natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
CFF fandt det nødvendigt for at forhindre konkurrencefordrejninger, at de kompenserende modydelser, der var blevet pålagt SNCM i 2003, blev videreført og præciseret, og at der blev føjet nye til vedrørende begrænsning af SNCM's tilstedeværelse på markedet [98].
On the lifting of the restrictions imposed by the annulled decision of 2003
CFF mente desuden, at en del af de krav, der var blevet pålagt SNCM ved beslutningen fra 2003, ikke var blevet opfyldt.
The French authorities point out, on the one hand, that the conditions imposed by the 2003 decision were all implemented and complied with in the period from 2003 to 2006.
Desuden havde SNCM siden 2003 ført en aggressiv takstpolitik med priser, der var lavere end CFF's, i strid med beslutningens artikel 4 (billetter op til 30 % billigere for identiske eller sammenlignelige transportydelser).
On the other hand, the French authorities consider that those measures are no longer necessary to prevent a distortion of competition and that maintaining them would be contrary to the principle of proportionality, having regard to the limit on the amount of restructuring aid, henceforth reduced to EUR 15,81 million.
Med hensyn til karakteren af den anden rekapitalisering med 8,75 mio. EUR mente CFF, at ud over den samtidige offentlige og private investering burde den private deltagelse være betydelig og gennemføres på tilsvarende vilkår for at underbygge den statslige intervention.
In particular, the French authorities take the view that it is necessary to lift the conditions which might still apply, namely those relating to the prohibition on modernising SNCM’s fleet, the observance of the principle of price leadership in tariff matters and the maintenance of frequency of services.
I den foreliggende sag var disse to betingelser ikke opfyldt.
CONCLUSION
Med hensyn til de sociale foranstaltninger til et beløb af 38,5 mio. EUR anfægtede CFF, at beløbet kunne betragtes som støtte til enkeltpersoner.
If the Commission were, however, to classify all or part of the new measures as State aid, France would draw the Commission’s attention to the fact that the new measures, by ensuring that SNCM becomes viable again, allow competition to be maintained in the relevant markets, in particular the market for services to Corsica.
CFF understregede, at foranstaltningen, hvis beløbet virkelig skulle gå direkte til de ansatte i SNCM, kunne have indirekte positive konsekvenser for SNCM, bl.a. ved at forbedre det sociale klima i virksomheden.
According to France, that aspect is one of the principles of the guidelines in the rescue of an undertaking in difficulty as noted, in the present case, by the Commission (recital 283 of its annulled decision) and by the General Court in its judgment of 15 June 2005 in Case T-349/03 (paragraph 117).
Vedrørende foranstaltningerne efter rekapitaliseringen i 2002
In particular, the latter pointed out that the Commission could consider, in the exercise of its wide discretion, that the presence of an undertaking was necessary in order to prevent the emergence of a strengthened oligopolistic structure in the relevant markets.
STIM mente ikke, at den negative afståelsespris på 158 mio. EUR var en regulær markedspris, der var resultatet af en åben og ikkediskriminerende udbudsprocedure, fordi rekapitaliseringen blev gennemført på andre vilkår end dem, en privat investor normalt ville basere sig på.
As regards the determination of any compensatory measures to be imposed on SNCM, France suggests that the Commission take into account the structure of the market.
STIM var således af den opfattelse, at de revurderede regnskabsmæssige nettoaktiver i den værst tænkelige situation ville betyde, at rederiet kunne likvideres uden omkostninger for staten eller endda give et likvidationsprovenu, og at afståelsesprisen var latterligt lav i forhold til virksomhedens værdi (af STIM anslået til 350 mio. EUR), samt at støtten langt oversteg virksomhedens behov.
Accordingly, a reduction in SNCM’s capacity would be such as to strengthen the position of CFF in the market for services to Corsica, which would be dominant from then on [87].
STIM henledte desuden Kommissionens opmærksomhed på den usædvanligt gunstige ophævelsesklausul i forbindelse med virksomhedens privatisering.
According to the French authorities, the restructuring plan, as updated, complies with the compatibility criteria set out by the Commission in its 1999 and 2004 guidelines.
STIM anfægtede endelig det berettigede i at sælge til en negativ pris med henvisning til formodningen om en socialt vanskelig likvidation, som ikke forekom særligt realistisk.
The French authorities maintain that all of the measures laid down in the context of SNCM’s privatisation should also serve to restore SNCM’s long-term viability from the end of 2009 and are restricted to the minimum necessary for that return to viability.
