Review note

The issue of when a state is permitted under European Community Law to provide financial aid to a private economic entity is one of the central questions in Community law today, and this book admirably analyzes the many aspects of it. Article 92 of the Rome Treaty prohibits state aid except under stated circumstances, and thus the book focuses on the interpretation and application of that provision.

The author examines in traditional European treatise form the elements the doctrinal elements of the provision -- definition of state aid, justifications for it, its forms, etc. -- as well as the procedural aspects of implementing it. The presentation is detailed and thorough, but felicitous organization and a clear and transparent style prevent it from becoming turgid. It is, therefore, highly accessible, even to the non-specialist.

The presentation basically organizes and describes the doctrinal issues relating to the material. In addition, the author often makes useful references to issues of economic theory that relate to the doctrinal analysis. In particular, he keeps in mind, as some authors do not, that state aids issues are first and foremost about economic competition, and he raises relevant issues about the relationship of the law in this area to related areas such as Community competition law. He does not, however, pursue any particular policy theme about the role of state aids in the Community, nor does he delve deeply into the political controversies that the law in the area implicates.