Press Release: State aid: Terrestrial digital platform operators in Spain must pay back incompatible subsidies

The European Commission has concluded that a Spanish €260m scheme to finance the digitisation and extension of the terrestrial television network in remote areas of Spain was incompatible with EU State aid rules. The measure favours the terrestrial digital technology to the detriment of others. The operators of terrestrial platforms received a selective advantage over their competitors using other technologies and therefore have to pay it back to the Spanish taxpayer.

In 2005, Spain decided to subsidise the transition to digital terrestrial television (DTT) in remote areas of Spain, covering around 2.5% of the population. The public financing also encompasses aid for the operation and maintenance of the DTT infrastructure. However, those subsidies worth €260m went exclusively to terrestrial operators. Spain did not notify this project to the Commission.