natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
GEASAR indgik ingen aftaler om ruteudvikling under aktivitet 1.
SOGAER based its decision to operate with easyJet on the result of an economic impact study, certified by an external consultant, which verified the return on the investment, concluding that it was very likely to result in a significant economic return and development for the airport.
Aktivitet 2
GEASAR declared in the contract that it had examined easyJet's business plan, evaluated the assumptions and the expected results and had produced its own business plan, confirming the economic interest in operating with easyJet.
Lufthavnsoperatøren offentliggjorde indkaldelsen af interessetilkendegivelser på sit websted med henblik på at indgå markedsførings- og reklameaftaler som led i gennemførelsen af lov nr. 10/2010.
The contracts with SOGAER and GEASAR significantly increased the number of passengers at Cagliari and Olbia airports, thus granting stable and increasing revenue from aeronautical and non-aeronautical activities.
Efter modtagelsen af interessetilkendegivelser forhandlede GEASAR forslagene til markedsføringsaktiviteter med luftfartsselskaberne under hensyntagen til markedsføringsplanen vedrørende turisme udarbejdet af regionen som et af dens planlægningsinstrumenter.
easyJet believes that the contracts with SOGAER and GEASAR are based on purely commercial terms.
Som følge deraf indgik GEASAR for perioden 2010-2013 ad hoc-aftaler med easyJet, Meridiana, Air Berlin, Fly Niki, Volotea, Norwegian, Air Italy, Jet2.com og Air Baltic.
Therefore the measure at hand cannot be considered State aid due to the fact that SOGAER and GEASAR acted as private investors looking for economic benefits.
De fleste aftaler havde en løbetid på et eller to år.
Compliance with the Altmark test and/or Article 106(2) of the Treaty
Aftalerne var baseret på et krav om, at de pågældende luftfartsselskaber skulle beflyve bestemte nationale eller europæiske ruter fra og til Olbia.
easyJet affirms that the compensation granted to easyJet does not constitute illegal State aid as it fulfils all four criteria defined by the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Altmark judgment [90] to establish whether public service compensation constitute State aid.
Dette krav hang sammen med luftfartsselskabernes markedsføring af Sardinien som et turistmål.
The measure constitutes compensation for the commitment to operate specifically identified strategic international routes to/from Cagliari and Olbia airports and provide the related marketing and advertising services, notably during the unprofitable off-peak season,.
De aktiviteter til markedsføring af turistmålet, som selskaberne forpligter sig til at gennemføre med det budget, der er stillet til rådighed i henhold til aftalen, er beskrevet i en specifik medieplan.
Furthermore its funding under the scheme is limited to (partial) compensation for the costs actually borne by easyJet in fulfilling its public service mission, and eventually allows easyJet to obtain a reasonable profit.
De omfatter mere specifikt: i) »klassisk« annoncering (dvs. i byen, i medierne, i flymagasiner osv.) og ii) »onlineannoncering« på luftfartsselskabets websted.
easyJet believes that the first Altmark condition (entrustment with a well-defined public service obligation) is met since the task of operating strategic international routes has been conferred on EasyJet by the State, and that public service task has been precisely defined. easyJet entered into binding contracts with SOGAER and GEASAR as a result of the Sardinia Law 10/2010 and subsequent implementing acts,.
Aktivitet 3
Such contracts impose specific obligations on easyJet to ensure that the principle of territorial continuity is upheld and that a sufficient number of flights is provided to carry passengers to/from Sardinia also during the off-season.
På vegne af regionen overdrog GEASAR en række initiativer til tredjeparter med det formål at markedsføre Sardinien som et turistmål, f.eks. annoncering i aviser og gennem TV-reklamer, trykning af kort med oplysninger om Sardinien, reklametavler og vinduesmærkater til opsætning i lufthavnen, konsulentaftaler vedrørende planlægning af reklamestrategier, deltagelse i messer og pressekonferencer og fremme at turistmålet gennem tilbud om rejsepakker fra rejsebureauer og et websted for fremme af turisme i Sardinien.
The compensation under scrutiny relates to SGEI assigned to easyJet by the Region through SOGAER and GEASAR.
Pengestrømme
In analysing the second condition (parameters for calculating the compensation are defined in advance in an objective and transparent manner), easyJet submits that the contracts entrusting easyJet with the task of providing air transport services on the strategic routes sufficiently specify, in advance, the compensation for fulfilment of the task, since they indicate a fixed amount per year specifically relating to the operation of the routes concerned throughout the year.
