natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Støttens lovlighed
The Court of Justice has held that although the conduct of a private investor with which that of a public investor pursuing economic policy aims must be compared need not be the conduct of an ordinary investor laying out capital with a view to realising a profit in the relatively short term, it must at least be the conduct of a private holding company or a private group of undertakings pursuing a structural policy — whether general or sectoral — and guided by prospects of profitability in the longer term [23].
De omhandlede foranstaltninger blev gennemført før den formelle godkendelse fra Kommissionen, hvorfor Italien ikke opfyldte standstill-forpligtelsen i henhold til EUF-traktatens artikel 108, stk. 3.
In order to examine whether or not the State has adopted the conduct of a prudent investor operating in a market economy, it is necessary to place oneself in the context of the period during which the financial support measures were taken in order to assess the economic rationality of the State's conduct, and thus to refrain from any assessment based on a later situation [24].
Forenelighed ifølge reglerne om tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse
According to settled case-law, if a Member State relies on the market economy investor principle during the administrative proceedings, it must, where there is doubt, establish unequivocally and on the basis of objective and verifiable evidence that the measure implemented falls to be ascribed to the State acting as shareholder.
SO.G.A.S. hævder, at støtten er forenelig med det indre marked ifølge EUF-traktatens artikel 106, stk. 2.
That evidence must show clearly that, before or at the same time as conferring the economic advantage, the Member State concerned took the decision to make an investment, by means of the measure actually implemented, in the public undertaking [25].
I artikel 106, stk. 2, bestemmes det, at »virksomheder, der har fået overdraget at udføre tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse, eller som har karakter af fiskale monopoler, er underkastet traktaternes bestemmelser, navnlig konkurrencereglerne, i det omfang anvendelsen af disse bestemmelser ikke retligt eller faktisk hindrer opfyldelsen af de særlige opgaver, som er betroet dem.
The Commission cannot accept the recipient's claim that the measures under assessment were guided by the company's prospects of profitability, as outlined by the business plan aimed at restoring it to viability which was drawn up in 2008, after the measures in question had been decided.
Udviklingen af samhandelen må ikke påvirkes i et sådant omfang, at det strider mod Unionens interesse.«
The Commission considers that a private investor would inject fresh capital into a company whose capital had dropped below the legal limit, such as SO.G.A.S., only if at the time of the injection the investor could expect the company to return to viability within a reasonable time.
Denne artikel tillader en undtagelse fra forbuddet mod statsstøtte i artikel 107 i TEUF, i det omfang støtten er nødvendig og proportional med hensyn til at sikre udførelsen af tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse under acceptable økonomiske forhold.
Given that neither the Italian authorities nor SO.G.A.S. have provided any concrete evidence dating from the time the measures were taken showing that the public authorities wanted to invest, and could reasonably expect an economic return on their investment that would have been acceptable to a private investor, and given that Italy has expressly confirmed that the market economy investor principle does not apply in the present case, the Commission concludes that the measures do not comply with the market economy investor principle.
I henhold til artikel 106, stk. 3, skal Kommissionen påse, at bestemmelserne i denne artikel bringes i anvendelse, bl.a. ved at specificere, på hvilke betingelser kriterierne om nødvendighed og proportionalitet efter dens mening er opfyldt.
Conclusion
Den 31. januar 2012 trådte en ny pakke vedrørende tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse i kraft, og den indeholdt Den Europæiske Unions rammebestemmelser for statsstøtte i form af kompensation for offentlig tjeneste (2011) (»rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011«) [28] og Kommissionens afgørelse 2012/21/EU [29].
Consequently, the Commission concludes that the disputed measures, i.e. the capital injections to cover SO.G.A.S.'s losses in 2004, 2005 and 2006, confer an economic advantage on SO.G.A.S.
Forenelighed i henhold til beslutning 2005/842/EF
Distortion of competition and effect on trade between Member States
I beslutning 2005/842/EF erklærede Kommissionen, at statsstøtte i form af kompensation til virksomheder i forbindelse med tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse var forenelig, hvis den opfyldte de betingelser, der blev fastlagt i beslutningen.
With regard to distortion of competition, Italy points out that according to the 2005 aviation guidelines, ‘funding granted to small regional airports (category D) is unlikely to distort competition or affect trade to an extent contrary to the common interest’.
