Brussels, 21/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - EU Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia and President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Werner Hoyer issued a joint statement on Tuesday 21 January on the work of the EIB and the monitoring of state aid with a view to closer cooperation between the two bodies in the future.
Almunia said: “This joint statement will provide useful clarifications for authorities in the member states as well as for all the companies benefitting from EIB interventions and from programmes managed by the EIB Group”. Hoyer said: “It is crucial that both institutions have reached a common understanding and a cooperation procedure in order to enhance the efficiency of their respective activities. We both share the same objectives for the European economy, and we want to make sure that support by the EU Bank to member states and corporates is provided in the most efficient manner, while respecting the treaty rules on state aid”.
The statement highlights broad principles on the nature of the state aid control to be carried out in situations where the EIB Group implements and manages member states' programmes or where the EIB group acts under a mandate from the European Commission and manages EU funds. Own resources awarded directly by the EIB Group fall outside the scope of the state aid rules, but wherever guarantees from member states are granted for EIB Group financing or in case of co-financing or any other state support, the member state(s) concerned remain responsible for notifying any state aid. The European Commission's Competition services and the EIB Group will establish a permanent working relationship in order to enhance the ongoing dialogue. (OL/transl.fl)