natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
efter at have opfordret interesserede parter til at fremsætte deres bemærkninger i overensstemmelse med disse artikler [2], under hensyntagen til disse bemærkninger og
Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to the provisions cited above [2] and having regard to their comments,
Ved brev af 22. maj 2000, registreret 25. maj 2000 (A/34298), anmeldte Frankrig i overensstemmelse med bestemmelserne i de multisektorale rammebestemmelser for regionalstøtte til store investeringsprojekter [3] (i det følgende benævnt 1998-rammebestemmelserne) en støtte til fordel for to aktieselskaber, Pilkington France SAS og Interpane Glass Coating France SAS, der er indregistreret under fransk lov, og som ejes i fællesskab af de to internationale glaskoncerner Pilkington og Interpane.
By letter dated 22 May 2000, registered as received on 25 May 2000 (A/34298), France notified, in accordance with the provisions of the Multisectoral Framework on regional aid for large investment projects [3] (hereinafter called ‘the 1998 MSF’), aid to two public limited companies incorporated under French law, Pilkington France SAS and Interpane Glass Coating France SAS, jointly owned by the two international glassmaking groups Interpane and Pilkington.
Den 7. juni 2000 anmodede Kommissionen om yderligere oplysninger.
On 7 June 2000, the Commission requested additional information.
Frankrig fremsendte yderligere oplysninger ved brev af 13. juni 2000, registreret 14. juni 2000 (A/34798), 30. juni 2000, registreret 3. juli 2000 (A/35410), og 30. juni 2000, registreret 3. juli 2000 (A/35411).
France submitted additional information by letters dated 13 June 2000, registered as received on 14 June 2000 (A/34798), 30 June 2000, registered as received on 3 July 2000 (A/35410), and 30 June 2000, registered as received on 3 July 2000 (A/35411).
Kommissionen godkendte med beslutning af 17. august 2000 [4] under ref. nr. SG(2000) D/10624 (i det følgende benævnt »2000-beslutningen«) den støtteintensitet, der var anmeldt til fordel for Pilkington/Interpane under 1998-rammebeslutningerne.
By Decision of 17 August 2000 [4], reference SG(2000) D/106264 (hereinafter called ‘the 2000 Decision’), the Commission approved the intensity of the aid for Pilkington/Interpane notified under the 1998 MSF.
Frankrig fremsendte årsrapporter i samarbejde med støttemodtagervirksomhederne hhv. den 17. oktober 2002, 18. august 2003 og 31. august 2004 i forbindelse med den efterfølgende kontrol af, hvorvidt de beslutninger, der blev truffet inden for rammerne af 1998-rammebestemmelserne (punkt 6.4), blev gennemført korrekt og i overensstemmelse med beslutningen af 2000.
Annual reports were provided by France, in cooperation with the aid recipients, on 17 October 2002, 18 August 2003 and 31 August 2004 as part of the ex-post monitoring of the proper implementation of the decisions taken under the 1998 MSF (point 6.4) and in accordance with the 2000 Decision.
Ved brev af 13. januar 2005, registreret samme dag (A/30447), og ved brev af 13. juni 2005, registreret 14. juni 2005 (A/34734), meddelte de franske myndigheder Kommissionen, at oplysningerne i den anmeldelse, de lå til grund for 2000-beslutningen, ikke var korrekte, og at dette især gjaldt beregningen af fritagelsen for erhvervsskat, og bad Kommissionen ændre 2000-beslutningen.
By letter dated 13 January 2005, registered as received on the same day (A/30447), and by letter dated 13 June 2005, registered as received on 14 June 2005 (A/34734), the French authorities informed the Commission that the information furnished in the notification which had resulted in the 2000 Decision was incorrect, notably as regards the calculation of the amount of the business tax exemption, and asked the Commission to amend the 2000 Decision.
