The European Commission has concluded that a French scheme providing support to the production of electricity from on-shore wind installations is compatible with EU state aid rules. Under the scheme, producers of renewable energy are compensated for additional production costs in line with EU guidelines, and do not receive overcompensation. In parallel, the Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether three types of reductions of renewable energy surcharges granted to large energy consumers in France (so-called CSPE) are in line with EU state aid rules. Under the existing rules, the CSPE is capped at 0.5% of the annual value added for industrial companies consuming at least 7 GWh/year and no CSPE is due on own consumption below 240 GWh/year and beyond €550 000 (indexed) per consumption site per year. According to the commission, these three reductions appear to give large electricity consumers a selective advantage that could distort competition in the Single Market. The opening of an in-depth investigation gives interested third parties an opportunity to submit comments on the measures under examination. It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.
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