Press Release: State aid still too high despite decrease, says annual survey

The level of State aid granted in the European Union from 1996 to 1998 remains too high, the European Commission said in its eigth annual a survey on state aid adopted on 11 April 2000, despite a decrease to an annual average of €93 billion compared with €104.2 billion in the previous three-year period. The survey covers all sectors of the economy but analyses in particular the manufacturing sector, which absorbed €33 billion a year alone. Mario Monti, EU Competition Commissioner, stated: 'the high levels of aid give rise to concern, even if the figures show a downward trend over the years'.

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