Conor Quigley on State Aid and the Financial Crisis

State Aid and the Financial Crisis

About the Speakers:

Stan Maes joined the Chief Economist Team of DG Competition (European Commission) in October 2007, focussing on state aid and antitrust cases in the financial services industry. Before joining the Commission, Mr. Maes served as macroeconomic advisor of the Belgian Prime Minister in 2006-2007, as financial stability research economist at the National Bank of Belgium from 2003-2006, and as assistant professor of financial economics at the University of Amsterdam from 2002-2004.

Conor Quigley is a leading barrister with Brick Court Chambers in London and specialises in European and competition law. He has appeared in many leading cases in the High Court, Court of Appeal, House of Lords, Court of First Instance and the European Court of Justice and has been involved in investigations and complaints before the European Commission and the Office of Fair Trading.

About the Speeches:

As banks and industry struggle to cope with the financial crisis many EU governments have been forced to resort to state support schemes. During this period of rapidly undertaken state aid programmes, the Commission has attempted to promote economic stability and legal certainty, while also ensuring that state aid plans do not lead to protectionism and the undermining of the Single Market.

In light of the rapid developments in state aid policy over the last 12 months, this is an excellent opportunity to hear the perspective of competition economist Mr. Stan Maes on the Commissions role.

Mr. Quigley addressed the theme of tackling the distortions of competition caused by State aid to the financial sector. He compared the rescue/restructuring measures that have been adopted in a different Member States, including consideration of the different contexts and legal issues arising from these measures.

Category:

News & Politics

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