natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Kommissionen opfordrede interesserede parter til at fremsætte bemærkninger.
Finally, the Commission departments informed the Hungarian authorities that in the event that the aid amount actually received by ValDeal was higher than the aid amount permissible under the SME Block Exemption Regulation, the difference would have to be recovered, together with the applicable interest calculated in accordance with the rules on the method of calculating the reference rate in recovery procedures [6].
Den 22. februar 2013 fremsendte de ungarske myndigheder bemærkninger efter indledningsafgørelsen.
By letter of 18 June 2012, the Hungarian authorities informed the Commission departments that aid to ValDeal should not be assessed under Article 4 of the SME Block Exemption Regulation, without adding any further explanation.
To interesserede parter, ValDeal og European Business & Innovation Centre Network (EBN) [8] fremsatte bemærkninger henholdsvis den 13. marts 2013 og den 14. marts 2013.
On 19 December 2012, the Commission decided to open a formal investigation procedure.
Den 5. april 2013 blev bemærkningerne fra de interesserede parter sendt til de ungarske myndigheder, som i en skrivelse af 8. maj 2013 bekræftede, at de ikke havde yderligere bemærkninger.
The Commission decision to initiate the procedure (‘the opening decision’) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union [7].
I en e-mail af 18. juni 2013 blev de ungarske myndigheder anmodet om at fremsende en detaljeret tidsplan for tilbagebetaling af støtten, som de besvarede samme dag.
The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments.
Den 26. juni 2013 fremsendte de ungarske myndigheder en tabel med de støtteberettigede omkostninger.
On 22 February 2013, the Hungarian authorities submitted comments following the opening decision.
Eftersom denne fremsendelse indeholdt uklare oplysninger i lyset af tidligere fremsendelser, blev der den 5. juli 2013 sendt en anmodning om oplysninger.
Two interested parties, ValDeal and the European Business & Innovation Centre Network (EBN) [8] submitted comments on 13 March 2013 and 14 March 2013 respectively.
Efter to anmodninger om at få forlænget fristen sendte de ungarske myndigheder deres svar den 7. oktober 2013.
On 5 April 2013, the comments of the interested parties were transmitted to the Hungarian authorities who, by letter of 8 May 2013, confirmed that they did not have any further observations to make.
Efter Kommissionens tjenestegrenes uformelle anmodninger om præciseringer, anførte de ungarske myndigheder i en e-mail af 12. februar 2014, at ValDeal havde videregivet en del af støtten til visse kunder i overensstemmelse med de minimis-tærskler og kumulationsregler.
By email of 18 June 2013, the Hungarian authorities were asked to submit a detailed timeline for the repayment of the aid, to which they replied the same day.
BESKRIVELSE AF ORDNINGEN OG AF VALDEAL
On 26 June 2013, the Hungarian authorities submitted a table with the eligible costs.
Beskrivelse af ordningen
Since this submission contained information that was not clear in the light of their past submissions, on 5 July 2013, a request for information was sent.
Retsgrundlaget for ordningen er lov nr. XC af 2003 om forsknings- og teknologiinnovationsfonden (a Kutatási és Technológiai Innovációs Alapról) og regeringsdekret nr. 133/2004 af 29. april 2004 om forvaltning og anvendelse af forsknings- og teknologiinnovationsfonden.
Following two requests for deadline extension, the Hungarian authorities submitted their reply on 7 October 2013.
Budgettet for ordningen for 2006 var på 7909784000 HUF (ca. 31,25 mio. EUR [9]).
Following informal requests for clarification by the Commission departments, the Hungarian authorities indicated, by email of 12 February 2014, that part of the aid had been passed on by ValDeal to certain customers in accordance with de minimis thresholds and cumulation rules.
Ordningen blev udelukkende finansieret via statsbudgettet [10].
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHEME AND OF VALDEAL
Formålet med ordningen var bl.a. at støtte FoU-aktiviteter i Ungarn uden at fokusere på visse sektorer eller begrænse støttemodtagernes størrelse.
Description of the Scheme
Støtten tog form af tilskud, bløde lån og rentegodtgørelse.
The legal basis of the Scheme is Act XC of 2003 on the Research and Technological Innovation Fund (a Kutatási és Technológiai Innovációs Alapról) and Government Decree No 133/2004 of 29 April 2004 on the management and application of the Research and Technological Innovation Fund.
Ifølge retsgrundlaget for ordningen kan der ud over FoU-støtte også stilles støtte til rådighed til risikokapital, uddannelse, beskæftigelse, investeringer (regionalstøtte) og de minimis-foranstaltninger.