Lufthavnsoperatøren betaler på forhånd luftfartsselskaberne og de øvrige tjenesteudbydere for aktivitet 2 og 3.
With reference to the third condition (compensation received does not exceed what is necessary to cover the costs and achieve a reasonable profit), easyJet states that the provision of air transport services specified in the contracts with SOGAER and GEASAR entails major fixed and operating costs for easyJet.
GEASAR indgav rapporter om de aktiviteter, der blev gennemført i perioden 2010-2012, med angivelse af de faktiske omkostninger til regionen.
[…] easyJet confirms that without the support received from the airports, it would never have operated any routes from Sardinian airports, except for during the peak season.
Regionen burde da have godtgjort de beløb, som lufthavnsoperatøren havde betalt på forhånd.
easyJet states that even the fourth Altmark condition is met (the compensation received does not exceed the costs of a well-run undertaking that is adequately equipped with the means to provide the public service). easyJet submits that it can be considered a typical undertaking, well run and adequately equipped with the means to provide the public service.
Regionen har delvist godtgjort GEASAR omkostninger til aktivitet 2 som følge af regionens begrænsede budgetbevillinger.
What easyJet wants to highlight is that it is one of the best-run European airlines and is able to offer customers low fares due to its focus on efficiency, and reliance on high utilisation of fleet and intensive use of IT, which all drive down the cost per passenger.
Den største del af de beløb, som regionen har godtgjort i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010, vedrører aktivitet 2, som dækker GEASAR's betalinger til luftfartsselskaber inden for rammerne af markedsførings- og reklameaftaler.
Should the Commission consider that the Altmark conditions are not met, easyJet considers that all the conditions of Article 106(2) of the Treaty are met and that the activities were necessary for the fulfilment of services of general economic interest.
Tabel 11 vises pengestrømmene fra GEASAR.
The activities may therefore still be justified as compatible under the exception provided by Article 106(2)of the Treaty.
Tabel 11
The balancing test
Pengestrømme fra Olbia lufthavn
According to easyJet, even if the scheme falls outside the scope of regulations and guidelines, the positive outcome of the balancing test makes it fully legal, irrespective of the amount of aid or the size of the beneficiary.
aktivitet 2
Aid is considered to have undue negative effects when:
I alt indberettet af lufthavnsoperatøren til regionen
it is granted to inefficient or dominant companies in declining sectors;
Ret til bidrag i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010
it displaces private investment or research efforts;
Samlede bidrag i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010 godtgjort lufthavnsoperatøren
it discriminates against certain companies or technologies.
Vurdering efter artikel 107, stk. 1, i TEUF
None of the competitive distortions that are commonly associated with problematic State aid are to be found in this case: (i) the recipients have not captured market shares at the expense of potentially more efficient competitors; (ii) foreign competitors have not been discriminated against to the advantage of ‘national champions’; (iii) consumers have not lost out from not having access to cheaper or better products.
GEASAR er ikke den faktiske støttemodtager i forbindelse med aktivitet 2 og 3, og åbningsafgørelsen indeholder en fejl, idet GEASAR er medtaget blandt modtagerne af statsstøtte i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010.
easyJet states that the scheme in question fulfils the requirements of necessity and proportionality.
GEASAR modtog ingen økonomisk fordel som følge af støtten: De bidrag, som regionen ydede i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010, blev blot »videregivet« af lufthavnsoperatørerne til de endelige støttemodtagere, dvs. til de luftfartsselskaber, der drev flyforbindelser i de undersøgte lufthavne.
The scheme is necessary because easyJet would not otherwise operate the routes throughout the year.
Dette gælder også for opgaven med at markedsføre Sardinien som turistmål, som lufthavnsoperatørerne har overdraget til andre selskaber.
The scheme is proportional, because the contribution represents only a fraction of easyJet's operating costs.
Ifølge GEASAR udgør bidragene i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010 ikke statsstøtte, da mindst to af de fire betingelser for statsstøtte i artikel 107, stk. 1, i TEUF ikke er opfyldt: a) Aktivitet 2 og 3 giver ikke GEASAR en fordel.
Conclusion
GEASAR mener, at de midler, der er omhandlet i lov nr. 10/2010, er i overensstemmelse med det markedsøkonomiske investorprincip: De beløb, som regionen har betalt i forbindelse med aktivitet 2 og 3, er et vederlag for en leveret tjeneste og omkostninger, som tredjeparter har afholdt.
easyJet concludes that it did not receive any illegal State aid from either Sardinian airports or Sardinian authorities during the period under investigation.
