natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
De belgiske myndigheder hævder, at beslutningen om at overføre ejendomsretten til denne faste ejendom til AGVO aldrig vil kunne opfattes som statsstøtte, da den alene vedrører overførsel af fast ejendom mellem to offentlige myndigheder, eftersom AGVO ikke deltager i kommercielle aktiviteter.
The Belgian authorities submit that the decision to transfer the ownership of the real estate to AGVO could never be viewed as State aid as it merely concerned a transfer of real estate between two public authorities as AGVO does not participate in commercial activities.
Som det fremgår af denne afgørelses punkt 10.1.1 deltager AGVO imidlertid direkte og indirekte via sine datterselskaber i kommercielle aktiviteter og skal betragtes som en virksomhed.
However, as shown in point 10.1.1 of this Decision, AGVO participates directly and indirectly through its subsidiaries in commercial activities and must therefore be considered to be an undertaking.
Beslutningen om at overføre ejendomsretten til den faste ejendom til AGVO kan derfor ikke betragtes som en blot og bar overførsel af fast ejendom mellem to offentlige myndigheder, da den pågældende faste ejendom i vid udstrækning bruges til de pågældende økonomiske aktiviteter (udlejningsydelser, drift af fiskeauktionen og forvaltning af fiskerihavnen).
Accordingly, the decision to transfer the ownership of the real estate to AGVO cannot be viewed as a mere transfer of real estate between two public authorities, especially since the real estate concerned is largely used for the economic activities concerned (rental services, operation of the fish auction, managing the fishing port).
Kommissionen er af den opfattelse, at en almindelig privat virksomhed ikke ville acceptere en overførsel af ejendomsret til bygninger af denne værdi uden at få en rimelig pris for dem.
The Commission considers that a normal private operator would not agree to a transfer of ownership of buildings of such value without obtaining a reasonable price for it.
De belgiske myndigheder anførte, at bygningerne var i meget ringe stand, og at bygningernes bogførte værdi derfor var overvurderet.
The Belgian authorities stated that the buildings were in very poor condition and that, therefore, the book value of the buildings was overestimated.
De anførte desuden, at omkostninger til renovering, som skulle betales af AGVO, var af en sådan størrelsesorden, at overførslen af ejendomsretten kunne opfattes som en udgiftsneutral operation.
Moreover, they argued that the costs for renovation, to be paid by AGVO, were of such magnitude that the transfer of ownership could be viewed as a null operation.
De belgiske myndigheder har dog ikke over for Kommissionen dokumenteret, at de pågældende aktivers bogførte værdi var overvurderet, og Kommissionen har ikke modtaget bevis for, at renoveringsomkostningerne ville svare til den faktiske værdi af ejendomsretten til de pågældende bygninger.
However, the Belgian authorities have not provided the Commission with evidence showing that the book value of the assets in question had been overestimated, nor has the Commission received any evidence showing that the renovation costs would be equal to the actual value of the property rights in the buildings involved.
De oplysninger, Kommissionen har fået i hænde, viser tværtimod, at de belgiske myndigheders argument ikke kan godtages.
The information available to the Commission shows on the contrary that the Belgian authorities’ argument cannot be accepted.
For det første skal det påpeges, at AGVO før overførslen af ejendomsretten og efter sin oprettelse har haft eneret til omkostningsfrit at bruge grunde og bygninger i fiskerihavnen, også fiskeauktionen.
First and foremost, prior to the transfer of ownership and since its establishment AGVO had been granted the exclusive right to use, free of charge, the lands and buildings of the fishing harbour, including the fish auction.
Vedtægterne indeholder ikke nogen specifik forpligtelse vedrørende obligatorisk renoveringsarbejde for AGVO.
The articles of association do not contain any specific obligation concerning mandatory renovation works to be undertaken by AGVO.
Ifølge vedtægternes artikel 3 har AGVO, hvis virksomheden skulle ønske det, ret til at foretage vedligeholdelses-, reparations- og moderniseringsarbejder på bygningerne [27], men de indeholder ingen bestemmelser, der forpligter AGVO til at renovere bestemte bygninger.
According to Article 3 of the articles of association, AGVO has the right to undertake, should it wish to do so, any maintenance, repair or modernisation works on the buildings [27] but the articles of association do not contain any provision that would put AGVO under the obligation to renovate certain buildings.
AGVO har således haft grundene og bygningerne i fiskerihavnen til rådighed siden oprettelsen uden at skulle betale leje eller anden form for vederlag.
