What changed, Council Regulation (EU) 2015/1588 of 13 July 2015 on the application of Articles 107 and 1…

+ ### Article 1 — Block exemptions
− ### art_1
+ **1.** The Commission may, by means of regulations adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8 of this Regulation and in accordance with Article 107 TFEU, declare that the following categories of aid are compatible with the internal market and are not subject to the notification …
− Article 1
+ **2.** The regulations referred to in paragraph 1 shall specify for each category of aid:(a) the purpose of the aid;(b) the categories of beneficiaries;(c) thresholds expressed in terms of aid intensities in relation to a set of eligible costs or in terms of maximum aid amounts or, for certain types…
− 1. The Commission may, by means of regulations adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8 of this Regulation and in accordance with Article 107 TFEU, declare that the following categories of aid are compatible with the internal market and are not subject to the notification requ…
+ **3.** In addition, the regulations referred to in paragraph 1 may, in particular:(a) set thresholds or other conditions for the notification of awards of individual aid;(b) exclude certain sectors from their scope;(c) attach further conditions for the compatibility of aid exempted under such regula…
− | (a) | aid in favour of:(i)small and medium-sized enterprises;(ii)research, development and innovation;(iii)environmental protection;(iv)employment and training;(v)culture and heritage conservation;(vi)making good the damage caused by natural disasters;(vii)making good the damage caused by certain …
− | --- | --- |
− | (i) | small and medium-sized enterprises; |
− | (ii) | research, development and innovation; |
− | (iii) | environmental protection; |
− | (iv) | employment and training; |
− | (v) | culture and heritage conservation; |
− | (vi) | making good the damage caused by natural disasters; |
− | (vii) | making good the damage caused by certain adverse weather conditions in fisheries; |
− | (viii) | forestry; |
− | (ix) | promotion of food sector products not listed in Annex I of the TFEU; |
− | (x) | conservation of marine and freshwater biological resources; |
− | (xi) | sports; |
− | (xii) | residents of remote regions, for transport, when this aid has a social character and is granted without discrimination related to the identity of the carrier; |
− | (xiii) | basic broadband infrastructure, small individual infrastructure measures covering next-generation access networks, broadband-related civil engineering works and passive broadband infrastructure, in areas where there is either no such infrastructure or where no such infrastructure is likel…
− | (xiv) | infrastructure in support of the objectives listed in points (i) to (xiii) as well as in point (b) of this paragraph and in support of other objectives of common interest, in particular the Europe 2020 objectives; |
+ ### Article 2 — De minimis
− | (b) | aid that complies with the map approved by the Commission for each Member State for the grant of regional aid. |
− | --- | --- |
+ **1.** The Commission may, by means of a regulation adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8 of this Regulation, decide that, having regard to the development and functioning of the internal market, certain aid does not meet all the criteria of Article 107(1) TFEU and that it …
− 2. The regulations referred to in paragraph 1 shall specify for each category of aid:
+ **2.** At the Commission's request, Member States shall, at any time, communicate to it any additional information relating to aid exempted under paragraph 1.
− | (a) | the purpose of the aid; |
− | --- | --- |
+ ### Article 3 — Transparency and monitoring
− | (b) | the categories of beneficiaries; |
− | --- | --- |
+ **1.** When adopting regulations pursuant to Article 1, the Commission shall impose detailed rules upon Member States to ensure transparency and monitoring of the aid exempted from notification in accordance with those regulations. Such rules shall consist, in particular, of the requirements laid do…
− | (c) | thresholds expressed in terms of aid intensities in relation to a set of eligible costs or in terms of maximum aid amounts or, for certain types of aid where it may be difficult to identify the aid intensity or amount of aid precisely, in particular financial engineering instruments or risk …
− | --- | --- |
+ **2.** Upon implementing aid systems or individual aids granted outside any system, which have been exempted pursuant to regulations referred to in Article 1(1), Member States shall forward to the Commission, with a view to publication on the website of the Commission, summaries of the information r…
− | (d) | the conditions governing the cumulation of aid; |
− | --- | --- |
+ **3.** Member States shall record and compile all the information regarding the application of the block exemptions. If the Commission has information which leads it to doubt that an exemption regulation is being applied properly, the Member States shall forward to it any information it considers ne…
− | (e) | the conditions of monitoring as specified in Article 3. |
− | --- | --- |
+ **4.** At least once a year, Member States shall supply the Commission with a report on the application of block exemptions, in accordance with the Commission's specific requirements, preferably in computerised form. The Commission shall make access to those reports available to all the Member State…
− 3. In addition, the regulations referred to in paragraph 1 may, in particular:
+ ### Article 4 — Period of validity and amendment of regulations
− | (a) | set thresholds or other conditions for the notification of awards of individual aid; |
− | --- | --- |
+ **1.** Regulations adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 shall apply for a specific period. Aid exempted by a regulation adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 shall be exempted for the period of validity of that regulation and for the adjustment period provided for in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Articl…
− | (b) | exclude certain sectors from their scope; |
− | --- | --- |
+ **2.** Regulations adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 may be repealed or amended where circumstances have changed with respect to any important element that constituted grounds for their adoption or where the progressive development or the functioning of the internal market so requires. In that ca…
− | (c) | attach further conditions for the compatibility of aid exempted under such regulations. |
− | --- | --- |
+ **3.** Regulations adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 shall provide for a period as referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, should their application not be extended when they expire.
