30. The State and the Common Market

Abstract

All books in this flagship series contain carefully selected substantial extracts from key cases, legislation, and academic debate, providing students with a stand-alone resource. This chapter examines the way in which the actions of the state can infringe the Treaty. The Treaty contains a number of relevant provisions, including Article 4(3) TEU, and Articles 14, 34, 101, 102, 106, and 107-109 TFEU. While there are valid reasons for EU controls, the topics discussed raise important issues concerning the very nature of the EU. Thus, the jurisprudence under Article 106 has prompted questions about how far it is possible for a state to entrust certain activities to a public monopoly, or to a private firm that has exclusive rights. The UK version contains a further section analysing issues concerning state aids and the UK post-Brexit.