AGVO has thus had the lands and buildings of the fishing port at its disposal since its establishment without having to pay any rent or any other kind of remuneration.
En privat virksomhed ville ikke have accepteret at overdrage ejendomsretten til en virksomhed uden en rimelig modydelse.
A private operator would not have agreed to grant exclusive usage rights to an undertaking without receiving a proper remuneration.
Overdragelsesdokumentet vedrørende indskud i form af fast ejendom af 30. december 2004, hvorved ejendomsretten til bygningerne blev overført fra byen til AGVO, indeholder ingen særlige betingelser eller forpligtelser for AGVO, heller ikke vedrørende specifikke renoveringsopgaver.
The Deed of Transfer by means of Contributing Immovable Property, of 30 December 2004, by which the right of ownership of the buildings was transferred from the City to AGVO, does not contain any particular conditions or obligations for AGVO regarding specific renovation works either.
Det er i realiteten et generelt skøde, hvorved byen overdrager alle rettigheder og pligter i henseende til de pågældende bygninger til AGVO.
In fact, it is a general deed whereby the City hands over all rights and obligations in respect of the buildings concerned to AGVO.
Det ansvar, som AGVO pålægges i skødet, ser ikke ud til at være af en sådan art, at det begrunder, hvorfor der ikke blev krævet betaling for overtagelsen af ejendomsretten til bygningerne.
The responsibilities imposed on AGVO in the deed do not seem to be of such a nature as to justify that no payment would be required for taking the ownership of the buildings.
Det betvivles desuden ikke, at AGVO også har ret til at udleje bygningerne eller tilbyde koncessionsrettigheder.
Furthermore, it is not disputed that AGVO also has the right to offer the buildings for rent or to grant concession rights.
Bygningerne eller i det mindste nogle af dem har en handelsværdi.
The buildings, at least part of them, have a commercial value.
De belgiske myndigheder vedgår, at en del af dem blev udlejet til offentlige og halvoffentlige organisationer og en del til private formål (se denne afgørelses betragtning 46).
The Belgian authorities have admitted that a part of them was rented to public and semi-public organisations and a part for private purposes (see recital 46 of this Decision).
Endelig bemærker Kommissionen, at AGVO har fået en anden fordel i relation til de nævnte renoveringsomkostninger.
Finally, the Commission notes that AGVO has been granted another advantage in relation to the said renovation costs.
De belgiske myndigheder har givet Kommissionen en liste over de garantier, der omkostningsfrit er blevet stillet for bestemte lån.
The Belgian authorities have sent the Commission a list of guarantees that were given, free of charge, for certain loans.
Ifølge denne liste skulle nogle af disse garanterede lån bruges til at finansiere renoveringsomkostningerne.
According to the list transmitted to the Commission, some of those guaranteed loans aimed at financing the renovation costs.
Ud over at AGVO ikke havde pligt til at iværksætte dette renoveringsarbejde, reducerede disse garantier omkostningerne til mindst nogle af de renoveringsopgaver, som AGVO udførte.
Thus, in addition to the fact that AGVO was not obliged to engage in such renovation, the costs of at least some of the renovations that AGVO performed was reduced by these guarantees.
Argumentet om, at den omkostningsfrie overførsel af ejendomsretten som en slags »kompensation« for særligt høje omkostninger til renovering, som AGVO havde pligt til at udføre, kan af samme grund ikke accepteres.
It is for this reason also that the argument that the transfer of ownership took place, free of charge, as a kind of ‘compensation’ for particularly high renovation costs which AGVO was obliged to perform, cannot be accepted.
Selv hvis renoveringsomkostningerne kunne betragtes som særligt høje og udgøre en form for godtgørelse for overførslen af ejendomsretten til bygningerne, hvilket de belgiske myndigheder ikke har påvist, skal det forhold, at AGVO helt siden oprettelsen havde haft eneret til omkostningsfrit at bruge grundene og bygningerne i Oostende fiskerihavn, stadig betragtes som en fordel, der udgør statsstøtte.
Even if the renovation costs could be considered particularly significant and constitute a kind of remuneration for the transfer of ownership of the buildings, which has not been demonstrated by the Belgian authorities, the fact that AGVO had since its establishment already been provided with the exclusive right to use the land and buildings of the Ostend fishing port free of charge would still have to be considered an advantage to be regarded as State aid.
