Commission greenlights State aid to INRAP for mandatory archaeological excavations
The Commission has approved France’s compensation to the Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives (INRAP) for mandatory archaeological excavations carried out as operator of last resort between 2008 and 2021. INRAP, a public body active in preventive archaeology, is legally required to perform excavations when no other operator is available and receives State compensation for this public service task.
Following a complaint in 2018 and an in-depth investigation opened in 2021, the Commission assessed the measure under Article 107(3)(d) TFEU. It concluded that the compensation is necessary and appropriate to promote culture and heritage conservation, proportionate, and limited to the minimum required, with only a limited impact on competition and trade within the EU.
For more information, see the Commission’s PR.