EFTA Surveillance Authority : State Aid: New guidelines on short-term export-credit insurance adopted

30.1.2013

PR(13)6

Today, the EFTA Surveillance Authority adopted new guidelines for the assessment of state aid in the context ofshort-term export-credit insurance.

The new guidelines are based on experience gained in applying the previous guidelines on short-term export-credit insurance, in particular during the financial crisis between 2009 and 2011.

The rules set out in these guidelines will help to ensure that state aid does not distort competition among private and public or publicly supported export-credit insurers and to create a level-playing field among exporters.

The new guidelines give the EEA EFTA States more detailed guidance about the principles on which the Authority intends to base its interpretation of Articles 61 and 62 of the EEA Agreement and their application to short-term export-credit insurance. The Authority's policy in this area should be as transparent as possible and ensure predictability and equal treatment. To that end, the new guidelines lay down a set of conditions that must be fulfilled when State insurers wish to enter the short-term export- credit insurance market for marketable risks. The main changes from the previous guidelines are the following;

•  Identification of possible market gaps that could justify State intervention.
• Introduction of conditions under which such intervention can take place in line with EEA state aid rules.
• Possibility to modify the list of marketable risks countries. 

The State Aid Guidelines can be consulted on the Authority's website.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Trygve Mellvang-Berg
Press & Information Officer
tel. [phone]
mob. [phone]