natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Sambrinvest er et venturekapitalselskab, der investerer i regionen Charleroi-Thuin.
Whilst it is true that this overlap was limited at the time when the aid was granted, it still existed.
Selskabet har som sit formål at hjælpe og udvikle SMV'er.
Moreover, it could have been predicted that, due to the aid, competition would increase between the offers of the two airports.
Indtil 2012 var Sambrinvest 50 % ejet af regionen Vallonien.
Accordingly, Charleroi airport offers flights that may be of interest to some of Brussels airport's short- and medium-haul customers.
Igretec er den tværkommunale enhed for forvaltning og udførelse af tekniske og økonomiske undersøgelser.
The following figures show the development in the number of links operated from Charleroi airport, including those where a link from Brussels airport was offered to the same destination.
Igretec deltager i udviklingen og omstillingen af Charleroi gennem udviklingen af lufthavnen, den nærliggende erhvervsbydel og industriområder og dækker 68 kommuner, primært i Hainaut-provinsen.
Table 29
Regionen Valloniens ministerpræsident er formand for Igretec.
Links from Charleroi airport, including those where the same destination is served from Brussels airport
Sogepa — Société Wallonne de Gestion et de Participation — er regionen Valloniens privilegerede finansielle selskab til støtte for virksomheder under omstrukturering.
Source: Annex 11 to the letter from Belgium sent on 7 February 2014
Selskabet yder enten lån eller kapital og varetager forvaltningen af de kapitalinteresser, forpligtelser, lån eller renter, som regionen Vallonien eller selskabet selv har i sådanne selskaber via regeringens delegerede opgaver.
Number of links from Charleroi airport
Brev fra de belgiske myndigheder af henholdsvis 21. september 2011 og 6. februar 2014.
of which links where the same destination is served from Brussels airport
Dette selskab blev afviklet i 2011.
The number of equivalent links offered by Charleroi airport and Brussels airport has therefore significantly increased (from 5 in 2002 to 63 in 2013), thus exerting considerable competitive pressure on Brussels airport.
Ifølge SOWAER's notat til den vallonske regering af 3. april 2003 steg investeringsprogrammet på grund af denne revision fra 93 til 150,8 mio. EUR, dvs. en stigning på 57,8 mio., heraf:a) 33 mio. til udvidelse af passagerterminalen i forhold til den tidligere planb) 3 mio. til anden fase af opførelsen af kontroltårnetc) 2 mio. til sikkerhedsprogrammetd) 1,6 mio. til SOWAER's overtagelse af det samlede budgete) 1,5 mio. til aktualiseringen af erhvervelserne af jord rundt om lufthavnenf) 12 mio. til eventuelle opgørelser og berigtigelserg) 4,8 mio. betegnet som »variation«.
According to the Brussels airport manager (BAC), given this significant overlap between the links operated from Charleroi airport and the destinations served from Brussels airport, the aid, which enables BSCA to offer particularly attractive rates to airlines, allegedly has a considerable impact on Brussels airport.
Jf. notat fra Belgien af 6. februar 2014.
The distortion of competition is apparently particularly severe in terms of short-haul flights, because the fee has a greater relative impact on the price of such flights than on the price of long-haul flights.
Dette beløb indeholder ikke det supplerende obligatoriske investeringsprogram (som ikke undersøges i denne afgørelse) og de investeringer, som BSCA selv finansierede.
Table 30 shows the development in the number of passengers taking short-haul flights from and to Charleroi and Brussels airports (Charleroi and Brussels airports are not in competition for long-haul flights as these are not offered at Charleroi).
Artikel 11 i aftalen mellem SOWAER og BSCA i 2002.
Table 30
Se fodnote 40.
