natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
De gør også Kommissionen opmærksom på yderligere kapitaltilførsel til AGVO og EVO (i form af gældseftergivelse).
They also draw the attention of the Commission on additional injection of capital into AGVO and in EVO (through remission of debts).
Endelig bemærker de, at de belgiske myndigheder ikke har ophævet støtten.
Finally they note that the Belgian authorities have not suspended the aid.
Gardec er et skibsreparationsværft i Zeebrugge.
Gardec is a ship repair undertaking located in Zeebrugge.
BELGIENS BEMÆRKNINGER I FORBINDELSE MED DE TVIVLSSPØRGSMÅL, DER ER REJST I BESLUTNINGEN OM AT INDLEDE UNDERSØGELSESPROCEDUREN
BELGIUM’S OBSERVATIONS FOLLOWING THE DOUBTS EXPRESSED IN THE DECISION TO INITIATE THE INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Det fremgår af de belgiske myndigheders bemærkninger af 8. september 2008 efter indledningen af den formelle undersøgelsesprocedure, at de finder, at Kommissionen bør begrænse sin undersøgelse til fiskeauktionsmarkedet.
In their observations of 8 September 2008 following opening of the formal procedure, the Belgian authorities consider that the Commission should limit its investigation to the fish auction market.
Da hverken AGVO eller PAKHUIZEN er aktive på dette marked, er de foranstaltninger, der er truffet til deres fordel, irrelevante for den foreliggende procedure.
As neither AGVO nor PAKHUIZEN are active on those markets, the measures taken in their favour are irrelevant for the present procedure.
Mere generelt mener de ikke, at Kommissionen har fastlagt undersøgelsens genstand ordentligt, men at der er en risiko for, at støtten bliver medregnet to gange.
More in general they consider that the Commission has not properly defined the scope of the investigation and that there is a risk of double counting of the aid.
FOR SÅ VIDT ANGÅR STØTTEN TIL AGVO
THE AID TO AGVO
De belgiske myndigheder insisterer på, at AGVO ikke havde nogen kommercielle aktiviteter, og at situationen derfor ikke kan have påvirket konkurrencen.
The Belgian authorities insist upon the fact that AGVO has no commercial activities and that there can therefore be no impact on competition.
Støtten til AGVO kan derfor ikke betegnes som statsstøtte.
The aid granted to AGVO cannot therefore qualify as State aid.
De understreger, at der i undersøgelsen højst kan blive taget hensyn til de midler, der blev brugt til EVO (f.eks. den del af startkapitalen, der blev overført til EVO via AGVO).
They add that at most, only the funds that have been used for EVO could be taken into account for the investigation (for instance the part of the initial capital that has been passed on to EVO through AGVO).
De hævder, at resten er brugt til opgaver af offentlig interesse og ikke kan have påvirket konkurrencen på fiskeauktionsmarkedet.
They submit that the rest has been used for public interest tasks and cannot have any impact on the competition in the fish auction market.
De belgiske myndigheder anfører, at AGVO, selvom virksomheden fik lovning på en startkapital på 6197338,12 EUR, indtil videre kun har modtaget 3569667 EUR.
The Belgian authorities note that, even though an initial start capital of EUR 6197338,12 has been promised to AGVO, AGVO has so far received only EUR 3569667.
For så vidt angår retten til at opkræve skatter eller gebyrer mener de belgiske myndigheder, at denne ret hænger sammen med AGVO's opgaver af offentlig interesse og ikke kan betragtes som statsstøtte, og at AGVO under alle omstændigheder ikke har beføjelser til at opkræve skatter for sluserne og beddingen.
With regard to the right to levy taxes or fees, the Belgian authorities consider such a right is linked to AGVO’s public interest tasks and cannot be regarded as State aid and that, in any event, AGVO does not have the power to levy taxes for the locks and the slipways.
For så vidt angår bygningerne anfører de, at det er ligegyldigt, om bygningerne tilhører staten eller en anden offentlig enhed.
