natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Der blev fremsendt yderligere oplysninger ved brev af 13. februar 2002, modtaget den 18. februar 2002, ved brev af 5. juli 2002, modtaget den 9. juli 2002, og ved brev af 5. december 2002, modtaget den 10. december 2002.
Additional information was submitted by letters of: 13 February 2002, registered as received on 18 February 2002; 5 July 2002, registered as received on 9 July 2002; and 5 December 2002, registered as received on 10 December 2002.
Herudover blev der den 25. juni 2002 afholdt et møde i Generaldirektoratet for Landbrug.
A meeting to discuss the aid took place at the Directorate-General for Agriculture on 25 June 2002.
Ved brev af 2. oktober 2003 (SG (2003) D/232035) underrettede Kommissionen Tyskland om sin beslutning om at indlede proceduren efter EF-traktatens artikel 88, stk. 2, vedrørende ovennævnte støtte (statsstøttesag nr. C 60/2003).
By letter SG (2003) D/232035 of 2 October 2003 the Commission informed Germany of its decision to initiate the procedure under Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of this state aid measure (aid No C 60/2003).
Kommissionens beslutning om at indlede proceduren blev offentliggjort i Den Europæiske Unions Tidende. Kommissionen opfordrede interesserede parter til at fremsætte deres bemærkninger.
On 6 November 2003 the Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union and interested parties were invited to submit their comments.
Kommissionen modtog ved brev af 18. november 2003, modtaget den 25. november 2003, ved brev af 23. december 2003, modtaget den 5. januar 2004, og ved brev af 12. februar 2004, modtaget den 17. februar 2004, bemærkninger fra interesserede parter og de tyske regionale myndigheder, som har ydet støtten.
The Commission received comments from interested parties and from the regional authorities granting the aid by letters of 18 November 2003, registered as received on 25 November 2003; 23 December 2003, registered as received on 5 January 2004; and 12 February 2004, registered as received on 17 February 2004.
Tyskland fremsendte sine bemærkninger til Kommissionen ved brev af 5. november 2003, modtaget den 6. november 2003.
Germany submitted comments to the Commission by letter of 5 November 2003, registered as received on 6 November 2003.
Tyskland fremsendte med brev af 7. marts 2005, modtaget den 9. marts 2005, supplerende bemærkninger til Kommissionen og anmodede om en vurdering af støtten jf. artikel 5 i Kommissionens forordning (EF) nr. 1860/2004 af 6. oktober 2004 om anvendelse af EF-traktatens artikel 87 og 88 på de minimis-støtte i landbrugs- og fiskerisektoren.
By letter of 7 March 2005, registered as received on 9 March 2005, Germany submitted further comments to the Commission and requested an assessment of the measure pursuant to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004 of 6 October 2004 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to de minimis aid in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Foranstaltningens titel
Title of the measure
Tilskud til vinbønders erhvervelse af andele i vinkooperativer i Rheinland-Pfalz
Aid for the acquisition of shares by winegrowers in Rhineland-Palatinate
Foranstaltningen er gennemført på grundlag af de 4 nedenstående tyske støttedirektiver:
The scheme is based on the following:
Förderrichtlinie zur Gewährung von Zuschüssen aus Mitteln des Landkreises Bernkastel-Wittlich zur Förderung von Winzern, die einer Winzergenossenschaft beitreten (Landkreis Bernkastel-Wittlich — støtte til vinbønder, som indtræder i et vinkooperativ).
the Guideline on granting assistance from funds of the rural district of Bernkastel-Wittlich to support winegrowers who join a winegrowers' cooperative;
Förderrichtlinie zur Gewährung von Zuschüssen aus Mitteln des Landkreises Cochem-Zell zur Förderung von Winzern, die einer Winzergenossenschaft/Erzeugergemeinschaft beitreten (Landkreis Cochem-Zell — støtte til vinbønder, som indtræder i et vinkooperativ/producentsammenslutning).
the Guideline on granting assistance from funds of the rural district of Cochem-Zell to support winegrowers who join a winegrowers' cooperative/producer organisation;
Förderrichtlinie zur Gewährung von Zuschüssen aus Mitteln des Landkreises Trier-Saarburg zur Förderung von Winzern, die einer Winzergenossenschaft/Erzeugergemeinschaft beitreten (Landkreis Trier-Saarburg — støtte til vinbønder, som indtræder i et vinkooperativ/producentsammenslutning).
the Guideline on granting assistance from funds of the rural district of Trier-Saarburg to support winegrowers who join a winegrowers' cooperative/producer organisation;
Meddelelse fra de lokale myndigheder i Schweich, om forhøjelse af tilskuddene fra Landkreis Trier-Saarburg til vinbønder, som indtræder i et vinkooperativ/producentsammenslutning.
the Notice issued by the local authority association of Schweich to increase the assistance granted by the rural district of Trier-Saarburg to support winegrowers who join a winegrowers' cooperative/producer organisation.
