The European Commission has opened a public consultation on a draft overhaul of its General Block Exemption Regulation — the rulebook that lets EU countries hand out certain types of state aid without getting prior approval from Brussels — with comments invited until 23 April 2026.
The General Block Exemption Regulation, known as the GBER, sets out categories of public support that are treated as compatible with EU state aid rules if they meet specified conditions, and are exempt from notification and approval by the Commission.
That system allows national governments to grant aid more quickly, provided it limits distortions of competition in the EU single market, the EU executive noted in a statement on Wednesday.
The Commission said it is proposing a “simpler and more streamlined” update after 12 years of use and several amendments, and plans to put a new version in place before the current rules expire at the end of 2026.
Among the changes set out in the draft is a new set of “straightforward conditions” for small amounts of aid for certain projects, such as research and development and environmental protection, regardless of a company’s size.
The Commission said this would simplify access to aid for groups including small mid-cap firms and social enterprises.
The draft also includes changes aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises, including more flexible “risk finance” tools, and allowing aid through favourable tax treatment of employee share options and warrants.
Renewables, housing and skills
Rules on operating aid for renewable energy would be expanded, including removing the current €300 million annual overall budget limit for such aid schemes while keeping a cap per beneficiary, the Commission said.
The draft also updates provisions linked to housing, allowing higher aid intensities for energy-efficiency measures in social or affordable housing projects and for social enterprises providing housing.
On research and innovation, the Commission said some young, innovative firms would no longer be excluded from eligibility for R&D and innovation support because of a weak equity base or because they use cash reserves for product development, and it would be easier to grant aid to innovation clusters and research, testing and experimental infrastructure.
Other proposals include higher possible aid for training workers in digital and STEM skills, and making agricultural production, fisheries and aquaculture eligible for most aid categories under the GBER.
The draft would also update rules on aid for airports, including increasing the permitted size of airports eligible for operating aid, and would clarify how aid delivered through financial intermediaries such as investment funds or banks can be treated.
As part of the overhaul, the Commission proposes allowing wider use of “simplified cost options” — such as lump sums or flat rates instead of documenting actual costs — and removing the obligation to evaluate large-budget aid schemes.
The consultation runs alongside discussions with EU member states, with adoption of the revised GBER planned for the end of 2026, before the current rules expire on 31 December 2026.
