Legislation – Subsidy Control Act 2022

New Search

Introduction

PART 1
Overview and key interpretation

1 Overview and application of Act

2 “Subsidy”

3 Financial assistance which confers an economic advantage

4 Financial assistance which is specific

5 Section 2: modification for air carriers

6 “Public authority”

7 “Enterprise”

8 Persons under common control

9 The subsidy control principles and the energy and environment principles

10 Subsidy schemes and streamlined subsidy schemes

11 Subsidies and schemes of interest or particular interest

PART 2
Subsidy control requirements

CHAPTER 1 Principles

12 Application of the subsidy control principles

13 Application of the energy and environment principles

CHAPTER 2 Prohibitions and other requirements

Introductory

14 Introductory

General prohibitions

15 Unlimited guarantees

16 Export performance

17 Use of domestic goods or services

18 Relocation of activities

Ailing or insolvent enterprises

19 Rescuing

20 Restructuring

21 Restructuring deposit takers or insurance companies

22 Liquidating deposit takers or insurance companies

23 Liquidity provision for deposit takers or insurance companies

24 Meaning of “ailing or insolvent”

25 Meaning of “deposit taker”

26 Meaning of “insurance company”

Other specific prohibitions and requirements

27 Subsidies for insurers that provide export credit insurance

28 Subsidies for air carriers for the operation of routes

29 Services of public economic interest

Subsidy schemes

30 Effect of prohibitions etc in relation to subsidy schemes

Subsidies or schemes subject to mandatory referral

31 Subsidies or schemes subject to mandatory referral

CHAPTER 3 Transparency

32 Subsidy database

33 Duty to include information in the subsidy database

34 Information to be included in the subsidy database

PART 3
Exemptions

CHAPTER 1 Introductory

35 Introductory

CHAPTER 2 Minimal or SPEI financial assistance

Minimal financial assistance

36 Minimal financial assistance

37 Section 36: procedural requirements

Services of public economic interest assistance

38 Services of public economic interest assistance

39 Section 38: procedural requirements

General

40 Mergers and acquisitions

41 Exemption for certain subsidies given to SPEI enterprises

42 Chapter 2: supplementary and interpretative provision

CHAPTER 3 Emergencies etc.

43 Natural disasters and other exceptional circumstances

44 National or global economic emergencies

CHAPTER 4 Other miscellaneous exemptions

45 National security

46 Bank of England monetary policy

47 Financial stability

48 Legacy and withdrawal agreement subsidies

49 Tax measures

50 Large cross-border or international cooperation projects

51 Nuclear energy

PART 4
CMA: referrals and functions

CHAPTER 1 Functions on referrals of subsidies and schemes

Mandatory referrals

52 Mandatory referral to CMA

53 CMA reporting period for mandatory referral

54 Cooling off period following mandatory referral

55 Call-in direction

Voluntary referrals

56 Voluntary referral to CMA

57 CMA reporting period for voluntary referral

58 Call-in direction following voluntary referral

Mandatory and voluntary referrals: contents of CMA report

59 CMA report following mandatory or voluntary referral

Post-award referrals

60 Post-award referrals

61 CMA reporting period for post-award referrals

62 CMA report following post-award referral

Exemptions

63 Referrals in relation to subsidy schemes

64 Other exemptions

CHAPTER 2 General functions

65 Monitoring and reporting on subsidy control

66 CMA annual report

67 Information-gathering powers

CHAPTER 3 Subsidy Advice Unit

68 Subsidy Advice Unit

69 References to subsidy control groups

PART 5
Enforcement

70 Review of subsidy decisions

71 Time limits for applications under section 70

72 CAT powers on review: England and Wales and Northern Ireland

73 CAT powers on review: Scotland

74 Recovery orders

75 Appeals against decisions of the CAT

76 Duty to provide pre-action information

77 Misuse of subsidies

PART 6
Miscellaneous and general

CHAPTER 1 Miscellaneous

78 Subsidies and schemes in primary legislation

79 Guidance

80 Disclosure of information

81 Modifications to subsidies and schemes

82 Gross cash and gross cash equivalent amount of financial assistance

83 Minor amendment to the Financial Services Act 2021

CHAPTER 2 General

84 Financial provision

85 Crown application

86 Power to make consequential provision

87 Regulations

88 Directions

89 Interpretation

90 Extent

91 Commencement

92 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 The subsidy control principles

SCHEDULE 2 The energy and environment principles

SCHEDULE 3 Subsidies provided by primary legislation

PART 3Exemptions

CHAPTER 2Minimal or SPEI financial assistance

General

42Chapter 2: supplementary and interpretative provision

(1)

The Secretary of State may by regulations—

(a)

amend section 36(1), 38(1) or 41(1) so as to substitute a different amount for the amount specified;

(b)

provide for a lower amount to apply, instead of an amount specified in section 36(1), 38(1) or 41(1), in the case of particular descriptions of subsidy;

(c)

amend section 36(4) or 38(4) so as to substitute a different amount for the amount specified;

(d)

provide for a different amount to apply, instead of an amount specified in section 36(4) or 38(4), in the case of particular descriptions of subsidy.

(2)

The power to make regulations under subsection (1)(a) may be exercised so as to substitute a higher amount for the purpose of securing that the amount specified in sterling is up to an equivalent of—

(a)

325,000 special drawing rights, in the case of the amount specified in section 36(1);

(b)

750,000 special drawing rights, in the case of the amount specified in section 38(1);

(c)

15,000,000 special drawing rights, in the case of the amount specified in section 41(1).

The amount determined as a result of the currency conversion carried out for this purpose may be rounded up or down to such convenient number as the Secretary of State thinks appropriate.

(3)

For the purpose of determining the equivalent in sterling on a particular day of a sum expressed in special drawing rights, one special drawing right is to be treated as such sum in sterling as the International Monetary Fund have fixed as being equivalent to one special drawing right—

(a)

for that day, or

(b)

if no sum has been fixed for that day, the last day before that day for which a sum has been so fixed.

(4)

An amount specified in regulations under subsection (1)(c) or (d) which amend section 36(4) may not exceed the amount specified in section 36(1).

(5)

An amount specified in regulations under subsection (1)(c) or (d) which amend section 38(4) may not exceed the amount specified in section 38(1).

(6)

Regulations under subsection (1) are subject to the affirmative procedure.

(7)

The following definitions apply for the purposes of this Chapter.

(8)

Minimal or SPEI financial assistance” means a subsidy given—

(a)

as minimal financial assistance,

(b)

as SPEI assistance,

(c)

before IP completion day under—

(i)

Commission Regulation (EU) No 360/2012 of 25 April 2012 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid granted to undertakings providing services of general economic interest,

(ii)

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1407/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid,

(iii)

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1408/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid in the agriculture sector, or

(iv)

Commission Regulation (EU) No 717/2014 of 27 June 2014 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid in the fishery and aquaculture sector,

(d)

after IP completion day under any of the Regulations mentioned in paragraph (c) by virtue of the Northern Ireland Protocol, or

(e)

after IP completion day and before the coming into force of this section under Article 364(4) or 365(3) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

(9)

Financial year” means a period of 12 months ending with 31 March.

(10)

Minimal financial assistance” has the meaning given by section 36(3).

(11)

SPEI assistance” has the meaning given by section 38(3).