With regard to the buildings, they submit that it would not make any difference whether the buildings are the property of the City or of another public entity.
De betragter indskuddet af bygningerne i AGVO som en rent intern fordeling af ejendom.
They consider the contribution of the buildings to AGVO as a merely internal allocation of property.
De belgiske myndigheder gør opmærksom på, at AGVO ikke har nogen kommercielle aktiviteter, og at indskuddet af bygningerne derfor ikke kan betragtes som statsstøtte.
The Belgian authorities recall that AGVO has no commercial activities and that the contribution of the buildings cannot therefore be qualified as State aid.
De tilføjer, at indskuddet af bygningerne er knyttet til pligten til at reparere og holde dem i god stand, således at AGVO ikke er blevet gunstigere stillet på grund af dette indskud.
They add that the contribution of the buildings is linked to the obligation to repair and maintain them in a good state and thus dispute that AGVO has been advantaged by the contribution.
De mener desuden ikke, at de omkostningsfrie garantier kan betegnes som statsstøtte, da de blev stillet til rådighed for AGVO for lån, som denne virksomhed havde optaget med henblik på reparationsarbejder på bygninger, der blev udlejet til offentlige myndigheder.
They consider further that the free guarantees cannot qualify as State aid because they were provided for loans entered into by AGVO for repair works on buildings rented to public authorities.
De vedgår dog, at et af de garanterede lån (lån på 550000 EUR) blev brugt til EVO.
They however admit that one of the guaranteed loans (loan of EUR 550000) was used for EVO.
Endelig bemærker de belgiske myndigheder, at dommen i Altmark-sagen ikke er relevant, fordi AGVO's offentlige opgaver ikke er økonomiske.
Finally, the Belgian authorities note that the Altmark judgment is not relevant because the public tasks of AGVO are non-economic.
De tilføjer, at der ikke består nogen risiko for krydssubsidiering, fordi AGVO ikke har nogen kommercielle aktiviteter.
They add that there is no risk of cross-subsidy because AGVO has no commercial activity.
FOR SÅ VIDT ANGÅR STØTTEN TIL PAKHUIZEN
THE AID TO PAKHUIZEN
Belgien anfører, at Oostende kun har begrænset ret til grundene, og at aftalen om brugsret derfor er af begrænset kommerciel værdi.
Belgium submits that Ostend has only a limited right to the land and the long lease is therefore of reduced commercial value.
Desuden er PAKHUIZEN forpligtet til at reparere og renovere bygningerne, hvilket fremlægges som en ekstraordinær forpligtelse, der i det store og hele udlignes af den symbolske husleje.
Moreover, PAKHUIZEN is required to repair and renovate the buildings, which is presented as an onerous obligation which amply makes up for the token rent.
De belgiske myndigheder tilføjer, at PAKHUIZEN kun er aktiv på markedet for forvaltning af bygninger, der bruges i fiskerisektoren.
The Belgian authorities add that PAKHUIZEN is only active on the market for the management of buildings used in the fishing sector.
De mener, at denne aktivitet næppe betragtes som kommerciel på grund af renoveringspligten og bygningernes lave værdi.
They take the view that this activity can hardly be considered commercial because of the renovation obligations involved and because of the poor value of the buildings.
Endelig anfører de belgiske myndigheder, at da de bygninger, som PAKHUIZEN forvalter, kun kan udlejes til aktiviteter i tilknytning til fiskerisektoren, konkurrerer PAKHUIZEN ikke med nogen.
Finally, because the buildings managed by PAKHUIZEN can only be rented for activities linked to the fishing sector, the Belgian authorities argue that PAKHUIZEN does not compete with anyone.
De belgiske myndigheder bemærker endelig, at AGVO købte aktierne i PAKHUIZEN til markedspris, og at PAKHUIZEN lejer bygningerne til markedsprisen (ud fra deres dårlige stand).
