EU Commission extends part of easier state aid rules to June 2024

The European Commission on Monday said it would extend easier state aid rules to June next year to allow EU countries to compensate companies for high energy prices resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The EU executive relaxed its state aid rules in March last year after thousands of companies were hit by the war in Ukraine, saying the easier regime would end in December this year.

"(This) will allow Member States, where needed, to extend their support schemes and ensure that companies still affected by the crisis will not be cut off from necessary support in the upcoming winter heating period," the Commission said in a statement.