Why do you limit the proposals to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to technological innovation? Should the Commission not also allow aid to large companies?
At this stage, the Commission only has evidence to justify ex-ante rules for technological innovation and for SMEs. But the document does not exclude aid to large companies. It contains open questions, and the Commission will decide on the best approach to take on the basis of the results of the public consultation. Again, the difficulty is to strike the right balance between addressing market failures hampering innovation and avoiding excessive distortions to competition and trade.
