The State Aid Unit (MoKE) is an advisory unit, operating within CIEEL since 2002, which supports the counselling function of the Greek network, established by Law No. 4152/2013 (KeMKE and AMKE), that assesses state aid granted by public bodies.
Establishment-Objectives
What is the "State Aid Unit" (ΜοΚΕ)?
For which purpose has ΜοΚΕ been established?
According to the principle of incompatibility, it is not permitted under EU law to grant state aid to undertakings, unless exceptionally allowed state aid that is compatible with the Common Market.
The European Commission has the exclusively competence to decide on the compatibility of state aid. National authorities that grant state aid should notify their aid schemes to the European Commission, prior to their application.
Overall, the EU state aid system relying on the principle of incompatibility and its exceptions presents several difficulties of interpretation and various practical problems, in particular due to the regularly revised state aid rules and to the numerous decisions and judgements adopted by the European Commission and the European Courts respectively. Thus, MoKE supports the competent national authorities in the proper application of state aid rules.
In particular, MoKE supports KeMKE and AMKEs to construe the concept of aid and its elements (Article 107 par. 1 TFEU) as well as the compatibility and procedural rules included in the Commission’s legislative texts (Articles 107 par. 2 & 3, 108 and 109 TFEU, Regulations, Guidelines, Frameworks, etc.). To this end, MoKE analyses and applies both the Commission’s practice in relevant aid cases and the case-law of the Court of Justice (CJEU) and the General Court of the EU.
What kind of services does ΜοΚΕ provide?
- legal opinions and counselling services to the relevant Greek authorities for the proper granting of state aid
- follow up of the state aid news: European legislation and case-law
- editing a State Aid Unit Newsletter for the relevant Greek authorities
- organization of academic events
- publication of a Practical State Aid Guide and collections of legal texts on state aid
To whom do ΜοΚΕ’s services address?
MoKE provides its services mainly to the relevant Greek authorities, with which it closely cooperates (KeMKE and AMKE). In addition, anyone interested in state aid matters (jurists, lawyers, judges, academics or undertakings) may be informed through MoKE’s site, its academic events and its publishing activity.