Navnlig var statsstøtte i form af kompensation for offentlig tjeneste til lufthavne ifølge beslutningen forenelig, hvis lufthavnen i) ikke havde over en million passagerer eller ii) havde en årsomsætning før skat på under 100 mio. EUR i de to regnskabsår forud for det regnskabsår, hvori den fik overdraget tjenesteydelsen af almindelig økonomisk interesse, hvis lufthavnen modtog en årlig kompensation for den pågældende tjenesteydelse på under 30 mio. EUR [30].
But this provision is concerned with the assessment of the compatibility of State aid under Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, and does not try to say that public funding of small airports does not constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1).
Beslutning 2005/842/EF fandt kun anvendelse på støtte i form af kompensation for offentlig tjeneste i forbindelse med ægte tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse.
Moreover, paragraph 40 of the 2005 aviation guidelines also states that ‘beyond these general indications, it is not possible to establish rules covering every possible case, particularly for airports in categories C and D. For this reason any measure which may constitute State aid to an airport must be notified so that its impact on competition and trade between Member States can be examined, and, where appropriate, its compatibility’.
For at være berettiget til undtagelsen skulle kompensationen for offentlig tjeneste for driften af en tjenesteydelse af almindelig økonomisk interesse også opfylde betingelserne i beslutningens artikel 4, 5 og 6 [31].
Stretto airport is is located at the southern end of the Italian peninsula and is one of three airports in the Region of Calabria.
Ifølge artikel 4 i beslutning 2005/842/EF krævedes det, at tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse skulle overdrages den pågældende virksomhed ved en eller flere officielle akter, hvori bl.a. fastlægges arten og varigheden af forpligtelserne til offentlig tjeneste, parametrene for beregning, kontrol og revision af kompensationen samt forholdsreglerne til undgåelse af og for tilbagebetaling af overkompensation.
Traffic at the airport has constantly remained below a million passengers [26].
I artikel 5 i beslutningen bestemtes det, at kompensationen ikke måtte overstige, hvad der var nødvendigt for at dække omkostningerne ved opfyldelsen af forpligtelserne til offentlig tjeneste, under hensyn til de hermed forbundne indtægter samt en rimelig forrentning.
At the time the measures under scrutiny were put into effect the airport therefore belonged to category D, ‘small regional airports’, for purposes of the 2005 aviation guidelines.
Endelig krævedes det ifølge beslutningens artikel 6, at medlemsstaterne med jævne mellemrum kontrollerede, at virksomhederne ikke modtog kompensation, der oversteg det efter reglerne i artikel 5 fastlagte beløb.
However, the passenger traffic handled by the airport doubled from 2004 to 2012.
Af de grunde, der er beskrevet i afsnit 7.1.2.1, finder Kommissionen, at hverken støttemodtageren eller de italienske myndigheder har påvist, at SO.G.A.S. havde fået overdraget klart definerede forpligtelser til offentlig tjeneste.
The market for the management and operation of airports, including small regional airports, is a market open to competition, in which a number of private and public undertakings are active throughout the Union.
De har heller ikke påvist, at de akter, hvorved tjenesteydelsen angiveligt blev overdraget, og som de baserede sig på, indeholdt parametre for beregning, kontrol eller revision af kompensationen eller forholdsregler til undgåelse af og for tilbagebetaling af overkompensation.
This is illustrated by the fact that Italy set out to partially privatise Stretto airport and to that end published a call for tenders in 2007 that was open to undertakings from any EU Member State (see paragraph 32).
Kravene i artikel 4, 5 og 6 i beslutning 2005/842/EF om indholdet af overdragelsesakterne er derfor ikke opfyldt.
The public funding of an airport manager may therefore distort competition in the market for airport infrastructure operation and management.
Kommissionen mener derfor ikke, at dækningen af tabene hos lufthavnsselskabet i Stretto lufthavne var forenelig med det indre marked eller undtaget fra anmeldelsespligten ifølge beslutning 2005/842/EF.
Moreover, airports can compete with each other to attract traffic even if they have different catchment areas.
I mangel af en klar definition af de forpligtelser til offentlig tjeneste, som blev pålagt SO.G.A.S., kan foranstaltningen ligeledes heller ikke anses for forenelig med det indre marked og undtaget fra kravet om forudgående anmeldelse på grundlag af artikel 10, litra b), i beslutning 2012/21/EU.