Development in the number of passengers (in millions) taking short-haul flights from and to Brussels (BRU) and Charleroi (CRL) airports
I artikel 11.3 i aftalen mellem SOWAER og BSCA af 2002 bestemmes det, at »BSCA indrømmes fritagelse for betaling af den faste afgift med et beløb svarende til mindst tilskuddet fra regionen Vallonien, såfremt selskabet af årsager, det ikke selv var skyld i, ikke modtog tilskuddet«.
Source: BAC comments — 8 May 2014
Artikel 12 i tjenesteydelsesaftalen mellem SOWAER og BSCA i 2006.
BRU + CRL
Loftet på 956533 EUR svarer til loftet på 883689 EUR (fastsat i aftalen mellem SOWAER og BSCA af 2002) forhøjet med 2 % om året.
Market for short-haul flights from and to BRU (number of passengers - million)
I artikel 12.3 i aftalen mellem SOWAER og BSCA af 2006 bestemmes det, at »BSCA indrømmes fritagelse for betaling af prisen på tjenesteydelserne med et beløb svarende til mindst den økonomiske kompensation fra regionen Vallonien, såfremt selskabet af årsager, det ikke selv var skyld i, ikke modtog tilskuddet«.
Annual change (%)
Dette beløb indeksreguleres med 2 % om året.
Market for short-haul flights from and to CRL (number of passengers - million)
Det gælder arealer, der er tilføjet i forbindelse med underkoncessionen, fra datoen for SOWAER's erhvervelse af dem.
Market for short-haul flights from and to BRU and CRL (number of passengers - million)
Bilag 2 til Belgiens brev af 24. februar 2014.
The table in recital 634 shows that, whereas in 2004 traffic in the short-haul segment at Charleroi was only 17 % of the same traffic at Brussels, in 2013 the figure was nearly 55 %.
Artikel 12 i specifikationerne.
Growth at Charleroi airport was particularly strong in the years 2008 to 2010, whereas the short-haul traffic at Brussels airport fell over the same period.
Artikel 19 i specifikationerne.
This considerable development of Charleroi airport in the years 2008 to 2010 is partly explained by the opening of the new terminal in 2008, financed by SOWAER, for which this decision has determined that BSCA did not pay market price.
Investeringsomkostningerne og/eller afskrivningsomkostningerne ved investeringerne blev ikke nævnt i de tidligere tekster.
According to BAC, this situation has resulted in the loss of 2,5 million passengers, which represents an annual loss of revenue of EUR 50 million.
De tjenester, som er knyttet til brandsikring og trafiksikkerheden på jorden og sikkerheden i lufthavnsområdet.
BAC estimates that, out of the 4 million additional passengers at Charleroi airport in 2011 compared to 2005, it is likely that only 1,5 million are new customers, with the remaining 2,5 million being passengers who in other circumstances would have come to or remained at Brussels airport.
Af bilag 10 til Belgiens brev af 5. februar 2014 fremgår BSCA Securitys vedtægter.
The Commission finds that:
I det omhandlede afsnit nævnes ligeledes de tjenester, der er knyttet til trafiksikkerheden på jorden og sikkerheden i lufthavnsområdet.
Charleroi and Brussels airports are in competition for certain point-to-point short- and medium-haul flights and for certain users,
Kilde: Bilag 9 til brevet, som Belgien sendte den 6. februar 2014, ændret vedrørende Giro-tilskuddet ved Belgiens svar af 25. marts 2014.
Brussels airport is not congested,
I finansieringsplanen angives, at »den planlagte udvikling for BSCA og SAB vil kræve store forhøjelser af egenkapitalen (ud over den eksterne finansiering) og dermed opfølgning fra SOWAER's side«.
the aid has enabled BSCA to offer particularly attractive rates to airlines for its airport services.
De øvrige andele i kapitalforhøjelsen blev tegnet for et samlet beløb af ca. 133000 EUR af et antal mindretalsaktionærer, nemlig SONACA, Carolo Parking og Igretec.
The Commission takes the view that, without this aid, BSCA would definitely not have been in a position to get Ryanair to base a large number of flights at Charleroi airport.