The Belgian authorities further observe that AGVO bought the PAKHUIZEN shares at market price and that PAKHUIZEN rents the buildings at market prices (considering that they were not in good state of repair).
FOR SÅ VIDT ANGÅR STØTTEN TIL EVO
THE AID TO EVO
De belgiske myndigheder anfører, at det forhold, at bygningerne var stillet omkostningsfrit til rådighed for EVO, opvejes af det forhold, at EVO skal afholde udgifter til renovering, som normalt påhviler ejeren af bygningerne.
The Belgian authorities indicate that the fact that the buildings are at the disposal of EVO free of charge is compensated by the fact that EVO has to bear renovation costs that normally fall upon the owner of the buildings.
De anfører desuden, at de omkostningsfrie lånegarantier til EVO skal analyseres i lyset af privatiserings- og omstruktureringsplanen for auktionen.
They further submit that the free guarantees granted for loans to EVO are to be analysed in the framework of the privatisation and restructuring plan of the auction.
I forbindelse med omstruktureringen af fiskeauktionen handlede byen som en privat investor, da det var mere rentabelt rent økonomisk at rekapitalisere fiskeauktionen end at lukke den, og fordi byen gennem privatiseringen ville få mulighed for at genvinde sin investering gennem den husleje, den kunne opkræve af den private ejer af auktionen.
They take the view that, in the framework of the restructuring of the fish auction the City acted like a private investor, in so far as the recapitalisation of the fish auction was more profitable from an economic point of view than the closing of the auction and that through the privatisation, the City would be able to recoup its investment through the rent it will ask from the private owner of the auction.
De belgiske myndigheder understreger også, at der allerede i 2002 var planer om at privatisere fiskeauktionen, og at en privatisering kun var mulig efter en omstrukturering.
They also stress that already in 2002 there were plans to privatise the fish auction and that privatisation was only possible after restructuring.
Mere specifikt vedrørende den omkostningsfrie garanti bemærker de, at lånene blev brugt til den endelige finansiering af fiskeauktionen, som primært blev finansieret via en kapitaltilførsel (til AGVO og via AGVO til EVO) fra byen.
More specifically on the free guarantee, they observe that the loans were used to complete the financing of the fish auction, which was primarily financed through a capital injection (to AGVO and, through AGVO, to EVO) from the City.
De belgiske myndigheder bemærker endvidere, at byen via garantien har mindsket udgifterne til omstruktureringen betydeligt.
The Belgian authorities note that through the guarantee the City has substantially reduced the costs incurred for the restructuring.
De tilføjer, at lånet uden garantien fra byen ikke ville være blevet bevilget, og påpeger, at det er almindelig handelspraksis, at et moderselskab tilbyder sikkerhed for lån, som et datterselskab optager.
They add that without the guarantee of the City no loan would have been granted and point out that it is normal commercial practice that a parent undertaking offers a guarantee for loans engaged into by its subsidiary.
FOR SÅ VIDT ANGÅR STØTTEN TIL FISKERIVIRKSOMHEDER/SKIBSEJERE
THE AID TO FISHING UNDERTAKINGS/SHIP-OWNERS
De belgiske myndigheder bemærker, at Kommissionen har medregnet støtten to gange, og at der enten er tale om støtte til EVO eller til fiskerne, men ikke til begge.
The Belgian authorities observe that the Commission has counted the same aid twice and that there is either aid to EVO or to the fishermen but not to both.
Hvis de pågældende foranstaltninger udgør statsstøtte, så er det statsstøtte til EVO og PAKHUIZEN, og de fordrejer dermed konkurrencen på dét niveau, men ikke på det andet niveau, dvs. for skibsejere og fiskerivirksomheder.
They take the view that, should the measures concerned constitute State aid, they then constitute State aid at the level of EVO and PAKHUIZEN and distort competition at that level but not at the level of vessel-owners and fishing undertakings.
De tilføjer, at EVO og PAKHUIZEN under alle omstændigheder ikke tilbyder deres ydelser til under markedsprisen.
