Webinar “Services of General Economic Interest and State Aid Rules” – New Educational Initiative by the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
On 16 September 2025, the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine hosted an educational webinar entitled “Services of General Economic Interest and State Aid Rules”.
The session was led by Professor Stefan Weber of the Europa-Institut, Saarland University (Saarbrücken, Germany).
In his presentation, Professor Weber explored the essence and evolution of the concept of Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI), and discussed how EU Member States have discretion in defining and financing such services, provided they comply with EU law.
Key topics covered include:
-
examples of SGEI in the case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU: water, gas and electricity supply, postal services, transport, healthcare, social services
-
the conditions under which state aid is considered lawful, including the Altmark criteria; Commission Decision 2012/21/EU on compensation for the provision of public services
-
the role of the European Commission in supervising state aid and the notification mechanisms under Articles 106–108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)
-
using state aid as a tool for responding to economic crises, advancing sustainable development, energy efficiency, and innovation
This webinar is part of the Research Service’s broader series of educational events aimed at strengthening the analytical capacity of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and supporting the country’s European integration process.
For students and faculty of the Department of International and European Law at NaUKMA, this event offers a valuable opportunity to:
-
deepen understanding of state aid rules and regulation of general economic interest in the EU legal context;
-
gain insights into EU jurisprudence and legal practice;
-
inspire research ideas in public international law, EU law, economic regulation, human rights, and social services.