Commission Opens In-Depth Investigation Into Romanian State Aid to Support Refurbishment of Cernavoda 1 Nuclear Reactor
The European Commission has launched an in‑depth investigation into Romania’s €3.2 billion (≈ $3.5 billion) state aid package for refurbishing Unit 1 of the Cernavodă nuclear plant. The aid includes a €600 million (≈ $654 million) grant, loan guarantees, a 30‑year two‑way contract for difference and a regulatory‑change protection mechanism. The refurbishment would keep the 706 MW reactor, which supplies about 10% of Romania’s electricity, operating for another 30 years, supporting low‑carbon power and EU decarbonisation goals. The Commission questions whether the aid is proportionate, competitive‑neutral and compliant with new EU electricity market rules.
Commission Approves Bulgarian, German and Slovenian State Aid Schemes Providing Temporary Electricity Price Relief for Energy-Intensive Companies
On 13 April 2026 the European Commission cleared state‑aid programmes in Bulgaria, Germany and Slovenia that subsidise electricity for energy‑intensive firms. The schemes total roughly $4.6 billion – €334 million ($364 m) for Bulgaria, €3.8 billion ($4.14 b) for Germany and €90 million ($98 m) for Slovenia – and...
Commission Updates EU Competition Rules for Technology Licensing Agreements
The European Commission has adopted a revised Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBER) and new Guidelines on applying Article 101 to technology transfer agreements, effective 1 May 2026. The updates address digital‑economy trends, notably data licensing and standard‑essential technology pools, and simplify market‑share...
Commission Sends Meta Fresh Charge Sheet on Possible Interim Measures to Reverse Exclusion of Third-Party AI Assistants From WhatsApp
The European Commission has issued a Supplementary Statement of Objections to Meta, signalling its intent to impose interim measures that would force the company to restore third‑party AI assistants’ access to WhatsApp under the same terms that existed before the...
Commission Approves €3.7 Billion Czech State Aid Scheme for Sustainable Biomethane Production
The European Commission has cleared a Czech state‑aid programme worth €3.7 billion (about $4 billion) to fund new and upgraded biomethane plants through 2030. The scheme uses a two‑way contract‑for‑difference that guarantees a 15‑year price premium for each megawatt‑hour of sustainable biomethane...
Commission Approves Clarios' Acquisition of Three Lead Recycling Plants From Ecobat in Germany and Austria
The European Commission has given unconditional approval for Clarios to acquire three secondary lead‑recycling smelters from Ecobat, located in Braubach and Freiberg, Germany, and Arnoldstein, Austria. The transaction expands Clarios' recycling network across key EU markets, bolstering its ability to...
Commission Carries Out Unannounced Antitrust Inspections in the Chocolate Confectionery Sector
The European Commission has launched unannounced antitrust inspections at a chocolate confectionery company operating in two EU Member States. The probe focuses on possible violations of Articles 101 and 102, specifically market segmentation and restrictions on cross‑border trade. While the raids are...
Commission Opens Formal State Aid Assessment of French Support to New Nuclear Programme
The European Commission has launched an in‑depth state‑aid investigation into France’s €72.8 billion (≈ $79 billion) support package for six new nuclear reactors totaling 9,990 MW, slated for commissioning between 2038 and 2044. The aid combines a subsidised loan covering 60% of construction costs,...
Reality Check Meeting with National Promotional Banks and State Aid Rules – Ensuring Access to Finance to Support the Clean...
On 28 April 2026, the European Commission’s Directorate‑General for Competition will host a “Reality Check” meeting focused on National Promotional Banks (NPBs) and EU state‑aid rules. The session aims to map NPB activities, pinpoint market failures, and assess obstacles to risk‑finance schemes...
Commission Approves French State Aid Scheme for Production of Renewable and Low-Carbon Hydrogen
The European Commission has cleared a French state‑aid programme that will fund up to 1 GW of renewable and low‑carbon hydrogen electrolysers, starting with a €797 million, 200 MW tender. The scheme offers 15‑year fixed premiums to offset the higher electricity cost of...
Commission Approves €5 Billion Danish State Aid Scheme to Support Offshore Wind Energy
The European Commission has cleared a €5 billion Danish state‑aid scheme to back offshore wind development. The 20‑year program funds two projects—Hesselø (≥0.8 GW) and North Sea I Mid (≥1 GW)—which together could generate about 7.8 TWh annually, roughly a quarter of Denmark’s electricity output....
Commission Approves €260 Million Belgian State Aid for Carbon Capture and Storage Project
The European Commission has cleared a €260 million Belgian state‑aid scheme for Air Liquide Large Industry NV and BASF Antwerpen NV to develop the Kairos@C carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Antwerp. The initiative will capture CO₂ from hydrogen, ammonia...
Commission Approves UMG’s Acquisition of Downtown, Subject to Conditions
The European Commission has cleared Universal Music Group’s purchase of Downtown Music Holdings, but only after the companies agreed to fully divest Downtown’s royalty‑accounting platform Curve. The conditional approval removes UMG’s ability to access Curve’s data on rival labels, which...
Commission Approves Google's Acquisition of Wiz
The European Commission has given unconditional approval for Google’s acquisition of cloud‑security firm Wiz, concluding the deal poses no competition concerns in the European Economic Area. The clearance under the EU Merger Regulation removes regulatory hurdles, allowing Google to integrate...
