On state aid, EU shouldn’t get bogged down on little things

Public measures do not fall into EU state aid regulations unless their impact extends across borders into other EU member states, writes Margrethe Vestager, the EU competition commissioner

WHEN the EU takes action, it has to add clear value — create jobs; protect the environment; and make a coherent difference in Europe and the world.

It can, of course, remove burdens on companies by allowing them to deal with a single set of rules instead of 28 different ones. Some decisions should, therefore, be taken at European level — just as well as some issues are better decided at national or regional level. This is a firm principle of European democracy and the EU Treaty.