Spørgsmålet om, hvorvidt byen har handlet som en privat investor, skal undersøges i lyset af de elementer, der var tilgængelige på tidspunktet for beslutningen [28].
Indeed, the question whether the City acted as a normal private investor must be examined in the light of the elements available at the time the decision was taken [28].
I den foreliggende sag må byen, da den traf sin beslutning, have vidst, at den tildelte AGVO en fordel, eftersom det klart fremgår af forretningsplanens punkt 11, som er udarbejdet af HAMA Consult NV den 9. november 2001, at fiskeauktionen var blevet moderniseret kort tid forinden, og at der ikke forventedes større investeringer i de efterfølgende ti år.
In the present case, when the decision was taken, the City must have known that it was granting an advantage to AGVO, since point 11 of the business plan prepared by HAMA Consult NV on 9 November 2001 clearly mentions that, since the fish auction had recently been modernised, no significant investments were to be expected in the next 10 years.
Ifølge Kommissionens meddelelse om statsstøtteelementer i forbindelse med offentlige myndigheders salg af jord og bygninger [29] skal salg, for at en overførsel af ejendomsret til offentligt ejede bygninger kan betragtes som værende i overensstemmelse med markedsværdien, normalt enten foregå i form af et betingelsesløst udbud eller efter en vurdering af en uafhængig sagkyndig.
Furthermore, according to the Commission Communication on State aid elements in sales of land and buildings by public authorities [29], in order for a transfer of the ownership of publicly owned buildings to be considered to conform to market value, the sale would normally either have to be by way of an unconditional bidding procedure, or following an independent expert evaluation.
Ingen af disse procedurer er blevet fulgt.
Neither of these procedures has been followed.
En uafhængig sagkyndigs vurdering af bygningernes værdi og en ordentlig betaling for AGVO's enebrugsret og den efterfølgende overførsel af ejendomsret ville i den foreliggende sag have været så meget desto mere nødvendig, som de belgiske myndigheder fandt, at den bogførte værdi ikke svarede til den reelle værdi.
An expert evaluation of the value of the buildings and the proper remuneration for the exclusive usage right granted to AGVO and then the transfer of ownership would in the present case have been all the more necessary since the Belgian authorities considered that the book value did not correspond to the real value.
Følgelig ser det ud til, at den omkostningsfrie brugsret og efterfølgende byens indskud af bygningerne i AGVO er en handling, som ikke kan anses for at overholde almindelige økonomiske normer, og som en almindelig investor ikke ville have foretaget under tilsvarende omstændigheder.
Consequently, it appears that the provision free of charge and subsequently the contribution of the buildings by the City to AGVO is an act which cannot be considered to comply with normal economic standards, such as a normal private investor in similar conditions would have undertaken.
Eftersom ejendommen er blevet tilbageført til byen (vederlagsfrit), mener de belgiske myndigheder ikke længere, at spørgsmålet om statsstøtte er relevant.
The Belgian authorities consider that since the property has been transferred back to the City (without compensation) puts an end to the State aid issue.
Det er Kommissionen imidlertid ikke enig i.
The Commission, however, cannot agree with this position.
Det er Kommissionens opfattelse, at AGVO efter overførslen af ejendommen, i det omfang virksomheden fortsat bruger disse bygninger omkostningsfrit eller til en leje, der ligger under markedsprisen, fortsat får statsstøtte [30].
Moreover, the Commission considers that to the extent that AGVO would continue to use these buildings free of charge or for a below-market rent after the transfer of property, AGVO would continue to benefit from State aid [30].
Omkostningsfrie lånegarantier
Free guarantees for loans
I henhold til punkt 2.1.1 i Kommissionens meddelelse om anvendelsen af EF-traktatens artikel 87 og 88 angående statsstøtte i form af garantier (»garantimeddelelsen«) [31] anses statsstøtte i form af garantier for at komme en bestemt virksomhed til gode, hvis det gør det muligt for låntageren at opnå bedre finansieringsvilkår for et lån, end der normalt er til rådighed på finansmarkederne, uden at betale en markedspræmie for garantien.
According to point 2.1.1 of the Commission Notice on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid in the form or guarantees (the ‘Notice on guarantees’) [31], a State guarantee is considered to benefit a certain undertaking where it would allow the borrower to obtain better financial terms for a loan than those normally available on the financial markets without paying a market premium for the guarantee.
