Seminar Advanced State Aid Seminar Maastricht (NL), 29-30 September 2014 European Institute of Public Administration Institut européen d’administration publique Introduction Target group The advanced seminar is of particular interest to policymakers and practitioners involved in the design and implementation of state aid measures, as well as to lawyers and business managers of undertakings that have to operate within the scope of the EU state aid regime. Description The aim of this advanced seminar is to analyse in depth the main developments and future challenges in state aid policy in the European Union. In order to devise appropriate aid schemes, Member States must not only ensure an accurate interpretation of the EU legal requirements, but also have a proper understanding of the approach adopted by the Commission and the most recent interpretation of the law by EU courts. In this respect, case studies and the exchange of experiences with officials from EU institutions and Member States are an integral aspect of the seminar. Learning methodology The advanced seminar brings together senior national and EU officials to address issues such as: • Policy and legal developments in the field of state aid; • Recent case law concerning the concept of state aid (e.g. economic activity, advantage, the notion of ‘state resource’) and the procedures for notification and recovery of state aid. The recent revisions of rules in the framework of the State Aid Modernisation procedure (SAM) and their surmised consequences on the following will be also discussed: • The recent Draft Commission Notice on the notion of State aid • Environmental and Energy State Aid Guidelines (EEAG), adopted on 10 April 2014 • Rescue and restructuring of companies (including the new Rescue & Restructuring Guidelines comprising criteria under which Member States can subsidise companies in difficulty in line with EU State Aid rules; these guidelines entered into force on 1 August 2014) • The new Guidelines on Risk Finance Investments, adopted on 15 January 2014 and replacing the Guidelines on Risk Capital for SMEs of 2006 • The reform of the GBER (entered into force on 1 July 2014) • An in-depth analysis of the Market Economy Operator Principle • State aid control in the Broadband sector (including the new Handbook on EU broadband state aid) These issues are assessed on the basis of concrete cases, in-depth analysis and exchange of information and practical experience. In addition, the seminar provides an opportunity for participants to discuss common problems and identify potential solutions. Objectives The seminar aims to help participants understand in depth the important developments in the field of state aid, and facilitate discussion and exchange of views on issues of common concern. Programme Monday 29 September 2014 09.00 Registration of participants 09.15 Welcome and introduction Prof. JUDr Daniela Heid, Ph.D., Head of Unit, EIPA, Maastricht (NL) and Full Professor, Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences, Bruehl (DE) Recent case law and jurisprudence in state aid Moderator: Prof. JUDr. Daniela Heid, Ph.D. 09.30 Recent case law: analysis of seminal judgements on the concept of state aid Dr Michael Schuette, Schuette Law SPRL, Brussels (BE) 10.30 Coffee break 11.00 Lessons from the recent jurisprudence for the design and implementation of state aid measures Mr Paul-John Loewenthal, Legal Service, European Commission, Brussels (BE) 12.00 Discussion 12.30 Lunch Seminal issues of 2014 on the revision of state aid rules: how to design state aid measures? Moderator: Prof. JUDr. Daniela Heid, Ph.D. 14.00 Recent policy developments and future policy objectives (including e.g. the Draft Commission Notice on the notion of state aid and the new Environmental and Energy State Aid Guidelines (EEAG) for the period up to 2020, adopted on 10 April 2014) Dr Anna Samsel van Haasteren, DG Competition, Unit 03 - State Aid Case Support, European Commission, Brussels (BE) 15.00 Tuesday 30 September 2014 09.00 Summary of the proceedings of the first day Prof. JUDr Daniela Heid, Ph.D. Cont´d: Seminal issues of 2014 on the revision of state aid rules: how to design state aid measures? Moderator: Prof. JUDr Daniela Heid, Ph.D. 09.15 SME access to finance state aid measures poststate aid modernisation (including the new Guidelines on Risk Finance Investments) Ms Barbara Cattrysse, Unit H.2 - R&D, Innovation and Risk Capital, DG Competition, European Commission, Brussels (BE) 10.45 Coffee break 11.15 The reform of the GBER (new GBER adopted in principle on 21 may 2014, applicable as of 1 July 2014) Ms Anna Sophie Bigot, Unit State Aid Control, Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology, Berlin (DE) 12.15 Lunch 13.45 The Market Economy Operator Principle: a dangerous Trojan horse for more state intervention or a welcome return to sound economic approach in the field of state aid? Mr Michel Debroux, Associate Lawyer, Reed Smith, Paris (FR) 14.45 Coffee break 15.15 State aid control in the field of broadband (including the new Handbook on EU broadband state aid) Mr Michel Debroux 16.15 Panel discussion and exchange of views 16.30 Evaluation and end of the course Coffee break 15.30 Recent Developments in Rescue & Restructuring Aid in the “Real Economy” (including the new R&R Guidelines, entered into force on 1 August 2014) Dr Ulrich Soltesz, Partner, Gleiss Lutz, Brussels (BE) 16.30 Discussion and exchange of views 17.00 End of first day 18.00 Reception at Hotel Derlon Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 6, Maastricht 20.00 End of reception Project Leader Prof. JUDr. Daniela Heid, Ph.D. Head of Unit, Professor Tel.: +31.43.3296.224 E-mail: [email protected] Programme Organisation Ms Danielle Jacobs Programme Organiser Tel.: +31.43.3296.224 E-mail: [email protected] General Information Programme The programme will commence on Monday 29 September at 09.15 and finish on Tuesday 30 September at 16.30. Registration of participants on the first day starts at 09.00. Seminar venue The seminar will take place at the European Institute of Public Administration, O.L. Vrouweplein 22, NL-6211 HE Maastricht, tel.: +31 43 32 96 222, fax: +31 43 32 96 296. Language The seminar will be conducted in English. Fee The participation fee is €950 and includes documentation, two lunches, one reception and refreshments. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration. EIPA offers its members a reduction of 10% off the registration fee. This reduction is available to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s member countries (i.e. AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LU, MT, NL, PL, PT, ES, SE, UK). If you are eligible for a discount, please tick the box on the registration form. Please note that reductions cannot be accumulated. For more information, please visit EIPA’s website: http://seminars.eipa.eu (FAQ - special discounts). Officials of the EU institutions, bodies or agencies should enquire about applicable arrangements on the following website: http://lot6.eipa.eu. Hotel The European Institute of Public Administration has special price arrangements with a number of hotels. All hotels are within 10 minutes walking distance from EIPA. Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please book directly via the links below. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel on checking out. At the time of booking, please mention in the requested field, the EIPA project number 1431205. • Bastion Hotel www.bastionhotels.nl/en/eipa.html • Townhouse Hotel www.townhousehotels.nl/eipa • Hotel Derlon www.derlon.com/business/eipa-goes-derlon • Designhotel Maastricht – Hampshire Eden www.hampshire-hotels.com/eipa Meals Lunch(es) and dinner will be served at a restaurant in town. Should you require a special menu (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic), please inform the Programme Organiser so that this can be arranged. Registration Kindly complete the registration form and return it before 8 September 2014 to Ms Danielle Jacobs, Programme Organiser, European Institute of Public Administration, P.O. Box 1229, NL-6201 BE Maastricht, Tel.: +31 43 32 96 224; fax: +31 43 32 96 296; e-mail: [email protected]. You can also submit the online registration form which can be found at http://seminars.eipa.eu. Your name and address will be part of EIPA’s database for our mailing purpose only. If you do not want to be included in our mailing database, please tick the box on the registration form. Confirmation Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form. Payment Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. For cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins, we will have to charge an administration fee of €150 unless a replacement participant is found. Cancellation policy EIPA reserves the right to cancel the seminar up to two weeks before the starting date. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, hotel, etc.). For EIPA’s cancellation policy, please visit our website http://seminars.eipa.eu (FAQ - legal notice). Registration Form Advanced State Aid Seminar Maastricht (NL), 29-30 September 2014 Surname: ............................................................................................................. Title: .................................................................................... M / F First name: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Organisation: ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Department: ....................................................................................................... Current position: ......................................................................... Work address: ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Postal code & Town: ........................................................................................ Country: .......................................................................................... Telephone number: ......................................................................................... Fax number: .................................................................................. E-mail address: ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Invoice information Organisation: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Department: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Address: ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Postal code & Town: ......................................................................................... Country: .......................................................................................... VAT number: ....................................................................................................... Your reference number: ............................................................ E-mail address: ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Payment - 1431205 The fee includes participation in the seminar, documentation, two lunches, one reception and beverages €950 Discount of 10% (Please check first the conditions at http://seminars.eipa.eu (FAQ - special discounts)) Method of payment Bank transfer Credit card American Express card Eurocard/Mastercard Visa card Card number: .......................................................................... Expiry date: ................. /.................. Name card holder: .............................................................................................................................................. (in case this differs from above) Address card holder: .......................................................................................................................................... (in case this differs from above) Postal code: ............................................................................. Country: ......................................................... (in case this differs from above) Card Validation Code: .............................................................................................................. (the last three digits on the back of your card) Exempt from VAT by virtue of Article 11, Para. 1 (o), Sub-para. 2 of the Dutch Law on VAT of 1968 Meals Vegetarian Fish allowed Other dietary requirement: ...................................................................................... As the number of places is limited, please return the completed registration form before 8 September 2014 to: Ms Danielle Jacobs, European Institute of Public Administration, P.O. Box 1229, NL-6201 BE Maastricht, tel.: +31 43 32 96 224, fax: +31 43 32 96 296, e-mail: [email protected] Your name and address will be part of EIPA’s database for our mailing purpose only. Please tick if you do not want to be included in our mailing database.