The budget of the Scheme for 2006 was HUF 7909784000 (approximately EUR 31,25 million [9]).
En af ordningens støttemodtagere var ValDeal.
The Scheme was financed exclusively from the State budget [10].
Virksomheden modtog FoU-statsstøtte fra ordningens 2006-budget til FoU-projektet »Development of the Hungarian model of integrated innovation management« (»projektet«).
The aim of the Scheme was to support, amongst others, R & D activities in Hungary without focusing on certain sectors or limiting the size of beneficiaries.
ValDeals aktiviteter fordelte sig angiveligt med 11 % industriel forskning og 89 % eksperimentel udvikling.
The forms of the aid were grants, soft loans and interest subsidies.
Beskrivelse af ValDeal og det gennemførte projekt
According to the legal basis of the Scheme, besides R & D aid, aid could also be made available for risk capital, training, employment, investment (regional aid), and de minimis measures.
ValDeals aktiviteter inden for rammerne af det støttemodtagende projekt
One of the beneficiaries of the aid received under the Scheme was ValDeal.
ValDeal, som er en lille virksomhed, der blev oprettet i 2006 [11], modtog et ikketilbagebetalingspligtigt tilskud på 472508090 HUF (ca. 1,86 mio. EUR) til projektet.
The company received R & D State aid from the 2006 budget of the Scheme for the R & D project ‘Development of the Hungarian model of integrated innovation management’ (hereinafter ‘the Project’).
De samlede omkostninger til projektet var 1001134111 HUF (ca. 3,95 mio. EUR), og ValDeals eget bidrag var 528626021 HUF (ca. 2,08 mio. EUR) [12].
ValDeal supposedly carried out 11 % industrial research and 89 % experimental development.
Projektet blev gennemført mellem den 1. december 2006 og den 30. november 2010 [13], og støtten blev udbetalt i flere rater.
Description of ValDeal and the project implemented
Formålet med projektet var at udvikle et specifikt innovationsstyringssystem til Ungarn og den central- og østeuropæiske region, der »systematisk overvåger videnskabelige/teknologiske projekter, opfindelser og nyetablerede virksomheder for at finde frem til dem med det største potentiale for kommercialisering og hjælper dem med at udarbejde en forretningsplan og en patentportefølje, der er attraktiv for potentielle investorer, eller hjælper disse projekter med at øge deres indtægter ved at åbne nye markeder, indføre nye produktlinjer eller ganske enkelt gøre nye idéer til forretninger« [14].
ValDeal's activities in the framework of the Project receiving aid
Projektets første trin bestod i at købe patenteret knowhow om innovationsstyring fra IC2 Institute of the University of Texas og det tyske INNO AG, som har mangeårig erfaring med virksomhedsinkubation, innovationsstyring og markedsføring af intellektuel ejendom.
ValDeal, a small enterprise established in 2006 [11], received a non-repayable grant of HUF 472508090 (approximately EUR 1,86 million) for the Project.
ValDeal købte også uddannelse i innovationsstyring til sine medarbejdere fra University of Texas.
The total cost of the Project was HUF 1001134111 (approximately EUR 3,95 million) and ValDeal's own contribution was HUF 528626021 (approximately EUR 2,08 million) [12].
Ifølge ordningen skulle ValDeal levere flere gratis ydelser til sine kunder.
The Project implementation period was from 1 December 2006 to 30 November 2010 [13] and the aid was paid in several instalments.
Følgende fremgår af § 1.1 i tilskudsaftalen:
The objective of the Project was to develop an innovation management system specific to Hungary and the Central and Eastern European region which ‘systematically monitors scientific/technology projects, inventions and start-up companies to identify those which have the highest potential for commercialisation and helps them create business cases and licence portfolios that are attractive to potential investors, or helps these projects increase their revenues by capturing new markets, introducing new product lines or simply turning new ideas into businesses’ [14].
»Støttemodtageren (ValDeal) forpligter sig til (…) i projektperioden gratis og uden godtgørelse at observere, identificere og analysere mindst 100 innovative teknologier eller produkter og vælge passende udnyttelsesmuligheder.«
The first step in the Project was to buy licensed innovation management know-how from the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas and the German INNO AG, which have long-standing experience in business incubation, innovation management and commercialisation of intellectual property.
ValDeal hævdede, at formålet med virksomhedens FoU var at tilpasse den erhvervede knowhow til det ungarske og det central- og østeuropæiske forretningsmiljø.