To some extent, and for some passengers, different destinations are substitutable.
Kommissionen har derfor overvejet, hvorvidt foranstaltningen kan anses for forenelig med det indre marked på grundlag af punkt 69 i rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011, hvorefter »Kommissionen anvender principperne i denne meddelelse, når den efter den 31. januar 2012 skal træffe afgørelse om uberettiget støtte, også selv om støtten blev bevilget før denne dato«.
Public funding of airports can therefore distort competition and have an effect on trade in the air transport market across the Union.
Forenelighed i henhold til rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011
At the material time Stretto airport mainly served domestic destinations and two international routes — Paris and Malta — and owing to the funds received the airport was able to stay on the market and significantly expand its operations;
I punkt 16 i rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011 fastlægges de krav, som en tjenesteydelse af almindelig økonomisk interesse skal opfylde for at blive anset for gyldigt overdraget.
the Commission accordingly takes the view that the measures at issue may have distorted competition and affected trade between Member States.
Ifølge punkt 16, litra a), skal en overdragelsesakt angive indholdet og varigheden af forpligtelserne til offentlig tjeneste.
Conclusion on the existence of aid
Kommissionen har ikke fået forelagt juridiske dokumenter, hvori man klart på forhånd definerer den tjenesteydelse af almindelig økonomisk interesse, som overdrages til støttemodtageren, eller støttemodtagerens ret til kompensation.
The Commission concludes that the capital injections granted to SO.G.A.S. by its public shareholders to cover the losses it incurred in 2004, 2005 and 2006 constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.
Der er ikke forelagt Kommissionen dokumentation for, at punkt 17 og 18 i rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011 er blevet opfyldt.
The lawfulness of the aid
For fuldstændighedens skyld påpeger Kommissionen, at kompensation for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse ydet til kriseramte virksomheder ifølge punkt 9 i rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011 skal bedømmes i henhold til rammebestemmelser for statsstøtte til redning og omstrukturering af kriseramte virksomheder (»rammebestemmelserne«).
Compatibility under the SGEI rules
I de tidligere faser af sagen hævdede Italien, at SO.G.A.S. var en kriseramt virksomhed i henhold til rammebestemmelserne.
SO.G.A.S. argues that the aid is compatible with the internal market under Article 106(2) TFEU.
Men Italien fastholdt også, at de omhandlede foranstaltninger ikke indgik i en omstruktureringsplan, og at en sådan plan ikke fandtes.
Article 106(2) provides that ‘undertakings entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest or having the character of a revenue-producing monopoly shall be subject to the rules contained in the Treaties, in particular to the rules on competition, in so far as the application of such rules does not obstruct the performance, in law or in fact, of the particular tasks assigned to them.
Kommissionen konkluderede derfor i sin indledningsafgørelse, at foranstaltningerne ikke kunne anses for forenelige i henhold til rammebestemmelserne.
The development of trade must not be affected to such an extent as would be contrary to the interests of the Union.’
I løbet af den formelle undersøgelsesprocedure hævdede Italien ikke længere, at lufthavnsselskabet var kriseramt på tidspunktet for vedtagelsen af støtteforanstaltningerne, og at støtten derfor kunne erklæres forenelig på grundlag af rammebestemmelserne.
That Article provides for an exception to the prohibition of State aid contained in Article 107 TFEU to the extent that the aid is necessary and proportional to ensure the performance of the SGEI under acceptable economic conditions.
Der er derfor ikke fremlagt nogen dokumentation, som kan sætte Kommissionen i stand til at vurdere foranstaltningers forenelighed på grundlag af rammebestemmelserne, hvorfor Kommissionen ikke kan erklære dem forenelige med det indre marked i henhold til rammebestemmelserne.
Under Article 106(3) it is for the Commission to ensure application of this Article, among other things by specifying the conditions under which it considers that the criteria of necessity and proportionality are fulfilled.
Forenelighed i henhold til de nye luftfartsretningslinjer
Prior to 31 January 2012, the Commission's policy for applying the exception in Article 106(2) TFEU was set out in the Community framework for State aid in the form of public service compensation (‘the 2005 SGEIs Framework’) [27] and Decision 2005/842/EC.
Den 31. marts 2014 vedtog Kommissionen en meddelelse om retningslinjer for statsstøtte til lufthavne og luftfartsselskaber (»de nye luftfartsretningslinjer«) [32].
