The European Commission has today amended both the current de minimis Regulation and the de minimis Regulation for Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI) that were due to expire on 31 December 2023.
The de minimis Regulation exempts small amounts of aid from state aid control as they are deemed not to have an impact on competition and trade in the EU's internal market. The total amount of de minimis aid granted to a single undertaking over a period of three fiscal years is increased from EUR 200 000 to EUR 300 000. The new threshold reflects the inflation observed since the entry into force of the current de minimis Regulation. The ceiling for aid in the form of loans and aid in the form of guarantees will also be adjusted.
The SGEI de minimis regulation sets a maximum compensation amount for providers of SGEIs below which compensation is deemed free of aid and exempted from State aid rules. The aid ceiling per company has been increased from EUR 500 000 to EUR 750 000.
In addition, the Commission intends to increase the transparency of both regulations by requiring Member States to set up a mandatory central register of beneficiaries as of 1st January 2026, which will reduce the administrative burden for companies currently using a self-declaration system.
For further information: see the Commission’s Press Release.