Public consultations : review of the Communication on the Framework for State aid for research and development and innovation

The European Commission has launched today a public consultationinviting all interested parties to comment on a proposed targeted revision of the State aid Framework for research, development and innovation (the “RDI Framework”). Interested parties can respond to the consultation for eight weeks, until 3 June 2021.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “We want to further simplify our existing State aid Framework to make it easier for Member States to support research, development and innovation, including by small and medium sized enterprises, while ensuring that possible competition distortions are kept to the minimum. We now invite stakeholders to share their views. All this to provide the right incentives to tackle the challenges we are facing and enable Europe's green and digital transition.”

Target group

All citizens, organisations, companies, and public authorities are welcome to contribute to this consultation.

Period of consultation

From 08.04.2021 to 03.06.2021 (8 weeks later)

RDI framework

The RDI Framework aims at facilitating research, development and innovation (“RDI”) activities, which, due to market failures, would not occur in the absence of public support. In this respect, the RDI Framework enables Member States, subject to certain conditions, to provide the necessary incentives to companies and the research community to carry out these important activities and investments in this field.

The Commission has conducted an evaluation of the current RDI Framework as part of the State aid Fitness Check.

Objective of the consultation

The evaluation of the Communication on the Framework for State aid for research and development and innovation (R&D&I) in the context of the Fitness Check of State aid rules showed that the current provisions are effective and facilitate investment in the field of R&D&I at both European and national levels. However, some targeted adjustments remain necessary to reflect current regulatory, economic and technological developments. New current Commission strategic priorities need also to be taken into account, such as the Industrial and Digital Strategy and the European Green Deal.

More specifically, the revision of the Framework for State aid for R&D&I focuses on the following areas:

1. Improving and updating the existing definitions of research and innovation activities eligible for support under the RDI Framework, in particular to clarify their applicability with respect to digital technologies and activities related to digitalisation. This aims at providing legal certainty to Member States and stakeholders, while facilitating RDI investments that will enable the digital transformation of companies in the EU.
2. Introducing new provisions to enable public support for technology infrastructures (e.g. facilities, equipment, capabilities and support services required to develop, test and upscale technology, such as testing labs) with a view to incentivise RDI investments in this type of infrastructures. This aims at further enabling the swift development of innovative technologies especially by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and facilitating the green and digital transition of the EU economy.
3. Simplifying certain rules, for example by introducing a simplified indirect cost calculation methodology for determining the eligible costs, in order to facilitate the practical application of the RDI Framework, where the evaluation has identified possible excessive administrative burden for companies and managing authorities.

The draft RDI Framework and all the details about the public consultation are available online.

How to submit your contribution

We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations, companies and public authorities.

• If you are answering this consultation as a NGO or individual citizen, please click here to submit your contribution.
• If you are answering this consultation on behalf of an association or organisation, please click here to submit your contribution.
• If you are answering this consultation as a company, please click here to submit your contribution.
• If you are answering this consultation on behalf of a public authority, please click here to submit your contribution.

Received contributions will be published on this webpage. Only submissions that are clearly marked "CONFIDENTIAL" (in English, in capital letters) will be treated as such and not published. In that case, please also provide a non-confidential version of your reply. It is important to read the privacy statement attached to this consultation for information on how your personal data and contribution will be dealt with.

We would appreciate receiving submissions electronically, as attachments to emails in .doc or .pdf format. Please see for contact details below.

Please note that we cannot guarantee to take account of replies received after the deadline.

Consultation document

Please note that the consultation will be launched based on the English version of the text. The translations into all EU languages will be added gradually on this website. These are non-official translations. In case of doubt, the English version prevails.

Draft RDIF Communication: en

Reference documents

Please note that the background note will be launched based on the English version of the text. The translations into all EU languages will be added gradually to this website. These are non-official translations. In case of doubt, the English version prevails.

Background note accompanying the consultation on the draft RDIF Communication: en

Roadmap

Press release