natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Eksperterne har anført, at det ikke er klart, hvornår selskabet vil opnå en positiv pengestrøm på årsbasis, men ledelsen håber, at dette vil ske allerede i 2006 og senest i 2007 med nye ejere.
It was not clear when the company would become cash-flow positive year on year, but management hoped that under new ownership this would happen in 2006 at the earliest or 2007 at the latest.
SKATTER (INDKOMSTSKAT, SELSKABSSKAT, SOCIALSIKRING OG MOMS)
TAX (INCOME TAX, CORPORATION TAX, SOCIAL SECURITY AND VAT)
I marts 2005 indgik selskabet en afviklingsaftale med skattemyndighederne om at betale den udestående gæld på […] mio. EUR i 18 månedlige afdrag med start i marts 2005, hvorved kreditorbalancen rent faktisk blev omdannet til en 18-måneders lånefacilitet.
In March 2005, the company entered into a settlement agreement with the tax authorities to pay the outstanding debt of EUR […] million in 18 monthly instalments starting in March 2005; this effectively converted the balance owed into an 18-month loan facility.
Siden marts 2005 har selskabet overholdt denne aftale sammen med sine fortsatte månedlige forpligtelser.
Since March 2005 the company has complied with this arrangement and with its ongoing monthly obligations.
Med hensyn til moms konstaterede eksperterne, at NOA bogførte og betalte moms korrekt i den pågældende periode.
The experts found that Olympic Airlines had properly accounted for and paid VAT in the period.
FLY
AIRCRAFT
Flytype
Aircraft type
Ejerforhold
Ownership
Leasede
Leased
Egne 7/leasede 7
Owned 7/leased 7
Egne
Owned
Egne 4/leasede 2
Owned 4/leased 2
Eksperterne har anført, at NOA påbegyndte driften med en flåde på 43 fly, heraf 18 egne og 25 leasede.
The experts reported that Olympic Airlines had commenced operations with a fleet of 43 aircraft, 18 owned and 25 leased.
Fra påbegyndelsen af aktiviteterne har de af NOA ejede fly været de samme, og antallet af fly, som NOA har leaset, er faldet med tre.
Since that time the number of aircraft owned by Olympic Airlines had remained the same, and the number it leased had fallen by three.
To Airbus A300-600-fly, som ejedes af OA og blev leaset af NOA, blev solgt i februar 2005, og leasingaftalen vedrørende et Boeing 737-300-fly blev ikke forlænget, da den udløb i marts 2005.
Two Airbus A300-600 aircraft owned by Olympic Airways and leased by Olympic Airlines had been sold in February 2005, and the lease of one Boeing 737-3000 had not been renewed when it expired in March 2005.
Operationel leasing
Operating leases
NOA videreleaser fly fra OA, OAv (OAS) og, med hensyn til fire finansielle leasinger, direkte fra den græske regering (se afsnit 5.3.3.2).
Olympic Airlines subleased aircraft from Olympic Airways, Olympic Aviation (Olympic Airways Services) and, in the case of four finance leases, direct from the Greek State (see Section 5.3.3.2).
18 fly er på nuværende tidspunkt leaset på grundlag af operationel leasing, enten direkte fra leasinggiverne eller videreleaset fra OA eller OAv (OAS).
Eighteen aircraft were currently leased on operating leases, either direct from the lessors or subleased from Olympic Airways or Olympic Aviation (Olympic Airways Services).
Efterhånden som leasingaftalerne mellem leasinggiverne og OA og OAv (OAS) udløber, indgår NOA nye leasingkontrakter med leasinggiverne.
As the leases between the lessors and Olympic Airways and Olympic Aviation (Olympic Airways Services) expired, Olympic Airlines entered into new lease contracts directly with the lessors.
Eksperterne har konstateret, at i de tilfælde, hvor fly er videreleaset fra OA eller OAv (OAS), er videreleasingydelserne lavere end forpligtelserne i forbindelse med hovedleasingaftalerne.