Den 6. juli 2012 indgik BSCA en ny aftale med Ryanair.
The development of Charleroi airport has been boosted by the Region's decision to invest significantly in the airport and thus increase its capacity: the airport has therefore gone from a theoretical capacity of 1 million passengers before the investments made through the 2002 and 2003 measures to a theoretical capacity of 3 million passengers after the investments (we note that the actual capacity is in fact higher, as proven by the traffic figures for Charleroi airport, given that it is generally possible to exceed the nominal capacity of a terminal by reducing the level of passenger comfort and/or making certain changes that do not require massive investment).
Da denne aftale hverken fremgår af de foranstaltninger, der er omhandlet af indledningsbeslutningen i 2002 eller udvidelsesafgørelsen fra 2012, bliver den ikke behandlet i nærværende afgørelse.
The Commission therefore concludes that the aid has considerably distorted competition to the detriment of those airports competing with Charleroi airport, primarily Brussels airport.
Oplysninger givet på mødet den 24. juni 2003 mellem Kommissionen og de belgiske myndigheder.
With regard to the 2002 capital increase, if this does constitute aid, it has contributed to these distortions insofar as it has enabled BSCA to avoid financial difficulties and proceed with the development of Charleroi airport.
Efter det generelt anvendte system blev landingsafgiften beregnet ud fra flyenes vægt i tons, mens der for Ryanairs vedkommende brugtes et helt andet beregningsgrundlag, nemlig det antal passagerer, der gik ombord.
However, this contribution to the distortions of competition is modest, insofar as this involves a one-off intervention of a limited amount compared to the aid amounts resulting from the other measures covered by this examination.
Punkt 1.3 i kontrakten mellem BSCA og Ryanair af 2. december 2001.
Moreover, it occurred at the start of the airport development phase, when the airport's traffic was still relatively modest compared to that of Brussels airport.
Punkt 1.5 i kontrakten mellem BSCA og Ryanair af 2. december 2001.
The Commission notes that traffic at Charleroi airport has increased more than fivefold since the aid was granted [231] (this growth is much higher than the average growth of airports), whereas traffic at Brussels airport in the point-to-point short- and medium-haul segment has stagnated since 2004.
Punkt 4 i bilag C til kontrakten mellem BSCA og Ryanair af 2. december 2001.
This confirms a posteriori that part of the growth at Charleroi airport has occurred to the detriment of growth at Brussels airport.
Punkt 1.6 og bilag C til kontrakten mellem BSCA og Ryanair af 2. december 2001.
The Commission also notes that the competitive impact of Charleroi airport has been especially significant since 2008 due to the increase in its capacity, which was particularly enabled by the investments made by SOWAER.
Artikel 2 i 2001-aftalen.
The Commission further notes that, since the beginning of 2014, Ryanair has been operating from Brussels airport, which is developing in the low-cost segment.
Punkt 3b i brevet af 24. juni 2004.
Vueling was already operating from this airport.
Det samlede antal passagerer, der brugte lufthavnen i 2004, var 2034140 (se tabel 1).
Competition between the two airports may therefore increase further in the future, as they are both likely to attract the same airlines and the same customer segments.
Artikel 35 og 36 i dekret af 3. februar 2005 om økonomisk genopretning og administrativ forenkling.
Based on this information, the Commission concludes that the aid has significantly distorted competition by reducing BSCA's operating costs through abnormally low concession fees.
Disse bestemmelser blev gennemført for Charleroi lufthavn ved tillæg nr. 4 til koncessionsaftalen af 1991 mellem regionen og BSCA, hvor det i artikel 1 bestemtes, at »koncessionshaver fastsætter og af brugerne opkræver lufthavnsafgifterne for brug af den lufthavn, koncessionshaveren forvalter«.
