| Author (Person) | Tait, Nikki |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Financial Times |
| Series Details | 9.4.09 |
| Publication Date | 09/04/2009 |
| Content Type | News |
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The European Commission has decided that four state measures granted in favour of the UK postal incumbent Royal Mail between 2001 and 2007 are in line with EU state aid rules. The announcement was made on the 8 April 2009. The Commission concluded that three out of the four measures did not contain state aid because they were granted under market conditions. In the case of a fourth measure, which concerned Royal Mail's pension liabilities, the Commission authorised it under EC Treaty rules allowing state aid to facilitate certain economic activities (Article 87.3c) because it covered abnormal costs which had arisen from the previous period when Royal Mail had a monopoly over the letters market. None of the measures had been notified to the Commission, but the Commission opened a state aid investigation in 2007 following complaints (see IP/07/226). This decision does not cover measures announced by the UK authorities in December 2008, on which the Commission and the UK authorities are now in contact. |
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| Subject Categories | Internal Markets |
| Countries / Regions | United Kingdom |
