Advanced State Aid Seminar and Maastricht Forum on State Aid

For more information about the activity, please contact:

Objectives:
The aim of this Advanced Seminar is to discuss the main recent developments and future challenges in state aid policy in the European Union. In order to devise appropriate aid schemes, not only must Member States ensure an accurate interpretation of the EC legal requirements, but they must also have a proper understanding of the approach adopted by the Commission. In this respect, case study analysis and exchange of experiences with officials from Community institutions and Member States is essential.
The Advanced Seminar intends to bring together senior national and Community officials to address issues such as:

• Policy and legal developments in the field of state aid.
• Recent case law concerning the concept of state aid and the procedures for notification and recovery of state aid.
• Market definition in cases of individual assessment.
• Determination of the necessity and incentive effect of state aid.
• The temporary framework for access to finance.
• Services of general economic interest.
• Application of the private investor principle.
Emphasis will be placed on the presentation of concrete cases, rigorous analysis and informal exchange of information and experience.

Target Group:
The Advanced Seminar should be of particular interest to policy-makers and practitioners involved in the formulation and implementation of state aid schemes, as well as to lawyers and business managers that have to operate within the scope of the EC state aid regime.
The purpose of the Maastricht Forum on State Aid, which this year will focus on the necessity and the incentive effects of state aid, is to provide an opportunity to participants to discuss issues of common concern and identify potential solutions. The deliberations of the Forum will be published in proceedings that will be widely distributed.

Programme
The programme will commence on Thursday 25 June at 9.30 hrs and finish on Friday 26 June 2009 at 15.30 hrs.

Seminar venue
The seminar will take place in the Green Conference Room (1.45) at the European Institute of Public Administration, O.L. Vrouweplein 22, NL-6211 HE Maastricht, tel.: +31.43.3296222, fax: +31.43.3296296.

Working language
The seminar will be conducted in English.

Fee
The participation fee is € 875 and includes documentation, 2 lunches, 1 reception and refreshments. EIPA offers its members a reduction of 10% of the registration fee. This reduction is available to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s member countries (i.e. AT, BE, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, LT, LU, MT, NL, PL, PT, ES, SE, UK) as well as civil servants working for an EU institution or agency. If you are eligible for a discount, please tick the box in the registration form. Please note that reductions cannot be accumulated. For more information, please visit EIPA’s website: www.eipa.eu (FAQ-special discounts).Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration. Participants will receive a copy of the new 2008 edition of our book “State Aid Policy in the European Community: Principles and Practice”, which is published in cooperation with Kluwer. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

Hotel reservations
The European Institute of Public Administration will be pleased to make reservations for you at a hotel in Maastricht. We have made a block booking at the following hotels: Hotel Beaumont**** (www.beaumont.nl) at a rate of € 99,62 p.p.p.n. (incl. breakfast and tourist) Hotel Mabi**** (www.hotel-mabi.nl), at a rate of € 98,12 p.p.p.n. (incl. breakfast and tourist tax). Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please indicate the name of the hotel and the dates of arrival and departure on the registration form. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel on checking out. Please note that if you register after the closing date, hotel reservations cannot be guaranteed.

Meals
The lunches will be served at the Institute’s restaurant. Should you require a special menu (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic), please inform the Programme Organiser so that this can be arranged.

Registration
Kindly complete the registration form and return it before Thursday 4 June 2009 to Ms Winny Curfs, Programme Organiser, European Institute of Public Administration, P.O. Box 1229, NL-6201 BE Maastricht, tel.: +31.43.3296320, fax: +31.43.3296296, e-mail: w.curfs@eipa-nl.com. You can also submit the online registration form which can be found on EIPA’s web site: http://www.eipa.nl (conferences). Please submit your application as soon as possible. Since our State Aid seminars and workshops tend to be fully booked well in advance of the registration deadline, EIPA operates a system of first-come-firstserve.

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. For cancellations received after the date indicated on the registration form we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless a replacement participant is found.