Press Release: State aid: Commission gives France the go-ahead to grant €33 million to Carmat’s R&D programme for the development of an artificial heart

The European Commission decided not to raise any objections under the EC Treaty state aid rules to the financial support of €33 million granted by France to Carmat's R&D programme. The lead company, Carmat S.A.S., backed up by four industrial partners and a large number of SMEs acting as subcontractors, will have the task of designing and developing an artificial heart that is fully implantable, together with the associated electrical supply and telediagnostic systems. After scrutiny, the Commission concluded that the programme was compatible with the R&D&I framework. In particular, it remedied a market failure, and it will have a positive impact, especially in the public health sector, without significantly altering competition conditions.