The experts found that where aircraft were subleased from Olympic Airways or Olympic Aviation (Olympic Airways Services), the sublease charges were lower than those due under the head lease.
Da de spurgte NOA's ledelse, hvorfor det forholdt sig således, og hvordan det kunne retfærdiggøres, fik de at vide, at videreleasingaftalerne er indgået til markedspriser.
When they asked Olympic Airlines management why this was and how it could be justified, they were told that the subleases were at market rates.
Ifølge NOA's ledelse nyder OA (OAS) fordele, da selskabet har en leasingtager til sine fly.
According to Olympic Airlines management, Olympic Airways (Olympic Airways Services) benefited from the arrangement because it had a lessee for its aircraft.
NOA hævder også, at selskabet kunne få sine leasede fly andre steder fra, hvis OA ikke tilbød markedspriser.
Olympic Airlines stressed that it could source its leased aircraft from elsewhere if Olympic Airways did not offer market rates.
NOA's fordel er, at selskabet er i stand til at lease flyene til det, som det anser for at være aktuelle markedspriser og ikke højere satser end i de oprindelige aftaler.
Olympic Airlines benefited because it was able to lease the aircraft at what it considered to be current market rates rather than the higher rates that had obtained under the original contracts.
Eksperterne har foretaget en sammenligning mellem priserne i hovedleasing- og videreleasingaftalerne og konstateret, at for året frem til den 31. december 2004 udgjorde de samlede videreleasingydelser fra OA til NOA 29,7 mio. EUR i forhold til de samlede omkostninger i forbindelse med hovedleasingaftalerne på 67,3 mio. EUR, som OA i samme periode betalte for de samme fly.
The experts carried out a comparison of the head-lease and sublease rates, and found that for the year to 31 December 2004 the total charges for subleases from Olympic Airways to Olympic Airlines amounted to EUR 29,7 million, whereas the total head-lease costs paid by Olympic Airways for the same aircraft over the same period amounted to EUR 67,3 million.
De heraf følgende leasingomkostninger, som blev afholdt af OA, er 37,6 mio. EUR (55 % af de samlede leasingomkostninger).
The lease cost ultimately borne by Olympic Airways was EUR 37,6 million (55 % of the total lease cost).
Finansiel leasing
Finance leases
Eksperterne har anført, at med hensyn til fire Airbus A340-300-fly, hvor leasingen var blevet garanteret af Grækenland, blev disse fly efter den første udskilning oprindeligt videreleaset fra OA til NOA.
The experts reported that following the initial hive-off, four Airbus A340-300 aircraft, the lease for which had been guaranteed by Greece, had initially been subleased by Olympic Airways to Olympic Airlines.
Men på grund af den usikkerhed, der var med hensyn til OA's og NOA's fremtid på tidspunktet for udskilningen, havde de involverede finansielle institutioner (leasinggivere) indført mere bebyrdende betalings- og sikkerhedsvilkår i forbindelse med leasingaftalerne.
However, because of the perceived uncertainty over the future of Olympic Airways and Olympic Airlines at the time of the hive-off, the financial institutions involved (the lessors) had imposed more onerous payment and security conditions for the leases.
Note 1: Hovedleasingydelserne betales halvårligt bagud.
Note 1: Head lease payments are half-yearly in arrears.
Note 2: Videreleasingydelserne betales månedligt forud.
Note 2: Sublease payments are monthly in advance.
Note 3: Alle ydelser i tabellen betales månedligt.
Note 3: All payments shown in the table are on a monthly basis.
Månedlige hovedleasingydelser er baseret på årlige ydelser for 2004 divideret med 12.
Monthly head-lease payments are based on annual payments for 2004 divided by 12.
Note 4: Alle beløb er uden renter.
Note 4: All figures exclude interest.
Fly
Aircraft
Reg. nr.