These distortions were certainly limited in the initial years after the measures in question were granted, i.e. in 2002 and 2003, given that the investments had not been made in full at that stage and that Charleroi airport's traffic was still limited, but they have increased subsequently and are now very significant.
Brev fra de belgiske myndigheder af 14. juli 2011 og denne oversigt: http://www.charleroi-airport.com/b2b/redevances-aeroportuaires/vols-regulierscharters/index.html.
Conclusion on the compatibility of the aid granted to BSCA on the basis of Article 107(3) TFEU
Afgifter pr. afrejsende passager i overensstemmelse med de oplysninger, som de belgiske myndigheder har givet i deres svar af 14. juli 2011.
The Commission concludes that the aid granted to BSCA has contributed to regional economic development, but that it has had significant and increasing effects on the airports competing with Charleroi airport, and particularly on Brussels airport.
Regionens fremskrivninger tager ikke højde for den årlige indeksregulering af landingsafgifterne og heller ikke for stigningen i Ryanairs passagertal til over 1,75 mio.; disse to korrektioner har den modsatte virkning for det reelle passagerafgiftsbeløb, som Ryanair betalte.
The Commission notes that, if the aid had been granted after the aviation guidelines entered into force, i.e. after 4 April 2014, it could not have been declared compatible with the internal market.
Europa-Parlamentets og Rådets forordning (EF) nr. 1107/2006 af 5. juli 2006 om handicappede og bevægelseshæmmede personers rettigheder, når de rejser med fly (EUT L 204 af 26.7.2006, s. 1).
Point 119 of the aviation guidelines in fact states that ‘in order to be eligible for operating aid, the annual traffic of the airport must not exceed 3 million passengers’.
Dette beløb indeksreguleres årligt, jf. http://www.charleroi-airport.com/b2b/redevances-aeroportuaires/vols-regulierscharters/index.html.
This aid was granted before 4 April 2014 and point 119 of the aviation guidelines does not therefore apply.
Bp-afgift år N+1 = [0,10-0,30] EUR × Ryanairs passagerer i 2009/Ryanairs passagerer i år N. Antal passagerer hos Ryanair i 2009 er 3289725.
However, according to the aviation guidelines, the Commission must assess the unlawful operating aid granted to airports by taking account of the distortions of competition caused by this aid [232].
Promocy var et joint venture mellem BSCA og Ryanair oprettet i medfør af 2001-aftalerne.
According to the Commission, this requirement means that it must give an opinion on the aid in question in the light, on the one hand, of its positive effects in terms of the objective of common interest pursued and, on the other hand, of its negative effects on competition and trade.
Belgiens svar fremsendt den 18. marts 2014 til Kommissionen med titlen »Svar på Kommissionens anmodning om oplysninger af 7. februar 2014« (svar på spørgsmål nr. 18).
In the present case, it has been established that the aid has had a significant positive effect on the economic development of Charleroi and its region, which may be recognised as an objective of common interest justifying operating aid, while also having negative effects, which have increased over time and become very significant.
BAC hævder, at en privat investor ville regne med et investeringsafkast på mindst 14 mio. EUR (5 %) på baggrund af den investering på 281 mio. EUR, som SOWAER foretog i BSCA's infrastruktur.
In this instance, given that the negative effects of the aid, which were initially limited, have constantly increased over time until they have become too significant, the Commission takes the view that the Region-SOWAER should have, from a certain date, required BSCA to pay a concession fee in line with the level that would have been determined when the measures in question were granted, in 2002 and 2003, if the Region-SOWAER had acted towards BSCA as a market economy operator placing its infrastructure at BSCA's disposal with a view to profitability.
SOWAER fik imidlertid kun et afkast på 0,66 % efter selskabsskat i 2009, og hverken regionen eller SOWAER havde andre indtægter, f.eks. udbytte, fra 2002 til 2007.
BSCA would therefore have benefited from operating aid in the form of an extra low concession fee up to the date in question, on a transitional basis, and not beyond.