They add that in any event, EVO and PAKHUIZEN do not offer their services below market prices.
Specifikt vedrørende EVO forklarer de, at EVO tilbyder ydelser, som også tilbydes andetsteds.
Specifically, so far as EVO is concerned, they explain that EVO offers services that are also proposed elsewhere.
De bemærker desuden, at EVO ikke tilbyder lagerfaciliteter, ikke tilbyder gratis el og ikke er ansvarlig for havnen og beddingen.
They also observe that EVO does not purport to offer any storage facilities, does not offer electricity free of charge and is not responsible for the manage of the port and the slipways.
De anfører, at prisen på vand er inkluderet i auktionsafgiften, og at EVO ikke tilbyder lån til skibsejere til under markedsprisen.
They indicate that the price for the water is included in the auction fee and that EVO does not grant any loan under market prices to ship-owners.
Endelig fastslår de, at EVO i praksis aldrig har håndhævet de artikler i kontrakten, der forpligter skibsejere til at afsætte deres fangster på EVO's auktion.
Finally, they state that, in practice, EVO has never enforced the contract articles obliging ship-owners to auction their catches at its auctions.
PRIVATISERINGSPROCEDURE IVÆRKSAT EFTER INDLEDNINGEN AF UNDERSØGELSESPROCEDUREN
PRIVATIZATION PROCEDURE LAUNCHED AFTER INITIATION OF THE INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Belgien har meddelt Kommissionen, at det den 22. maj 2008 blev besluttet at privatisere Oostende fiskeauktion, og at byen har iværksat en offentlig udbudsprocedure for at tiltrække en erhvervspartner til driften af EVO.
Belgium has informed the Commission that it has been decided on 22 May 2008 to privatise the Ostend fish auction and that the City has launched a public selection procedure in order to attract an operational partner run EVO.
Belgien forklarer i sine bemærkninger, at privatiseringen vil blive gennemført med oprettelse af en ny enhed, som skal varetage driften af fiskeauktionen.
In its comments, Belgium explains that the privatisation will take place through the establishment of a new undertaking (‘NewCo’) that will carry out the operation of the fish auction.
Fiskeauktionsbygningerne overgår så igen til byen, som den nye enhed skal indgå en lejeaftale med.
The buildings of the fish auction will return to the City and NewCo will have to sign a lease agreement with the City.
Denne bliver ikke forpligtet til at overtage andre af fiskeauktionens aktiver (ansatte, fiskekasser, kontrakter, lån til skibsejere osv.).
NewCo will not be obliged to take over the other assets of the fish auction (employees, fish boxes, contracts, loans to ship-owners, etc.).
Da salget og lejeaftalen vil blive forhandlet til markedspriser, overføres der ikke støtte til den nye enhed, og støtten kan derfor ikke tilbagesøges fra denne.
As the sale and the rental agreement will be negotiated at market prices, no aid will be transferred to NewCo and no aid can be recovered from NewCo.
Ved sit brev af 16. november 2009 har Belgien informeret Kommissionen om privatiseringsprocessens forløb.
In its letter of 16 November 2009, Belgium informed the Commission of the further developments of the privatisation process.
Belgien anfører, at første trin er, at ejendomsretten til de bygninger, som tilhører AGVO, blev tilbageført omkostningsfrit til byen den 4. september 2009, sammen med rettigheder og pligter i tilknytning til bygningerne (lejekontrakter).
It indicates that, as a first step, the property of the buildings belonging to AGVO has been transferred back, free of charge, to the City on 4 September 2009, as well as rights and obligations relating to the buildings (rental contracts).
Byen har også overtaget forskellige lån fra AGVO og PAKHUIZEN.
The City has also taken over various loans from AGVO and PAKHUIZEN.
Belgien hævder, at det forhold, at ejendomsretten til bygningerne igen er overført til byen, betyder, at spørgsmålet om statsstøtte nu er afsluttet.
