(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, JUN 29 - The EU Antitrust has decided to extend the ongoing investigation into Hungary's plans to grant a 108 m euro public aid to Samsung to expand its battery manufacturing plant in Göd, near Budapest. The intention is to clarify whether the measure had an "incentive effect" and was necessary to attract investment in Hungarian territory.

In October 2019, the Antitrust had decided to open an investigation into the measure to verify its regularity concerning EU rules on state aid for regional purposes and the adequacy and proportionality, and the risk of relocation of jobs from the other Member States in Hungary.

After the investigation began, Samsung and Budapest submitted some data to justify the need for the aid, focusing in particular on the fact that the South Korean group could have benefited from an investment grant and an exemption in an alternative location outside the EU and that Samsung's location search for the investment project also included several greenfield investment sites (new manufacturing facilities) across Europe. (ANSA).