Existing aid: The General Court of the European Union confirms the decision of the European Commission in which it held, without initiating the formal investigation procedure, that the financial support provided by the Land of Lower Saxony to associations operating in the social field constituted, in so far as it could be classified as State aid, existing aid (Verband Deutscher Alten und Behindertenhilfe and CarePool Hannover)

*This article is an automatic translation of the original article, provided here for your convenience. Read the original article. In order to support associations working in the social field, the Land of Lower Saxony has been providing them with financial support since 1956. These associations provide services which may be of an economic nature (outpatient, hospital or mixed care) or non-economic (help and accommodation for the homeless, aid for refugees). Background Following a complaint lodged by VDAB and CPH, entities providing certain similar services, the Commission took the view, by a decision of 23 November 2017(OJ 2018 C 61, p. 1) adopted without initiating the formal investigation procedure, that, in so far as it might constitute State aid, that financing was to be