Onderzoek naar plannen voor staatssteun aan Italiaanse uitgevers (en)

Today, the European Commission launched proceedings with regard to two aid schemes in favour of the publishing industry in Italy. This probe will allow the Commission to obtain more information on the schemes and invites comments from interested third parties. The decision to open a formal investigation is without prejudice to the final decision on the measures under review.

The notified scheme covers press agencies, multimedia undertakings, printing firms, distributors of newspapers, periodicals and books as well as radio and television broadcasters. The assistance is given in the form of a tax credit and loan interest payments for the financing of certain projects deemed eligible for aid. Eligible projects comprise technical restructuring, the acquisition, extension or modernisation of equipment in particular information technology hardware and software and expenditure for vocational training.

According to the Italian authorities, intra-Community trade in Italian language publications is marginal. The proceedings launched today will allow the Commission to verify this claim. This is necessary because the beneficiaries of the aid are not just Italian language newspapers and periodicals but also include multimedia companies, radio and TV broadcasters and printing businesses. These activities are potentially wider in scope than the national market.

In these circumstances the Commission needs further information to allay its doubts concerning the marginal effect on intra EU trade of the notified schemes.

Furthermore, while some of the aid measures under review may indirectly result in promoting the Italian culture and language a legitimate goal under the EU's State aid policy some of the projects eligible for aid seem to go beyond the promotion of Italian culture. This may be true for projects of technical restructuring, vocational training, or projects involving new plants or the purchase of equipment and patents necessary at all phases of the publishing production cycle. The investigation launched today will further probe these issues.