natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Det andet anbringende om en tilsidesættelse af de generelle betingelser for at tillade støtte som omhandlet i traktatens artikel 92, stk 3, litra c)
By application lodged at the Court Registry on 16 January 1998, Azienda Agricola 'Le Canne' Sri brought an appeal against the judgment of the Court of First Instance of 7 November 1997 in Le Canne ν Commission (hereinafter 'the contested judgment') dismissing its application for annulment of the Commission decision, by telex No 12 497 of 27 October 1995, to reduce Community financial aid which had been granted
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at støtten ikke opfylder betingelserne i traktatens artikel 92, stk. 3, litra c).
The appellant submits that the Court of First Instance misapplied Articles 44 and 47 of
Den begunstiger ikke en erhvervsgren, men en enkelt virksomhed. Støtten fremmer ikke udviklingen af en bestemt region på grund af spredningen af HTM's produktionsvirksomheder.
from ITL 1 103 646 181 to ITL 762 940 040 for one of the reasons listed in Article 44(1) of Regulation No 4028/86, namely because the project was not carried out as specified, decision No 12 497 must be interpreted as a reduction of aid within the meaning of that article.
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at rammebestemmelserne er retsstridige, for så vidt som de tillader støtte, der ikke opfylder betingelserne i traktatens artikel 92, stk. 3, litra c). Kommissionen har således tilsidesat denne bestemmelse ved at basere sin beslutning på rammebestemmelserne.
Council Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 of 18 December 1986 in ruling that they only applied in the event of the reassessment of the whole of the project concerned and not where an individual has in fact simply failed wholly or partly to carry' out the project as initially approved.
Det bemærkes, at rammebestemmelserne er vejledende regler, som fastlægger retningslinjerne for den politik, Kommissionen har til hensigt at følge.
It must be observed that, once an initial application is approved, a decision to reduce the amount of aid initially granted might have serious consequences for the applicant.
De kan således ikke fravige bestemmelserne i traktatens artikel 92.
Such consequences highlight the importance of applying a procedure such as that laid down in Articles 44 and 47 of Regulation No 4028/86 and Article 7 of Regulation No 1116/88.
Det bemærkes for det første, at eftersom Kommissionen med rette kunne antage, at HTM's overlevelse må bidrage til at opretholde en konkurrencepræget markedsstruktur, kan støtten ikke anses for kun at begunstige en enkelt virksomhed.
In adopting decision No 12 497 without using the procedures laid down in Articles 44 and 47 of Regulation No 4028/86 and Article 7 of Regulation No 1116/88, the Commission must be held to have failed to comply with the obligations imposed on it by those articles.
Da sagsøgeren ikke har godtgjort, i hvilket omfang Kommissionen har baseret sig på dele af rammebestemmelserne, der er i strid med traktatens artikel 92, stk. 3, litra c), må argumentet om, at rammebestemmelserne er retsstridige, forkastes.
It must be observed that Article 44(1) of Regulation No 4028/86 confers on the Commission the power 'to suspend, reduce or discontinue aid', in the event of one of the four conditions laid down in that article being met, in particular, 'if the project is not carried out as specified'.
For det andet fremgår det af artikel 92, stk. 3, litra c), at støtte kan betragtes som forenelig med fællesmarkedet, hvis den enten fremmer udviklingen af visse erhvervsgrene eller udviklingen af økonomiske regioner.
Whilst the Commission is not bound to exercise that power, Article 44(1) explicitly requires that, should it do so, it must do so in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 47 of the regulation.
Det følger af, at det ikke nødvendigvis er en forudsætning for, at en støtte kan tillades, at den fremmer en bestemt region.
It is equally clear from Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1116/88 of 20 April 1988 that the procedures it mentions must also be followed before aid under Article 44 can be suspended, reduced or discontinued.
Det første anbringende om, at forudsætningen vedrørende HTM's forsvinden fra markedet er forkert
Accordingly, the Court of First Instance erred in law in holding that Telex No 12 497 was not a decision reducing aid initially granted within the meaning of Article 44(1) of Regulation No 4028/86, and that, therefore, the procedure laid down in that article was not applicable. The contested judgment must, therefore, be set aside.
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at Kommissionen med urette ikke tog hensyn til, at den yderligere kapitaltilførsel på ca. 28 mio. ECU den 30. september 1995, efter at den første rate på ca. 30 mio. ECU allerede var blevet betalt i april 1995, alene havde til formål at undgå, at HTM blev
Declares Telex No 12 497 of 27 October 1995 null and void on account of failure to comply with the procedure provided for by Articles 44(1) and 47 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 of 18 December 1986 on Community measures to improve and adapt structures in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1116/88 of 20 April 1988 laying down detailed rules for the application of decisions granting aid for projects concerning Community measures to improve and adapt structures in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and in structural works in coastal waters;
Kommissionen kunne inden for rammerne af sin vide skønsbeføjelse lovligt begrænse sig til at foretage en samlet vurdering.