Ved brev af 6. marts 2006 (D/57979) anmodede Kommissionen i medfør af artikel 9 i procedureforordningen de franske myndigheder om at fremlægge deres bemærkninger vedrørende dens hensigt om at ophæve 2000-beslutningen.
By letter dated 6 March 2006 (D/57979), the Commission, in accordance with Article 9 of the Procedural Regulation, invited the French authorities to submit their comments on its intention to revoke the 2000 Decision.
De franske myndigheder fremsendte deres bemærkninger ved e-mail af 16. marts 2006, registreret 17. marts 2006 (A/32057).
The French authorities submitted their comments by e-mail dated 16 March 2006, registered as received on 17 March 2006 (A/32057).
Ved brev af 26. april 2006 meddelte Kommissionen Frankrig, at Kommissionen havde besluttet at indlede proceduren efter EF-traktatens artikel 88, stk. 2, vedrørende statsstøtten med henblik på at ophæve sin beslutning af 17. august 2000 og vedtage en ny beslutning.
By letter dated 26 April 2006, the Commission informed France of its decision to open the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid at issue with a view to revoking its Decision of 17 August 2000 and adopting a new Decision.
Kommissionens beslutning om at indlede proceduren er offentliggjort i Den Europæiske Unions Tidende [5].
The Commission’s Decision to open the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union [5].
Kommissionen opfordrede interesserede parter til at fremsætte deres bemærkninger om den pågældende statsstøtte.
The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments on the aid.
Frankrig fremsendte sine bemærkninger ved e-mail af 2. juni 2006.
France submitted its comments by e-mail dated 2 June 2006.
Kommissionen har ikke modtaget bemærkninger fra interesserede parter.
The Commission received no comments on the matter from interested parties.
Ved brev af 12. september 2007 (D/53668) anmodede Kommissionen om yderligere oplysninger.
By letter dated 12 September 2007 (D/53668), the Commission requested additional information.
Frankrig fremsendte et delvist svar ved brev af 21. december 2007 (A/40607) og supplerede dette svar ved e-mail af 30. maj 2008 (A/10204).
France submitted a partial answer by letter dated 21 December 2007 (A/40607) and supplemented that answer by e-mail dated 30 May 2008 (A/10204).
Frankrig fremsendte ved e-mail af hhv. 16. og 19. september 2008 (A/19328 og A/19263) nye oplysninger, som blev suppleret med oplysninger i e-mail af 24. oktober 2008 (A/22746).
By e-mails dated 16 September and 19 September 2008 (A/19328 and A/19263), France submitted new information, which was supplemented by e-mail dated 24 October 2008 (A/22746).
Støttemodtagerne
The aid recipients
Nedenstående beskrivelse af støttemodtagerne er en gengivelse af situationen, som den forelå i 2000.
The following description of the recipients reflects the situation as it existed in 2000.
De pågældende selskaber
The companies concerned
Frankrig meddelte Kommissionen ved anmeldelse af 2000, at man påtænkte at yde regional investeringsstøtte til fordel for to aktieselskaber (»sociétés par actions simplifiées«), indregistreret under fransk lov, Pilkington Glass France SAS og Interpane Glass Coating France SAS, som ejes i fællesskab af to glaskoncerner, Pilkington og Interpane.
In its 2000 notification, France informed the Commission of its intention to grant regional investment aid to two French public limited companies (incorporated in the form of sociétés par actions simplifiées) jointly owned by two glassmaking groups, Interpane and Pilkington, and named Pilkington Glass France SAS and Interpane Glass Coating France SAS (PGF/IGCF).
Ejerskabet til joint venture-selskaberne er ikke ligeligt fordelt mellem moderselskaberne (se figur 1):
Ownership of the joint ventures is shared unequally between the parent companies as follows (see also figure 1):
Pilkington ejer 51 % af PGF, Interpane 49 %,
PGF is owned 51 % by Pilkington and 49 % by Interpane,
Interpane ejer 51 % af IGCF, Pilkington 49 %.
IGCF is owned 51 % by Interpane and 49 % by Pilkington.
