Commission consults on tweaks to EU state aid rules for R&D

Areas for revision include supporting digitisation and technology infrastructures

The European Commission is seeking feedback on planned tweaks to the EU’s state aid rules for research and innovation, with the changes intended to simplify and clarify how countries can use public funds to support R&D in alignment with the bloc’s focus on digitisation and environmental sustainability.

The Commission said on 8 April that it wants to encourage national governments to subsidise the digitisation of small companies and investment in technology infrastructures—facilities that typically offer specialised testing facilities for R&D work. EU rules dictate exactly how governments can support companies without falling foul of its competition rules.