Belgium argues that the fact that the property of the buildings has been transferred back to the City puts an end to the State aid issue.
Vedrørende EVO har Belgien forklaret, at den kandidat, der opfyldte udvælgelseskriterierne, ikke kunne tilbyde betingelser, som byen kunne acceptere.
So far as EVO is concerned, Belgium has explained that the candidate fulfilling the selection criteria did not offer conditions which were satisfactory for the City.
EVO vil fortsat eksistere, indtil der findes en passende kandidat, som kan overtage EVO's aktiver.
EVO will therefore continue to exist until a suitable candidate is found to take over EVO’s assets.
Endelig angav Belgien, at AGVO fortsat vil eksistere, indtil alle resterende gældsposter/forpligtelser er afgjort.
Finally, Belgium indicated that AGVO would continue to exist until all remaining debts/obligations are settled.
Belgien beder Kommissionen udskyde sin beslutning, til privatiseringsprocessen er afsluttet.
Belgium asks the Commission to postpone its decision until the privatisation process is finished.
BELGIENS KOMMENTARER I FORBINDELSE MED DE INTERESSEREDE PARTERS BEMÆRKNINGER
BELGIUM’S OBSERVATIONS FOLLOWING THE COMMENTS FROM THIRD PARTIES
Vedrørende spørgsmålet om Island anfører Belgien, at EVO aldrig har købt fisk direkte fra islandske skibsejere eller fiskere, men kun på islandske fiskeauktioner gennem en salgsagent.
Belgium indicates, so far as the Icelandic issue is concerned, that EVO never directly purchased fish from Icelandic ship-owners or fishermen but only from Icelandic fish auctions, through a sales agent.
Belgien tilføjer, at det hurtigt blev klart, at salg af islandske fisk ikke var rentabelt.
Belgium adds that it soon became clear that the resale of the Icelandic fish was not profitable.
Efter omkring et år, den 17. marts 2006, blev det derfor besluttet at ophøre med disse køb og videresalg.
Thus, after approximately one year, it was decided, on 17 March 2006, to put an end to these purchases and resales.
Belgien har indsendt en kopi af denne beslutning.
Belgium has submitted a copy of the said decision.
Belgien forklarer, at grunden til, at der blev købt fisk til høje priser på islandske fiskeauktioner, som blev videresolgt i Oostende til lavere priser, ikke var en strategi for at tiltrække islandske fisk til Oostende, men fordi de fisk af højere kvalitet, som blev købt af salgsagenten i Island beregnet for EVO, aldrig nåede frem til EVO, men i stedet blev købt direkte af en privat fileteringsvirksomhed, Luna Fish, mens EVO fik islandske fisk af ringere kvalitet, som ikke kunne sælges til rentable priser på grund af den lavere kvalitet.
Belgium explains that the reason why fish was bought against high prices at Icelandic fish auctions and then resold in Ostend at lower prices was not due to any strategy aiming at attracting Icelandic fish to Ostend but was due to the fact that the fish of higher quality which was bought by the sales agent in Iceland and meant for EVO never reached EVO but instead was directly bought by a private filleting undertaking, Luna Fish, whereas Icelandic fish of lesser quality arrived at EVO and could then not be sold at profitable prices, given its lesser quality.
Belgien konkluderer, at EVO derfor snarere var offer for denne praksis.
Belgium concludes that EVO was therefore rather a victim of these practices.
Den administrerende direktør for AGVO/EVO og salgsdirektøren blev afskediget, da dette problem blev opdaget.
The delegated administrator of AGVO/EVO and the commercial director were dismissed when the problem was discovered.
For så vidt angår den angiveligt omkostningsfri råderet over tjenestemænd til administration, regnskaber og vedligeholdelsesopgaver, hævder Belgien, at ZV's erklæringer alene er baseret på mistanker, og at EVO ydermere har sine egne medarbejdere til disse opgaver, og at nogle af EVO's medarbejdere desuden udfører opgaver af offentlig interesse (vedligeholdelse af vejen til fiskeauktionen).