Selskabernes retlige struktur
Legal structure of the companies
De to nye støttemodtagerselskaber er joint venture-produktionsselskaber.
The two new State-aided companies are production joint ventures.
De har ikke en selvstændig markedsadfærd.
They will not operate autonomously in the market.
Deres aktiviteter er alene rettet mod at forsyne moderselskaberne med planglas, der har undergået en første forarbejdning, til disses eget forbrug eller senere salg på markedet.
Their sole object will be to supply the parent companies with first-stage-processed raw flat float glass either for their own use or for on-selling.
Oprettelse af joint venture-selskaberne
The formation of the joint ventures
Oprettelsen af joint venture-selskaberne blev anmeldt ved brev af 7. april 2000 i overensstemmelse med artikel 81 i EF-traktaten [6] med henblik på at opnå en individuel fritagelse efter EF-traktatens artikel 81, stk. 3.
The formation of the joint ventures was notified, by letter dated 7 April 2000, under Article 81 of the EC Treaty [6] with a view to obtaining individual exemption under Article 81(3) of the Treaty.
Anmelderne tilsluttede sig, at sagen blev behandlet i form af en administrativ skrivelse.
The notifying parties agreed to the notification being dealt with by comfort letter.
Den 29. juni 2000 sendte Kommissionen to administrative skrivelser til de to parter, hvor den oplyste følgende:
On 29 June 2000, two comfort letters were sent by the Commission to each of the notifying parties, informing them that:
Aftalerne indeholdt konkurrencebegrænsende bestemmelser, der falder ind under EF-traktatens artikel 81, stk. 1.
the agreements contained restrictions of competition caught by the prohibition in Article 81(1) of the EC Treaty,
Generaldirektoratet for Konkurrence fandt, at parterne havde fremsendt tilstrækkelig dokumentation til, at det kunne konkluderes, at betingelserne for at anvende EF-traktatens artikel 81, stk. 3, var opfyldt.
the Directorate-General for Competition considered that the notifying parties had furnished sufficient justification for its concluding that the criteria of Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty were met,
Følgelig fandt Generaldirektoratet for Konkurrence det ikke nødvendigt at afslutte proceduren med et forslag til Kommissionen om at meddele fritagelse i overensstemmelse med EF-traktatens artikel 81, stk. 3, efter proceduren i den gamle forordning nr. 17 [7].
consequently, the Directorate-General for Competition considered that it was unnecessary to close the procedure by proposing that the Commission adopt an exemption decision under Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty in accordance with the procedure laid down by the old Regulation No 17 [7].
Disse administratives skrivelser blev afsendt, efter at der var foretaget en økonomisk analyse af situationen, der kan opsummeres som følger:
The comfort letters were sent following an economic analysis of the situation, which can be summed up as follows:
Den anmeldte operation bestod af oprettelsen af to joint venture-selskaber oprettet i samarbejdsøjemed.
the notified operation consisted in the formation of two cooperative joint ventures,
De anmeldte aftaler indeholder følgende punkter:
the notified agreements concerned:
joint venture-selskabernes produktion af udgangsprodukter eller mellemprodukter, der forarbejdes til færdigvarer af stifterne eller sælges via deres egne distributionsnet
the production by the joint ventures of unprocessed or intermediate products intended for further processing into finished products by the founders or for sale by their own distribution networks;
joint venture-selskabernes leverancer, som udelukkende gik til stifterne. Denne aftale var underordnet oprettelsen af joint venture-selskaberne, for så vidt som man ikke kunne adskille den fra selskaberne uden at sætte deres eksistens på spil.