GEASAR bemærker også, at vederlaget til luftfartsselskaberne (aktivitet 2) og de andre tjenesteudbydere (aktivitet 3) er i overensstemmelse med de gældende markedspriser.
COMMENTS PROVIDED ON THE APPLICATION OF THE 2014 AVIATION GUIDELINES TO THE MEASURES AT STAKE
De midler, som regionen har ydet i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010, har på den anden side sikret regionen et finansielt afkast på mellemlang sigt.
easyJet asserts that it has already demonstrated that it received no illegal State aid for a number of reasons, which are unaffected by the new guidelines. easyJet stresses that there are two methods, at Section 3.5 of the 2014 Aviation Guidelines, for determining whether agreements between airports and airlines satisfy the market economy operator test and, thus, are free of State aid.
Det beløb, som regionen har opnået i form af øgede skatteindtægter, kan anses for at være højere end de omkostninger, som regionen har haft til at finansiere de omhandlede aktiviteter.
The first is the benchmark method, but the Commission dismisses this method due to the substantial presence of State subsidies in the airport market.
De lån, der er ydet af SFIRS, blev også tilbagebetalt efter markedsvilkår.
The alternative method proposed consists in ascertaining whether the commercial arrangement concerned incrementally contributes to the profitability of the airport from an ex ante perspective (Section 3.5.2 of the 2014 Aviation Guidelines). easyJet specifies that ‘the Commission considers ex ante incremental profitability analysis to be the most relevant criterion for the assessment of arrangements concluded by airports with individual airlines’.
Aktivitet 2 og 3 påvirker ikke handelen og fordrejer ikke konkurrencen: Som følge af dens særlige beliggenhed opererer Olbia lufthavn på lokalt plan og konkurrerer ikke med andre nationale eller europæiske lufthavne.
In the opinion of the company, that assessment should, in principle, be based on a business plan taking into account available information and foreseeable developments at the time when the agreement was concluded.
Forvaltningen af Olbia lufthavn blev delvist overdraget til GEASAR i 1989, dvs. lang tid inden dommen i sagen Aéroport de Paris af 12. december 2000, som udvidede statsstøttereglernes anvendelsesområde til driften af lufthavne.
easyJet stresses that, as explained in the comments submitted on 30 July 2013, SOGAER and GEASAR were able to anticipate on an ex ante basis the positive economic return of the contracts.
GEASAR konkluderer, at bidragene i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010 ikke udgør statsstøtte i henhold til artikel 107, stk. 1, i TEUF.
easyJet notes that the positive economic return is based on the following factors: (i) easyJet gave a commitment to provide the marketing activities, operate the point-to-point flights and reach the passenger targets provided for in the contracts; (ii) easyJet provided the airport operator with business plans that cover the period of the contracts as well as media plans, in order to allow the airport operator to verify the profitability; and (iii) the airport operator confirmed the return on the investment, resulting from the marketing activities. easyJet points out that, based on the information available at the time, both airport operators concluded that the investments result in a significant economic return for the airports.
Vurdering af forenelighed i henhold til artikel 107, stk. 3, litra c), i TEUF
In fact, SOGAER based its decision to enter into the contract with easyJet on the result of an economic impact study.
GEASAR anfører subsidiært, at bidrag betalt i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010 under alle omstændigheder er forenelige med det indre marked i henhold til artikel 107, stk. 3, litra c), i TEUF.
easyJet also points out that its advertising and marketing activities significantly increased the visibility of Cagliari and Olbia airports and therefore passenger flow on routes to those airports.
Forenelighed skal vurderes i henhold til punkt 79 i retningslinjerne for luftfart fra 2005 [93]:
Regarding point 5.2 of the 2014 Aviation Guidelines, easyJet notes that there are some changes to the conditions under which airlines can receive aid for launching new routes. easyJet maintains that, for this case, under the new guidelines, more flexible arrangements, in terms of airport size and eligible destinations, could be justified for airports located in remote regions, as in this case on an island. easyJet submits that the new criteria for the admissibility of start-up aid are substantially fulfilled.
støtten udbetales til luftfartsselskaber, som har en gyldig licens, der er udstedt af en medlemsstat i henhold til forordning (EF) nr. 1008/2008
The company notes that point 5.2 of the 2014 Aviation Guidelines states that start-up aid to airlines will be considered to contribute to the achievement of an objective of common interest, if one of the following conditions is met: (i) the aid increases the mobility of Union citizens and the connectivity of the regions by opening new routes, or (ii) the aid facilitates regional development of remote regions.