(Decision authorising State aid for restructuring - Time from which limitation period begins to run in regard to a third party — Conditions governing the compatibility of aid) (Second Chamber, Extended Composition)
Det sjette anbringende om, at de kapacitetsnedbringeher, der pålægges HTM, er utilstrækkelige
Legal background to the dispute own capital, amounting to DM 82.25 million (about ECU 45 million).
Det bemærkes, at de anfægtede kapitaltilførsler først blev godkendt som redningsstøtte, uden at der herved var taget stilling til, om de senere kunne tillades som omstruktureringsstøtte.
In spite of the announced rationalisation, diversification and new investment programmes, HTM incurred heavy losses in 1993 and in 1994.
Det var under denne nye betegnelse, at de pågældende beløb blev tilladt ved afslutningen af undersøgelsesproceduren på den betingelse, at den ved beslutningen godkendte omstruktureringsplan blev gennemført.
For the purposes of applyling Article 92(3) of the EC Treaty, the Commission has drawn up Community Guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty ('the Guidelines').
Kneissl Dachstein har gjort gældende, at de i aftalen om salget af HTM fastsatte beskæftigelsesgarantier for en periode på tre år fra indgåelsen af aftalen gør det klart, at de kapacitetsnedbringelser, der i henhold til beslutningen skal foretages på markedet for vintersportsartikler, er utilstrækkelige.
In order to avoid HTM's becoming insolvent, AT was forced to inject ATS 400 million (about ECU 30 million) into the group and to convert the shareholder loan of about ECU 45 million granted in 1993 into new equity.
Pligten til at opretholde et sådant beskæftigelsesniveau gør det f.eks. umuligt at lukke produktionssteder endeligt.
In 1993, the public holding company Austria Tabakwerke ('AT') acquired the controlling stake in HTM. AT immediately recapitalised HTM with USD 100 million (about ECU 80 million).
Det fjerde anbringende om overskridelse af den fastsatte rimelige frist for udarbejdehen af omstruktureringsplanen
During September 1995, owing to the deterioration in HTM's situation, the restructuring was abandoned in favour of immediate sale.
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at den klare overskridelse af den frist på seks måneder, inden for hvilken en omstruktureringsplan i henhold til rammebestemmelserne skal udarbejdes, i sig selv gav grundlag for at afslå at tillade støtten.
to accept the preliminary' offer made by a group of international investors ('the Eliasch Group').
Det bemærkes, at man ikke kan ligestille kapacitetsnedbringelser og nedbringelser af antallet af arbejdspladser, idet forholdet mellem antallet af ansatte og produktionskapaciteterne afhænger af mange faktorer, herunder de fremstillede produkter og den anvendte teknologi.
The agreement concluded with the Eliasch Group stipulated a sales price of ATS 10 million (about ECU 0.7 million) and a capital grant to HTM of ATS 1 190 million (about ECU 88 million) by AT, to be paid in several instalments.
Det bemærkes, at den af sagsøgeren påberåbte frist på seks måneder ikke er bindende og ikke sigter til selve udarbejdelsesfasen for en omstruktureringsplan.
Since the applicant has not shown to what extent the Commission based its decision on elements of the guidelines contrary to Article 92(3)(c) of the Treaty, its objection of illegality must be dismissed.
Der er i realiteten tale om det tidsrum, der ifølge rammebestemmelserne er nødvendigt fra tidspunktet for udbetalingen af en redningsstøtte med henblik på at få fastlagt, hvilke foranstaltninger der skal træffes til genoprettelse af den pågældende virksomhed.
By letter of 10 October 1995, Kneissl Dachstein Sportartikel AG ('Kneissl Dachstein'), an Austrian company producing winter sports articles, asked the Commission to investigate the financial aid granted by AT to HTM.
Kommissionen kunne i forbindelse med udøvelsen af sin vide skønsbeføjelse med rette antage, at endnu større kapacitetsnedbringelser ville gøre det tvivlsomt, om det ville være muligt at genetablere rentabiliteten for HTM, hvis tilstedeværelse blev anset for nødvendig for at undgå en forstærket oligopolistisk struktur på de relevante markeder.
