Why control state aid a company which receives government support gains an advantage over its competitors therefore the treaty generally prohibits state aid unless it is justified by reasons of general economic development to ensure that this prohibition is respected and exemptions are applied equally across the european union the european commission is in charge of ensuring that state . State aid in the european union is the name given to a subsidy or any other aid provided by a government that distorts competitions under european union competition law the term has a legal meaning being any measure that demonstrates any of the characteristics in article 107 of treaty on the functioning of the european union in that if it distorts competition or the free market it is . In turn state aid and subsidies law is linked to economic constitutional administrative law of the eu and the member states as well as to public international law this book brings together leading experts from academia the judiciary civil servants from the european commission and practising lawyers to provide expert opinion and commentary on the diverse dimensions of the complex and . State aid law of the european union edited by herwig c h hofmann and claire micheau provides an in depth analysis and critical examination of state aid and subsidies law contextualizes the economic and political implications of the various dimensions of eu state aid law variety of perspectives from academia practice the judiciary and civil service provide a rounded approach and