Begrebet »statsstøtte« finder dog ikke anvendelse på offentlige foranstaltninger, som differentierer mellem virksomheder, når denne differentiering er begrundet i karakteren eller opbygningen af det system, som de indgår i. Som angivet i Kommissionens meddelelse om statsstøttereglernes anvendelse på foranstaltninger vedrørende direkte beskatning af virksomheder [12] (»skattemeddelelsen«), kan visse forhold være begrundet i objektive forskelle mellem de skattepligtige enheder.
The concept of State aid does not apply, however, to state support measures which differentiate between undertakings where that differentiation arises from the nature or the overall structure of the system of which they form part. As explained in the Commission’s notice on the application of the State aid rules to measures relating to direct business taxation [12] (the taxation notice), ‘some conditions may be justified by objective differences between taxpayers’.