In a fit of legislative tidy-mindedness (officially known as “clarity and rationality”), the EU legislature has decided to “consolidate” Council Regulations 659/99 (the main Regulation governing State aid procedures) and 994/98 (which confers exemption-making powers on the Commission). “Consolidation” here means repeal and replace with an identical Regulation with all the Articles renumbered.
These Regulations were published on 24 September in the Official Journal (L248) and come into force on the 20th day after publication (14 October, by my calculation). Council Regulation 2015/1589 replaces old 659/99 and Council Regulation 2015/1588 replaces old 994/98.
Nothing will change – but those of us who write and advise in this area will from then on have to remember to refer to the new Regulations and Article numbers.
George Peretz QC