For at fastlægge de almindelige markedsvilkår bør byens adfærd sammenholdes med en privat kreditors adfærd, som handler med henblik på at få en rimelig fortjenstmargen [32].
In order to determine the normal market conditions, the conduct of the City ought to be compared with that of a private creditor acting with a view to realising a reasonable profit [32].
Garantimeddelelsen giver en række indikationer af, hvordan en garanti skal vurderes i henhold til statsstøttebestemmelserne.
The Notice on guarantees gives a certain number of indications as to how a guarantee is assessed within the scope of State aid rules.
Det fastslås især, at en garanti for ikke at blive betragtet som statsstøtte skal opfylde visse kriterier.
In particular it states that for a guarantee not to be considered State aid, it must fulfil certain criteria.
Nogle af kriterierne rejser problemer i denne sag.
Some of them raise problems in the current case.
Der er ikke betalt markedspris for garantierne, eftersom de var helt omkostningsfrie.
No market price has been paid for the guarantees, since the guarantees were completely free of charge.
Desuden dækkede garantierne over 80 % af det udestående lån, eftersom de dækkede hele lånet.
Moreover, the guarantees covered more than 80 % of the outstanding loan, as they covered the totality of the loan.
Dette forstærker fordelen, da der i tilfælde af et 100 % statslån ikke er nogen ansporing for låntager til at foretage en ordentlig vurdering af AGVO's kreditværdighed og dermed en ordentlig fastlæggelse af de finansielle vilkår for lånet i overensstemmelse med AGVO's risikoprofil [33].
This reinforces the advantage received because in the case of a 100 % State guarantee there is no incentive for the lender to properly assess the creditworthiness of AGVO and thus to properly determine the financial terms of the loan in accordance with the risk profile of AGVO [33].
Det står derfor klart, at disse garantier gjorde det muligt for AGVO at opnå bedre finansielle vilkår for lånene end dem, der normalt er gældende på finansmarkederne [34], især i lyset af AGVO's og datterselskabernes dårlige og ofte negative resultater.
It is therefore clear that these guarantees allowed AGVO to obtain better financial terms for loans than those normally available on the financial markets [34], especially in light of the poor and often negative results of AGVO and its subsidiaries.
De belgiske myndigheder hævder, at det er normalt for en aktionær at stille en omkostningsfri garanti til rådighed for en virksomhed, som den pågældende kontrollerer.
The Belgian authorities submit that it would be normal for a shareholder to provide a guarantee free of charge in favour of an undertaking he controls.
Denne udtalelse underbygges dog ikke med dokumenter eller eksempler.
This statement is, however, not substantiated by any evidence or example.
Det er desuden yderst vanskeligt at forene dette med en privat kreditors adfærd.
It is moreover particularly difficult to reconcile this with the behaviour of a private creditor.
Byens beslutning om omkostningsfrit at stille garanti over for finansielle institutioner for lån til AGVO er yderst ualmindelig under normale vilkår på finansmarkederne.
Indeed, the decision of the City to provide guarantees to financial institutions for loans taken out by AGVO, without any charges, is particularly unusual under normal conditions on the financial markets.
I en almindelig situation ville en sådan garanti blive betalt med en hensigtsmæssig præmie, som afspejler risiciene i forbindelse med garantien [35], selv hvis kautionisten er majoritetskontrollerende aktionær [36].
In a normal situation, such a guarantee would be remunerated by an appropriate premium, which reflects the risks connected with the guarantee [35], even if the guarantor is a shareholder holding a controlling majority [36].
En privat kreditor, der stiller garanti, ville selv sikre sig, før garantien stilles, og på forhånd kontrollere lånebetingelser, risiko osv., men oplysningerne fra Belgien viser, at dette ikke er sket i denne sag [37].
Moreover, a normal private creditor providing guarantees would take out certain securities before granting it and verify beforehand the conditions of the loan, the risk involved etc. while the information provided by Belgium shows this has not been the case [37].
Dette er så meget mere problematisk i denne sag på grund af fiskeauktionens finansielle situation, idet den i de foregående år har haft store, tilbagevendende tab og opererer på et yderst konkurrencepræget marked i tilbagegang [38].
This is all the more problematic in the present case given the financial situation of the fish auction, which has suffered recurrent and heavy losses in the past years and operates in a highly competitive and shrinking market [38].
De belgiske myndigheder anfører, at garantierne blev stillet for lån i relation til renoveringsarbejde i de bygninger, som var udlejet til offentlige og halvoffentlige organisationer.