the exclusive supplying of the founders by the joint ventures; this agreement was ancillary to the formation of the joint ventures in so far as it could not be dissociated from the joint ventures without calling their existence into question;
Der bestod en begrundet formodning om, at joint venture-selskaberne var omfattet af traktatens artikel 81, stk. 1, fordi:
there was a strong presumption that the joint ventures were caught by Article 81(1) of the EC Treaty inasmuch as:
der var sandsynlighed for, at der blev udvekslet følsomme oplysninger mellem joint venture-selskaberne
there was a likelihood of sensitive information being exchanged between them;
samarbejdet mellem to store konkurrenter kunne føre til en koordinering af parternes adfærd på det yderst koncentrerede marked for flerlagsglas.
the cooperation between two major competitors could lead to coordination of the parties’ conduct in the highly concentrated market for coated glass;
Generaldirektoratet for Konkurrence analyserede aftalerne på baggrund af EF-traktatens artikel 81, stk. 3, og kom til den konklusion, at betingelserne for at anvende artikel 81, stk. 3, var opfyldt, efter at parterne havde bekræftet, at aftalens artikel 2 om eksklusiv levering var blevet ophævet.
the Directorate-General for Competition analysed the agreements in the light of Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty and, following confirmation by the parties that clause 2 of the exclusive supply agreement had been deleted, concluded that the criteria of Article 81(3) were satisfied.
Ifølge denne artikel, hvis underordnede karakter var tvivlsom, kunne Pilkington og Interpane til enhver tid få leveret materialer alt efter deres behov fra joint venture-selskabernes forskellige fabrikker.
Clause 2, the ancillary nature of which was open to question, provided that Pilkington and Interpane could at any time obtain supplies according to their requirements from different plants of the two joint ventures.
Partnerne
The partners
Modtagervirksomhederne ejes i fællesskab af de to internationale glasproducenter Interpane og Pilkington.
The recipient companies are co-owned by the two international glassmaking groups Interpane and Pilkington.
Selskabet Interpane blev oprettet i 1971 af Georg Hesselbach, der nu ejer hovedparten af selskabet og er direktionsformand i Interpane-koncernen.
Interpane was set up in 1971 by Mr Georg Hesselbach, the current majority owner and chairman of the management board of the Interpane group.
Koncernen er i dag aktiv i hele verden inden for bygningsglasindustrien og dertil knyttede områder (produktion af vinduesglas i Tyskland og USA og produktion af udstyr til glasindustrien i Tyskland).
The group is presently active worldwide in the sector of glass for the building industry and in related fields (manufacture of windows in Germany and the United States, manufacture of equipment for the glass industry in Germany).
I Europa er koncernens (15 selskaber i 1999) aktiviteter koncentreret om behandling, forarbejdning og nyttiggørelse af bygningsglas.
In Europe, the activities of the group (15 companies in 1999) are centred on the treatment and processing of glass for the building industry.
Interpane har siden 1998 været til stede i Frankrig efter opkøbet af to glasforarbejdningsselskaber (i Hoerdt i Alsace og i Mitry-Mory i omegnen af Paris).
Interpane has been present in France since 1998 following its acquisition of two glass processors (at Hoerdt in Alsace and Mitry-Mory in the Paris area).
De europæiske datterselskaber er underlagt holdingselskabet Interpane Glas Industrie AG i Lauenförde i Tyskland.
The European subsidiaries are headed by the holding company Interpane Glas Industrie AG, the registered office of which is in Lauenförde, Germany.
Familien Hesselbach ejer 88 % af dette holdingselskab, mens den tyske offentlige bank Nord/LB ejer de resterende 12 %.
This holding company is owned 88 % by the Hesselbach family and 12 % by the German publicly owned bank Nord/LB.
Holdingselskabet ejer sammen med det nederlandske holdingselskab Interpane NV gennem holdingselskabet Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV Interpane-koncernens andele i de støttemodtagende joint venture-selskaber.
The holding company holds, in partnership with the Dutch holding company Interpane NV, via the holding company Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV, the Interpane group’s shares in the joint ventures receiving the aid.
Interpane NV og Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV er specifikt oprettet med henblik på denne aktivitet.
Interpane NV and Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV were specially created for the purposes of this transaction.
