An article about how the EU’s suspension of its normal state aid rules during Covid-19 is storing up political controversy on competition and level-playing field further down the line. The relaxation of EU state aid rules has achieved its objective of shielding the economy from the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, but problems loom on the horizon. The crisis is unlikely to end as abruptly as it began, meaning there won’t be an obvious cue to end the measures — with the distortion of the level playing field becoming ever clearer.