Freedom and competition aspects of subsidies for newspaper publishers from the German Federal Government

5.12.2019

Question for written answer E-004251/2019
to the Commission
Rule 138
Christine Anderson (ID)

In future, newspaper publishers in Germany are to be subsidised using tax revenue. Much of this money will go to a publishing group controlled by the SPD, a party currently in government.

What is the Commission’s assessment of this plan with reference to freedom of the media under Article 11(2) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and to what extent does the Commission consider this project to be compatible with the democratic order and the rule of law?

What is the Commission’s assessment of these subsidies with reference to the general prohibition on State aid under Article 107 TFEU and to distortions of competition resulting from differential treatment of undertakings according to whether or not they are established in a given Member State?