On Tuesday 5 May, the European Commission approved the Austrian and Spanish schemes designed to compensate energy-intensive companies facing high electricity prices, deeming them necessary and appropriate under the Emissions Trading System (ETS) State aid Guidelines in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post-2021 (see EUROPE 12564/6).
With a budget of €900 million, the Austrian scheme will provide support to companies operating in sectors such as steel, paper and chemicals, covering up to 75% of the indirect costs associated with their emissions incurred during the 2025-2029 period. Beneficiaries must demonstrate that they are investing 80% of the aid received into measures to decarbonise their production processes.
For Spain, the Commission has approved an amendment to the €8.5 billion scheme approved in March 2022 and previously amended in November 2023 (see EUROPE 13296/20). This new amendment extends the Spanish scheme to new sectors (extractive industries, salt and sugar production, etc.) listed in the State aid Guidelines in the context of the ETS, as amended at the end of 2021 (see EUROPE 12858/2). It increases the aid intensity from 75 to 80%. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)