natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Since 25 May 2009, in addition to the capital transferred at the time of the takeover, CFC has injected more than EUR 8 million into the company, demonstrating that VSL could not be considered — in the initial period following the liquidation of CVSL's assets — an undertaking in difficulty on the basis of points 12 and 13 of the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines.
Tehingu majandusliku loogika kriteeriumi hindamine
In fact, during this period, VSL's majority shareholder was able to support it through regular contributions, thus demonstrating that VSL's difficulties could be covered by its majority shareholder.
Tehingu majandusliku loogika kriteeriumi eesmärk on kontrollida, kas varade ülevõtja kasutab müüdud varasid müüjaga samal viisil, et jätkata sama majandustegevust.
Consequently, from January 2009 to February 2012, the Commission considers that VSL did not meet the criteria of an undertaking in difficulty within the meaning of the Guidelines.
Belgia ametiasutuste väite kohaselt oli VSLi loogika oma eelkäijatest täiesti erinev, mida ennekõike näitas asjaolu, et VSL toetas kristallitehase tegevuse ülevõtmisel Cristal Parki kinnisvaraprojekti.
However, VSL had been undergoing a further judicial reorganisation since February 2012.
Komisjon märgib selle kohta, et Belgia ametiasutused ei ole tõestanud vahetu seose olemasolu CVSLi ülevõtmise ja Cristal Parki projekti vahel alates 2008. aastast.
Moreover, the Belgian authorities demonstrated that CFC was no longer able to support its subsidiary as it had done until that point.
Cristal Parki dokumentatsioon, mille Belgia ametiasutused on esitanud, on pärit 2011. aasta detsembrist.
The opening decision noted that CFC's liquidity was EUR 1,26 million and, consequently, granting VSL an equivalent amount (the minimum necessary for its rescue) would have taken up nearly all of its funds.
Komisjon märgib igal juhul, et ülevõtjad ostsid kaubamärgi eesmärgiga kasutada edasi kogu vara ja tootmisvahendeid.
Consequently, VSL must be considered an undertaking in difficulty within the meaning of point 10(c) of the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines from the time that the rescue aid (Measure 1) was granted in April 2012.
20. novembril 2008 sõlmitud VSLi asutamise lepingus nimetatud tegevusala on väga sarnane CVSLi omaga.
To sum up, the Commission considers that CVSL was in difficulty from 11 August 2008 (when it was declared bankrupt) until the end of November 2008 (when VSL was set up).
VSLi eesmärk on jätkata CVSLi kristallitootmist samade inim- ja tootmisressurssidega.
VSL had to be considered an undertaking in difficulty from 9 February 2012 (date of the judicial reorganisation procedure) until the judgment on 14 October 2013 (date bankruptcy was declared).
Juba tagatis iseenesest anti majandustegevuse säilitamise eesmärgiga.
Consequently, CSL and VSL were enterprises in difficulty when Measures 1 and 3 were granted.
Seepärast järeldab komisjon, et CVSLi ja VSLi vahel esines majanduslik järjepidevus.
An analysis of their compatibility must therefore be conducted on the basis of the Guidelines.
Kõigi tootmisvahendite (tingimusliku hinnaga, mis ei vasta tegelikule turuväärtusele) ja töölepingute ülevõtmine ning kaubamärkide piiramatu ainuõiguslik kasutamine eesmärgiga jätkata kristallesemete valmistamist kujutab määravat tegurit majandusliku järjepidevuse olemasolu järeldamiseks.
Compatibility of the aid (Measures 1 and 3)
Seega kestis CVSLile tagatise näol antud eelis ka pärast ülevõtmist ning sellest sai kasu ka VSL.
Measure 1: rescue aid on 3 April 2012
Meetmete 4 (kaubamärkide kasutamine ja müük), 5 (1,5 miljoni euro suurune laen), 6 (kapitali suurendamine summas 1,5 miljonit eurot) ja 8 (teatavate hoonete VSLile kasutada andmine Spaque'i poolt) kokkusobivus
Belgium considers that this aid is compatible on the basis of the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines.