Reg. No
Pris pr. hovedleasingaftale OA/stat-leasinggiver
Price of head lease Olympic Airways/State - lessor
Pris pr. videreleasingaftale OA/NOA
Price of sublease Olympic Airways/Olympic Airlines
Pris pr. videreleasingaftale stat/NOA (efter overdragelse)
Price of sublease State/Olympic Airlines (after novation)
Dato for leasingaftale
Lease agreement date
Eksperterne har desuden foretaget en sammenligning mellem hoved- og videreleasingsatserne med hensyn til disse fire fly.
The experts also carried out a comparison between the head-lease rates and the sublease rates in respect of these four aircraft.
De har konstateret, at de hovedleasingydelser, som staten betaler, udgør ca. 750000 EUR pr. måned, mens videreleasingydelserne ligger mellem ca. 400000 EUR og 500000 EUR pr. måned.
They found that the head-lease charges paid by the State amounted to approximately EUR 750000 per month, whereas the sublease charges ranged from approximately EUR 400000 to EUR 500000 per month.
Den græske stat taber derfor hver måned mellem 250000 EUR og 350000 EUR på hvert af disse fly.
In effect the Greek State lost between EUR 250000 and EUR 350000 on each of these four aircraft each month.
Eksperterne har ligeledes anført, at NOA mellem december 2004 og udgangen af marts 2005 ikke foretog nogen betalinger til staten for de to A340-fly, som var videreleaset af staten.
The experts also indicated that between December 2004 and the end of March 2005, Olympic Airlines had made no payments to the State for the two A340s the State was subleasing to it.
»SPATOSIMO«
SPATOSIMO
Med hensyn til de øvrige måneder mellem december 2003 og marts 2005 blev betalingerne foretaget mellem en og fem måneder for sent.
For the other months between December 2003 and March 2005, payments had been made between one and five months late.
Saldoen pr. 31. december 2004, på […] mio. EUR, svarede til opkrævninger i ca. tre måneder.
The balance at 31 December 2004 was EUR […] million, which represented about three months’ collections.
Pr. 31. marts 2005 udgjorde de skyldige lufthavnsafgifter […] mio. EUR, svarende til opkrævninger i ca. to en halv måned.
At 31 March 2005, the amount of airport tax due was EUR […] million, which represented about two and a half months’ collections.
AFGIFTER BETALT AF NOA TIL OAS FOR GROUNDHANDLING OG TEKNISK STØTTE
CHARGES PAID BY OLYMPIC AIRLINES TO OLYMPIC AIRWAYS SERVICES FOR GROUND HANDLING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Da NOA kun omfatter OA's og OAv's luftfartsdivisioner, er selskabet ikke i stand til selv at udføre de hjælpefunktioner, der er nødvendige for at kunne drive et luftfartsselskab (linjevedligeholdelse, påfyldning af brændstof, groundhandling osv.), og er nødt til at betale for at få disse udført.
As Olympic Airlines comprises only the flight divisions of Olympic Airways and Olympic Aviation, it is unable itself to carry out the ancillary functions essential for the running of an airline (line maintenance, refuelling, ground handling etc.), and has to pay to have these things done.
Kommissionen pålagde sin eksterne eksperter at verificere de græske myndigheders påstand om, at NOA i denne henseende betalte markedspriser for disse tjenester, og at kontrakterne derfor var indgået på armslængdevilkår.
The Commission asked the experts to verify the claim made by the Greek authorities that Olympic Airlines paid market prices for these services, and that the contracts had thus been concluded at arm’s length.
Eksperterne har anført, at der i alt er indgået syv kontrakter mellem NOA og OAS (bl.a. med OAv og Olympic Catering S.A.) vedrørende en rækker tjenester, herunder groundhandling, teknisk vedligeholdelse, fragt- og posthåndtering, lagerforvaltning, regnskabsbistand og -rådgivning, uddannelse af menneskelige ressourcer og generelle tjenester vedrørende flyveplaner, informationsteknologi- og telekommunikationstjenester og catering.
