C-831/21 PFachverband Spielhallen eV and LM v European Commission

The court's own keywords

Appeal – State aid – Article 107(1) TFEU – Concept of ‘aid’ – Condition relating to selective advantage – Tax treatment of operators of public casinos in Germany – Levy on the profits – Partial deductibility of the amounts paid in respect of that levy from the tax base for income or corporation tax and trade tax – Decision of the European Commission – Rejection of a complaint at the end of the preliminary examination stage on the ground that that deductibility does not constitute State aid – Separate finding of no economic advantage and no selectivity – Action before the General Court of the European Union limited to the finding of no selectivity – Action deemed ineffective – Identification by the Commission of the reference system or ‘normal’ tax system – Interpretation for that purpose of the applicable national tax law – Classification of the levy on the profits as a ‘special tax’ deductible in respect of ‘costs associated with commercial transactions’ – Principle ne ultra petita.

Interprets