By decision of 20 December 1995, the Commission initiated, pursuant to Article 93(2) of the EC Treaty (now Article 88(2) EC), the procedure for examining the compatibility with the common market, as restructuring aid for HTM, of capital injections totalling ATS 400 million (about ECU 30 million) made in April 1995 and ATS 1 119 million (about ECU 88 million) already made or planned by AT in accordance with the sales agreement with the Eliasch Group.
Det syvende anbringende om, at støtten er uforholdsmæssig
On the contrary, the observations submitted by Kneissl Dachstein during the examination procedure show that it was keenly interested in buving HTM.
Det femte anbringende om omstruktureringsplanens utilstrækkelighed
The second plea: infringement of the general conditions governing the authorisation of aid laid down by Article 92(3)(c) of the Treaty
Kneissl Dachstein har bl.a. gjort gældende, at Kommissionen med urette antog, at HTM igen ville blive rentabel på længere sigt.
Kneissl Dachstein objects that the Guidelines are unlawful in that they authorise aid not meeting the conditions laid down by Article 92(3)(c) of the Treaty.
Sagsøgeren har ikke forsøgt at godtgøre, i hvilken henseende Kommissionens antagelser var overdrevent optimistiske, når det var planlagt, at HTM skulle indstille urentable produktionslinjer, vende tilbage til sine grundlæggende aktiviteter og nedbringe administrations-, produktions- og salgsomkostningernesamtindskrænkepersonalet.
The Court finds first of all that, since the Commission was justified in finding that HTM's survival will contribute to the maintenance of a
Konverteringen af lånet til egenkapital, i det omfang den indebar, at AT gav afkald på opfyldelse af en uinddrivelig fordring, gav ikke i sig selv HTM nogen økonomisk fordel på AT's bekostning i form af en overførsel af offentlige midler.
a restructuring plan as such is elaborated. That timelimit is in fact the period considered in the guidelines to be necessary, from the time when rescue aid is paid, to determine the measures necessary to return the recipient undertaking to financial health.
Anbringendets fjerde led tiltrædelse af De Europæiske Fællesskaber den 1. januar 1995, men Kommissionen overtrådte forbuddet mod støtte i artikel VI i den almindelige overenskomst om told og udenrigshandel (herefter »GATT«) og i artikel 23, stk. 1, nr. iii), i frihandelsaftalen mellem Det Europæiske Økonomiske Fællesskab og Republikken Østrig (herefter »frihandelsaftalen«).
The applicant has not sought to establish in what way the assumptions made by the Commission are exaggeratedly optimistic, when provision has been made for HTM to abandon unprofitable product lines, to concentrate on its core activities, to reduce administrative, manufacturing and distribution costs and to slim down its workforce.
Under disse omstændigheder er det samlede støttebeløb, der er ydet HTM, uforholdsmæssigt.
The Commission could, in the exercise of its broad discretion, properly confine itself to an overall assessment.
Det bemærkes, at på det tidspunkt, hvor Kommissionen indledte den omtvistede undersøgelsesprocedure, kunne artikel VI i GATT og frihandelsaftalens artikel 23, stk. 1, nr. iii), ikke længere udgøre det retlige grundlag for at vurdere, om ATs kapitalindskud i HTM var forenelige med fællesmarkedet.
Kneissl Dachstein contends that the period of six months to which the Guidelines limit the period for drawing up a restructuring plan was clearly exceeded and that this in itself was sufficient to justify refusal to authorise the aid.
Sagsøgeren kan ikke hævde, at støtten er uforholdsmæssig, idet Kommissionen ikke tog hensyn til betalingerne i 1993. Kommissionen kunne nemlig ved vurderingen af støttens forholdsmæssighed kun tage hensyn til de kapitaltilførsler, der var nævnt i omstruktureringsplanen og var den nødvendige modydelse og støtte herfor.
In the exercise of its broad discretion, the Commission could properly consider that even more severe capacity reductions would have compromised the return to viability of HTM, whose existence was considered necessary to prevent the emergence of a stronger oligopolisticstructure on the markets in question.
Anbringendets andet led
The third part of the plea
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at HTM på trods af kapitaltilførslerne i 1993 kunne fremføre underskud, hvilket skattemasssigt gav selskabet en yderligere fordel.
Kneissl Dachstein maintains that unlawful aid was provided through the fact that in April 1995 AT allowed HTM to convert the shareholder loan of about ECU 45 million, granted in 1993, into equity.
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at salget af HTM uden beskæftigelsesgarantier ville have give en højere salgspris, hvilket ville have været målsætningen for en privat investor.