The experts reported that a series of seven contracts had been concluded between Olympic Airlines and Olympic Airways Services (including Olympic Aviation and Olympic Catering) for a range of services including ground handling, technical maintenance, cargo and mail handling, storehouse management, accounting support and consulting, human resources training and general flight itinerary programming services, information technology and telecommunications services, and catering.
NOA anvender OAG i forbindelse med […] % af sine groundhandlingtjenester og til alle sine vedligeholdelsestjenester.
Olympic Airlines used the Olympic Airways group for […] % of its ground handling services and for all of its maintenance.
De aftalte afgifter for 2004 udgjorde på grundlag af de planlagte luftfartsaktiviteter […] mio. EUR med hensyn til groundhandling og […] mio. EUR med hensyn til vedligeholdelse.
The contracted fees for 2004, based on scheduled flight activity, were EUR […] million for ground handling and EUR […] million for maintenance.
Kommissionens eksperter undersøgte de priser, som OAG forlangte af NOA og andre luftfartsselskaber.
The Commission’s experts examined the rates charged by the Olympic Airways group to Olympic Airlines and to other airlines.
Selv om der blev konstateret en lavere pris for groundhandlingtjenester, havde dette ifølge NOA's ledelse forretningsmæssige grunde, da NOA er den største kunde og modtager mængderabatter.
The rates charged for ground handling services were lower, but this was attributed by Olympic Airlines management to commercial factors, as Olympic Airlines was the largest customer and received volume discounts.
Med hensyn til catering synes NOA at betale markedspriser for de tjenester, selskabet modtager, og med hensyn til tekniske vedligeholdelsestjenester beregner OA priserne herfor på et andet grundlag over for NOA end over for andre kunder, og det var derfor ikke muligt at foretage en relevant sammenligning.
For the catering services it received Olympic Airlines appeared to pay market prices, and for technical maintenance services Olympic Airways charged Olympic Airlines on a basis different to the system it applied to other customers, making meaningful comparison impossible.
NOA's ledelse anførte, at den var af den opfattelse, at priserne for alle de tjenester, som OA leverede, blev forhandlet på armslængdevilkår og repræsenterer en rimelig markedsværdi.
Olympic Airlines management had stated that, in their view, the rates for all the services supplied by Olympic Airways had been negotiated at arm’s length and represented fair market value.
AIA'S AFGIFTER
AIA CHARGES
AIA er et 55 % statsejet selskab, som er ansvarligt for anlæg, drift og udvikling af den internationale lufthavn i Athen.
AIA is a 55 % State-owned company responsible for the construction, operation and development of Athens International Airport.
Selv om selskabet overvejende er statsejet, drives det som et privat selskab i henhold til kontrakten om udbygning af lufthavnen og er ikke underlagt lovgivningen vedrørende græske statskontrollerede enheder.
Although majority State-owned, the company is run as a private-sector company under the Airport Development Agreement, and is not subject to the laws on Greek State-controlled entities.
Eksperterne kunne fastslå, at NOA's forpligtelser over for og betalinger til AIA i perioden fra påbegyndelsen af driften og indtil den 19. maj 2005 var følgende:
The experts determined that Olympic Airlines’ liabilities and payments to AIA for the period since it began operations up to 19 May 2005 were as follows:
Eksperterne har anført, at AIA opkræver afgifter af luftfartsselskaber for en række forskellige tjenester, som leveres af lufthavnen, herunder landings- og parkeringsafgifter, lufthavnssikkerhed og infrastruktur til groundhandling.
The experts reported that AIA imposed charges on airlines for a range of services provided by the airport, including aircraft landing and parking fees, security, and ground handling infrastructure.
Morarenter betales med 3 % over Euribor.
Late payment interest was payable at 3 % above Euribor.
Kommissionens eksperter konstaterede, at NOA i slutningen af 2004 indgik en »afregningsaftale« med AIA, som gjorde det muligt for NOA at betale fakturaerne fra AIA inden for en periode på 45 dage i stedet for de 20 dage, der var gældende i henhold til AIA's normale betalingsbetingelser.