ValDeal also bought innovation management training for its staff from the University of Texas.
På grundlag af denne tilpassede model leverede ValDeal gratis innovationsstyringsydelser til 60 »idéer« (hvoraf 18 var virksomheder, og de andre idéer fra individuelle forskere), der via en af ValDeal tilrettelagt konkurrence blev udvalgt blandt omkring ca. 600 »idéer«.
The Scheme obliged ValDeal to provide several services to its customers free of charge.
ValDeal opsummerede sine aktiviteter i projektet som følger: »Opgaverne kan grupperes som følger: overtagelse af den amerikanske og europæiske innovationsstyringsknowhow, indsamling, screening, evaluering af forskningsresultater, produkter, teknologi- og ydelsesidéer, udvælgelse af projekter med stort potentiale, forretningsudvikling, patentering, kommercialisering af knowhow, udvikling af integrerede innovationsstyringsydelser, uddannelse, formidling af og kommunikation om idéerne og resultaternes bæredygtighed« [15].
Clause 1.1 of the grant contract reads as follows:
Med hensyn til ValDeals ydelser til opfindere eller virksomheder bestod de typisk af følgende: »udvikling af hjemmeside, udvikling af kreativitet, idéskabelse, åben innovation, identificering af produkt-, teknologi- og ydelsesidéer, overvågning af forskningsresultater, identificering af innovative selskaber eller virksomheder med innovationspotentiale, udformning og styring af udbuds-/tilskudsansøgninger, uddannelse, beskyttelse af intellektuel ejendom, mægling, tilpasning af FoU-evner, midlertidig styring, markedsføring og markedsforskning, kommunikation, udarbejdelse af forretningsplaner, gennemførlighedsundersøgelser, nationale og internationale netværk, netværk med business angels og investorer, søgning efter investorer, styring af investeringsprocesser, indsamling og fordeling af god/bedste praksis« [16].
‘The Beneficiary (ValDeal) undertakes that (…) during the period of the Project it will, for free and without accepting any consideration, scout, identify, and analyse at least 100 innovative technologies or products, and select the appropriate possibilities for utilisation.’
Ifølge ValDeal var det nødvendigt at tilpasse den oprindelige model for at tage højde for de forskellige forhold i Ungarn og i de mere udviklede europæiske lande eller USA.
ValDeal claimed that the subject of its R & D consisted in the adaptation of the purchased know-how to the Hungarian and Central Eastern European business environment.
ValDeals ansøgning om IPR-beskyttelse
On the basis of this adapted model, ValDeal provided free innovation management services to 60 ‘ideas’ (of which 18 were undertakings, the others being ideas of individual researchers) selected out of a sample of 600 through a contest that ValDeal had organised.
Et af ValDeals argumenter med hensyn til at påvise FoU-indholdet i projektet er, at virksomheden har ansøgt om beskyttelse af intellektuelle ejendomsrettigheder (»IPR«) for sine forskningsresultater [19].
ValDeal summarised its activities in the Project as follows: ‘the tasks can be grouped as follows: taking over the American and European innovation management know-how; collecting, screening, evaluating research results, product, technology and service ideas, selection of projects with a high potential; business development, licensing, commercialisation of know-how; development of integrated innovation management services; training; dissemination and communication of the results; sustainability of the results’ [15].
206941).
ValDeal also mentions that the innovation culture in Hungary is different.
For det andet foretog ValDeal en frivillig registrering [20] af sin integrerede innovationsstyringsmodel hos patentmyndigheden.
For instance, ‘project owners do not have appropriate information about the relevant market and competitors’; ‘project owners, in most cases, are not suitable for managing the company […], they often do not accept that the scientific management of the project should be separated from general and business management’; IPR management is not appropriate; or in certain cases, there is an ‘almost total lack of business ethics’ [18].
Ifølge patentmyndighedens websted medfører frivillig registrering af værker ikke juridisk beskyttelse svarende til ophavsret eller anden intellektuel ejendomsret.
IPR protection sought by ValDeal
Det tjener blot som bevis på, at værket eller et dertil knyttet juridisk udbytte, som ansøgeren hævder at være ejer af, fandtes med det registrerede indhold på datoen for registreringen hos patentmyndigheden [21].
An argument that ValDeal put forward in order to demonstrate the R & D content of the Project is that it has sought intellectual property rights (hereinafter: ‘IPR’) protection for its research results [19].