Ametliku uurimismenetluse algatamise otsuses ei esitanud Belgia ühtegi argumenti nimetatud meetmete kokkusobivuse kohta, mistõttu ei ole komisjonil alust järeldada, et kohaldada saaks artikli 107 lõigetes 2 ja 3 nimetatud erandeid.
The Commission considers, however, that the ‘one time, last time’ principle laid down in points 72 et seq. of the Guidelines has not been complied with.
Seepärast leiab komisjon, et abi on ühisturuga kokkusobimatu.
VSL received incompatible rescue aid in September 2008 (cf. recital 141).
Sissenõudmine
It could not, therefore, receive further rescue aid before 2018.
Komisjon tuletab meelde, et nõukogu määruse (EÜ) nr 659/1999 [26] artikli 14 lõike 1 kohaldamiseks tuleb igasugune ebaseaduslik ja siseturuga kokkusobimatu abi abisaajalt tagasi nõuda.
Moreover, the Belgian authorities confirmed that the EUR 1 million loan was covered by a statement of claim to the insolvency administrators on 5 November 2013, to the benefit of Sogepa.
Käesoleval juhul nähtub eespool esitatud asjaoludest, et järgmised meetmed sisaldavad abi tunnuseid, on ebaseaduslikud ja kokkusobimatud ning tuleb määral, mil need VSLi kasutusse anti, tagastada:
This claim was recorded in VSL's liabilities and has not been repaid to date.
Meede 1.
Consequently, the loan was not repaid within 6 months of its being granted, in accordance with point 25(a) of the Guidelines.
1 miljoni euro suurune sooduslaen, mille Vallooni piirkond (keda esindas Sogepa) andis VSLile 3. aprillil 2012
The Commission therefore considers that the rescue aid dated 3 April 2012, which corresponds to the amount of the loan, i.e. EUR 1 million, is incompatible with the common market.
Laen kujutab täies ulatuses abi.
Measure 3: the guarantee of EUR 150000
Lepingu sõlmimisega samal päeval maksti välja 400000 eurot.
The Commission considered in section 5.2.1 that CVSL was an undertaking in difficulty at the time the guarantee was granted.
Ülejäänud 600000 eurot eraldati hiljem, Belgia asutused ei ole kuupäeva teatanud.
The element of aid resulting from the free granting of the guarantee could thus be declared compatible only if it meets the conditions set out in the Rescue and Restructuring Guidelines.
Meede 2.
And yet, as has been seen, the guarantee was granted without remuneration.
Ümberkorraldamisabi, mis seisnes 1 miljoni euro suuruse laenu pikendamises
Point 25(a) of the Guidelines states that liquidity support in the form of loan guarantees must be granted at ‘an interest rate at least comparable to those observed for loans to healthy firms …’.
Kuna meedet ellu ei viidud, ei ole alust abi tagasi nõuda.
Moreover, the Belgian authorities, despite a specific request for information on this point, have not provided details on whether the obligation to end the guarantee after 6 months (point 25(a) of the Guidelines) was met.
Meede 3.
In the light of the above, the Commission considers that the aid resulting from the free granting of the guarantee cannot be considered rescue aid compatible with the common market, nor can it be declared compatible on other bases.
Tagatis summas 150000 eurot, mille Sogepa andis 24. septembril 2008 CVSLi pankrotihaldurile
Consequently, Measure 3 is incompatible rescue aid granted in 2008 prior to CVSL's takeover and it is therefore necessary to establish whether there was economic continuity between the bankrupt CVSL and the activities transferred to the buyers who established VSL, in order to determine whether VSL benefited from advantages relating to the granting of this measure.
Tagatis sisaldab abi tunnust, sest selle eest ei makstud turuhinnale vastavat tasu.
Assessment of the presence of economic continuity between CVSL and VSL
Abisumma tehakse kindlaks käesolevas otsuses märgitud meetodi alusel.
