Duitsland grootste Europese verstrekker van staatssteun in 2003 (en)

Germany is by far the most generous EU country in handing out state aid the EU State Aid Scoreboard compiled by the European Commission has revealed.

In total 16.4 bn euro was transferred from public coffers in state aid in 2003. Second came France paying out 8.8 bn euro followed by Italy at 7.1 bn euro and Spain at 4.0 bn euro.

The Competition Commissioner responsible, Neelie Kroes i, expressed disappointment that the overall level of aid has not fallen in line with commitments undertaken by the Member States at the Stockholm European Council in 2001.

She did however welcome the fact that there was a shift away from aid to individual companies and towards horizontal objectives such as Research and Development and the environment.

The total amount of state aid granted by the then fifteen Member States was estimated at €53 billion in 2003 (0.57% of the EU's GDP).

Of this €32 bn was earmarked for manufacturing and services, €14 billion for agriculture and fisheries, just over €5 billion for coal and a little over €1 billion for transport - excluding railways.