The EU Commission opens an in-depth investigation to assess whether “excess profit” tax rulings granted by Belgium to multiple multinational companies are in line with EU State aids rules

State aid: Commission opens in-depth investigations into individual “excess profit” tax rulings granted by Belgium to 39 multinational companies* The European Commission has opened separate in-depth investigations to assess whether “excess profit” tax rulings granted by Belgium to 39 multinational companies gave those companies an unfair advantage over their competitors, in breach of EU State aid rules. Today's opening decisions follow the General Court's February 2019 annulment of the Commission's January 2016decision concluding that the same tax rulings formed part of a Belgian aid scheme that was illegal under EU State aid rules. The Court did not take a position on whether or not the “excess profit” tax exemptions gave rise to illegal State aid but found that the Commission had