On 31 January 2012 a new SGEIs package entered into force, which included the European Union framework for State aid in the form of public service compensation (2011) (‘the 2011 SGEIs Framework’) [28] and Commission Decision 2012/21/EU [29].
De nye luftfartsretningslinjer finder anvendelse på driftsstøtte til lufthavne ydet før den 31. marts 2014.
Compatibility under Decision 2005/842/EC
Driftsstøtte ydet før de nye luftfartsretningslinjers ikrafttræden kan erklæres forenelig i det fulde omfang af de udækkede driftsomkostninger, hvis følgende betingelser er opfyldt: —
The measures were taken in June 2004, June 2005 and December 2007.
Bidrag til et veldefineret mål af fælles interesse:
The recipient argues that the measures were exempted from the notification requirement by Decision 2005/842/EC.
Denne betingelse er bl.a. opfyldt, hvis støtten øger unionsborgernes mobilitet og forbindelserne til og fra regionerne eller fremmer regional udvikling [33].
Decision 2005/842/EC declared that State aid in the form of public service compensation granted to undertakings in connection with SGEIs was compatible if it complied with the conditions the Decision set out.
Behov for statslig indgriben:
In particular, the Decision declared compatible State aid in the form of public service compensation to airports i) for which annual traffic does not exceed a million passengers, or ii) with an annual turnover before tax of less than EUR 100 million during the two financial years preceding that in which the service of general economic interest was assigned, if the airport receives annual compensation for the service in question of less than EUR 30 million [30].
Støtten bør kun ydes i de situationer, hvor denne støtte kan føre til en væsentlig forbedring, som markedet ikke selv kan levere [34].
Decision 2005/842/EC applied only to aid under the form of public service compensation in connection with genuine services of general economic interest.
Støttens virkning som incitament:
In order to qualify for the exemption, public service compensation for the operation of an SGEI had also to comply with detailed conditions set out in Articles 4, 5 and 6 of the Decision [31].
Denne betingelse er opfyldt, hvis det er sandsynligt, at den økonomiske aktivitet i den pågældende lufthavn ville være væsentligt lavere uden driftsstøtten, idet der derved tages hensyn til eventuel ydelse af investeringsstøtte og trafikniveauet [35].
Article 4 of Decision 2005/842/EC required that the SGEI be entrusted to the undertaking concerned by way of one or more official acts specifying, among other things, the nature and the duration of the public service obligations, the parameters for calculating, controlling and reviewing the compensation, and the arrangements for avoiding and repaying any overcompensation.
For at være proportionel skal driftsstøtte til lufthavne være begrænset til det minimum, der er nødvendigt for at frembringe den støttemodtagende aktivitet [36].
Finally, Article 6 of the Decision required Member States to carry out regular checks to ensure that undertakings were not receiving compensation in excess of the amount determined in accordance with Article 5.
Undgåelse af uforholdsmæssigt negativ påvirkning af konkurrencen og samhandelen [37].
For the reasons set out in section 7.1.2.1, the Commission finds that neither the recipient nor the Italian authorities have shown that SO.G.A.S. was entrusted with clearly defined public service obligations.
Ifølge de italienske myndigheder er regionen Calabrien i kritiske vanskeligheder forårsaget af, at den er yderligt beliggende og har en underudviklet fragtmobilitet, som primært skyldes manglen på tilstrækkelig infrastruktur.
Nor have they shown that the acts allegedly entrusting the service on which they relied set out any parameters for calculating, controlling and reviewing the compensation, or any arrangements for avoiding and repaying any overcompensation.
Italien har anført, at de omhandlede foranstaltninger er led i et større projekt til styrkelse af transportnettet i Calabrien.
The requirements of Articles 4, 5 and 6 of Decision 2005/842/EC relating to the content of the entrustment acts are therefore not met.
Foranstaltningerne ville sætte SO.G.A.S. i stand til at forbedre lufthavnens infrastruktur og tjenester i lyset af den nye regionale strategi, som er rettet mod at forbedre transportnettet og garantere en bedre adgang til regionen.
The Commission consequently takes the view that the cover provided for the losses of the manager of Stretto airport was not compatible with the internal market or exempted from the notification requirement under Decision 2005/842/EC.
