On 16 September 2025, the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine hosted an educational webinar on “Services of General Economic Interest and State Aid Rules”.

The session was led by Stefan Weber, Professor of International Business and Finance Law at the Europa-Institut, Saarland University (Saarbrücken, Germany), and a graduate of Harvard Law School (LL.M.).

In his lecture, Professor Weber examined the essence and evolution of the concept of services of general economic interest (SGEI), highlighting that while EU Member States have broad discretion in defining and financing such services, they must do so within the framework of EU law.

He placed particular focus on:

·     examples of SGEI established in the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU, including water, gas, and electricity supply, postal services, transport, healthcare, and social services;

·  the conditions under which state aid is considered lawful, notably the Altmark criteria, as well as Commission Decision 2012/21/EU on compensation for the provision of public services;

·     the role of the European Commission in overseeing state aid and the notification mechanisms set out in Articles 106–108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU);

·     the use of state aid as a tool to address economic crises and to advance sustainable development goals, energy efficiency, and innovation.

Professor Weber also emphasized that a precise definition and transparent financing of services of general economic interest enable states to deliver essential public functions effectively, while upholding the principles of competition within the EU internal market.

This webinar formed part of the Research Service’s broader series of educational events designed to strengthen the analytical capacity of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and to support the country’s process of European integration.

Simultaneous interpretation for the webinar was provided thanks to “Ukraine2EU – EU Integration Support Programme for Ukraine”, which made the event accessible to a broader audience.