Kneissl Dachstein criticises the Commission for not having addressed, in its examination of the proportionality of the aid, the aid of approximately ECU 80 million and approximately ECU 45 million granted by AT to HTM in 1993.
Der er således sket magtfordrejning i forbindelse med beslutningen, idet der gives tilladelse til en støtte, der af beskæftigelsespolitiske grunde oversteg, hvad der var strengt nødvendigt.
The Court observes that, at the time when the Commission opened the examination procedure in question, Article VI of the GATT and Article 23(l)(iii) of the Free Trade Agreement could no longer constitute the legal basis for assessing the compatibility with the common market of the capital grants made by AT to HTM.
Det skal hertil bemærkes, at HTM - uden at det er blevet bestridt — har bekræftet, at selskabet under alle omstændigheder, eftersom dets skattepligtige overskud var utilstrækkeligt, ikke kunne udnytte fremførelsen af underskud fra regnskabsåret 1993 til regnskabsårene 1994-1997.
The Commission explained that in addition to the direct restructuring costs, there are other expense items related to HTM's financial restructuring, such as investments to achieve rationalisation, the repayment and the restructuring of debt.
Kneissl Dachstein har anført, at betalingen af en ulovlig støtte hvilede på den i april 1995 skete konvertering til egenkapital af det aktionærydede lån på ca. 45 mio. ECU fra AT til HTM i 1993.
Nor is it relevant for the applicant to claim that the amount of the aid is disproportionate on the basis that the Commission failed to take into consideration the 1993 payments.
Det bemærkes, at beskæftigelsesgarantiklausulen, som det fremgår af beslutningens ordlyd, kun vedrører tre af HTM's fremstillingsvirksomheder, at den er tidsbegrænset og tillader personalenedskæringer på 20-50% i disse virksomheder.
Kneissl Dachstein contends that, if it had not been coupled with job guarantees, the sale of HTM would have yielded a higher sale price, which would have been the aim of any private
Under alle omstændigheder har sagsøgeren undladt at tage i betragtning, at HTM havde måttet betale yderligere afskedigelsesgodtgørelser, hvis antallet af ansatte var blevet reduceret i større omfang.
investor. To that extent, the Decision is vitiated by a misuse of power in that it authorises aid which, for reasons of employment policy, exceeds the amount strictly necessary.
Sagsøgeren betaler Kommissionens og intervenienten Head Tyrolia Mares' omkostninger.
Orders the applicant to pay the costs incurred by the Commission and by the intervener Head Tyrolia Mares;
Republikken Østrig bærer sine egne omkostninger.«
Orders the Republic of Austria to bear its own costs.'
Sag T-123/97 Salomon SA / Kommissionen for De Europæiske Fællesskaber Statsstøtte
Case T-123/97 Salomon SA ν Commission of the European Communities State aid
6. oktober 1999 for med
6 October 1999
»Beslutning om tilladelse til statsstøtte til omstrukturering — begyndelsestidspunkt søgsmålsfristen i forhold til tredjemand — betingelser for støttens forenelighed fællesmarkedet« (Anden Udvidede Afdeling) og sagens faktiske
(Decision authorising State aid for restructuring — Time from which limitation period begins to run in regard to a third party Conditions governing the compatibility of aid) (Second Chamber, Extended Composition)
(Se sag T-l10/97) 10/97)
(See Case T-l 10/97)
Salomon producerer bl.a. alpine ski, langrendsski, snowboards, skistøvler, skibindinger og golfkøller.
Salomon is a producer of alpine skis, cross­country skis, snowboards, ski-boots and skibindings as well as of golf clubs.
Som direkte konkurrent til HTM på markedet for vintersportsartikler anmodede Salomon ved skrivelse af 21. juni 1995 Kommissionen om at undersøge den statsstøtte, som AT formodedes at have ydet HTM.
As a direct competitor of HTM on the market in winter sports articles, Salomon asked the Commission, by letter of 21 June 1995, to investigate the State aid which it thought had been granted by AT to HTM.
statsstøtte i traktatens artikel 92's forstand, har Salomon anført, at det fremgår af artikel VI i den almindelige overenskomst om told og udenrigshandel (herefter »GATT«) og artikel 23 i frihandelsaftalen mellem Det Europæiske Økonomiske Fællesskab og Republikken Østrig (herefter »frihandelsaftalen«), som var gældende på det relevante tidspunkt, at støtte, der medfører konkurrencefordrejning, var forbudt.
