28/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - Consultation on new version of regulation on “de minimis” aid. On 27 March, the European Commission launched a public consultation to run until 23 May on the second version of the new regulation on de minimis aid in the fishing and fish-farming sector (see EUROPE 10978). The de minimis aid is state aid which does not have to be notified to the European Commission for approval below a certain threshold. The current regulation expired at the end of 2013. Currently, the total amount of de minimis aid granted to a single company active in the fishing and fish-farming sector may not exceed either €30,000 per beneficiary over a period of three tax years, or a cumulative amount laid down for each member state and representing 2.5% of the annual production of the fishing and fish-farming sector. In the text put forward for consultation, the Commission proposes to keep not just the threshold of €30,000 unchanged, but also the figure of 2.5% (national upper limit) of annual production. (LC)