SUNAJUST II

Acronym: SUNAJUST II
Title: Supporting National Judges on State Aid II

Can you provide a brief overview of SUNAJUST II project and its primary objectives?
The SUNAJUST II project is the continuation of SUNAJUST I, a specialised training initiative designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of national judges across the EU in the enforcement of State aid law.

The project is part of the broader effort of training national judges and judicial cooperation in the field of EU competition law, to ensure a consistent and coherent application of EU competition law at the national level, particularly in relation to State aid. Through SUNAJUST II, we immerse judges in their roles as European State aid judges by offering both a basic and an advanced training programme.

SUNAJUST II will result in comprehensive training materials, including manuals, knowledge clips, presentations, and exercises. We offer a series of workshops, ranging from the basics of State aid law and judicial cooperation (level I workshops), to the more advanced complexities of EU State aid law.

How does SUNAJUST II continue the work of SUNAJUST I ?
Given that SUNAJUST I was highly successful, SUNAJUST II will be open to more participants per workshop. Besides, we broaden the scope with SUNAJUST II. The content will be updated, and an advanced component will be added in the form of level II workshops, which are open to judges with a more advanced knowledge of State aid, as well as to participants who completed level I workshops. Here, we will take on a more case based approach, catering to the judges who already have a foundational understanding of State aid law. This tiered approach ensures that both newcomers and more experienced judges can benefit from the programme.

What role does VUB play in the SUNAJUST II, and what are some of its key contributions?
On the one hand, VUB is home to BCCP, the Brussels Centre for Competition Policy. This research group is a centre of excellence for interdisciplinary research on competition and industrial policy and is the driving force behind SUNAJUST II. The multidisciplinary team constitutes one of the strengths of SUNAJUST II. By combining expertise in both economics and law, we are very well equipped to tackle all complexities and nuances stemming from EU State aid law.

On the other hand, the administrative support provided by VUB for EU-funded projects is outstanding. This support is essential in managing the project’s logistics and finances, allowing us to focus on delivering high-quality results.

What will be the broader impact of the SUNAJUST II project?
By training over 120 judges, SUNAJUST II enhances the judicial enforcement of State aid rules, equipping national courts with the expertise needed to effectively manage State aid cases. This, in turn, will strengthen the dynamics of the single market, which is central to the resilience of the European economy. It relies on Member States cooperating and preventing a harmful subsidy race that could undermine fair competition.