From market integration to fiscal discipline: Analysing the goals of EU state aid policy from an economic perspective

Research output: Working paper / PreprintWorking paper

Abstract

This paper discusses the rationale for State aid control as part of competition law. Like in other areas of EU competition law, such as abuse of dominance and merger control, there is a clear shift towards a ‘more economic approach’ and a stronger focus on efficiency. However, this stronger focus on efficiency with regard to a politically sensitive area such as State aid is not self-evident, and also raises the question why other jurisdictions do not have a similar control on market intervention by States (US) or provinces (China). It also raises the question whether controlling the efficiency of government spending should be a task of the EU rather than Member States. The aim of this paper is therefore to critically assess the changing goals of EU State aid policy, from market integration and equity to efficiency and fiscal discipline.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationMaastricht
PublisherMaastricht University, Faculty of Law
Number of pages23
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Oct 2016

Publication series

SeriesMaastricht Faculty of Law Working Papers

JEL classifications

  • k21 - Antitrust Law
  • k33 - International Law
  • l44 - Antitrust Policy and Public Enterprises, Nonprofit Institutions, and Professional Organizations
  • l51 - Economics of Regulation

Keywords

  • State aid
  • Fiscal discipline
  • Goals of competition policy
  • Economics of federalism

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