Lignende EU-finansierede projekter
In this regard, ValDeal mentioned two types of IPR protection that it had received:
ValDeal henviste til følgende projekter som eksempler:
Firstly, ValDeal mentioned that it had registered two trademarks with the Hungarian Patent Office (hereinafter: ‘HPO’): one for its graphic sign (registration No 191345) and another for the composition of words ‘ValDeal Integrated Innovation Management Model’ (ValDeal Integrált Innováció-menedzsment Modell) (registration No 206941).
»WOMENTOR« — Projektet havde til formål at støtte kvindelige iværksætteres deltagelse i europæiske forskningsprojekter og blev ligeledes finansieret gennem programmet for livslang læring.
Secondly, ValDeal made a voluntary registration [20] of its Integrated Innovation Management Model with the HPO.
Det synes derfor heller ikke at være et FoU-projekt.
According to the HPO website, the voluntary registration of works does not create legal protection equivalent to copyright or any other intellectual property right.
I lyset af disse oplysninger synes ImMediaTe-projektet også fortrinsvist at være et uddannelsesprojekt.
In further evidence of the R & D content of the Project, ValDeal submitted some examples of EU-funded projects (see below) and argued that they were all similar R & D projects funded by the Fifth Framework Programme (hereinafter ‘FP5’) or the Sixth Framework Programme (hereinafter ‘FP6’) [22], and therefore ValDeal's project should be considered an R & D project.
Men til forskel fra ValDeals projekt havde NIMCUBE-projektet til formål at udvikle nye tekniske løsninger, dvs. software.
The objective of this programme was to stimulate learning experiences and develop the education and training sector across Europe [23].
BESLUTNING OM AT INDLEDE DEN FORMELLE UNDERSØGELSESPROCEDURE
In light of that information, ‘Creative trainer’ does not appear to be an R & D project.
Kommissionen besluttede den 19. december 2012 at indlede den formelle undersøgelsesprocedure.
‘WOMENTOR’ — The project aimed to support women entrepreneurs' participation in European research projects and was also financed from the Lifelong Learning Programme.
Kommissionen konkluderede foreløbigt, at foranstaltningen udgjorde støtte inden for betydningen af artikel 107, stk. 1, i traktaten om Den Europæiske Unions funktionsmåde (TEUF) af følgende grunde:
Therefore, it does not appear to be an R & D project either.
For det første modtog ValDeal et tilskud fra 2006-budgettet for statsstøtteordningen HU 21/2004, og foranstaltningen blev derfor anset for at være finansieret af statsmidler.
‘ImMediaTe’ — The project aimed to set up a sectoral platform for SMEs in the digital media and creative sectors in order to provide them with coaching and training on how to develop a digital business and on digital business financing.
For det andet modtog ValDeal statsstøtte til at gennemføre aktiviteter, hvis omkostninger andre markedsdeltagere selv skulle bære fuldt ud.
The project was funded under the EU Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme [24], which aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises in general, including the promotion of better take-up and use of ICT, the promotion of the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency, supporting innovation activities, providing better access to finance and providing business support services.
Dette uanset at ValDeal inden for foranstaltningens rammer leverede ydelserne gratis.
In light of the information, the ImMediaTe project also appears to be mainly a training project.
Foranstaltningen truer derfor med at fordreje konkurrencen ved at begunstige ValDeal selektivt.
‘NIMCUBE’ — The project aimed to develop sophisticated IT solutions for measuring, managing and optimising the re-use of knowledge and innovation by companies.
For det tredje påvirker denne foranstaltning tydeligt samhandelen mellem medlemsstaterne.
The project was indeed financed under FP5.
ValDeal købte knowhow om innovationsstyring fra det amerikanske University of Texas og det tyske selskab INNO AG, og foranstaltningen kunne derfor påvirke samhandelen mellem medlemsstaterne.
However, unlike ValDeal's project, the NIMCUBE project aimed at the development of new technical solutions, i.e. software.
Derudover agtede ValDeal også at levere ydelserne til virksomheder etableret i andre central- og østeuropæiske lande.
DECISION TO OPEN THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Kommissionen var i tvivl om støttens forenelighed med det indre marked.
The Commission decided on 19 December 2012 to initiate the formal investigation procedure.
Den var navnlig i tvivl om, hvorvidt støtten til ValDeal kunne anses for at være forenelig med det indre marked i henhold til FUI-rammebestemmelserne fra 1996 eller alternativt i henhold til andre instrumenter.
On a preliminary basis, the Commission concluded that the measure constituted aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU for the following reasons:
Forenelighed med rammebestemmelserne for F&U&I
Firstly, ValDeal received a grant from the 2006 budget of the State aid scheme HU 21/2004; hence, the measure was considered to be financed from State resources.
