Source: European Parliament
1. In general, State aid should not encourage or facilitate the relocation of services or production from one Member State to another. EU State aid rules contain safeguards in this sense. The Hungarian aid to Apollo Tyres was granted in the context of state aid schemes approved by Commission decisions in cases SA.56926 and SA.57375[1]. The schemes were adopted to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and to partially compensate companies for losses suffered because of the lockdown measures introduced by the Hungarian Government, in line with the state aid rules applicable to this type of situations.
2. Regarding the alleged closure and relocation of the Enschede factory, the Commission cannot interfere in specific company decisions regarding restructuring plans.
3. The Commission decisions in cases SA.56926 and SA.57375 do not depart from the standard interpretation of the applicable state aid rules. Furthermore, the Commission does not have any indication that the Hungarian schemes at issue were not implemented in line with those decisions.
- [1] Commission decision of 8 April 2020 in case SA.56926 (2020/N) — Hungary COVID-19: Aid measures for increasing competitiveness of undertakings in relation with the COVID-19 outbreak, OJ C 144 of 30.4.2020; Commission decision of 23 June 2020 in case SA.57375 (2020/N) — Hungary COVID-19: Compensation scheme related to the recovery of the Hungarian economy, OJ C 302 of 11.9.2020.