Kommissionen mener derfor, at den driftsstøtte, der blev ydet til SO.G.A.S., har bidraget til opfyldelsen af en målsætning af fælles interesse ved at forbedre adgang, forbindelser og regional udvikling gennem udvikling af en sikker og pålideligt lufttransportinfrastruktur.
In the same way, in the absence of a clear definition of the public service obligations imposed on SO.G.A.S., the measure cannot be considered compatible with the internal market and exempt from the requirement of prior notification on the basis of Article 10(b) of Decision 2012/21/EU either.
Ifølge de nye luftfartsretningslinjer kan små lufthavne have vanskeligt ved at sikre finansieringen af deres drift uden offentlige støtte.
The Commission has therefore considered whether the measure can be considered compatible with the internal market on the basis of paragraph 69 of the 2011 SGEIs Framework, according to which ‘The Commission will apply the principles set out in this Communication to unlawful aid on which it takes a decision after 31 January 2012 even if the aid was granted before this date’.
Ifølge punkt 118 i de nye luftfartsretningslinjer er lufthavne med en årlig passagertrafik på under 700000 passagerer måske ikke i stand til at dække deres driftsomkostninger i væsentligt omfang.
Compatibility under the 2011 SGEIs Framework
Trafikken i Stretto lufthavn har ligget konstant på under 700000 passagerer.
Paragraph 16 of the 2011 SGEIs Framework sets out the requirements for an SGEI to be considered validly entrusted.
Kommissionen mener derfor, at støtten var nødvendig, idet den sikrede en forbedring af regionen Calabriens forbindelser, som markedet ikke ville have kunnet sikre selv.
Paragraph 16(a) states that the act entrusting the service must indicate the content and duration of the public service obligations.
Uden støtten ville støttemodtagerens aktivitet være blevet reduceret betydeligt, om ikke helt indstillet.
Therefore, for the same reasons already set out in section 7.1.2.1, the aid measures at issue cannot be considered compatible under the 2011 SGEIs Framework.
Samtidig oversteg støtten ikke det nødvendige beløb til dækning af driftstabene, hvorfor det heller ikke oversteg det minimum, der er nødvendigt for at frembringe den støttemodtagende aktivitet.
In particular, the overall management of the airport has not been clearly entrusted to the recipient as an SGEI.
Der er ikke andre lufthavne i samme opland [38].
No legal document has been provided to the Commission that clearly defines in advance the SGEI entrusted to the recipient or the recipient's entitlement to compensation.
Som vist ovenfor ligger den nærmeste lufthavn over 130 km væk.
Nothing has been submitted to the Commission to show that paragraphs 17 and 18 of the 2011 SGEIs Framework have been complied with.
Desuden har Italien bekræftet, at lufthavnens infrastruktur er gjort tilgængelig for alle luftfartsselskaber på ikkediskriminerende vilkår.
The Commission therefore takes the view that the aid measure under examination cannot be declared compatible with the internal market under Article 106(2) TFEU.
Det fremgår heller ikke af den information, som Kommissionen har til sin rådighed, eller af de bemærkninger, som de interesserede parters fremsatte i løbet af undersøgelsesproceduren, at der har været udøvet forskelsbehandling i adgangen til infrastrukturen.
For the sake of completeness the Commission would point out that according to paragraph 9 of the 2011 SGEIs Framework, SGEI compensation granted to firms in difficulty must be assessed under the guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (‘the R&R guidelines’).
Kommissionen konkluderer, at betingelserne for forenelighed ifølge de nye luftfartsretningslinjer er opfyldt.
During the earlier stages of the case Italy argued that SO.G.A.S. was a firm in difficulty within the meaning of the R&R guidelines.
Konklusion om støttens forenelighed
However, Italy also maintained that the measures under assessment were not part of a restructuring plan and that no such plan existed.
Kommissionen konkluderer, at den anmeldte støtteforanstaltning er forenelig med det indre marked i henhold til EUF-traktatens artikel 107, stk. 3, litra c).
In its opening decision, therefore, the Commission considered that the measures could not be deemed compatible with the R&R guidelines.
Denne konklusion drages i henhold til statsstøttereglerne og udelukker derfor ikke anvendelsen af andre bestemmelser i EU-retten såsom EU's miljølovgivning.
In the course of the formal investigation Italy no longer claimed that the airport manager was in difficulty at the time the aid measures were taken, and that the aid could therefore be deemed compatible on the basis of the R&R guidelines.