Commission Decision (EU) 2024/2418 of 11 December 2023 on the measure State aid S... (32024D2418)
Commission Decision (EU) 2024/2418 of 11 December 2023 on the measure State aid SA.53625 (2021/C) implemented by Germany for Lignite phase-out (notified under document C(2023) 8551)
- COMMISSION DECISION (EU) 2024/2418
- of 11 December 2023
- on the measure State aid SA.53625 (2021/C) implemented by Germany for Lignite phase-out
- (notified under document C(2023) 8551)
- (Only the English text is authentic)
- (Text with EEA relevance)
- 1.
- PROCEDURE
- 2.
- SCOPE OF THE DECISION
- 3.
- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTIFIED MEASURE
- 3.1.
- Germany’s climate objectives and the objective of the notified measure
- 3.2.
- Elaboration of policy measures
- 3.3.
- Legal basis
- 3.3.1.
- Initial legal basis
- 3.3.2.
- Amendment to the initial legal basis
- 3.4.
- Grounds for initiating the formal investigation procedure
- 3.4.1.
- Forgone profits reach far into the future
- 3.4.2.
- Deferred closure mechanism
- 3.4.3.
- Alternative scenarios submitted by Germany
- 3.4.4.
- Additional mine rehabilitation costs
- 3.5.
- Amended RWE measure/developments after the Opening Decision
- 3.5.1.
- Postponement of final decommissioning of two units from end-2022 to March 2024
- 3.5.2.
- Acceleration of final decommissioning of three units from 2038 to 2030
- 3.5.3.
- No additional compensation to RWE
- 3.6.
- Revised calculation
- 3.7.
- Budget
- 3.8.
- Granting moment and duration
- 3.9.
- Beneficiary
- 3.10.
- Cumulation and transparency
- 4.
- COMMENTS FROM THIRD PARTIES
- 4.1.
- Existence of aid
- 4.1.1.
- RWE
- 4.1.2.
- LEAG
- 4.1.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.1.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.1.5.
- German states
- 4.2.
- Legal basis for compatibility
- 4.2.1.
- RWE
- 4.2.2.
- LEAG
- 4.2.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.2.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.3.
- Compatibility of aid
- 4.3.1.
- Development of an economic activity
- 4.3.1.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.1.2.
- LEAG
- 4.3.1.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.1.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.3.2.
- Incentive effect
- 4.3.2.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.2.2.
- LEAG
- 4.3.2.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.2.4.
- Associations / NGOs
- 4.3.3.
- Breach of Union law
- 4.3.3.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.3.2.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.3.3.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.3.4.
- Necessity
- 4.3.4.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.4.2.
- LEAG
- 4.3.4.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.4.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.3.5.
- Appropriateness
- 4.3.5.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.5.2.
- LEAG
- 4.3.5.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.5.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.3.6.
- Proportionality
- 4.3.6.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.6.2.
- LEAG
- 4.3.6.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.6.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 4.3.6.5.
- German states
- 4.3.7.
- Avoidance of undue negative effects on competition and trade
- 4.3.7.1.
- RWE
- 4.3.7.2.
- LEAG
- 4.3.7.3.
- Undertakings
- 4.3.7.4.
- Associations/NGOs
- 5.
- COMMENTS FROM GERMANY
- 5.1.
- Existence of aid
- 5.2.
- Compatibility basis
- 5.3.
- Compatibility of aid
- 5.3.1.
- Incentive effect
- 5.3.2.
- Breach of Union law
- 5.3.3.
- Appropriateness
- 5.3.4.
- Proportionality
- 5.3.5.
- Avoidance of undue effects on competition and trade
- 5.3.6.
- Deferred closure mechanism
- 5.3.7.
- New potential reserves
- 6.
- ASSESSMENT OF THE NOTIFIED MEASURE
- 6.1.
- Existence of aid
- 6.1.1.
- Imputability and involvement of State resources
- 6.1.2.
- Existence of advantage
- 6.1.2.1.
- Compensation under applicable national law
- 6.1.2.1.1.
- Scope of property protection under Article 14 GG
- 6.1.2.1.1.1.
- The measure falls under public law
- 6.1.2.1.1.2.
- Scope of application of Art. 14 GG
- 6.1.2.1.1.3.
- Commission’s considerations
- 6.1.2.1.2.
- The findings of relevant German studies
- 6.1.2.1.2.1.
- Description of the findings
- 6.1.2.1.3.
- Commission’s considerations and conclusion on compensation under applicable national law
- 6.1.2.2.
- The German nuclear phase-out cannot be used as an analogy
- 6.1.3.
- Selectivity
- 6.1.4.
- Impact on competition and on trade between Member States
- 6.1.5.
- Conclusion regarding existence of State aid
- 6.2.
- Lawfulness of the aid
- 6.3.
- Compatibility of the aid
- 6.3.1.
- Legal basis for the assessment
- 6.3.2.
- Positive condition: the aid must facilitate the development of an economic activity
- 6.3.2.1.
- Identification of the economic activity which is being facilitated by the measure, its positive effects for society at large and, where applicable, its relevance for specific policies of the Union.
- 6.3.2.2.
- Incentive effect
- 6.3.2.3.
- No breach of any relevant provision of Union law
- 6.3.3.
- Negative condition: the aid measure must not unduly affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest
- 6.3.3.1.
- Minimisation of distortions of competition and trade
- 6.3.3.1.1.
- Necessity of the aid
- 6.3.3.1.2.
- Appropriateness
- 6.3.3.1.3.
- Proportionality
- 6.3.3.1.3.1.
- Forgone profits reach far into the future
- 6.3.3.1.3.2.
- Deferred closure mechanism and reserve mechanism
- 6.3.3.1.3.3.
- Alternative scenarios submitted by Germany
- 6.3.3.1.3.4.
- Additional mine rehabilitation costs
- 6.3.3.1.3.5.
- Conclusion on proportionality
- 6.3.3.1.4.
- Cumulation
- 6.3.3.1.5.
- Transparency
- 6.3.3.2.
- Avoidance of undue negative effects on competition and trade
- 6.3.4.
- Weighing the positive effects of the aid against the negative effects on competition and trade
- 6.3.5.
- Companies in difficulty and under recovery order
- 6.3.6.
- Conclusion on the compatibility of the aid
- 7.
- CONCLUSION
- Article 1
- Article 2
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