In the opening decision, the Commission queried whether or not economic continuity had been established between CVSL and VSL, in other words, whether the advantages resulting from the granting of the guarantee of EUR 150000 in September 2008 had been passed on to the buyers of CVSL who established VSL.
Meede 4.
The conclusions of this analysis depend both on identifying the company which would have to repay any incompatible unlawful aid, and on an analysis of the compatibility of Measure 1, in particular with regard to the ‘one time, last time’ principle.
Val Saint-Lamberti kaubamärkide kasutamine ja müük 29. jaanuaril 2009 CFV ja VSLi sõlmitud lepingu alusel
In this regard, the Belgian authorities consider that this measure benefited CVSL and not VSL and that there was a break in economic continuity between CVSL and the buyers.
Kuna kaubamärkide müüki käsitlevat meedet ellu ei viidud, ei ole alust abi tagasi nõuda.
According to case law, the recovery obligation may be extended to a new company to which the beneficiary company has transferred its assets where that transfer permits the conclusion that there is an economic continuity between the two companies [23].
Laen sisaldab VSLi kasuks antud abi, mis on võrdne turuintressimäära ja asjaomase laenu puhul kohaldatud intressimäära vahega, mis on 1,07 %, (5,77 – 4,7 %) ehk 16050 eurot aastas.
Extension of the repayment obligation to another entity cannot be ruled out, provided it is established that this entity is effectively benefiting from the aid in question, due to an economic continuity between the two.
Abi anti ebaseaduslikult ja tuleb seega tagastada.
According to the judgment of the Court of Justice of 8 May 2003 in Joined Cases C-328/99 and C-399/00 Italy v Commission [24], the economic continuity between the original company and new structures is assessed by means of a number of factors: in particular the purpose of the sale (assets and liabilities, continuity of the workforce, bundled assets), the transfer price, the identity of the shareholders or owners of the new company, the moment at which the transfer was carried out (after the start of the investigation, the initiation of the formal investigation procedure or the final decision) and, lastly, the economic logic of the transaction.
Meede 6.
Assessment of the criterion of the purpose of the sale (assets and liabilities, continuity of the workforce, bundled assets)
VSLi kapitali suurendamine 1,5 miljoni euro võrra, mille kohta Vallooni piirkond võttis otsuse vastu 17. märtsil 2011. aastal
By way of introduction, the Belgian authorities pointed out that CVSL's assets had been distributed among several companies (the parent company VSLI, VSLI SARL in France and CVSL).
Kapitali suurendamine kujutab abi, kuna seda ei saa võrrelda erainvestori käitumisega turutingimustes.
To facilitate the takeover, on 23 October 2008 the insolvency administrators concluded a transaction agreement to transfer assets shared between these different companies into the hands of the failed company.
Meede 8.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding of 1 October 2008 and the takeover agreement of 31 August 2009, VSL took over all the assets belonging to CVSL, excluding current assets: the buildings in which CVSL's workshops were housed and the storage areas, the land on which they were built, CVSL's equipment and stock-in-trade i.e. production tools, moulds, patents and possible sub-brands that belonged to CVSL on that date, orders under way, and stock, including that sold to Val Saint-Lambert International SARL, a company incorporated under French law, which the insolvency administrators had undertaken to make available to the buyers.
Tööstuskompleksi Cristalleries du Val Saint-Lambert osaliselt tasuta kasutusse andmine
Part of the assets that belonged to VSLI was also sold, i.e. the trade marks, designs and models and other intellectual property (the items referred to in the agreement signed on 5 October 2005 and including plans, moulds, designs, sketches, …, the built and non-built immovable assets owned by VSLI at Seraing, stocks of VSL products, the business premises at Seraing (showroom), the stocks at sales outlets in Seraing and Brussels (Sablon).
Teatava osa tööstuskompleksi Cristalleries du Val Saint-Lambert ajutiselt kasutusse andmist käsitlev 11. detsembri 2012. aasta leping Spaque'i ja VSLi vahel annab VSLile eelise üürisumma ulatuses, millest Spaque vabatahtlikult loobus.