Støttedirektivet fra myndighederne i Bernkastel-Wittlich fastsætter, at støtten skal bruges til køb af andele i et bestemt kooperativ, nemlig kooperativet Moselland.
The Guideline issued by the district administration of Bernkastel-Wittlich specifically provides for aid to purchase shares in the Moselland cooperative.
Støttedirektivet fra myndighederne i Cochem-Zell indeholder lignende bestemmelser, som i praksis har ført til, at der udelukkende blev givet støtte til køb af andele i kooperativet Moselland.
The Guidelines issued by the district administration of Cochem-Zell contain similar provisions, and this has led in practice to support being granted only for shares in the Moselland cooperative.
Støttedirektivet fra myndighederne i Trier-Saarburg og meddelelsen fra myndighederne i Schweich henviser ikke til en bestemt virksomhed, men generelt til vinkooperativer eller producentsammenslutninger, som er anerkendt jf. den tyske lov om markedsstrukturer.
The Guidelines issued by the district administration of Trier Saarburg and the local authority association of Schweich are not specifically targeted at a particular company, but generally at cooperatives and producer organisations approved under the German Market Structure Act.
Formålet med foranstaltningen
Aim of the measure
Foranstaltningen har til formål at øge andelen af druer fra producentsammenslutninger og nedbringe andelen af fadvin solgt i fri handel, dvs. som ikke sælges via producentsammenslutninger.
The aim of the scheme was to increase the proportion of grapes collected by producer organisations and to reduce the proportion of cask wine freely saleable, i.e. not sold via producer organisations.
Det skulle hjælpe med at stabilisere priserne på fadvinsmarkedet.
The objective was to help stabilise prices on the cask-wine market.
Samtidig var det meningen langfristet at nedlægge vinproduktionskapacitet på individuelle vinbrug, herunder navnlig de små vinproducenter, i vinområdet Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.
At the same time the long-term objective was to close down production capacity in the form of vinification facilities on individual holdings, especially at small winegrowing enterprises in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer winegrowing area.
Med støtten fik vinbrug dækket en del af udgifterne til køb af andele i vinkooperativer/producentsammenslutninger (i det følgende benævnt producentsammenslutninger).
The aid was designed to cover part of winegrowing enterprises' costs when acquiring shares in winegrowers' cooperatives/producer organisations (hereinafter: producer organisations).
Støtten blev givet, når vinbruget forpligtede sig til at beholde andelene i 5 år efter ansøgningstidspunktet.
The aid was granted on condition that the winegrower undertook to keep the shares for five years from the date on which the application was filed.
Endvidere skulle det samlede dyrkningsområde for hvert vinbrug henhøre under producentsammenslutningen og levere alle druer og al most og vin til producentsammenslutningen.
Each enterprise also had to bring into the producer organisation its total cultivated area and deliver all its grapes, must and wine to the producer organisation.
Herudover skulle vinbruget standse sin egen vinproduktion.
Each enterprise was also required to shut down its corresponding vinification facilities.
Andelen af offentlige midler i støtten
Budgetary appropriations of the aid
Støtten ydes i form af direkte tilskud og rentetilskud til lån, der er optaget på kapitalmarkedet.
The aid was granted in the form of direct grants and in the form of interest relief on capital-market loans.
Omkostningerne for at erhverve en andel beløb sig normalt til 293,99 EUR. Hvis omkostningerne for en andel var mindre, blev støtten reduceret tilsvarende.
The cost of acquiring shares was normally EUR 293,99. Where the cost was less, the grant was reduced proportionately.
Der blev givet følgende støtte pr. andel (i EUR):
The following grants per share were granted:
Landkreis eller kommune
Rural district/municipality
Erhvervelse af 1 til 5 andele
For the acquisition of 1 to 5 shares
Derefter pr. andel
For each additional share
Maksimalt tilskud pr. ny tiltrædende virksomhed
Maximum grant per enterprise newly joining a producer organisation
Ingen øvre grænse
No upper limit
Tilskuddene fra Verbandsgemeinde Schweich blev givet oven i støtte (kumulativt) fra Landkreis Trier-Saarburg.
