21/11/24 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 21 November, the European Commission concluded that certain aid granted by Italy to Cineca, a non-profit consortium whose members include the Ministry of Education and Research (MIUR), Italian universities and national institutions, did not constitute aid within the meaning of EU State aid rules. In March 2021, the Commission opened an in-depth investigation to determine whether this state aid was illegal (see EUROPE 12668/27). The Commission found that the provision of IT services was intrinsically linked to the State’s higher education remit and that Cineca had put in place adequate safeguards to prevent cross-subsidisation between the activities supported and its economic activities in markets where it faces competition. (LC)