Full ownership of the leased production tools (cutting machine, furnace and furnace nose) was also transferred to VSL.
Asjaomane abisumma tehakse kindlaks põhjenduses 123 osutatud viisil.
Releasing CVSL from all responsibility, VSL undertook to continue all the work and employment contracts signed by VSL that were current on 30 September 2008.
Vastavalt komisjoni määruse (EÜ) nr 794/2004 [27] V peatükile peavad Belgia ametiasutused lisama tagastatavale abisummale tagasi nõutava ebaseadusliku abi intressimäära, mida arvestatakse alates kuupäevast, mil abi anti ettevõtja käsutusse, kuni abi tegeliku tagastamiseni.
VSL also undertook to continue the individual, collective and social agreements that had been concluded, merely reserving the right to jointly renegotiate some of their terms should the new circumstances so require.
JÄRELDUSED
Finally, VSL also took over a liability of EUR 280000 resulting from CFV's sale of CVSL's intellectual rights.
Komisjon täheldab, et Belgia on võtnud ebaseaduslikke meetmeid ning rikkunud seeläbi ELi toimimise lepingu artikli 108 lõiget 3.
In accordance with the agreement of 29 January 2009 between Compagnie financière du Val SL and VSL, VSL replaced Interagora SA and took over the commitments it had made to CFV in an agreement dated 5 October 2005.
Meetmed on järgmised: päästmisabi summas 1 miljon eurot (meede 1), tagatis summas 150000 eurot (meede 3), Val Saint-Lamberti kaubamärkide kasutamine ja müük (meede 4), laen summas 1,5 miljonit eurot (meede 5), kapitali suurendamine 1,5 miljoni euro võrra (meede 6) ja teatavate hoonete VSLile tasuta kasutada andmine Spaque'i poolt (meede 8 osaliselt).
Through this agreement, CFV had transferred to Interagora SA all the trade marks, designs and models relating directly or indirectly to CVSL.
18. juuni 2014. aasta kirjaga teatasid Belgia ametiasutused komisjonile oma nõusolekust võtta käesolev otsus vastu ja teatada sellest üksnes prantsuse keeles,
EUR 280000 of the agreed price remained unpaid.
Järgmised meetmed: päästmisabi summas 1 miljon eurot (meede 1), tagatis summas 150000 eurot (meede 3), Val Saint-Lamberti kaubamärkide kasutamine ja müük (meede 4), laen summas 1,5 miljonit eurot (meede 5), kapitali suurendamine 1,5 miljoni euro võrra (meede 6) ja teatavate hoonete VSLile tasuta kasutada andmine Spaque'i poolt (meede 8 osaliselt), sisaldavad ebaseaduslikku abi, mida Belgia on andnud vastuolus ELi toimimise lepingu artikli 108 lõikega 3 ja mis on seega siseturuga kokkusobimatu.
The takeover of CVSL's assets was approved by Liège Commercial Court on 20 October 2009.
Pärast komisjoni algatatud ametlikku uurimismenetlust võttis Belgia vastavalt määruse (EÜ) nr 659/1999 artikli 8 lõikele 2 tagasi meedet 2 (ümberkorraldamisabi) käsitleva teatise.
In the light of these facts, the Commission has come to the following conclusion with regard to the purpose of the sale: the takeover related to almost all of CVSL's assets (including orders commenced), all work and employment contracts signed by the bankrupt company and in effect on 30 September 2008, and the use of trade marks and intellectual rights.
Artikkel 2
Consequently, the Commission notes that the scope of the activities taken over was the same as that of CVSL and that the scope of the takeover went even beyond CVSL to include the assets of VSLI which were necessary to continue crystal production.
Belgial tuleb artiklis 1 nimetatud abi abisaajatelt tagasi nõuda.
