Commission opens two in-depth investigations under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation in the solar photovoltaic sector

Today, the Commission launched two in-depth investigations under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The investigations relate to the potentially market distortive role of foreign subsidies given to bidders in a public procurement procedure. The Commission will assess whether the economic operators concerned did benefit from an unfair advantage to win public contracts in the EU.

The investigations launched today follow notifications submitted by on the one hand the ENEVO Group including LONGi Solar Technologie GmbH, and on the other hand Shanghai Electric UK Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Electric Hong Kong International Engineering Co. Ltd. The relevant public procedure was launched by a Romanian contracting authority (Societatea PARC FOTOVOLTAIC ROVINARI EST S.A.) for the design, construction and operation of a photovoltaic park in Romania, with an installed power of 110 MW. This project is partially financed by the EU Modernisation Fund.

According to the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, companies are obliged to notify their public procurement tenders in the EU when the estimated value of the contract exceeds €250 million, and when the company was granted at least €4 million in foreign financial contributions from at least one third country in the three years prior to notification.