If you are aware of unlawful State Aid, you may choose to make a complaint.
A State Aid complaint carries serious consequences so we recommend that before you do so that you contact the legal department of the public sector organisation that has made the award directly and offer them the opportunity to explain how the award is compliant with State Aid law.
As public organisations are legally required to comply with State Aid law, they should be willing to provide a response to your request.
There are two ways to make a complaint.
The first is to complete the European Commission’s on-line form. The on-line State Aid complaint form is free, easy to use and can be completed anonymously. The form can be found here.
The second means of making a complaint is to enter into litigation with the funding organisation. The European Commission is making this form of action easier and it is now possible to take action through your local courts. The advantage of this process is that it might be possible to receive damages for unlawful aid if it can be shown you have been directly disadvantaged.