UK Government has published guidance to assist public sector organisations comply with the regime and has confirmed it will consult on changes to the regime during 2021. Examples Banking Crisis In 2008, the British government was granted permission from the European Commission to provide state aid to nationalise Lloyds TSB during the financial crisis of 2007–08. However, the Commission decreed that because Lloyds TSB's financial requirements had come about from their takeover of HBOS, in order for the state aid to be legal, they would have to sell part of their business. Lloyds Bank did this by splitting off TSB Bank as a separate company initially owned by them and sold it to Banco de Sabadell in order to stay within the EU's rules on state aid. Apple taxation case In 2016, following a 2-year investigation, the European Commission ruled that the Republic of Ireland had given tax rulings to Apple Inc that acted as a form of illegal state aid under EU competition law. Apple has been using a customized variation of the "double Irish" tax avoidance system (used by many US multinationals in Ireland). The rulings from the Irish Revenue Commissioners, which enabled the customization, were deemed to be unfair state aid. The Commission stated that as a result, Apple would have to pay €13 billion in Irish taxes (2004-2014), plus interest penalties, to the Irish government. The Irish cabinet stated they would challenge the Commission's finding of state aid and would appeal against the ruling. References External links 2015 EU and EFTA scoreboard, page 10 European Union competition law European Union economic policy