Hvad angik den anden rekapitalisering med 8,75 mio. EUR, mente STIM, at denne kapitaltilførsel var i strid med princippet om den private markedsøkonomiske investor, eftersom der ikke var tilstrækkelig sikkerhed for et afkast af investeringen.
COMMENTS BY INTERESTED PARTIES
STIM afviste, at det forhold, at der var tale om samtidige private og offentlige investeringer, skulle betyde, at der ikke var tale om statsstøtte.
ON THE DECISION TO INITIATE THE 2002 FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Selv om investeringerne i givet fald blev gennemført samtidigt, var det kun et indicium og ikke i sig selv et tilstrækkeligt kriterium for at udelukke statsstøtte [99].
Comments by Corsica Ferries (CFF)
STIM fastholdt desuden, at denne kapitaltilførsel fungerede som en garanti fra den franske regering til overtagerne for, at SNCM ville få tildelt public service-kontrakten om besejlingen af Korsika.
Disputing, first, that SNCM is an undertaking in difficulty within the meaning of the guidelines [88], CFF raises the question whether SNCM can become profitable on the non-subsidised routes.
Med hensyn til de 38,5 mio. EUR i støtte til enkeltpersoner mente STIM, at beløbet i virkeligheden havde til formål at sætte SNCM i stand til at opfylde visse væsentlige dele af den saneringsplan, Kommissionen havde fået forelagt, men som aldrig blev gennemført, bl.a. de bebudede personalenedskæringer.
Moreover, CFF notes that, contrary to what is stated in the restructuring plan [89], services are still operated to Livorno.
Vedrørende støttens forenelighed med rammebestemmelserne fra 2004
On the subject of cost reduction, CFF regrets that it does not have access to particular parts of the restructuring plan at which its representatives have levelled criticism [90].
Det var STIM's opfattelse, at den støtte, SNCM modtog, ikke var begrænset til et minimum.
CFF is of the view that the calculation by the French authorities resulting in the amount of EUR 76 million is purely notional [91] while the own capital-to-debt ratio of 79 % decided upon by the French authorities seems exaggerated [92].
SNCM's eget og overtagernes bidrag til omstruktureringsplanen var utilstrækkeligt i henhold til rammebestemmelserne fra 2004, og det var ikke påvist, at SNCM's situation havde været så ekstraordinær, at den gjorde det berettiget at forlange et mindre bidrag fra virksomheden selv.
With regard to SNCM’s shareholdings, CFF notes that some of the subsidiaries are of no relevance to the shipping company’s activities [93].
STIM understregede desuden, at støtten i 2006 var uforholdsmæssigt stor, eftersom den satte SNCM i stand til at foretage hensættelser til dækning af fremtidige underskud.
CFF concludes that the planned aid circumvents the Cabotage Regulation and renders the invitation to tender for Marseille to Corsica services meaningless.
Endelig var det i strid med kravene i rammebestemmelserne fra 2004, at SNCM ikke havde til hensigt at afhænde de aktiver, der ikke var absolut nødvendige for virksomhedens overlevelse.
CFF emphasises that the planned aid should not result in facilitating a more aggressive commercial offer on the part of SNCM.
STIM forlangte derfor yderligere kompenserende modydelser for halvdelen af den udbetalte støtte, dvs. 98,25 mio. EUR, gennem salg af endnu et fartøj og afståelse af SNCM's direkte og indirekte kapitalinteresser i CMN.
It suggests that restructuring aid should not be granted until 2007 and only if SNCM loses the next tender in 2006, which would be the only scenario that would genuinely put the public shipping company in difficulty.
I den forbindelse fastholdt STIM, at de pågældende kapitalinteresser ikke var strategiske i den betydning, der var fastsat i rammebestemmelserne fra 2004 for støtte til omstrukturering, fordi de hverken var »nødvendige for virksomhedens overlevelse« eller havde karakter af et usælgeligt aktiv.
Comments by STIM
STIM gjorde også gældende, at de påståede synergier mellem SNCM og CMN ikke fandtes, eftersom SNCM ikke spillede nogen reel rolle for ledelsen og udviklingen af CMN.
STIM, the main shareholder in CMN, argues that SNCM’s shares in CMN should be analysed as purely financial assets.
STIM understregede til slut, at aktionæraftalen mellem de to virksomheder ikke havde eksisteret siden den 15. marts 2006, da den blev ophævet af CMN, hvilket var blevet fastslået af Appelretten i Paris.
According to STIM, CMN and SNCM are independent and in competition with each other on routes other than those from Marseille, even though both are co-contractors under the public service delegation contract.
