1. there has been an intervention by the State or through State resources which can take a variety of forms
2. the intervention gives the recipient an advantage on a selective basis (specific companies or industry sectors etc.) or to companies located in

As competition can be distorted by the State or through the use of State resources, the intervention can influence trade between Member States by impacting the available markets and trading opportunities. The intervention may provide a selected group of companies or industry sectors with an advantage relative to others, which can result in members of the selected group having an advantage in the market, while other companies may be disadvantaged. This can result in trade between Member States being affected as the trading conditions could be distorted in favour of the advantaged companies. This could have a detrimental effect on the entire market by resulting in an uneven playing field and decreased competition between companies.