On Monday 20 November, the European Commission announced that it had approved changes to a Spanish State aid scheme initially authorised on 16 March 2022 to support certain energy-intensive companies faced with rising electricity prices resulting from the impact of carbon prices on electricity costs under the European Emissions Trading System (ETS).
In concrete terms, this scheme was implemented to provide eligible companies with compensation between 2021 and 2030 in the form of partial reimbursement for the costs of indirect emissions incurred during the previous year.
Spain notified two types of changes to the existing scheme. The aim of these changes is to increase the scheme’s budget by €5.61 billion. This change brings the overall budget to €8.51 billion.
Spain also wanted to introduce an additional eligibility condition, under which recipients of aid of more than €30,000 must pay their suppliers within a maximum of 60 days.
The European Commission found that the amended scheme complied with European State aid rules, in particular the guidelines on State aid in the context of the carbon emissions trading system. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)