This analysis therefore reveals a systemic fragility in EU State aid control. By focusing predominantly on the formal legality of aid, the Commission risks overlooking the broader economic dynamics of the internal market. The dilution of safeguards and the reliance on private enforcement expose the limits of a framework that was designed for exceptional circumstances but has gradually become a permanent feature of economic governance.

If State aid is to remain a legitimate and effective tool of crisis management, its control must evolve beyond ex ante legalistic assessments. A more comprehensive approach would integrate forward-looking economic analysis, anticipate structural impacts, and include systematic ex post monitoring of aid schemes. Only through such reforms can the Union reconcile the immediate necessity of intervention with its foundational commitment to undistorted competition.