FoU-indhold
Secondly, ValDeal received State aid in order to carry out activities whose costs other market participants had to fully bear on their own.
Kommissionen konkluderede, at ingen af ovennævnte ydelser fra ValDeal kunne anses for at være innovative, da de allerede blev udbudt af leverandører af IT-ydelser, advokater, patentagenter, konsulenter, »business angels« mv. og var tilgængelige i forskellig form på markedet.
This is notwithstanding the fact that in the framework of the measure, ValDeal provided its services for free.
Faktisk lader det til, at projektet bestod i at afprøve effektiviteten af knowhow om/en model for innovationsstyring fra tredjeparter og derefter ganske enkelt tilpasse den til det ungarske forretningsmiljø (herunder oversættelse til ungarsk).
Therefore, the measure threatens to distort competition by conferring a selective advantage on ValDeal.
Derudover hævder ValDeal, at tilpasningen af den erhvervede knowhow om/model for innovationsstyring bestod i at tillægge visse forvaltningsydelser mere betydning, som f.eks. personlig coaching af opfindere, som der lægges mindre vægt på, hvor forretningskulturen er mere udviklet.
Thirdly, the measure clearly affects trade between Member States.
Kommissionen fandt imidlertid, at ValDeal i det væsentlige leverede den samme ydelse som den, der lå i den erhvervede innovationsstyringsmodel.
ValDeal bought innovation management know-how from the US University of Texas and the German INNO AG; hence the measure was liable to affect trade between Member States.
I stedet for at gennemføre faktisk og reel FoU havde ValDeals aktiviteter primært til formål at stimulere FoU og innovation fra andre enheder, dvs. ValDeals kunder.
In addition, ValDeal also intended to provide the services to companies established in other Central and Eastern European countries.
ValDeal selv hævder, at »der er oprettet 60-80 FoU-intensive job« [25] i de virksomheder, den leverede sine ydelser til.
The Commission had doubts about the compatibility of the aid with the internal market.
IPR-registrering
In particular, it doubted whether the aid to ValDeal could be considered compatible with the internal market under the R & D&I Framework of 1996, or alternatively, under other instruments.
Følgende fremgår af forordningen om EF-varemærker: »Et EF-varemærke kan bestå af alle de tegn, der kan gengives grafisk, navnlig ord, herunder personnavne, afbildninger, bogstaver, tal, varens form eller emballage, for så vidt disse tegn er egnede til at adskille en virksomheds varer eller tjenesteydelser fra andre virksomheders.« [26].
Compatibility under the R & D&I framework
Det primære formål med et varemærke er med andre ord ikke at beskytte en virksomheds FoU-resultater, men adskille det fra andre enheder.
R & D content
Et varemærke er således ikke i sig selv bevis for, at den virksomhed, der ejer det, har gennemført FoU-aktiviteter inden for betydningen af FUI-rammebestemmelserne fra 1996.
The Commission concluded that none of the above-mentioned services provided by ValDeal could be considered innovations because there were already offered by IT service providers, lawyers, patent agents, consultants, ‘business angels’ etc. and were available in different forms on the market.
Kommissionen anførte ligeledes, at ValDeals manglende registrering af eller manglende mulighed for at registrere andre patenter eller intellektuelle ejendomsrettigheder end et varemærke for resultaterne af sit arbejde er et tydeligt tegn på, at projektet ikke opnåede de forskningsmæssige resultater, som ville opfylde kriterierne for patentbeskyttelse.
In fact, it appears that the Project consisted of testing the effectiveness of an innovation management know-how/model supplied by third parties and simply adjusting it to the Hungarian business environment (including translation into Hungarian).
Selv om en virksomhed kan beslutte at beskytte sin patenterbare viden eller opfindelse som knowhow eller en forretningshemmelighed i stedet for formelt at registrere et patent for den, er ValDeals generelle påstand om, at virksomheden ville udvikle egen knowhow gennem projektets gennemførelse, ikke tilstrækkeligt bevis for, at et sådant projekt omfattede reel FoU inden for betydningen af FUI-rammebestemmelserne.
In addition, ValDeal claims that the adaptation of the purchased innovation management know-how/model consisted in giving more importance to certain management services, like personal coaching of inventors, on which there is less emphasis where the business culture is more developed.
Lignende EU-projekter
However, the Commission considered that essentially ValDeal provided the very same services as those comprised within the purchased innovation management model.