den omhandlede støtte havde til formål at gøre lufttrafikken mindre sæsonbetinget, og den støttede derfor åbningen af nye ruter eller flyveplaner og vedrørte ikke luftfartsselskaber med forpligtelser til offentlig tjeneste, jf. forordning (EF) nr. 1008/2008
According to point 2.2 of the guidelines, ‘remote regions’ mean ‘outermost regions, Malta, Cyprus, Ceuta, Melilla, islands which are part of the territory of a Member State, and sparsely populated areas’. easyJet retains that those criteria are both met.
for de berørte luftfartsselskaber var den støttede forbindelse rentabel
Furthermore, the requirement of a genuine transport need also appears to be fulfilled, due to the lack of real alternative transportation methods.
støtten omfattede yderligere startomkostninger til drift af den nye rute eller nye flyveplan disse omkostninger er i overensstemmelse med de nuværende markedspriser
easyJet recalls that start-up aid can be granted to airlines departing from airports with fewer than 3 million passengers per year (point 142 of the Aviation Guidelines), and, on a case by case basis, also to those departing from airports with more than 3 and less than 5 million passengers per year (point 144).
initiativerne i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010 var blevet tilstrækkeligt offentliggjort blandt de forskellige luftfartsselskaber, som var interesserede i at tilbyde deres tjenester
As regards Olbia airport — whose contract with easyJet was signed in 2011 — the traffic volumes registered in 2009 and 2010 amounted to, respectively, 1621945 and 1591821 passengers.
aftalerne omfatter et system af sanktioner, hvis et luftfartsselskabs ikke overholder dets forpligtelser over for lufthavnen.
With respect to Cagliari airport — whose contract with easyJet was signed in 2010 — the traffic volumes registered in 2008 and 2009 amounted to, respectively, 2924805 and 3317262 passengers.
GEASAR bemærker, at støtte udbetalt i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010 ydes til luftfartsselskaber for en lidt længere periode (fire år i stedet for tre) og er af større intensitet end tilladt i henhold til retningslinjerne for luftfart fra 2005, men tilføjer, at varigheden ikke var fastsat i lov nr. 10/2010 for alle aftaler indgået med luftfartsselskaber.
In any case, the Commission, in the opinion of easyJet, should conclude that the start-up aid is necessary pursuant to point 142 (in the case of Cagliari airport), or at least to point 144 of the 2014 Aviation Guidelines.
Hvad der er vigtigere, understreger GEASAR, at retningslinjerne tillader fravigelse af deres intensitetskriterier i tilfælde af økonomisk dårligt stillede regioner, der modtager bistand, som f.eks. Sardinien.
Concerning the appropriateness of State aid as a policy instrument, point 147 provides that that that criterion is fulfilled if one of the following conditions is satisfied: (i) an ex ante business plan prepared by the airline establishes that the route receiving the aid has prospects of becoming profitable for the airline without public funding after 3 years, or (ii) in the absence of a business plan for a route, the airlines provide an irrevocable commitment to the airport to operate the route for a period at least equal to the period during which they received start-up aid. easyJet underlines the fact that the business plans drafted at the moment the contracts were signed confirmed the convenience and the sustainability of the agreements for the airports.
De omhandlede foranstaltninger har en tilskyndelsesvirkning med hensyn til udviklingsmål, som er i overensstemmelse med Unionens interesser, og påvirker ikke handelen mellem medlemsstaterne i et omfang, der strider imod den fælles interesse.
While no formal commitment to operate beyond the initial 3-year period was provided, de facto that condition is being currently fulfilled, as easyJet has continued to operate at Cagliari and Olbia airports, after the expiry of the agreement in 2013.
GEASAR henviser i denne forbindelse til Europa-Parlamentets beslutning af 10. maj 2012 om fremtiden for regionale lufthavne og luftfartstjenester i EU [94], hvor betydningen af regionale lufthavne i Unionen understreges.
Regarding the existence of an incentive effect, easyJet recalls that start-up aid to airlines has an incentive effect if it is likely that, in the absence of the aid, the level of economic activity of the airline at the airport concerned would not be expanded. easyJet, referring to the comments that it submitted on 30 July 2013, points out that, without the support received from SOGAER and GEASAR, it would not have operated any of the routes concerned, outside the peak season.