BAC's årlige afskrivningsomkostninger beløb sig således til 30 % af de årlige indtægter.
The Commission takes the view that, in order to reduce the negative effects of the aid on competition and trade to an acceptable level, so that the aid is compatible with the internal market, this approach must be implemented a posteriori, in the form of (i) the recovery from BSCA of the aid amounts received after the date in question, and (ii) an adjustment to the methods for calculating the concession fee for the period after the adoption of this decision up to the expiry of the concession from which BSCA benefits, such that, over this period, BSCA pays the Region-SOWAER a concession fee in line with the level that would have been determined when the measures in question were granted, in 2002 and 2003, if the Region-SOWAER had acted towards BSCA as a market economy operator.
Se fodnote 8.
As the date in question must be determined by weighing up the positive effects on regional economic development and the negative effects on competition, it cannot be determined solely by applying a method of economic analysis, but necessarily requires the Commission to use its wide margin of discretion in terms of the compatibility of State aid with the internal market.
Beslutning 2004/393/EF, betragtning 300.
In this respect, the Commission notes that the entry into force of the aviation guidelines on 4 April 2014 is an important turning point in terms of public support for airports as, according to the aviation guidelines, from that date Member States may no longer grant new operating aid to airports with more than 3 million passengers.
Direkte omkostninger pr. fly pr. ruteafgang fra Bruxelles-National, inklusive landingsafgift, passagerafgift, andre afgifter og groundhandling.
The aim of said provision is clearly to limit, from 4 April 2014, the negative effects of operating aid granted to airports.
Hvis der forudsættes et passagerantal på 1700000 i 2003, giver dette en samlet omkostningsforskel på 23 mio. EUR.
The Commission takes the view that this date also forms an appropriate benchmark in the present case, and that it can be regarded as the moment from which BSCA should have ceased to pay an extra low concession fee under the 2002 and 2003 measures.
Rådets direktiv 96/67/EF af 15. oktober 1996 om adgang til groundhandlingmarkedet i Fællesskabets lufthavne (EFT L 272 af 25.10.1996, s. 36).
With regard to the 2002 capital increase, in the light of the findings made in recital 638 and due to the fact that this measure was granted before 4 April 2014, the Commission takes the view that, if this measure does constitute State aid, it is compatible with the internal market.
Direktiv senest ændret ved Europa-Parlamentets og Rådets forordning (EF) nr. 1882/2003 af 29. september 2003 om tilpasning til Rådets afgørelse 1999/468/EF af bestemmelserne vedrørende de udvalg, der bistår Kommissionen i forbindelse med udøvelsen af de gennemførelsesbeføjelser, der er fastsat i retsakter omfattet af proceduren i EF-traktatens artikel 251 (EUT L 284 af 31.10.2003, s. 1).
In conclusion, the Commission takes the view that:
Virksomheden nævner som eksempel Shannon i Irland.
the measures granted by Belgium to BSCA under the 2002 agreements and the 2003 investment decision constitute State aid compatible with the internal market on the basis of Article 107(3)(c) TFEU up to 3 April 2014 and State aid incompatible with the internal market from 4 April 2014,
Shannon indrømmede i en periode Ryanair visse særrettigheder, som ikke blev videreført.
assuming that it does constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU, the capital increase in BSCA subscribed on 3 December 2002 by SOWAER is State aid compatible with the internal market on the basis of Article 107(3)(c) TFEU.
Ryanair valgte at flytte driften til en anden lufthavn, hvorfor Shannon ikke fik det forventede rimelige afkast på sin investering.
