The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €104 million Croatian scheme to reduce an electricity consumption levy imposed on energy-intensive companies. The scheme aims at mitigating the risk that, due to this levy, energy-intensive companies may relocate their activities to locations outside the EU with less ambitious climate policies. It contributes to the achievement of EU's climate and environmental objectives set out in the European Green Deal.The scheme, which will run until 31 December 2028, will be open to companies active in sectors listed in Annex I to the Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy 2022 (‘CEEAG'). Those sectors rely heavily on electricity and are exposed to international trade.The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (‘TFEU'), which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, and the CEEAG. On this basis, the Commission approved the Croatian scheme under EU State aid rules.Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "This €104 million scheme enables Croatia to reduce the risk that energy-intensive companies move their activities to locations outside the EU with less ambitious climate policies. At the same time, it maintains the incentives for an electrification and decarbonisation of the Croatian industry, in line with the European Green Deal objectives." (ICE ZAGABRIA)

Fonte notizia: European commission 31/1/2023