State aid
We give you a brief update on State Aid in light of the upcoming end of the transition period.
State aid is something that is often viewed as a dark art which only a few fully understand. It can be one of the most confusing areas when it comes to accessing funding, the UK leaving the European Union has only added to this confusion. We do know that at the end of the transition period the UK will follow WTO (World Trade Organisation) subsidy rules.
UK Government have advised that guidance will be published before the end of the year for public authorities that will explain the WTO rules and any additional commitments on subsidies agreed through the UK’s free trade agreements. Parliament is currently scrutinising legislation to remove redundant EU state aid rules from the statute book at the end of the transition period.
So what does this mean for you?
At this point in time Welsh Government are operating a ‘business as usual’ model until otherwise advised. The Welsh Government State aid unit are working closely with UK Government to get the necessary guidance in place before the end of the transition period. We will be keeping a close eye on any information published and will provide updates and guidance as soon as we can.
To make sure you always have the most up to date information relating to State aid, we would recommend that you sign up to Welsh Government State aid news burst by emailing State.Aid@gov.wales.
If you are currently navigating State aid questions, there is still support you can access. 3-SET have a State aid Information Sheet which will help you understand some of the basic principles and provides a handy flow chart to help you try to establish if your funding is reportable as State Aid.
Welsh Government also have an really informative section on their website and some handy videos on their YouTube channel to help you understand how to spot State aid.
If you would like to chat through any questions about State aid please feel free to get in touch with us at 3set@wcva.cymru and we will do our best to help.