The regime governing the control of state aids and subsidies in the EU is undergoing profound change and is one of the most active fields of contentious law in the EC. In the past few years, the Commission has turned its attentions, through the State Aid Action Plan, to updating and modernising the framework of state aid regulation, streamlining its procedures, and introducing greater economic rigour in the assessment of state aids. In addition, there has been a series of landmark rulings from the European Court (Ryanair, BUPA etc) which have created important precedents in terms of defining what is a subsidy. Undoubtedly the global financial crisis has also played a huge part in highlighting the role of state aid regulation. The series of bank bailouts, and the growing clamour by many sections of industry for more subsidies to help ride the current economic climate, have vigorously stress-tested the Commission's handling of state aid. It has also raised significant question marks over the robustness of the current regime, and the future direction of state aid policy in the Member States once Europe comes out of recession. This conference is a timely opportunity to take stock of recent developments in case law and policy, to consider current enforcement priorities, and also to look at the broader trends in state aid regulation and their likely impact on business.

• Cyrus Mehta Partner Nabarro
• Barbara Brandtner Head of Unit Enforcement and Procedural Reform DG Competition European Commission
• Christian Ahlborn Partner Linklaters LLP
• Conor Quigley QC Brick Court Chambers
• Gunnar Niels Director Oxera
• Edith Templeton State Aid Branch Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
• Michael Schütte Attorney at Law, Brussels
• Christopher Vajda QC Monckton Chambers
• Niamh McCarthy Competition and Regulatory Lawyer British Airways