− ### art_2
+ ### Article 5 — Evaluation report
− Article 2
− 
− 1. The Commission may, by means of a regulation adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8 of this Regulation, decide that, having regard to the development and functioning of the internal market, certain aid does not meet all the criteria of Article 107(1) TFEU and that it is t…
− 
− 2. At the Commission's request, Member States shall, at any time, communicate to it any additional information relating to aid exempted under paragraph 1.
− 
− ### art_3
− Article 3
− 
− 1. When adopting regulations pursuant to Article 1, the Commission shall impose detailed rules upon Member States to ensure transparency and monitoring of the aid exempted from notification in accordance with those regulations. Such rules shall consist, in particular, of the requirements laid down i…
− 
− 2. Upon implementing aid systems or individual aids granted outside any system, which have been exempted pursuant to regulations referred to in Article 1(1), Member States shall forward to the Commission, with a view to publication on the website of the Commission, summaries of the information regar…
− 
− 3. Member States shall record and compile all the information regarding the application of the block exemptions. If the Commission has information which leads it to doubt that an exemption regulation is being applied properly, the Member States shall forward to it any information it considers necess…
− 
− 4. At least once a year, Member States shall supply the Commission with a report on the application of block exemptions, in accordance with the Commission's specific requirements, preferably in computerised form. The Commission shall make access to those reports available to all the Member States. T…
− 
− ### art_4
− 
− Article 4
− 
− 1. Regulations adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 shall apply for a specific period. Aid exempted by a regulation adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 shall be exempted for the period of validity of that regulation and for the adjustment period provided for in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article.
− 
− 2. Regulations adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 may be repealed or amended where circumstances have changed with respect to any important element that constituted grounds for their adoption or where the progressive development or the functioning of the internal market so requires. In that case t…
− 
− 3. Regulations adopted pursuant to Articles 1 and 2 shall provide for a period as referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, should their application not be extended when they expire.
− 
− ### art_5
− 
− Article 5
− 
+ ### Article 6 — Hearing of interested parties
− ### art_6
− Article 6
− 
+ ### Article 7 — Advisory Committee on State aid
− ### art_7
− 
− Article 7
+ ### Article 8 — Consultation of the Committee
− ### art_8
+ **1.** The Commission shall consult the Committee:(a) at the same time as publishing any draft regulation in accordance with Article 6;(b) before adopting any regulation.
− Article 8
+ **2.** Consultation of the Committee shall take place at a meeting called by the Commission. The drafts and documents to be examined shall be annexed to the notification and may be published on the Commission website. The meeting shall take place no earlier than two months after notification has bee…
− 1. The Commission shall consult the Committee:
− | (a) | at the same time as publishing any draft regulation in accordance with Article 6; |
− | --- | --- |
− 
− | (b) | before adopting any regulation. |
− | --- | --- |
− 
− 2. Consultation of the Committee shall take place at a meeting called by the Commission. The drafts and documents to be examined shall be annexed to the notification and may be published on the Commission website. The meeting shall take place no earlier than two months after notification has been se…
− 
+ **3.** The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.
− 3. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.
+ **4.** The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes. In addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. The Committee may recommend the publication of the opinion in the *Official Journal of the European Union*.
− 4. The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes. In addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. The Committee may recommend the publication of the opinion in the Official Journal of the European Union.
+ **5.** The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.
− 5. The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.
+ ### Article 9 — Repeal
− ### art_9
− 
− Article 9
+ ### Article 10 — Entry into force
− ### art_10
+ This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the *Official Journal of the European Union*.
− Article 10
− 
− This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.