Independent wind farm owners in Ireland are taking a legal challenge against the European Commission over its refusal to conduct a formal investigation into claims that fossil fuel electricity producers in Ireland are being granted illegal State aid in the form of reduced commercial rates.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) will begin a hearing tomorrow in a case taken by the Irish Wind Farmers’ Association (IWFA) and three of its members against the summary dismissal in 2019 by the then EU Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, of its claims.
The Commission refused to initiate a formal investigation procedure after concluding the method for assessing commercial rates for fossil fuel electricity producers did not constitute State aid under EU legislation. The IWFA had filed its original claim in February 2016.