The European Commission has adopted new rules on public support for projects in the field of environmental protection and energy. The new guidelines promote a gradual move towards market based support mechanisms and allow Member States to implement aid measures for securing adequate electricity generation. Furthermore, the new guidelines aim at supporting cross-border energy infrastructure in order to advance the single European energy market. Another central feature includes promoting the competitiveness of European industry by relieving the financial burden of certain energy intensive sectors with regard to the charges levied for the funding of renewable energy support.