Assessment of the sale price
Tagasi nõutavatelt summadelt arvestatakse intresse alates nende abisaajale eraldamise kuupäevast kuni nende tegeliku tagasimaksmiseni.
This condition applies both to tangible and intangible assets.
Artikkel 3
The Belgian authorities pointed out that, under Belgian bankruptcy laws, the determining factor when liquidating assets is that of the creditors' interest.
Artiklis 1 osutatud abi nõutakse tagasi viivitamata ja tõhusalt.
Article 75(3) of the Bankruptcy Law enables the creditors or the bankrupt party to oppose the disposal of certain assets if they feel that the planned disposal might harm them.
Belgia tagab käesoleva otsuse täitmise nelja kuu jooksul pärast otsuse teatavakstegemise kuupäeva.
The Belgian authorities pointed out that the granting of the public guarantee of EUR 150000 was in fact motivated by a desire to maintain continuity of activity and make the most of the steps taken to sell assets.
Artikkel 4
The Commission notes that the sale of CVSL's assets took place via an open call for bids, managed by the insolvency administrators.
Kahe kuu jooksul alates käesoleva otsuse teatavakstegemisest esitab Belgia komisjonile järgmise teabe:
Thirty-six bids were received by the insolvency administrators, who selected 12 at the end of an initial phase.
abisaajalt tagasi nõutava abi kogusumma (põhisumma ja intressid);
A data room of information on CVSL was organised.
käesoleva otsuse täitmiseks juba võetud ja kavandatud meetmete üksikasjalik kirjeldus;
The publicity apparently focused on all the assets, without any bundled assets having been defined in advance.
dokumendid, millega tõendatakse, et abisaajatele on antud korraldus abi tagasi maksta.
The Commission notes that this procedure would a priori enable the sale price of each of CVSL's assets to be maximised.
Belgia teavitab komisjoni käesoleva otsuse täitmiseks võetud riigisiseste meetmete rakendamisest, kuni artiklis 1 osutatud abi on lõplikult tagastatud.
However, two factors lead the Commission to consider that this procedure alone was insufficient to guarantee that the price offered by the buyers for the assets was the market price.
Belgia esitab komisjoni taotlusel viivitamata teabe käesoleva otsuse täitmiseks juba võetud ja kavandatud meetmete kohta.
The sale of CVSL's assets was conditional on taking over all the work contracts.
Ta esitab ka üksikasjalikud andmed abisaajalt juba tagasi saadud abisummade ja intresside kohta.
This shows that the sale was not unconditional and this obligation may have lowered the sale price.
Artikkel 5
In exchange, the Walloon Region required compensation from VSL, as recorded in the novation agreement dated 29 January 2009 between the Walloon Region (represented by CFV) and VSL: ‘This licence for use may be cancelled at any moment, automatically and without notice by the Walloon Region should VSL (or its successors) be unable to demonstrate production on the Val Saint-Lambert site at Seraing of high added-value crystal products now in activity at a minimum 60 % of the full-time equivalent employment, excluding temporary lay-offs, existing on the day of CVSL's bankruptcy …’.
Brüssel, 31. juuli 2014
The Commission notes that, in return for granting the exclusive licence, the Walloon Region imposed on VSL an obligation to maintain production at the Seraing site and to maintain a previously determined level of employment.
Komisjoni nimel
These political conditions may have lowered the sale price and discouraged other potential purchasers, thus affecting competition under the call for bids, with the result that the best financial bid was not in line with the actual market value [25].
Joaquín Almunia
Given these facts, the Commission considers that the criterion of the sale price is not met.
Riigiabi SA.34791 20../C (ex 2012/NN) – Belgia – Val Saint-Lamberti päästmisabi – ja riigiabi SA.35528 20../C (ex 2012/NN) – Belgia – Val Saint-Lamberti ümberkorraldamisabi – Kutse märkuste esitamiseks vastavalt Euroopa Liidu toimimise lepingu artikli 108 lõikele 2 (ELT C 213, 26.7.2013, lk 38).
Assessment of the criterion of the transaction's economic logic
Vt joonealune märkus 1.