The assistance paid by the local authority association of Schweich was additional (cumulative) to payments in the rural district of Trier-Saarburg.
I Landkreis Cochem-Zell blev der givet rentetilskud til lån, som udelukkende var optaget til erhvervelse af virksomhedsandele, på op til 4,95 % i en periode på højst fire år.
In the rural district of Cochem-Zell, interest relief of up to 4,95 % was granted on any loans taken out for the purchase of shares during a maximum period of four years.
I 2000 modtog producentsammenslutningerne følgende beløb (i EUR):
In 2000, the following payments were made to producer organisations:
Winzergenossen-schaft Moselland
Winegrowers' cooperative Moselland
Erzeugergemein-schaft Moselherz
Producer organisation Moselherz
Erzeugergemein-schaft Moselherz
Producer organisation Mosel Gate
Foranstaltningens varighed
Duration of the measure
Foranstaltningen havde en løbetid på fire år (2000-2003) i Landkreis Cochem-Zell.
The duration of the scheme in the rural district of Cochem-Zell was four years (2000 to 2003).
De andre støtteordninger var begrænset til året 2000.
The other measures were limited to 2000.
Støtten blev udbetalt direkte til producentsammenslutningerne, som solgte billige andele til nytiltrædende vinproducenter og vinbrug.
The aid was paid direct to the producer organisations which sold shares at reduced prices to newly-joining winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises.
Herved kunne vinproducenter og vinbrug i de respektive Landkreise erhverve andele i producentsammenslutninger til en lavere pris.
Winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises in each rural district were thereby able to acquire shares in producer organisations at reduced cost.
Ved hjælp af foranstaltningen kunne producentsammenslutningerne øge deres egenkapital og sikre råvareleverancerne.
The measure enabled producer organisations to increase their own capital and secure the purchase of raw materials.
Begrundelse for at indlede en formel procedure
Reasons for initiating the procedure
Efter en foreløbig vurdering blev foranstaltningen anset for at være støtte til vinbrug og producentsammenslutninger, som er uforenelig med det indre marked.
After provisional examination, the measure was classified as operating aid to winegrowing enterprises and producer organisations — which is incompatible with the common market.
Kommissionen har derfor indledt en formel procedure.
The Commission therefore initiated a formal investigation procedure.
Klager over foranstaltningen
Complaints against the measure
Kommissionens tjenestegrene havde modtaget en klage i forbindelse med indførelsen af støtteordningen.
The Commission received a complaint concerning the introduction of the aid scheme.
Klageren påpegede, at støtten sørgede for, at vinbønder kunne erhverve billige andele i de lokale producentsammenslutninger.
The complainant pointed out that the aid enabled winegrowers to acquire shares in local producer organisations at reduced prices.
Foruden at skaffe sig en kapitalforøgelse kunne producentsammenslutningerne derved også sikre deres råvareleverancer i form af most og råvin.
Besides the advantage of increased capital, the producer organisations were then also able to secure the purchase of raw materials in the form of must and raw wines.
Konkurrenterne blev herved dårligere stillet, hvad angår fremskaffelse af most og råvine.
The complainant argued that this placed competitors at a disadvantage regarding the procurement of must and raw wines.
Bemærkninger fra interesseparter som led i den formelle procedure
Comments by interested parties as part of the formal investigation procedure
Bemærkningerne fra interesseparterne hhv. de tyske regionale myndigheder, som har ydet støtten, lagde vægt på understøttelsen af en nødvendig strukturændring i et 2000-årigt vinområde med vinavl på stejle arealer, hvis fortsatte beståen har enorm betydning for turisme- og restaurationssektoren.
The comments by interested parties/the German regional authorities granting the aid stressed the support given to necessary structural change in a 2000-year-old steep-slope winegrowing area whose conservation was hugely important for tourism and gastronomy.
Foranstaltningen havde til formål at reducere produktionskapaciteten.
They argued that the measure contributed towards closing down production capacity.
Endvidere blev der anmodet om at anvende forordning nr. 1860/2004.
Application of Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004 was also requested.
TYSKLANDS BEMÆRKNINGER
COMMENTS BY GERMANY
I sin stillingtagen lagde Tyskland vægt på den tilstrækkelige understøttelse af en nødvendig strukturændring i et 2000-årigt vinområde med vinavl på stejle arealer, hvis fortsatte beståen har enorm betydning for turisme- og restaurationssektoren.
