EU drafts easier state aid rules for small media outlets

The European Commission is revising the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), the EU's core state aid framework, and a roughly 200-page draft obtained by Politico shows a new carve-out for small and medium-sized press outlets. Under the proposal, EU governments would be able to subsidize small local and independent media without formal vetting from Brussels.

The Commission argues that small and medium press businesses play an essential role in protecting media pluralism, cultural and linguistic diversity, democratic participation, and citizens' access to reliable information, especially at local and regional level. To qualify for aid, outlets would need to meet at least one item on a Commission checklist, such as preserving media pluralism and opinion diversity, or supporting the shift to digital content while maintaining print editions.

The move comes as many European media companies struggle financially, facing declining print readership and complaints that platforms like Google are diverting referral traffic away from their websites.

Wider context

GBER covers most of the economy, from agriculture to transport, and is a frequent target of lobbying from EU capitals. Big spenders such as Germany have traditionally clashed with smaller, free-trade-oriented countries, including the Nordics, which argue national subsidies distort the single market. Notably, Denmark has been among the strongest advocates for extending GBER exemptions to media.

Legal experts caution that while the revision aims to simplify state aid rules, it could end up making them more detailed and prescriptive instead. According to the Commission's latest figures, EU countries spent €168.2 billion on state aid in 2024, with Germany, France and Italy the biggest spenders, and block exemptions under GBER now account for close to 70 percent of all active exemption measures.