So far as the alleged free secondment of staff for administrative, accountancy and maintenance tasks is concerned, Belgium submits that ZV’s statements are based on mere suspicions and that EVO has its own employees to perform those tasks and that, furthermore, some of EVO’s employees sometimes discharge public interest tasks (maintenance of the fish auction road).
Belgien nævner også, at der ikke er belæg for ZV's udtalelse om, at EVO ville garantere en mindstepris i forhold til auktionsprisen på fiskeauktionen i Zeebrugge.
Belgium also mentions that the statement made by ZV that EVO would guarantee a minimum price by reference to the auction price at the Zeebrugse fish auction is not supported by any evidence.
Belgien tilføjer, at det kan være en påstand fra fiskerivirksomheder som led i deres forhandlingsstrategi over for ZV for at opnå bedre kommercielle vilkår fra ZV.
Belgium adds that fishing undertakings might have alleged this when negotiating with ZV, as part of a strategy to obtain better commercial conditions from ZV.
Vedrørende spørgsmålet om Ostend Filleting Factory (OFF) understreger Belgien, at det kun fremgår af dokumenterne fra interesserede parter, at OFF blev oprettet af private, mens der ikke står noget om, at OFF skulle have beskæftiget sig med illoyal konkurrence.
As for the Ostend Filleting Factory (OFF) issue, Belgium stresses that the documents submitted by third parties only indicate that OFF was set up by private parties and do not reveal how OFF would have engaged in unfair competition.
Belgien anfører, at det først var i marts 2006, at PAKHUIZEN købte 60 % af aktierne i OFF. Navnet »OFF« blev derefter ændret til Ostend Premium Fish bvba, og virksomheden gik til sidst konkurs den 14. januar 2008.
Belgium states that it was only in March 2006 that PAKHUIZEN acquired 60 % of the shares in OFF. The name ‘OFF’ was then changed to ‘Ostend Premium Fish bvba’ and the company finally went bankrupt on 14 January 2008.
Vedrørende de tab, som Gardec og Flanders Ship Repair angiveligt har lidt på grund af statsstøtten, finder Belgien, at selv hvis statsstøtte ville få nogle fartøjer til at tage til Oostende i stedet for til Zeebrugge, er årsagssammenhængen til tabet ikke påvist.
On the alleged losses suffered by Gardec and Flanders Ship Repair as a result of the State aid, Belgium considers that, even if State aid were to induce vessels to go to Oostende instead of Zeebrugge, the causal link with the loss would still not be demonstrated.
Belgien hævder, at skibsejere ikke altid får deres fartøjer repareret i deres hjemstedshavn og i stedet bruger de billigere reparationsydelser i Østeuropa (Polen).
Belgium submits that ship-owners do not always let their vessel be repaired in their home port and instead make use of cheaper repair services in Eastern Europe (Poland).
Belgien bemærker, at der er konstateret en tydelig nedgang i antallet af skibsreparationsaktiviteter i Oostende.
Belgium observes that there has been a clear decline in ship repair work in Oostende.
Ved breve af hhv. 13. marts og 26. juni 2006 bad Kommissionen de belgiske myndigheder om oplysninger om Oostende fiskeauktions retlige stilling og statens engagement samt om yderligere detaljer om pengestrømmen mellem staten og fiskeauktionen.
By letters of 13 March and 26 June 2006 the Commission asked the Belgian authorities for information about the legal situation of the Ostend fish auction, the involvement of the State and for details about the financial flows between the State and the fish auction.
Ved brev af 19. oktober 2006 understregede de belgiske myndigheder, at AGVO sideløbende med den kommercielle aktivitet (drift af fiskeauktionen) udførte opgaver af offentlig interesse.
In their letter of 19 October 2006, the Belgian authorities underlined the fact that in addition to its commercial activity (running of the fish auction), AGVO was entrusted with public interest tasks.