GEASAR mener, at der ved vurderingen af de omhandlede foranstaltningers forenelighed med det indre marked bør tages hensyn til Olbia lufthavnens betydning for den territoriale kontinuitet af en øregion som f.eks. Sardinien.
With regard to the proportionality of the aid amount, easyJet estimates that that criterion was complied with in this case.
Vurdering efter artikel 106 i TEUF
Finally, concerning the avoidance of undue negative effects on competition and trade, easyJet states that the routes operated cannot be served by any high-speed rail service or other forms of transport.
GEASAR bemærker, at de beløb, der er betalt i henhold til lov nr. 10/2010, ikke udgør statsstøtte på grundlag af Altmark-betingelserne, og at de, selv om de gjorde de, ville være forenelige i henhold til artikel 106, stk. 2, i TEUF.
Furthermore, there are no other airports in the same catchment areas as Cagliari and Olbia airports.
Overholdelse af Altmark-betingelserne
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON MEOP ANALYSIS WITH REGARD TO OLBIA AIRPORT
Med hensyn til den første Altmark-betingelse påpeger GEASAR, at de omhandlede foranstaltninger er et led i regionens bredere geografiske politik og transportpolitik, der har til formål at sikre et minimum af flyforbindelser mellem øen og resten af Unionen.
easyJet states that the agreements with Olbia Airport are compliant with the market economy operator principle.
Ifølge GEASAR opfyldes den anden og den tredje Altmark-betingelse: De kriterier, der danner grundlag for beregning af kompensationen, var fastlagt på forhånd på en objektiv og gennemsigtig måde, og der er ikke risiko for overkompensation, eftersom GEASAR kun har modtaget delvis godtgørelse for sine omkostninger.
To that end, easyJet provided the Commission with one report prepared by a consultancy firm.
GEASAR finder, at den har afholdt omkostninger som en privat virksomhed, der er underlagt normale markedsvilkår.
That study analyses the expected profitability of each marketing agreement concluded by easyJet with Olbia on a fully ex ante basis, in line with its understanding of the Commission's approach following the 2014 Aviation Guidelines and the recent case practice [91].
Således er den fjerde Altmark-betingelse også opfyldt.
The results show that, under relevant assumptions at the time when the 2010 and 2011 marketing agreements were signed, each agreement was expected to be sufficiently profitable [92].
Forenelighed i henhold til artikel 106, stk. 2, i TEUF
Indeed, regarding the 2010 and 2011 Agreements, the NPV is strictly positive both in the reported base case and in multiple sensitivity tests, suggesting that a rational private investor would have been likely to offer similar agreements.
GEASAR finder, at denne forenelighed bør vurderes i lyset af beslutningen om tjenesteydelser af almen økonomisk interesse fra 2005 og subsidiært i lyset af rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011.
Thus the evidence presented indicates that, under similar circumstances, a rational market economy investor would have been willing to enter into similar agreements with easyJet, assuming reasonable ex ante expectations for GEASAR.
GEASAR bemærker, at tærsklen i artikel 2, stk. 1, litra a), i beslutningen om tjenesteydelser af almen økonomisk interesse fra 2005 er opfyldt, eftersom det offentlige bidrag beløb sig til omkring 4 mio. EUR om året, og GEASAR's omsætning var lavere end 100 mio. EUR.
That analysis implies that, by concluding the various agreements with easyJet, GEASAR was behaving in a manner similar to a private investor.
Artikel 4, 5 og 6 i beslutningen om tjenesteydelser af almen økonomisk interesse fra 2005 opfyldes ligeledes.
COMMENTS FROM GEASAR S.P.A.
Med hensyn til anvendelsen af rammebestemmelserne for tjenesteydelser af almindelig økonomisk interesse fra 2011 påpeger GEASAR, at:
(AIRPORT OPERATOR OF OLBIA AIRPORT)
kompensationen blev ydet for en ægte og korrekt defineret tjenesteydelse af almen økonomisk interesse
Olbia airport mainly handles domestic and international commercial passenger traffic, with an emphasis on tourist traffic.
ansvaret for driften af tjenesten af almindelig økonomisk interesse var blevet overdraget til den pågældende virksomhed ved en eller flere officielle retsakter
Air traffic from and to Olbia airport peaks in the summer season, between May and October.
kompensationen overstiger ikke, hvad der er fornødent til dækning af de nettoomkostninger, der er forbundet med at opfylde forpligtelserne til offentlig tjeneste, herunder en rimelig fortjeneste.
GEASAR stresses that the airport's location in an island region, such as Sardinia, means that: