At a time when COVID-19 has put the world on pause, the use of aid schemes to widely support the European economy has never been so successful as today in Europe.
In this particular context, it is indeed a great pleasure to contribute this foreword to this special issue on State aid schemes.
An aid scheme is a State aid instrument favoured by the European Commission, through which the latter can draw the lines of authorised interventionism. Aid schemes can indeed be the means to achieve the objectives of common interest for which they have been set: regional development, protection of the environment, research and development, etc.