The Belgian authorities argue that the guarantees were granted for loans relating to renovation works to undertake on buildings rented to public and semi-public bodies.
De tilføjer, at dette var en del af AGVO's offentlige opgaver, og at garantien derfor skal opfattes som deltagelse i denne offentlige opgave og følgelig ikke kan betragtes som statsstøtte.
They add that since this is part of AGVO’s public task, the guarantee must be seen as participating in this public task and consequently cannot be considered State aid.
Først skal det bemærkes, at det ikke er sikkert, at de garanterede lån rent faktisk blev brugt til det påtænkte formål.
It should first be noted that it is not certain that the guaranteed loans were actually used for the intended purpose.
Selvom det er rigtigt, at noget i de oplysninger, der er sendt til Kommissionen, tyder på, at byen stillede garantierne på grundlag af AGVO's hensigt om at bruge lånene til at finansiere renoveringsarbejde, ser det også ud til, at byen ikke satte de omkostningsfrie garantier i forbindelse med gennemførelsen af renoveringsarbejdet, og byen trak heller ikke de omkostningsfrie garantier tilbage eller bad om betaling, da det senere blev fastslået, at lånene i praksis var blevet brugt til andre formål.
Even if it is true that the information submitted to the Commission seem to indicate that the City granted the guarantees on the basis of AGVO’s intention to use the loans for the financing of renovation works, it also appears that the City did not link the free guarantees to the carrying-out of renovation works, nor did the City withdraw the free guarantees or ask for a remuneration when it was later established that the loans had in fact been used for other purposes.
De belgiske myndigheder har forklaret, at det er rigtigt, at lånene blev brugt til andre formål end det annoncerede.
The Belgian authorities have explained that the loans have at times been used for purposes other than the announced aim.
Et lån fra Fortis, som oprindeligt skulle finansiere køb af aktier i PAKHUIZEN, blev f.eks. ikke brugt hertil, men øjensynlig til renoveringsarbejde.
For instance a Fortis loan which was initially intended to finance the purchase of the shares in PAKHUIZEN was finally not used for that purpose but apparently for renovation works.
De belgiske myndigheder har ydermere erkendt, at de 550000 EUR i lån fra ING Bank, som oprindelig skulle bruges til renoveringsarbejde, i sidste instans blev brugt til at støtte EVO.
The Belgian authorities have furthermore admitted that the EUR 550000 loan from the ING Bank, initially intended for renovation works, was eventually used to support EVO.
Det er ubestridt, at den omkostningsfrie garanti for dette lån ikke kan betragtes som et tilskud til renoveringsarbejde.
It is undisputed that the free guarantee for this loan cannot be regarded as a contribution to renovation tasks.
Det kan med andre ord ikke siges, at byen har udvist en adfærd som en almindelig kautionist (herunder en kautionist, der kontrollerede det pågældende selskab), nemlig først at undersøge, om det lån, som garantien skulle dække, efter al sandsynlighed ville blive tilbagebetalt, og derefter at kontrollere, om lånet alene blev brugt til det projekt, der oprindelig var hensigten med det.
In other words, it cannot be said that the City behaved as a normal private guarantor would do (including one that controlled the company concerned), namely to first examine whether the loan for which the guarantee would give cover would in all likelihood be repaid, and then to verify whether the loan was strictly used for the project for which it was originally intended.
Med hensyn til garanterede lån, som i praksis (helt eller delvist) blev brugt til at finansiere renoveringsarbejde, skal det erindres, at AGVO's udlejningsaktivitet er en økonomisk aktivitet, og at et omkostningsfrit lån stiller AGVO gunstigt på udlejningsmarkedet.
As for guaranteed loans which were actually (entirely or partly) used to finance renovation works, it must be recalled that the renting activity of AGVO is an economic activity and that the provision of a free guarantee favours AGVO on the rental market.
Den omkostningsfrie garanti forbedrer desuden AGVO's finansielle situation generelt, fordi virksomheden kan bruge de finansielle ressourcer, som den under almindelige omstændigheder skulle have brugt til at betale præmien, til andre formål end renovering af de bygninger, der var udlejet til offentlige og halvoffentlige organisationer.
Moreover, the free guarantee improves AGVO’s financial situation in general, allowing it to use the financial resources that, under normal circumstances, it would have had to use in order to pay the premium for other purposes than the renovation of the buildings rented to public and semi-public organisms.