Did EU State aid rules prevent British Steel bail out? Lords to take evidence
On Thursday 20 June, the House of Lords EU Internal Market Sub-Committee will take evidence from lawyers at DWP LLP on the UK's post-Brexit State aid regime and the role of EU State aid rules in the British Steel case. The session follows a previous report from the Committee, Brexit: competition and State aid, which was published in February 2018.
Giving evidence at 10.10am in Committee Room 4a will be:
- Jonathan Branton, Partner, DWF LLP
- Alexander Rose, Director, DWF LLP
The session will focus especially on British Steel, and what scope the Government had – and might still have – to provide support to the company within EU rules.
Questions are likely to include:
- How clear is the Government's position on the shape of the future UK State aid regime? What still needs to be clarified?
- The British Steel case has rekindled discussions on the extent to which EU rules limit the UK's ability to support the steel sector. Could you give us an overview of the EU State aid framework as applied to the steel industry?
- The Government has argued that it could not provide additional (emergency) financial support to British Steel because of the constraints of EU State aid rules. Do you share this assessment?
- Now that the company is in liquidation, what requirements would have to be met for the Government to act as an investor in British Steel?
