The European Commission has approved the UK's map for granting state aid between 2014 and 2020.
The UK map meets the new regional aid guidelines adopted by the Commission in June 2013 set out the conditions under which Member States can grant state aid to businesses for regional development purposes.
Commission Vice President in charge of competition policy Joaquín Almunia said:
“The UK's new regional aid map supports the EU's cohesion policy and is in line with the principles of our ongoing state aid modernisation agenda. On the basis of the map approved today, the UK will now be able to implement its regional development strategy for 2014-2020.''
The UK's regional aid map defines the regions eligible under EU state aid rules for regional investment aid and establishes the maximum aid levels for companies in the eligible regions. The map will be in force between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2020.
The designated areas have a total population of 17.09 million or 27.05 % of the UK's population. The maximum levels of aid that can be granted to regional investment projects carried out by large enterprises in the assisted areas are between 10% and 25% of total investment costs, depending on the area concerned. For investments carried out by SMEs, the percentages can be increased.
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