The experts learned that in late 2004 Olympic Airlines had entered into a financial settlement agreement with AIA under which Olympic Airlines was entitled to settle invoices from AIA within a period of 45 days instead of the 20 days applicable under AIA’s normal payment conditions.
Den forlængede betalingsfrist var gældende fra den 1. juli 2004 indtil den 28. februar 2005.
The extended payment terms applied from 1 July 2004 to 28 February 2005. As a condition for receiving these extended terms, Olympic Airlines was required to provide security in the form of a mortgage in favour of AIA on two […] aircraft, up to a maximum amount of EUR […] million.
Som en betingelse for at blive omfattet af denne forlængede frist skulle NOA som sikkerhed oprette pant til fordel for AIA i to […] fly op til maksimalt […] mio. EUR. Gælden pr. 31. december 2004 svarede til afgifter i ca. fire måneder og pr. maj 2005 til afgifter i ca. fem måneder, hvilket klart overstiger betalingsfristen på 45 dage i henhold til afregningsaftalen.
The liability at 31 December 2004 represented approximately four months’ charges, and in May 2005 it represented approximately five months’ charges, which is clearly in excess of the 45-day payment terms to be allowed under the financial settlement agreement.
Den 22. april 2005 indgik NOA endnu en »afviklingsaftale« med AIA vedrørende betaling af […] mio. EUR af den gæld på […] mio. EUR, der eksisterende på det pågældende tidspunkt; aftalen omfattede en yderligere sikkerhed på […] mio. EUR. Ifølge denne aftale skulle der foretages variable månedlige betalinger mellem den 30. april 2005 og den 30. november 2005.
On 22 April 2005, Olympic Airlines entered into a settlement agreement with AIA for the payment of EUR […] million of the EUR […] million debt outstanding at that date. This agreement provided for a further EUR […] million in security.
[…] mio. EUR af de […] mio. EUR ville komme fra indtægter i forbindelse med forpligtelsen til offentlig tjeneste.
Under this agreement variable monthly payments were to be made between 30 April 2005 and 30 November 2005. Of the EUR […] million, EUR […] million would come from revenue from public service obligations.
Der stilles sikkerhed på […] mio. EUR i form at panterettigheder med førsteprioritet i to […] fly og fire motorer.
Security of EUR […] million was provided in the form of preferred mortgages on two […] aircraft and four engines.
På grundlag af ovennævnte oplysninger er eksperterne af den opfattelse, at man ved at tillade, at der opbygges en gæld på […] mio. EUR i vintersæsonen, og derpå omdanne den til et otte måneders kortfristet lån, der skal betales i løbet af sommersæsonen, i realiteten stiller sæsonbestemt driftskapital til rådighed for NOA.
On the basis of this information, the experts were of the opinion that allowing Olympic Airlines to build up debts of EUR […] million over the winter season, and then to convert them into an 18-month short-term loan to be paid over the summer season, in practice amounted to providing Olympic Airlines with seasonal working capital financing.
Sammen med den fortsatte tolerance af forsinkede betalinger tyder denne finansiering på, at NOA får en behandling af AIA, som andre luftfartsselskaber ikke ville kunne få.
This financing, together with continued tolerance of late payments, suggested that Olympic Airlines was receiving treatment from AIA that would not be available to other airlines.
RETSGRUNDLAG FOR VURDERINGEN
LEGAL BASIS OF THE ASSESSMENT
Ifølge EF-traktatens artikel 87, stk. 1, er 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, uforenelig med fællesmarkedet i det omfang, den påvirker samhandelen mellem medlemsstaterne.
Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty states that ‘any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threaten to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the common market’.
Støttebegrebet omfatter enhver begunstigelse, som finansieres direkte eller indirekte af statsmidler og ydes af staten selv eller af organer, der optræder på vegne af staten.
