Council quietly reopens the competitiveness file
What changed in the working group, and why three capitals are suddenly nervous.
The Brussels Desk · Updated 16 min ago
What happened
A Council working party has reopened discussion on the scope of the competitiveness package, after a group of member states questioned the treatment of state aid for mid-sized firms.
Why it matters
State aid rules decide which governments can subsidise their industry and which cannot. Loosening them favours member states with deep pockets.
The Brussels angle
Everyone supports a level playing field, and everyone means a slightly different field. The countries with fiscal room want flexibility; the ones without want guardrails.
What happens next
The working party reports back to Coreper before ministers next meet.
Written from these sources
Facts are extracted from primary institutional material and written independently by The Gazette desk.
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