Familien Hesselbach ejer dem enten alene eller sammen med Nord/LB.
They are owned by the Hesselbach family either alone or jointly with Nord/LB.
Pilkington-koncernen er en af verdens førende inden for glassektoren.
The Pilkington group is a world leader in the glass sector.
Koncernens aktiviteter dækker samtlige industrielle områder inden for denne sektor: produktion, behandling og forarbejdning af glas til byggeindustrien (49 % af aktiviteterne) og bilindustrien (44 %), dvs. produktion af specialglas.
Its activities cover all industrial areas of the sector: the manufacture, treatment and processing of glass for the building industry (49 % of activities) and the automotive industry (44 %), and the production of special glasses.
Koncernens hovedsæde ligger i Storbritannien.
The group’s headquarters are in the United Kingdom.
Den har 24 produktionsdatterselskaber, som ligger forskellige steder rundt om i verden (Europa, Nord- og Sydamerika samt Asien/Stillehavsområdet).
The group has 24 manufacturing subsidiaries worldwide (Europe, North and South America, Asia/Pacific).
Koncernens andele af joint venture-selskaberne i Freyming-Merlebach indehaves af det nederlandske holdingselskab Pilkington BV.
The group’s shareholdings in the joint ventures situated in Freyming-Merlebach are held by the Dutch holding company Pilkington BV.
NB: Tallene for Interpane er beregnet ud fra kursen 1 DM = 3,35 FF (1999-kurs).
The figures for Interpane are based on an exchange rate of FF 3,35 to one DM (1999 rate).
Tallene for Pilkington er beregnet ud fra kursen 1 GBP = 10,60 FF (1/2000-kurs).
The figures for Pilkington are based on an exchange rate of FF 10,60 to one GBP (January 2000 rate).
Interpane-koncernen
Interpane group
Verden/Europa [8]
World/Europe [8]
Frankrig [9]
France [9]
0Pilkington-koncernen
group
Ansatte i koncernerne
The groups’ workforces
Europa [10]
Europe [10]
Frankrig [11]
France [11]
Pilkington-koncernen
Pilkington group
Joint venture-selskaberne ligger i Freyming-Merlebach-distriktet, som var støtteberettiget i henhold til traktatens artikel 87, stk. 3, litra c), for perioden 2000-2006 [12], hvor den offentlige støtteintensitet kunne udgøre 15 % NSÆ.
The joint ventures are situated in the Freyming-Merlebach employment area, which was an assisted area within the meaning of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty for the period 2000-2006 [12] in which the intensity of public investment aid may be as high as 15 % NGE.
Ifølge oplysningerne fra Frankrig gennemførtes investeringsprojektet af to adskilte joint venture-selskaber på grund af det dobbelte ejerskab til produktionsanlæggene.
According to the information furnished by France, the investment project is being carried out by two separate joint ventures owing to the dual ownership of the production facilities.
Investeringsprojektet var dog fuldstændig integreret og samlet, idet den enhed, der producerede planglas, fra starten delvist skulle forsyne et glasforarbejdende joint venture-selskab, og denne anden enhed kun var på stedet i kraft af sin tilknytning til sin leverandør.
The investment project is nevertheless fully integrated and self-contained: the float glass production unit was designed from the outset to part supply a joint glass-treatment unit, and the latter unit is present on the site only because its float glass supplier is adjacent to it.
Stadig ifølge samme oplysninger var der tale om et integreret projekt, fordi produktionslinjerne til fremstilling af hhv. planglas, flerlagsglas og til overfladebehandling var placeret i samme bygning.
According to the same information, the integrated nature of the project is attested by the siting of the float, laminating and coating lines in the same building.
Frankrig fandt derfor, at det fælles investeringsprojekt i Lorraine var »en investering i anlægsaktiver ved oprettelsen af et nyt anlæg« som omhandlet i punkt 7.2 i 1998-rammebestemmelserne.
