Available analyses allege that the Directorate-General for Competition may treat new Member States and companies from those states unfairly in comparison with old Member States and their companies. The differences lie in the application of both state aid law and competition law (abuse of dominant market position).

European competition law should go back to its roots and pay more attention to mutually opening and integrating markets of Member States, and not only to providing ‘welfare’ to their consumers. Otherwise it will be difficult for the Union to achieve economic and social unity, which is provided for in the treaties.

How many decisions on state aid has the Commission issued in the last 10 years?

Why does the Commission question the state aid provided by some old Union members (in particular the UK, Germany and France) much less often in comparison with newer Member States?

Why does the Commission order only new Member States to suspend state aid? When it does so, it is forcing a subsidy to be temporarily waived, even before the case has been fully examined.