state aid issues.
During the second session, the focus was placed on the specific sectors of infrastructure and firms in difficulty. Mr M. Kekelekis, Senior Lecturer at the European Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht examined the award of state aids in the field of infrastucture financing. Mr. Kekelekis, additionally, presented the recent Commission’s decision on the Piraeus Port Authority’s funding. Another issue, the correlation between the existence of state aid and the public procurement, was presented by Mr Th. Galanis, lawyer. Moreover, Mr A. Metaxas, lawyer, commented on the new Community guidelines on state aid in the area of broadband networks. The last two lectures dealt with the subject of firms in difficulty. The first one, presented by Mr. N. Fharantouris, Assistant Professor in the Piraeus University and researcher of the state aid Unit, referred to the notion of the firm in difficulty as well as the relevant Commission Guidelines and the second one was that of Mr P. Milonopoulos, member of the Legal Council in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concerning the “Olympic Airways” Case. At the end of the conference there was a discussion and the lecturers had the chance to answer to the attendees’ questions.