As already announced at the time of its adoption, the Commission is now assessing the need to prolong the Temporary Framework beyond its current validity until 31 December 2020, based on important competition policy or economic considerations. The Commission has sent to Member States for consultation a draft proposal (i) to prolong at current limits existing provisions of the Temporary Framework (including for liquidity support) for an additional six months until 30 June 2021, (ii) to extend the scope of the Temporary Framework by enabling Member States to contribute to the fixed costs of companies that are not covered by their revenues, and (iii) to adapt the conditions for recapitalisation measures under the Temporary Framework, in particular for the State's exit from enterprises where the State was an existing shareholder prior to the recapitalisation. Member States now have the possibility to comment on the Commission's draft proposal.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “Over the past seven months, our State Aid Temporary Framework has paved the way for almost €3 trillion of Member State potential support to businesses hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis. The effects of the crisis will stay with us for a while. That's why we are proposing to prolong the Temporary Framework until mid-next year and adjust it to continued needs of businesses, while protecting the EU's Single Market. We will decide on the way forward taking into account the views of all Member States. In parallel, we are working on the way forward to enable Europe's green and digital recovery – our State aid rules will play an important role guiding Member States to ensure that limited public funds are well targeted, do not crowd out private investments and seize the benefits of effective competition.“

The full Statement is available online.