Bemærkninger fra SNCM
The letter states that STIM would undertake ‘to buy back all or part, and preferably all, of SNCM’s shares in CMN’, whose value it estimates at between EUR 15 million and EUR 17 million, if the Commission were to take the view, under the conditions it might impose in its final decision, that ‘such a sale is necessary to ensure that the restructuring plan is properly balanced’.
SNCM havde fremsendt sagsmateriale til Kommissionen med en redegørelse for virksomhedens økonomiske og konkurrencemæssige situation, ledsaget af et juridisk responsum med en vurdering af risikoen i forbindelse med en likvidationsprocedure for et sagsanlæg mod staten i dennes egenskab af reelt ansvarlig for SNCM's ledelse i perioden forud for privatiseringen.
Comments by the representatives of the regional and local authorities
Advokatfirmaet Baker & McKenzie, som SNCM havde konsulteret, havde på grundlag af selskabets ansættelseskontrakter og andet arbejdsretligt materiale samt kontrolorganernes korrespondance, indlæg og referater, skønnet, at staten havde […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger.
The mayor of the city of Marseille, the president of the general council of Bouches-du-Rhône and the president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur highlighted the economic importance of SNCM’s role in the regional economy.
[100] Det fremgik af de forhold, der blev påpeget i rapporten, at SNCM's bestyrelse […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger. sin forudgående tilladelse
The president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur added that the conditions for SNCM’s restructuring plan to guarantee the undertaking’s viability appear to be satisfied.
[…] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger.
The president of the executive council of the Assembly of Corsica submitted the deliberations of that assembly of 18 December 2002 during which it issued ‘a favourable opinion’ regarding SNCM’s planned recapitalisation.
[101] Til støtte for en beretning fra fra den franske revisionsret nævnes det f.eks. i rapporten, at staten havde besluttet […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger. kunne drøftes
Comments by the Corsica Transport Office
[102] Det fremgik af de forhold, der blev påpeget i rapporten, at staten […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger.
It notes, in addition, the importance of SNCM to the Corsican economy.
forretningsplan
ON THE 2006 DECISION TO EXTEND THE PROCEDURE
[103] Staten havde f.eks. […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger. lederne af SNCM .
CFF notes the scale of the amounts in question, their disproportionate nature in relation to SNCM’s turnover and the fact that they were paid to SNCM before the Commission took a position on aid classification pursuant to Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty.
Endelig blev der i samme rapport peget på, at […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger.
CFF draws the Commission’s attention to the fact that the French State’s support for SNCM is of strategic importance to the development of CFF.
SNCM.
These unauthorised measures enable SNCM to have a very aggressive tariff policy on the routes on which CFF has been present for 10 years and on which, for the first time since it was set up, it is losing market share.
Der peges i rapporten bl.a. på følgende ledelsesmæssige fejl:
As regards the negative sale price of EUR 158 million, CFF is uncertain whether the criterion of the prudent investor in a market economy applies to the present case.
De økonomiske konsekvenser af statens mangelfulde ledelse beløb sig til […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger.
First, CFF wonders whether the view can be taken that the transaction at issue was carried out by the State at the same time as a significant and concurrent action by private operators involved in comparable circumstances, while the State recapitalised the company before the joint recapitalisation by the shareholders and the new restructuring plan.
I denne forbindelse mente SNCM's ekspert, at der ikke kunne være tvivl om, at den franske stat ved en retssag om statens ansvar ville blive dømt til at dække hele eller en del af underskuddet, når man betænkte statens omfattende inddragelse i SNCM's ledelse, de indlysende ledelsesmæssige fejl og størrelsen af statens finansielle ressourcer.
Second, CFF considers that, in the face of SNCM’s serious financial circumstances, a prudent investor would have acted sooner in order to prevent his investment depreciating [94].
Med henvisning til relevant retspraksis konkluderede SNCM's ekspert, at hvis SNCM var trådt i likvidation, ville staten helt sikkert være blevet dømt til at dække SNCM's sociale gæld i fuldt omfang.
CFF takes the view that the reference to the ABX Logistics case is irrelevant.
Det ville have betydet, at staten som hovedaktionær skulle have dækket mellem 85 % og 100 % af den konstaterede manko (svarende til mellem 316,6 og 385,7 mio. EUR).
Besides the fact that the circumstances of that case cannot be applied to the present case, CFF notes a significant contribution by the aid beneficiary in that case, which clearly did not happen with SNCM.
Ved at beslutte at privatisere SNCM efter at have udvidet rederiets egenkapital med 158 mio. EUR havde den franske stat derfor handlet som en fornuftig investor.
Furthermore, according to CFF, the Commission decision of 2006 did not take account of the costs relating to the risk of legal proceedings in a liquidation of the undertaking concerned.
V. DE FRANSKE MYNDIGHEDERS KOMMENTARER TIL BEMÆRKNINGERNE FRA DE INTERESSEREDE PARTER
In that respect, CFF submits that the national case-law relied on by France to justify the costs relating to SNCM’s liquidation does not apply to the present case.
DE FRANSKE MYNDIGHEDERS KOMMENTARER TIL DE INTERESSEREDE PARTERS BEMÆRKNINGER VEDRØRENDE BESLUTNINGEN FRA 2002 OM AT INDLEDE DEN FORMELLE UNDERSØGELSESPROCEDURE
According to CFF, the Court of Cassation in the Mines et produits chimiques de Salsignes case does not refer at all to the direct liability of the State as shareholder in the event of the liquidation of an undertaking in which it is the shareholder, but rather the possibility of bringing an action for payment of payroll and social security debts against an industrial and commercial public company and the impossibility for the managers to escape their obligations by relying on action by the public authorities.
Om CFF's bemærkninger
As regards the inapplicability to the present case of the Aspocomp case-law established by the Rouen Court of Appeal, CFF submits that the subject-matter of that case, relating to an order that a parent company pay to the employees of a subsidiary social benefits for ‘failure to comply with an agreement’ ratified by the former, is very different from the facts of the SNCM case.
De franske myndigheder anførte, at visse af de af CFF forelagte data om SNCM's udbud var fejlbehæftede.
There is therefore no definite risk that CGMF or the State will be ordered to make redundancy payments in the event of compulsory liquidation.
Den franske stat mente, i modsætning til CFF, at omstruktureringsplanen var opbygget således, at den gjorde det muligt meget hurtigt at genoprette SNCM og skabe forudsætninger for virksomhedens overlevelse på mellemlang og lang sigt.
Moreover, CFF doubts the estimated figure for the other social costs because they seem to differ, depending on the experts asked to determine them.
De franske myndigheder præciserede, at en væsentlig del af programmet for nedbringelse af omkostningerne allerede var sat i værk.
CFF takes the view that the application of the Community case-law in Gröditzer and Hytasa to the present case necessarily leads to the conclusion that the State did not act like a private investor in so far as, in accordance with the above case-law, the capital contribution by the State was linked to the sale of 75 % of its stake in SNCM, reducing in proportion the prospects of profit in return.
Skibsmateriellet blev indskrænket, og programmet for afståelse af aktiver forløb i overensstemmelse med forretningsplanen.
Finally, CFF considers that the comparison between the liquidation costs and the recapitalisation costs should take into account the value of the assets, which is transferred to the buyer in both cases.
Overfarter og ruter blev omlagt, og handlingsplanen for reduktion af forbruget af rå- og hjælpestoffer havde givet de første resultater.
CFF submits that the value of the assets sold to the buyers varies between EUR 640 million and EUR 755 million [95], compared with the market value of the fleet used by SNCM, which CFF valued at between EUR 644 million and EUR 664 million in August 2006.
Også forretningsplanens beskæftigelsesdel blev gradvist sat i værk.
As regards the classification of the measures subsequent to the 2002 recapitalisation as restructuring aid, CFF is of the opinion that, although SNCM fulfils the conditions of an undertaking in difficulty under the 2004 guidelines in the period preceding the first recapitalisation of EUR 142,5 million, that classification becomes very questionable for the period preceding the second capital increase of EUR 8,75 million because the undertaking’s capital had been reconstituted.
Desuden havde SNCM i 2001 afsat 21,3 mio. EUR til finansiering af omstruktureringsforanstaltninger, bl.a. planen for sikring af beskæftigelsen.
As regards the viability of the undertaking, CFF emphasises that the sale of SNCM is only partial and is not irrevocable, in the light of the cancellation clauses negotiated with the buyers.
Med hensyn til fastsættelsen af støttebeløbet fastholdt de franske myndigheder, at en samlet gearing på 0,79 var typisk for flertallet af rederiers balance, medmindre særlige forhold gjorde sig gældende.
Those factors are important elements of uncertainty as regards the will and the ability of the buyers to turn SNCM around and therefore secure the prospects of the undertaking’s long-term viability.
Når denne fejl var rettet, var CMN's gearing 0,557.
In addition, CFF expresses its scepticism regarding the plan for reducing costs, despite SNCM’s fleet becoming larger [97] and the planned reduction in staff, in particular in the light of the failure of the 2002 social plan.