In its comments, Germany emphasised the need for support for necessary structural change in a 2000-year-old steep-slope winegrowing area whose conservation was hugely important for tourism and gastronomy.
Støtten skulle udligne ulemperne for vinproducenter og vinbrug, som skulle nedlægge deres egen produktionskapacitet for at opfylde den femårige afleveringsforpligtelse over for produktionssammenslutningerne, og må derfor anses for at være nedlæggelsesstøtte.
The aid was intended to offset the disadvantages of winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises whose own vinification facilities had to be closed down in order to fulfil the five-year delivery obligation to the producer organisation, and was therefore justified as a capacity-reduction scheme.
I den supplerende stillingtagen har Tyskland anmodet om, at forordning nr. 1860/2004 anvendes.
In additional comments, Germany requested the application of Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004.
EF-traktatens artikel 36 finder anvendelse på vinavl og -fremstilling, som er omfattet af Rådets forordning (EF) nr. 1493/1999 af 17. maj 1999 om den fælles markedsordning for vin.
Article 36 the EC Treaty applies to winegrowing and wine processing, which are covered by Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine.
I henhold til Tysklands og interesseparters bemærkninger skyldtes vinproducenternes og vinbrugenes økonomiske vanskeligheder strukturelle forandringer i deres afsætningsmuligheder.
According to the comments by Germany and the interested parties, the winegrowers' and winegrowing enterprises' economic difficulties were due to structural change in market outlets.
Den sædvanlige markedsføring af fadvin fra egen vinproduktion blev stadig vanskeligere.
The usual marketing of cask wine with own vinification facilities had become increasingly difficult.
Markedet efterspurgte nu enten råvarer (druer eller friskpresset most) eller kvalitets- og markedsorienterede vine.
The market now required either raw materials (grapes or freshly-pressed must) or quality, market-oriented wines.
Private selskaber ville have kunnet indgå lignende kontrakter med vinbrugene og overtaget deres afsætningsrisiko.
Private companies could have entered into similar contracts with the winegrowing enterprises and could have taken over their marketing risks.
I denne sammenhæng, som delvis beskrevet i afsnit 12, har de regionale myndigheder delvis betalt erhvervelsen af andele i producentsammenslutninger for vinbrugene.
In this context, as described in paragraph 12 above, the regional authorities bore part of the cost of buying shares in winegrowers' producer organisations.
Købere af andele i de pågældende producentsammenslutninger var forpligtet til, at det samlede dyrkningsområde for hvert vinbrug skulle henhøre under producentsammenslutningen, og at alle druer og al most og vin skulle afleveres til producentsammenslutningen.
Buyers of shares in the producer organisations concerned were required to bring into the producer organisation their total cultivated area and deliver all their grapes, must and wine to the producer organisation.
Vinbrugene skulle forpligte sig til at beholde andelene i fem år, hvilket i praksis betød en nedlæggelse af deres egen vinproduktionsanlæg.
The winegrowers had to undertake to keep the shares for five years, which in practice meant shutting down their vinification facilities.
Producentsammenslutningerne kunne — set i forhold til andre organisationer inden for fremstilling og markedsføring af vin — sikre deres råvareleverancer med forpligtelsen for vinproducenter og vinbrug til at aflevere alle druer og al most og vin til producentsammenslutningen i en periode på fem år (se punkt II.2).
The producer organisations were better able — compared with other wine-production and wine-marketing companies — to secure the purchase of raw materials by requiring their winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises to deliver to them all the grapes, must and wine which they produced during a five-year period (see section II.2 above).
Producentsammenslutningernes fordel i form af forpligtelsen for vinbrugene til at aflevere alle druer og al most og vin samt nedlæggelsen af deres egen vinproduktion er en strukturforanstaltning, som har styrket producentsammenslutningerne.
Favouring the producer organisations by securing the commitment of winegrowers to deliver all their grapes, must and wine and to close down their own vinification facilities constitutes a structural measure strengthening the position of the producer organisations.
Set for sig selv, kan fordelene i form af en sikret råvareleverance til producentsammenslutningerne begrundes med at være resultatet af en markedsrestruktureringsforanstaltning, som er i overensstemmelse med målene i artikel 39 i forordning 1493/1999.
The producer organisations' advantage of secured procurement, taken in isolation, can be justified as an effect of a market restructuring measure corresponding to the goals stipulated in Article 39 of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999.
