On Thursday 19 September, the European Commission decided to approve €2.7 billion in Austrian aid to encourage companies in the industrial sector to decarbonise their production processes.
The projects financed aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions directly from industrial installations, thereby contributing to the decarbonisation of industrial sectors and achieving Austria's goal of climate neutrality by 2040.
The aid will take the form of direct grants, covering either investment costs only, or investment and operating costs.
The support in question will apply until 31 December 2030 and should save around 10.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent until 2040.
The Commission considered that the scheme was necessary and appropriate to support the decarbonisation of the production processes of companies operating in the industrial sectors. The support has an “incentive effect”, as potential beneficiaries would not make the investments without public aid, and it has a limited impact on competition and trade within the EU. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)