The concept of State aid encompasses any advantage, direct or indirect, which is financed out of State resources and is granted by the State itself or by any intermediary body acting by virtue of powers conferred on it.
EF-traktatens artikel 228 bestemmer, at såfremt Domstolen fastslår, at en medlemsstat ikke har overholdt en forpligtelse, som påhviler den i henhold til traktaten, skal denne stat gennemføre de til dommens opfyldelse nødvendige foranstaltninger.
Article 228 of the EC Treaty provides that ‘If the Court of Justice finds that a Member State has failed to fulfil an obligation under the Treaty, the State shall be required to take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment of the Court of Justice.’
Artikel 228, stk. 2, i traktaten bestemmer, at hvis Kommissionen finder, at den pågældende medlemsstat ikke har truffet disse foranstaltninger, afgiver den, efter at have givet denne stat lejlighed til at fremsætte sine bemærkninger (ved åbningsskrivelse), en begrundet udtalelse, hvori den præciserer, på hvilke punkter den pågældende medlemsstat ikke har efterkommet Domstolens dom.
Article 228(2) of the Treaty provides that ‘If the Commission considers that the Member State concerned has not taken such measures it shall, after giving that State [by letter of formal notice] the opportunity to submit its observations, issue a reasoned opinion specifying the points on which the Member State concerned has not complied with the judgment of the Court of Justice’.
Kommissionen har foretaget en detaljeret og tilbundsgående analyse af de bemærkninger, der er modtaget under indledningen af proceduren, og af bemærkningerne fra Grækenland og i ekspertundersøgelsen af omstruktureringen af OA og af OA's og NOA's adfærd efter omstruktureringen.
The Commission has made an in-depth analysis of the comments received in the course of the procedure, the observations submitted by Greece, and the experts’ study of the restructuring of Olympic Airways and of the behaviour of Olympic Airways and Olympic Airlines since restructuring.
Den har i den forbindelse besluttet at foretage sin vurdering af forekomsten af støtte under fire hovedafsnit, nemlig: i) selve omstruktureringen, ii) spørgsmålet, om NOA har modtaget anden statsstøtte siden 2003, iii) tildelingen af 130 mio. EUR til OA og iv) spørgsmålet, om OA har modtaget anden statsstøtte.
The Commission has decided to consider the question whether State aid has been granted under four main headings: (i) the restructuring itself; (ii) whether any other State aid has been given to Olympic Airlines since 2003; (iii) the grant of EUR 130 million to Olympic Airways; and (iv) whether any other State aid has been given to Olympic Airways.
Hvad var karakteren af den omstrukturering af OAG, der blev foretaget i december 2003?
What was the nature of the restructuring of the Olympic Airways group carried out in December 2003?
De græske myndigheders hensigt med at udarbejde og gennemføre lov nr. 3185/2003 synes at have været at gøre det muligt for luftfartsdivisionerne i OAG, i den nye skikkelse som NOA, at fortsætte aktiviteterne og gennemføre privatiseringen. Kommissionen skal derfor undersøge forholdet mellem OA og NOA.
In drawing up and implementing Law 3185/2003 the intention of the Greek authorities seems to have been to enable the flight divisions of the Olympic Airways group, now absorbed into Olympic Airlines, to continue trading and to proceed to privatisation.
NOA blev oprettet på grundlag af luftfartsdivisionerne i OA og viderefører OA's kerneaktiviteter på luftfartsområdet.
The Commission must therefore examine the relationship between Olympic Airways and Olympic Airlines.
Selskabet overtog oprindeligt alle OA's fly og opererer på nuværende tidspunkt 40 fly i forhold til de 43 fly, som tidligere opereredes af OA med de samme besætninger på de samme ruter.
Olympic Airlines was established out of the flight divisions of Olympic Airways and continues Olympic Airways’ core flight operations; it initially took over all of Olympic Airways’ aircraft, and currently operates 40 aircraft, compared to the 43 previously flown by Olympic Airways, with the same crews on the same routes.