Applicability of the limitation period to the aid granted to BSCA
Domstolens dom af 22. marts 1977 i sag 78/76, Steinike og Weinlig mod Tyskland, Sml. 1977, s. 595, ECLI:EU:C:1977:52. »En medlemsstats krænkelse af en forpligtelse, der påhviler den i henhold til traktaten, i forbindelse med forbuddet i artikel 92, kan ikke retfærdiggøres med, at andre medlemsstater heller ikke overholder denne forpligtelse; virkningerne på samhandelen mellem medlemsstaterne af flere konkurrencefordrejninger ophæver ikke hinanden gensidigt, men kumuleres, hvilket øger de skadelige virkninger for det fælles marked« (præmis 24).
Article 15 of the Procedural Regulation stipulates that the recovery of State aid shall be subject to a limitation period of 10 years.
I Frankfurt Hahn og London Stansted angives taksterne at være højere og rabatterne lavere, selv om Ryanair flyver på 49 destinationer fra London og 15 fra Frankfurt Hahn, men kun 9 fra Charleroi.
The limitation period shall begin on the day on which the unlawful aid is awarded to the beneficiary.
Dom af 12. december 2000 i sag T-128/98, Aéroports de Paris mod Kommissionen, Sml. 2000 II, s. 3929, ECLI:EU:C:2000:290.
According to Belgium, the subsidy paid by the Region to BSCA for certain services associated with the airport activities benefits from the limitation period stipulated by Article 15 of the Procedural Regulation.
Rettens dom af 14. januar 2004 i sag T-109/01, Fleuren Compost BV mod Kommissionen, Sml. 2004 II, s. 127, ECLI:EU:T:2004:4, præmis 18.
Belgium asserts that this subsidy was granted on 9 July 1991, which was the date of conclusion of the Region/BSCA agreement and annexed schedule of conditions.
Kommissionens beslutning 2008/948/EF af 23. juli 2008 om Tysklands foranstaltninger til fordel for DHL og Leipzig/Halle Lufthavn C 48/06 (ex N 227/06) (EUT L 346 af 23.12.2008, s. 1), betragtning 291.
According to Belgium, since that date, notwithstanding the adoption of various provisions without any impact on the principle of compulsory compensation payable by the Region for these costs, the Region has been responsible for paying this subsidy.
Se bilag 3 til Belgiens bemærkninger af 23. maj 2012.
Only a few non-economic services set out in Amendment No 6 of 15 January 2008 are apparently not covered by this limitation period.
Beslutning 2008/948/EF, præmis 182.
First of all, the Commission notes that it considered in recital 415 that it must examine the subsidy for certain services associated with the airport activities in conjunction with the other economics of the concession (provision of the infrastructure and concession fee).
Rettens dom af 24. marts 2011 i forenede sager T-443/08 og T-455/08, Freistaat Sachsen m.fl. mod Kommissionen, Sml. 2011 II, s. 1311, præmis 225.
Even if the subsidy paid by the Region for certain services associated with the airport activities may be examined separately from the SOWAER/BSCA agreement, the Commission refutes, however, the assessment according to which the measure granting this subsidy has not been substantially amended.
Se fodnote 89.
On the contrary, the Commission takes the view that each of the following three amendments has substantially amended the measure:
Dom af 24. juli 2003 i sag C-280/00, Altmark Trans, Sml. 2003 I, s. 7447, ECLI:EU:C:2003:415.
Amendment No 3 of 29 March 2002
Artikel 6, § 1, X, 7, i loven om institutionel reform, M.S. 15.8.1980, s. 9434.
The Commission notes that, under Article 25 of the schedule of conditions annexed to the Region/BSCA agreement of 9 July 1991, the Region was to cover the cost of the fire and maintenance services for a transitional period only.
I dag Belgocontrol.
This transitional period was extended until 1 January 2000 under Amendment No 2 to the schedule of conditions annexed to the agreement.
M.S., 9.3.1990, s. 4439.
For the years 2000 and 2001, subsidies for the ‘fire and maintenance’ costs were paid by the Region to BSCA on legal bases other than the Region/BSCA agreement [233], with the acts in question not committing the Region to pay the subsidies to BSCA beyond the years 2000 and 2001.