Commission approves pound 20 million State aid for agricultural, fishing and aquaculture companies in Friuli Venezia Giulia region facing increased fuel and fertiliser prices
The European Commission has approved a pound 20 million State aid scheme for agricultural and fishing companies in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia that are facing increased fuel and fertiliser prices due to the Middle East crisis. The scheme was approved under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF) adopted by the Commission on 29 April 2026.
The scheme, which will run until 31 December 2026, aims at mitigating the impact of the increase in agricultural fuel and fertiliser prices, as well as in fishery and aquaculture fuel prices. The aid will take the form of direct grants and subsidised loans. It will be determined on the basis of the size of land used for the primary production of agricultural products, and on the basis of estimates of fuel consumption in the primary production of fishery and aquaculture products, capped to pound 50,000 per beneficiary. The aid is paid by the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules, in particular Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which enables Member States to support the development of certain economic activities subject to certain conditions, as well as Sections 1 and 2.1 of the METSAF. The Commission found that the scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the METSAF. In particular, aid will be granted based on a scheme with a clear estimated budget and will be provided to temporarily support the development of companies active in primary production of agricultural products. The Commission concluded that the scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to facilitate the development of an economic activity and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest. On this basis, the Commission approved the Italian regional scheme under EU State aid rules.
More information on the METSAF is available online. The non-confidential versions of today’s decisions will be made available under case number SA.123315, in the State aid register on the Commission’s competition website.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Luuk de Klein – Tel.: +32 2 299 47 74)
Commission clears acquisition of Formosa 2 by PSPIB and JERA Nex bp
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Formosa 2 International Investment Co., Ltd (‘Formosa 2′) of Taiwan by the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (‘PSPIB’) of Canada and JERA Nex bp Limited of the UK.
The transaction relates primarily to the sector of offshore wind farms in Taiwan.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the limited impact on the European Economic Area. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12532.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission clears acquisition of Majis by Iv3 and Rakiza
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of Majis Industrial Services (‘Majis’) of Oman by Iv3 Aqua Holding A/S (‘Iv3′) of Denmark, ultimately solely controlled by A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal of Denmark, and Rakiza GP I Ltd (‘Rakiza’) of Guernsey, a fund ultimately jointly controlled by the Oman Investment Authority of Oman and Equitix Investment Management Ltd of the UK.
The transaction relates primarily to the industry of water supply, desalination and wastewater management in a specific region in Oman.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the limited impact on the European Economic Area. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12535.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Commission clears creation of joint venture EPL by Indorama and Blackstone
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture EPL Ltd., including Indovida India, both of India, by Indorama Netherlands B.V. of the Netherlands, controlled by Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (‘Indorama’) of Thailand, and Epsilon Bidco Pte. Ltd. of Singapore, controlled by Blackstone Inc. of the US.
The transaction relates to the manufacturing and sale of plastic packaging products and PET materials.
The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given the companies’ limited combined market position resulting from the proposed transaction. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.12457.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry- Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83)
Statement by President von der Leyen, Executive Vice-President Mînzatu, and Commissioner Lahbib ahead of European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day
On 2 August, we commemorated European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, and Hadja Lahbib Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, issued the following statement:
“Today, we mark the eighty-second anniversary of one of the darkest chapters in Europe’s history. On the night of 2 August 1944, 4,300 Roma and Sinti children, women and men were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau. They were among the more than 500,000 Roma who lost their lives during the Holocaust – a genocide that destroyed families, communities and cultures, and claimed at least a quarter of the Roma population living in Europe at the time.
For decades, the suffering of Roma and Sinti victims was overlooked, their voices unheard, their families left with an absence that could never be filled. Today, we honour their memory and reaffirm our shared responsibility to ensure that this chapter of the Holocaust is never forgotten or diminished.
As the voices of survivors become fewer with each passing year, our responsibility to preserve their memory grows greater. Each year, we mark 2 August as European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. By remembering the past, we reaffirm our commitment to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.
While we learn from the past, we must also address the injustices of the present. Antigypsyism remains an enduring challenge for many Roma across Europe, continuing to drive inequality, social exclusion, systemic discrimination and violence. This is unacceptable. We stand united against discrimination, racism and hatred in all their forms. Confronting this legacy is a foundational pillar of our Roma Strategic Framework 2020-2030, which champions Roma inclusion in all aspects of life. The recently adopted Anti-Racism Strategy 2026-2030 also explicitly targets antigypsyism as a distinct and severe form of racism which requires dedicated action.
We hold the memory of the victims in our hearts and we will never forget them. We renew our commitment to uphold the values on which our Union is built. It is through remembrance, education and determined action, that we can build a Union where every person can live in dignity, equality and freedom. Hatred has no place in Europe.