I henhold til artikel 71, stk. 1, i forordning 1493/1999 gælder:
Under Article 71(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999,
»Medmindre andet er bestemt i denne forordning, anvendes traktatens artikel 87, 88 og 89 på produktion af og handel med de af denne forordning omfattede produkter«.
‘Save as otherwise provided in this Regulation, Articles 87, 88 and 89 of the Treaty shall apply to the production of and trade in the products covered by this Regulation.’
Artikel 71, stk. 2, bestemmer, at:
Article 71(2) stipulates that
»Afsnit II, kapitel II (Nedlæggelsespræmier) er ikke til hinder for, at der ydes national støtte med henblik på virkeliggørelse af mål af samme art som de mål, der tilstræbes med nævnte kapitel.
‘Chapter II of Title II [abandonment premiums] shall not impede the granting of national aid designated to achieve objectives similar to those sought by that Chapter.
Stk. 1 anvendes dog på sådan støtte.«
Paragraph 1 shall nevertheless apply to such aids.’
EF-traktatens artikel 87, stk. 1, forbyder statsstøtte eller støtte, som ydes ved hjælp af statsmidler under enhver tænkelig form, og som fordrejer eller truer med at fordreje konkurrencevilkårene ved at begunstige visse virksomheder eller visse produktioner, i det omfang den påvirker samhandelen mellem medlemsstaterne.
Under Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty, any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods, insofar as it affects trade between Member States, is prohibited.
Vinproducenters og vinbrugs fordel grundet tilskuddet til erhvervelse af andele samt rentetilskud
Economic advantage derived by winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises from grants for acquiring shares and from interest relief
En række vinproducenter og vinbrug i Rheinland-Pfalz har købt andele i producentsammenslutninger med støtte fra de lokale myndigheder og dermed betalt en lavere pris for andelene (se afsnit 15).
Certain winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises in Rhineland-Palatinate have acquired shares in producer organisations with support from the German regional authorities, thus paying a reduced price for the shares (see paragraph 15 above).
De skulle normalt have betalt det beløb, som er fratrukket den sædvanlige pris for andelene.
The amount deducted from the usual price of the shares should normally be borne by the purchasers.
Her drejer det sig derfor om en direkte økonomisk fordel for disse virksomheder, som blev finansieret ved hjælp af offentlige midler.
The price reduction therefore constitutes a direct economic advantage for the undertakings concerned, financed from public resources.
Rentetilskud på op til 4,95 %, som blev ydet til nogle vinproducenter og vinbrug i forbindelse med andelskøb (se afsnit 17), giver ligeledes disse vinbønder en økonomisk fordel finansieret med offentlige midler.
Interest relief of up to 4,95 % granted to some winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises for such a purchase (see paragraph 17 above) also constitutes an economic advantage for those growers, financed from public resources.
EF-traktatens artikel 87, stk. 1, finder derfor anvendelse.
Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty is therefore applicable.
I det følgende (punkt V.3) undersøges, om punkt 9 i EF's rammebestemmelser for statsstøtte i landbrugssektoren (i det følgende benævnt »rammebestemmelserne«) om støtte til kapacitetsnedskæring finder anvendelse på den nævnte støtte.
Section V.3 below will examine whether point 9 — aid for capacity reduction — of the Community guidelines for State aid in the agricultural sector (hereinafter: the Agricultural guidelines) is applicable to the above-mentioned advantages.
Producentsammenslutningernes fordel
Economic advantage derived by producer organisations
Kommissionen bekræfter den holdning, som den gav udtryk for i brevet om indledning af en formel procedure, nemlig at producentsammenslutningerne er blevet begunstiget ved hjælp af støtten til vinproducenter og vinbrug til køb af deres andele.
The Commission confirms the view expressed in its letter initiating the formal investigation procedure, namely that the producer organisations derived advantage from the aid given to winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises for purchasing their shares.
Støtten til køb af andele var begrænset til andele i bestemte, anerkendte producentsammenslutninger (se afsnit 10).
The aid for the acquisition of shares was restricted to certain recognised producer organisations (see paragraph 10 above).
Vinproducenterne og vinbrugene skulle beholde andelene i en periode på 5 år.
The winegrowers and winegrowing enterprises had to keep the shares for five years.
Ifølge de tyske myndigheder var en omstrukturering af vinmarkedet absolut nødvendig.
According to the German authorities, a restructuring of the wine market was unavoidable.