Without claiming that the capital grant made in 1993 by AT in favour of HTM amounting to approximately ECU 80 million constitutes State aid within the meaning of Article 92 of the Treaty, Salomon alleges that, under Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (hereinafter 'the GATT') and Article 23 of the Free Trade Agreement between the European
Uden at gøre gældende, at ATs kapitalindskud på ca. 80 mio. ECU i HTM i 1993 udgør
The grant made in 1993 should therefore never have been made and that fact should have been taken into consideration by the Commission in its assessment of the aid arrangements from which HTM has benefited since 1993.
Det bemærkes, at på det tidspunkt, hvor Kommissionen indledte den omtvistede undersøgelsesprocedure, kunne artikel VI i GATT og frihandelsaftalens artikel 23 ikke længere udgøre det retlige grundlag for at vurdere, om ATs kapitalindskud i HTM var forenelige med fællesmarkedet.
It follows that this plan covers the capital injections in question, irrespective of their initial approval as rescue aid, the legality of which is not the subject of this action.
Det andet anbringende om, at henvisningen til den oligopolistiske struktur på markederne for vintersportsartikler er retsstridig
The second plea: improper reference to the oligopolistic stntcntre of the markets in winter sports articles
Kommissionen var således på ingen måde i medfør af de to ovennævnte bestemmelser forpligtet til at tage hensyn til det i 1993 foretagne kapitalindskud ved bedømmelsen af den omtvistede omstruktureringsstøtte (herefter »støtten«).
To that extent, the Commission was not in any way bound, under the aforesaid two provisions, to take into consideration the capital grant made in 1993 in its assessment of the restructuring aid in question.
Salomon har gjort gældende, at Kommissionens synspunkt om, at den oligopolistiske struktur på markederne for vintersportsartikler var blevet forstærket, hvis HTM var forsvundet fra disse markeder, svarer til en påstand om, at statsstøtte er berettiget, såfremt der er tale om et oligopolistisk marked, hvilket strider mod hensigterne med og ordlyden af EF-traktatens bestemmelser om statsstøtte.
Salomon observes that the Commission's position, which is that the disappearance of HTM would have strengthened the oligopolistic structure of the markets in winter sports articles, amounts to an assertion, contrary to the intention of the authors of the EC Treaty and the letter of its provisions applicable to State aid, that such aid is justified where an oligopolistic market exists.
Salomon har i sine indlæg henvist til det aktionærydede lån på ca. 45 mio. ECU fra AT til HTM i 1993 og konverteringen heraf til egenkapital i april 1995.
In any event, as part of its calculations Salomon takes into account the shareholder loan of approximately ECU 45 million granted by AT to HTM in 1993 and its conversion into equity in April 1995.
Konverteringen af lånet til egenkapital, i det omfang den indebar, at AT gav afkald på opfyldelse af en uinddrivelig fordring, gav ikke i sig selv HTM nogen økonomisk fordel på ATs bekostning i form af en overførsel af offentlige midler.
In so far as the conversion of the loan into equity involved AT's waiver of repayment of an irrecoverable debt, it did not in itself procure HTM any economic advantage in the form of a transfer of public resources at AT's expense.
Det bemærkes, at Kommissionen ikke ses at have konkluderet, at støtten var forenelig med fællesmarkedet, udelukkende på grundlag af den oligopolistiske karakter, den tillagde de relevante markeder.
It does not appear to the Court that the Commission came to the conclusion that the aid was compatible with the common market simply in view of the oligopolistic nature ascribed to the markets in question.
Som det fremgår af beslutningen, henviste Kommissionen tværtimod alene til denne markedsstruktur til støtte for sin argumentation, hvorefter støtten i betragtning af omkostningerne ved de omstruktureringsforanstaltninger, der blev krævet af HTM som modydelse, ikke ville føre til konkurrencefordrejende virkninger, der strider mod den fælles interesse, som omhandlet i traktatens artikel 92, stk. 3, litra c).
As is clear from the Decision, this market structure was taken into account by the Commission only in order to buttress its argument that the amount of the aid, having regard to the cost of the restructuring measures which HTM was required to undertake in return, was not liable to cause undue distortions of competition, contrary to the common interest within the meaning of Article 92(3)(c) of the Treaty.
Det tredje anbringende om en forkert analyse af de relevante markeder
The third plea: wrong analysis of the markets in question
Det første anbringende om, at der ikke er tale om én samlet støtte
The first plea: the aid was not a single package
Salomon har gjort gældende, at Kommissionen med urette behandlede de berørte markeder samlet, idet den burde have behandlet vintersportsartikelbranchen, som 45% af HTM's omsætning hidrører fra, særskilt.
Salomon maintains that, in spite of the Guidelines, the series of capital injections, which did not all meet the same objectives, cannot all be regarded as a single aid measure.