France accordingly considers the joint investment project on the site in Lorraine to be an ‘initial investment in fixed assets in the creation of a new establishment’ within the meaning of point 7.2 of the 1998 MSF.
Der var to støttemodtagere, men kun ét investeringsprojekt, hvortil der ydes offentlig støtte.
There are two aid recipients, but a single investment project is being aided.
Formålet med projektet var at opføre en integreret planglasproduktionsenhed til bygninger, som skulle omfatte produktion af planglas (float), tilskæring, behandling (processing med overfladebehandling) og forarbejdning af glasset i form af laminering.
The purpose of the project is to construct an integrated float glass production unit for the building, comprising the activities of raw float glass manufacture, cutting, treatment (coating) and processing by laminating.
Plan for glasproduktionen:
The planned glass manufacturing cycle is as follows:
Ved brev af 13. januar 2005 meddelte de franske myndigheder Kommissionen, at projektet var blevet ændret.
By letter dated 13 January 2005, the French authorities informed the Commission that the project had been amended.
De støtteberettigede udgifter udgjorde nu 158,5 mio. EUR i pålydende værdi.
Eligible expenditure now came to EUR 158,5 million in nominal terms.
Den direkte jobskabelse var på 176 og den indirekte på 150 (jf. også punkt 5.2).
The number of direct jobs created was 176 and the number of indirect jobs created was 150 (see also point 5.2).
Den forventede statsstøtte var sammensat af forskellige foranstaltninger, der enten afhang af de forskellige tilladte støtteordninger eller var direkte, individuel ad hoc-støtte:
The planned State aid consists of several measures which either come under various authorised aid schemes or are individual ad hoc aid measures:
ordningen »prime à l’Aménagement du Territoire pour les projets industriels (PAT)«
regional planning grant (prime à l’aménagement du territoire — PAT) for industrial projects,
Den Europæiske Fond for Regional Udvikling (EFRU)
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),
ad hoc-støtte til køb af byggegrund (nedslag i salgspris)
ad hoc aid for purchasing the land (discount on the selling price),
ad hoc-støtte til ombygningsarbejder
ad hoc aid for real estate development,
fritagelse for erhvervsskat
exemption from business tax,
lån på lempelige vilkår fra Société Financière pour favoriser l’industrialisation des Régions Minières (SOFIREM).
soft loan from the Société Financière pour favoriser l’industrialisation des Régions Minières (Sofirem).
PAT-ordningen blev godkendt af Kommissionen den 28. juni 2000 (N 782/1999).
The PAT scheme was approved by Commission Decision of 28 June 2000 (N 782/1999).
Ordningen med lån fra SOFIREM blev godkendt af Kommissionen ved beslutning af 15. juni 1989 (NN 2/89 som ændret efter indførelsen af foranstaltninger til sikring af overensstemmelse med 1998-rammebestemmelserne for statslig regionalstøtte [13].
The Sofirem loans scheme was approved by Commission Decision of 15 June 1989 (NN 2/89), as amended following the taking of appropriate measures to bring the scheme into line with the 1998 Guidelines on national regional aid [13].
Den femårige fritagelse for erhvervsskat blev indrømmet i medfør af artikel 1464 B og 1465 i den franske skattelov (Code Général des Impôts (CGI)), anordning af 16. december 1993, anordning af 24. november 1980 og dekret 86/225, 80/921 og 80/922.
The five-year exemption from business tax is based on Articles 1464 B and 1465 of the General Tax Code (Code Général des Impôts — CGI), the Order of 16 December 1993, the Order of 24 November 1980 and Decrees 86/225, 80/921 and 80/922.
Det faktiske samlede støttebeløb udgjorde 17106280 EUR i pålydende værdi (jf. også punkt 5.2).
The current aid total is EUR 17106280 in nominal terms (see also point 5.2).
INDLEDNING AF PROCEDUREN
OPENING OF THE PROCEDURE
De nye oplysninger fra de franske myndigheder
The new information communicated by the French authorities