natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
I henhold til disse beregninger skulle de faktiske omkostninger for staten som hovedaktionær ved salget af SNCM til en negativ pris på 158 mio. EUR være mindre end dens faktiske omkostninger ved likvidation af virksomheden.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the judgment of 11 November 2012 has been the subject of two appeals before the Court of Justice, lodged by SNCM and France respectively in Joined Cases C-533/12 P and C-536/12 P. This decision has been taken to comply with the judgment under appeal because the judgment annulled the decision of 8 July 2008.
De franske myndigheder konkluderede, at dette beløb ikke kunne betragtes som statsstøtte.
Under these conditions, if the examination of the appeals were to result in the partial or full annulment of the judgment of 11 November 2012 and reinstate certain parts of the decision of 8 July 2008, this decision would become null and void because of the appeal judgments, inasmuch as this decision concerns reinstated measures.
Vedrørende den fælles kapitaltilførsel fra aktionærerne
GROUNDS LEADING TO THE INITIATION OF THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE IN 2002 AND ITS EXTENSION IN 2006
Det var Frankrigs opfattelse, at staten gennem denne erhvervelse af kapitalandele havde handlet som en fornuftig investor, dels fordi den havde interveneret som mindretalsaktionær i fællesskab med BCP og VT, dels fordi investeringen gav et fast udbytte på […] [60] Fortrolige oplysninger.
Initiation of the 2002 formal investigation procedure
% om året, hvilket fritog staten for den risiko, der var forbundet med gennemførelsen af forretningsplanen.
The Commission, in its decision to initiate the procedure of 19 August 2002, while acknowledging that SNCM was an undertaking in difficulty, expressed doubts as to the compatibility of the notified measure with the criteria laid down in point 3.2.2 of the 1999 guidelines in force at the time.
Frankrig hævdede således, at dette afkast var særdeles tilfredsstillende for en privat investor [85].
The Commission expressed certain doubts regarding the restructuring plan, having regard to the absence of an analysis of the causes of the undertaking’s losses.
De franske myndigheder præciserede dog, at der ikke skulle udbetales udbytte, hvis SNCM skulle have gældssanering, hvis rederiet trådte i likvidation, eller hvis overtagerne gjorde ophævelsesklausulen gældende.
In particular, the Commission raised questions concerning the links between the losses and the public service obligations, the impact of SNCM’s policy of buying vessels on its income statements and the measures planned to increase the undertaking’s productivity.
Vedrørende de yderligere sociale foranstaltninger (individuel støtte)
Moreover, the Commission noted certain lacunae in the restructuring plan, in particular the absence of specific measures to reduce the amount of intermediate consumption and the absence of a reference to SNCM’s future pricing policy.
Frankrig mente med henvisning til Kommissionens egen beslutningspraksis i bl.a. SFP-sagen — Société française de production [86], at denne finansiering var en støtte til enkeltpersoner, og at virksomheden ikke havde nogen økonomisk fordel af den.
The Commission also raised questions regarding the relevance of the calculation method adopted by the French authorities to determine the amount of the recapitalisation and regarding some of the assumptions underlying the financial simulations.
Supplerende sociale foranstaltninger med offentlige midler til fordel for de afskedigede medarbejdere, uden at det fritog arbejdsgiveren for dennes normale forpligtelser og omkostninger i den anledning, henhørte under medlemsstaternes social- og arbejdsmarkedspolitik og udgjorde således ikke statsstøtte.
Extension of the 2006 formal investigation procedure
Vedrørende ophævelsen af de restriktioner, der blev pålagt ved den annullerede beslutning fra 2003
By its decision of 13 September 2006, the Commission decided to extend the 2002 formal investigation procedure to the measures planned in connection with the sale of SNCM to the private sector.
KONKLUSION
In the event that this amount were categorised as State aid compatible with Article 86(2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission took the view that it had to be assessed in the light of the Community Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (hereinafter: ‘the 2004 guidelines’) [73].
Hvis Kommissionen alligevel skulle betragte en del eller alle de nye foranstaltninger som statsstøtte, gjorde Frankrig opmærksom på, at de nye foranstaltninger, ud over at sikre SNCM's tilbagevenden til rentabel drift, bidrog til opretholdelsen af konkurrencen på de berørte markeder, særlig markedet for besejling af Korsika.
In so far as the amount of restructuring aid is noticeably lower than that notified in 2002 and approved in 2003, the Commission expressed doubts as to whether it was appropriate to maintain all of the compensatory measures imposed on SNCM by the 2003 decision.
Dette element var ifølge Frankrig et af principperne i rammebestemmelserne for redning og omstrukturering af kriseramte virksomheder, hvilket var blevet påpeget af Kommissionen selv i den foreliggende sag (betragtning 283 i den annullerede beslutning) og af Retten i dennes dom af 15. juni 2005 (præmis 117).
The Commission also expressed doubts about whether the conditions imposed by the 2003 decision had been complied with, namely the principle of price leadership and the frequency of services to Corsica.
Retten skulle specielt have fremhævet, at Kommissionen i udøvelsen af sine omfattende skønsbeføjelser kunne vurdere, at en virksomheds tilstedeværelse var nødvendig for at forhindre, at der opstod en mere oligopolpræget struktur på de berørte markeder.
As regards the negative price at which SNCM was sold, the Commission had doubts about whether the recapitalisation by the State prior to the sale of SNCM complied with the principle of the private investor in a market economy.
Med hensyn til fastsættelsen af eventuelle kompenserende modydelser fra SNCM's side foreslog Frankrig, at Kommissionen tog hensyn til markedsstrukturen.
In particular, the Commission expressed doubts as to the validity of the calculation of the liquidation costs which the State as shareholder would be required to pay in the event of SNCM being liquidated.
En reduktion af SNCM's kapacitet ville kunne styrke den dominerende stilling, som CFF derefter ville have på markedet for besejling af Korsika [87].
The Commission questioned whether the financial measures could be justified under the 2004 guidelines.
BEMÆRKNINGER FRA INTERESSEREDE PARTER
It also cast doubts on the second recapitalisation of EUR 8,75 million in relation to observance of the principles of concomitance of the private and public investment and the similarity of the subscription conditions within the meaning of the case-law.
VEDRØRENDE BESLUTNINGEN FRA 2002 OM AT INDLEDE DEN FORMELLE UNDERSØGELSESPROCEDURE
Finally, the Commission expressed doubts as to whether the additional social measures of EUR 38,5 million in aid to individuals could constitute an indirect advantage for the undertaking.
Bemærkninger fra Corsica Ferries (CFF)
It also highlighted the risk of conflict with the supplementary redundancy payments as part of the risks borne by a prudent investor.
CFF anfægtede for det første, at SNCM skulle være en kriseramt virksomhed i den i rammebestemmelserne fastsatte betydning [88], og satte spørgsmålstegn ved SNCM's evne til at blive rentabel på de ikke-subventionerede ruter.
OBSERVATIONS BY THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES ON THE OPENING DECISION
CFF konstaterede desuden, at Livorno-ruten i modstrid med, hvad der blev oplyst i omstruktureringsplanen [89], stadig besejles.
ON THE 2002 RECAPITALISATION
Med hensyn til spørgsmålet om omkostningsreduktionen beklagede CFF, at man ikke havde haft adgang til visse data i omstruktureringsplanen, som CFF's repræsentanter havde kritiseret [90].
The restructuring plan notified in 2002 consisted of a capital contribution of EUR 76 million, of which EUR 53,48 million was public service compensation.
CFF var af den opfattelse, at de franske myndigheders beregning, der resulterede i et beløb på 76 mio. EUR, var fuldstændigt fiktiv [91], mens den gearing på 79 %, som de franske myndigheder nåede frem til, forekom CFF for høj [92].
Allowing for the sale of shares carried out by SNCM [74], the amount of aid actually paid becomes EUR 69292400.
Hvad angik SNCM's kapitalandele, bemærkede CFF, at visse af datterselskaberne ikke var relevante for rederiets aktivitet [93].
The French authorities take the view that, if the amount of EUR 53,48 million is compatible aid, then the amount of aid to be regarded as restructuring aid under the notification in 2002 is EUR 15,81 million.
CFF konkluderede, at støtteplanen havde til formål at omgå cabotage-forordningen og gjorde udbuddet vedrørende trafikken til Korsika fra Marseille illusorisk.
ON THE MEASURES SUBSEQUENT TO THE 2002 RECAPITALISATION
Bemærkninger fra STIM
Under the relevant Community case-law at the time, the French authorities call upon the Commission to take the view that the negative sale price of SNCM of EUR 158 million does not contain any measure which may be classified as aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty because the French State acted like a private investor in a market economy.
Hovedaktionæren i CMN, STIM, påpegede, at SNCM's kapitalinteresser i CMN burde vurderes som rent finansielle aktiver.
First of all, France observes that the final price of EUR 158 million, which is lower than the negative price that the buyers initially asked for after their audit of SNCM, is the result of a negotiation of transfer of control conducted under an open, transparent and non-discriminatory competitive tendering procedure and, for that reason, does in fact constitute a market price.
Ifølge STIM er CMN og SNCM indbyrdes uafhængige og konkurrerer på de andre ruter end dem, der udgår fra Marseille, også selv om de begge er kontraherende parter i public service-kontrakten.
France takes the view that, because the search for a private partner for SNCM was conducted under an open, transparent and non-discriminatory competitive tendering procedure at the end of which the best bid was chosen, the sale price is a market price.
Det anføres i brevet, at STIM ville forpligte sig til »helt eller delvist at tilbagekøbe alle SNCM's aktier i CMN, men fortrinsvis samtlige aktier«, der ifølge koncernen anslås til en værdi af mellem 15 og 17 mio. EUR, såfremt Kommissionen på de betingelser, den fastsætter i sin endelige afgørelse, måtte finde, »at et sådant salg er nødvendigt for at sikre balancen i omstruktureringsplanen«.
According to the French authorities, the sale at the negative price of EUR 158 million took place under the most favourable conditions for the State in accordance with Community case-law at the time and the Commission’s decision-making practice and therefore contains no aid element.
Bemærkninger fra repræsentanter for regional- og lokalforvaltninger
France takes the view that that negative price is lower than the liquidation cost which the State would have had to bear in the event of the liquidation of the undertaking.
Byen Marseilles borgmester, formanden for Conseil Général (amtsrådet) i Bouches-du-Rhône og formanden for Conseil Régional (regionsrådet) i Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur understregede SNCM's økonomiske betydning for regionens økonomi.
That is, in France’s view, the only conclusion which can be reached irrespective of whether the approach followed is that stemming from the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities (hereinafter: ‘the Gröditzer case-law’ [76]) or that based on the analysis of the actual costs of liquidating SNCM (the ABX decision [77]).
Formanden for Conseil Régional i Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur tilføjede, at forudsætningerne for, at omstruktureringsplanen for SNCM kunne sikre virksomhedens levedygtighed, forekom at være til stede.
As regards the first method, based on the Gröditzer case-law, France argues that that judgment confirmed the Commission’s assessment in its decision of 8 July 1999, to the effect that ‘the cost of liquidation comprises only the liquidation value of the assets’ [78].
Formanden for eksekutivkomitéen for Korsikas folkevalgte forsamling (Assemblée de Corse) havde fremsendt et referat af debatten i forsamlingen den 18. december 2002, i forbindelse med hvilken forsamlingen havde afgivet »en positiv udtalelse« om planen for en rekapitalisering af SNCM.
In that respect, the reports by CGMF [79] and Oddo-Hastings [80] estimate the liquidation value of the assets at a minimum of EUR 190,3 million on 30 September 2005 [81].
Bemærkninger fra Office des Transports de Corse
Accordingly, given that the State as the owner and shareholder of a company is liable for its debts only up to the liquidation value of its assets (Hytasa case-law [82]), France asserts that the liquidation value of the company’s assets estimated to be at least EUR 190,3 million is considerably higher than the negative sale price of EUR 158 million.
OTC anførte også, at eftersom SNCM i dag var det eneste rederi, der var i stand til at opfylde kontrakten i relation til passagertrafikken, ville rederiets lukning »omgående medføre en kraftig forringelse af transporttjenesterne«.
On the second method, France points out that it follows from the Commission decision on the State aid implemented by Belgium for ABX Logistics, in which the Commission examined a negative sale price having, as in this case, the character of a market price by comparing it to the costs which the State as shareholder would actually bear in the event of a voluntary liquidation or compulsory liquidation as assessed by an independent third party.
Man fremhævede desuden SNCM's betydning for Korsikas økonomi.
According to France, the Commission recognises in particular in that decision the validity of a certain number of costs which can result from an action by creditors to make good a shortfall in assets (action en comblement de passif) or from the liquidation for other divisions of the group liquidating its subsidiary.
VEDRØRENDE BESLUTNINGEN FRA 2006 OM AT UDVIDE PROCEDUREN
On the basis of the CGMF and Oddo-Hastings reports cited above, the French authorities submit that the actual costs which the French Republic would have to bear as shareholder amount to between EUR 312,1 million and EUR 361 million on 30 September 2005, broken down as follows:
Bemærkninger fra Corsica Ferries France (CFF)
EUR [70-80] [60] Confidential information.
CFF gjorde Kommissionen opmærksom på, at den franske stats støtte til SNCM havde strategisk betydning for CFF's udvikling.
EUR [30-40] [60] Confidential information.
Denne støtte, som ikke var godkendt af Kommissionen, ville sætte SNCM i stand til at føre en meget aggressiv takstpolitik på de ruter, som CFF havde besejlet i mere end ti år, og hvor rederiet nu mistede markedsandele for første gang, siden det trådte ind på det pågældende marked.
million under the social plan not under collective agreement, which covers all the costs associated with the flanking measures to SNCM’s statutory and regulatory redundancy obligations and the indirect costs of the social plan under collective agreement,
Hvad angik indkaldelsen af bud med henblik på afståelse af rederiet, var CFF af den opfattelse, at proceduren ikke havde været fuldstændigt åben, eftersom den valgte virksomhed, dvs. BCP, ikke længere deltog i den driftsmæssige ledelse af SNCM efter at have overladt sin plads til VT-koncernen.
Between EUR [200-210] [60] Confidential information.
De finansielle vilkår havde desuden ændret sig og var blevet mere gunstige for køberne, hvorfor CFF satte spørgsmålstegn ved, om princippet om ligebehandling af investorerne, som burde have ligget til grund for hele operationen, var overholdt.
million and EUR [250-260] [60] Confidential information.
Med hensyn til den negative afståelsespris på 158 mio. EUR tvivlede CFF på, at man i dette tilfælde havde fulgt princippet om en fornuftig markedsøkonomisk investor.
million as payment of supplementary redundancy payments for which the State would be held liable by the court, in addition to the compensation paid under the social plan under collective agreement and the social plan not under collective agreement, following the Aspocomp Group Oyj judgment of 22 March 2005 of the Rouen Court of Appeal.
Dels var CFF ikke sikker på, at den pågældende operation fra statens side var blevet gennemført samtidig med, at de berørte private operatører havde ydet et betydeligt bidrag, eftersom staten havde tilført rederiet kapital før den rekapitalisering, aktionærerne havde gennemført i fællesskab, og før den nye omstruktureringsplan.
That method takes account, in particular, of the risk that the French State would be required to make good a shortfall in assets if the court were to consider it to be the de facto manager of SNCM.
CFF fandt ikke henvisningen til sagen om ABX Logistics relevant.
Accordingly, in several letters to the Commission, the French authorities submitted that a situation in which a national court orders the State to make good a shortfall in the assets of the undertaking which it manages is a scenario which is more than plausible and that it had to be taken into account in calculating the actual cost of a possible liquidation of SNCM.
Ud over at omstændighederne i den sag ikke kunne overføres på den foreliggende sag, pegede CFF på, at støttemodtageren i ABX Logistics-sagen havde ydet et betydeligt bidrag, hvilket helt klart ikke var tilfældet for SNCM's vedkommende.
On 30 September 2005, the residual value of SNCM’s assets (EUR 190,3 million) was, after payment of preferential debts, EUR 36,5 million.
I øvrigt var der ifølge CFF ikke i Kommissionens beslutning fra 2006 taget hensyn til omkostningerne ved risikoen for sagsanlæg i forbindelse med en likvidation af den berørte virksomhed.
Other cost elements taken into account under the action to make good a shortfall in assets against the State include, inter alia, the costs of termination of the principal operating contracts, the costs related to the cancellation of the lease purchasing conditions of vessels and the payment of unsecured debts, which would result in a shortfall in assets of EUR 134,4 million.
I den anledning mente CFF ikke, at den nationale retspraksis, som Frankrig gjorde gældende som forklaring på de omkostninger, der skulle være forbundet med en likvidation af SNCM, var relevant i den foreliggende sag.
The French authorities consider that the State would have been ordered to pay between 85 % and 100 % of that amount.
Ifølge CFF havde Kassationsretten i sagen om Mines et produits chimiques de Salsignes rent faktisk slet ikke gjort statens ansvar som medejer gældende ved likvidation af en virksomhed, hvori staten havde aktier, men derimod peget på, at staten kunne retsforfølges med henblik på indfrielse af et offentligt industri- eller forretningsforetagendes sociale gæld, og at virksomhedens ledelse ikke kunne unddrage sig deres ansvar ved at henvise til statens engagement i virksomheden.
Furthermore, the French authorities take the view that, because of SNCM’s dependence on the State, and in the light of another French case [84], the liquidation of the undertaking might have led the court to order the payment of damages to employees.
Med hensyn til, om den dom, Appelretten i Rouen havde afsagt i Aspocomp-sagen, var relevant for den foreliggende sag, gjorde CFF gældende, at genstanden for den pågældende sag, hvor et moderselskab blev dømt til at betale de ansatte i et datterselskab sociale godtgørelser som følge af brud på en aftale, som moderselskabet havde godkendt, slet ikke kunne sammenlignes med omstændighederne i SNCM-sagen.
According to that case-law, the French authorities believe that it would be very likely that a court would set the amount of additional compensation on the basis of the compensation which would be paid under a social plan submitted prior to the liquidation.
Der forelå således ikke nogen klar risiko for, at CGMF eller staten ville blive dømt til at betale fratrædelsesgodtgørelser, hvis SNCM trådte i likvidation.
Under that approach, the analysis of actual costs which the State as shareholder would have had to pay shows that the cost to the State of the sale of SNCM at a negative price of EUR 158 million is lower than the actual cost which it would have had to bear in the event of the compulsory liquidation of the undertaking.
I øvrigt satte CFF spørgsmålstegn ved det anslåede beløb for de øvrige sociale omkostninger, idet de syntes at variere, alt efter hvilke eksperter der var blevet anmodet om at foretage beregningen.
In conclusion, the French authorities consider that this amount cannot be classified as State aid.
CFF mente, at en henvisning i den foreliggende sag til Domstolens domme i sagerne Gröditzer og Hytasa kun kunne føre til den konklusion, at staten ikke havde handlet på samme måde som en privat investor, eftersom kapitaltilførslen fra staten på linje med omstændighederne i de to nævnte sager var forbundet med salg af 75 % af statens aktier i SNCM, hvilket havde mindsket mulighederne for udbytte tilsvarende.
On the joint capital contribution by the shareholders
Endelig mente CFF, at der ved sammenligningen mellem omkostningerne ved likvidation og ved en rekapitalisering burde tages hensyn til værdien af aktiverne, som i begge tilfælde overgik til køberen.
France takes the view that, through that shareholding, it acted like a prudent investor because, first, it intervened concurrently as a minority shareholder alongside BCP and VT and, second, that shareholding enjoys a fixed capital return of […] [60] Confidential information.
Det var CFF's opfattelse, at værdien af de aktiver, der blev afhændet til overtagerne, lå et sted mellem 640 mio. EUR og 755 mio. EUR [95], når man tog markedsværdien af den flåde, SNCM benyttede, i betragtning, og som CFF vurderede til mellem 644 og 664 mio. EUR i august 2006.
% per year, which protects the State from the risks associated with the implementation of the business plan.
Hvad angik vurderingen af støtteforanstaltninger efter rekapitaliseringen i 2002 som omstruktureringsstøtte, mente CFF, at hvis SNCM i perioden forud for den første rekapitalisering med 142,5 mio. EUR opfyldte kriterierne for at kunne betegnes som en kriseramt virksomhed, jf. rammebestemmelserne 2004, var det særdeles tvivlsomt, om det også var tilfældet i perioden forud for den anden rekapitalisering med 8,75 mio. EUR, eftersom virksomhedens egenkapital nu var genoprettet.
France argues that that rate of return is very satisfactory for a private investor [85].
Med hensyn til virksomhedens rentabilitet understregede CFF, at salget af SNCM kun var delvist og ikke uigenkaldeligt i betragtning af de ophævelsesklausuler, der var forhandlet med overtagerne.
It points out, however, that no payment would be due in the event that SNCM is put into receivership or compulsory liquidation or that the buyers exercise the cancellation clause.
Disse elementer var væsentlige usikkerhedsmomenter i relation til overtagernes vilje og evne til at sanere SNCM og såede dermed tvivl om udsigterne til, at virksomheden kunne blive rentabel på længere sigt.
On the additional social measures (aid to individuals)
CFF anførte desuden, at i modsætning til hvad der kræves i henhold til rammebestemmelserne fra 2004, var det ikke de franske myndigheders hensigt, at de aktiviteter, der også efter omstruktureringen forsat ville give strukturelt betingede underskud, skulle opgives [96].
France takes the view, relying on the Commission’s practice in previous decisions, in particular the SFP (Société française de production) case [86], that this financing constitutes aid to individuals which does not benefit the undertaking.
CFF var også særdeles skeptisk både over for planen om at nedbringe omkostningerne, når SNCM's flåde samtidig var blevet forøget [97], og over for planen om personalenedskæringer, især i betragtning af den fejlslagne socialplan fra 2002.
Accordingly, the implementation from public funds of additional social measures for persons laid off, without those measures relieving the employer from its usual responsibilities, falls within the scope of the social policy of the Member States and is not State aid.