Ifølge de franske myndigheder var dette under alle omstændigheder for lidt for CMN, hvilket selskabets likviditetsvanskeligheder i 2002 illustrerede.
CFF doubts whether the new aid is limited to the minimum on account, first, of a lack of clarity as to what the social costs cover and, second, the content of the minutes of SNCM’s meeting of 28 April 2006, according to which a part of that aid would be used to cover the operating losses of the company in 2006 and 2007.
CMN måtte rent faktisk optage lån på 8 mio. EUR hos STIM for at kunne finansiere det nettounderskud, rederiets banker ikke dækkede.
CFF also considers that the buyers of SNCM do not contribute substantially to the restructuring of the undertaking.
Om STIM's bemærkninger
In order to prevent undue distortions of competition, CFF considers it necessary to renew and specify the compensatory measures imposed on SNCM in 2003 and to add new measures relating to the reduction of SNCM’s presence in the market [98].
De franske myndigheder fastholdt, at SNCM's aktiepost i CMN ikke kunne betragtes som et rent finansielt aktiv, således som STIM syntes at påstå.
CFF considers, moreover, that a part of the measures imposed on SNCM by the 2003 decision were not complied with.
Frankrig gjorde gældende, at SNCM's aktiepost i CMN i høj grad var af strategisk betydning.
SNCM acquired new vessels in breach of Article 2 of the Commission’s 2003 decision.
Afståelse af aktierne ville ifølge de franske myndigheder ikke blot være i strid med forretningsplanen, men også være en alvorlig strategisk fejltagelse.
In addition, SNCM did not sell its shareholding in CCM, in breach of Article 3 of the Commission decision.
Om bemærkningerne fra repræsentanter for regionale og lokale forvaltninger
Finally, SNCM has had an aggressive tariff policy since 2003, with prices lower than those applied by CFF in breach of Article 4 of the decision (tickets up to 30 % cheaper for identical or comparable services).
Frankrig kunne overordnet erklære sig enig i indholdet af brevet fra formanden for regionen Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, men gjorde dog opmærksom på, at i modsætning til, hvad der var anført i punkt 2 i nævnte brev [104], var udbuddet af overfarter mellem det franske fastland og Korsika ikke »for stort i forhold til efterspørgslen«, og SNCM's takstpolitik var i overensstemmelse med rederiets tilsagn om ikke at starte en priskrig og ikke være prisførende.
Regarding the nature of the second recapitalisation of EUR 8,75 million, CFF takes the view that, in addition to the concurrence of public and private investment, the private action must be significant and carried out under comparable conditions in order that the State action is validated.
OM DE INTERESSEREDE PARTERS BEMÆRKNINGER VEDRØRENDE BESLUTNINGEN FRA 2006
In the present case, those two conditions are not satisfied.
Vedrørende den fremskyndede gennemførelse af foranstaltningerne i den første omstruktureringsplan og ændringerne af denne
First, the buyers’ shareholding, which is closely linked to the first capital increase of EUR 142,5 million, is not significant.
Til den generelle bemærkning vedrørende Frankrigs fremskyndede gennemførelse af de foranstaltninger, der muligvis kunne betegnes som statsstøtte, svarede de franske myndigheder, at den fremskyndede gennemførelse var begrundet i de særlige omstændigheder ved proceduren, nemlig annullationen i 2005 af Kommissionens godkendelsesbeslutning af 9. juli 2003, og ikke i de franske myndigheders iver efter at tilsidesætte deres forpligtelser i medfør af EF-traktaten.
Second, the buyers’ action was not carried out under conditions comparable with those of the state action, in particular by virtue of the cancellation clauses and the expected profitability of CGMF’s minority shareholding.
I øvrigt anførte Frankrig, at man altid havde holdt Kommissionen informeret om udviklingen i sagen og om de forskellige foranstaltninger, der var vedtaget siden januar 2005, ud fra princippet om loyalt samarbejde mellem medlemsstaterne og Kommissionen.
As regards the social measures of EUR 38,5 million, CFF disputes the classification of that amount as aid to individuals.
Hvad angik de sidstnævnte foranstaltninger, mente de franske myndigheder, at eftersom ingen af dem udgjorde statsstøtte, var EF-traktatens artikel 88, stk. 3, ikke relevant, og at der derfor ikke var grund til at udskyde gennemførelsen.
Although it true that this amount directly benefits SNCM’s employees, CFF submits that the measure could give rise to indirect positive effects for SNCM, in particular in terms of the calming of industrial relations.