The criterion of the transaction's economic logic is intended to verify whether the buyer of the assets is using the transferred assets in the same way as the vendor, in order to continue the same economic activity.
Konfidentsiaalne teave.
The Belgian authorities consider that the logic followed by VSL was radically different from that of its predecessors, in particular because it was based on the Cristal Park property development project when it took over the crystal works' activities.
Saneerimismenetluse eesmärk on säilitada kohtuniku kontrolli all raskustes oleva ettevõtte kogu või osalise tegevuse järjepidevus.
In this case, the Commission observes that the Belgian authorities have not demonstrated the existence of a direct relationship between CVSL's takeover and the Cristal Park project since October 2008.
See toimus enne 14. oktoobril 2013 välja kulutatud pankrotti.
The oldest of the documents relating to the Cristal Park project sent by the Belgian authorities dates back to December 2011.
Komisjoni määrus (EÜ) nr 1998/2006, 15. detsember 2006, milles käsitletakse asutamislepingu artiklite 87 ja 88 kohaldamist vähese tähtsusega abi suhtes (ELT L 379, 28.12.2006, lk 5).
In any event, the Commission notes that the buyers bought the trade mark in order to continue to use it along with all the assets and means of production.
Vt joonealune märkus nr 4.
The object of the company referred to in VSL's act of incorporation dated 20 November 2008 is, in fact, very similar to that of CVSL.
ELT C 244, 1.10.2004, lk 2.
VSL's object was indeed to continue the activity of the CVSL crystal works using the same human and production resources.
8. veebruari 2010. aasta otsus N541/2009 – Rootsi– Riigitagatis ettevõttele Saab Automobile AB.
Moreover, the guarantee itself was granted with a view to ensuring the continuity of the activity.
Vt Euroopa Kohtu 16. mai 2002. aasta otsus kohtuasjas C-482/99: Prantsusmaa vs. komisjon, EKL I-4397, punkt 38.
Consequently, for the reasons noted above, the Commission concludes that there was economic continuity between CVSL and VSL.
Territoriaalplaneerimise eest vastutava ministri 27. aprilli 2012. aasta otsus.
The takeover of all the means of production (at a price subject to conditions, which did not correspond to the actual market value), of employment contracts and of the exclusive and unlimited use of trade marks with a view to continuing to produce crystal items forms a decisive factor in establishing economic continuity.
Euroopa Kohtu 16. mai 2002. aasta otsus kohtuasjas C-482/99: Prantsuse Vabariik vs. komisjon.
The advantage resulting from the granting of the guarantee to CVLS when it was bankrupt continued after the takeover and VSL retained the benefit of this advantage.
ELT C 155, 20.6.2008, lk 10.
Compatibility of Measures 4 (sale and use of the trade marks), 5 (loan of EUR 1,5 million), 6 (capital injection of EUR 1,5 million) and 8 (SPAQuE's provision of certain buildings to VSL)
Komisjoni teatis viite- ja diskontomäärade kindlaksmääramise meetodi läbivaatamise kohta (ELT C 14, 19.1.2008, lk 6).
Belgium provided no justification for the compatibility of these measures in its comments on the opening decision and the Commission has no information with which to conclude that any of the exceptions laid down in Article 107(2) and (3) might apply.
Vt põhjendused 21–23.
Consequently, the Commission considers that these aid measures are incompatible with the common market.
ELT C 14, 19.1.2008, lk 6.
Recovery
Komisjoni määrus (EL) nr 1407/2013, 18. detsember 2013, milles käsitletakse Euroopa Liidu toimimise lepingu artiklite 107 ja 108 kohaldamist vähese tähtsusega abi suhtes (ELT L 352, 24.12.2013, lk 1).
The Commission points out that, in in accordance with Article 14(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 [26], all unlawful aid that is incompatible with the internal market must be recovered from the beneficiary.
Belgia ametiasutuste väite kohaselt kirjeldatakse ja näidatakse iseloomustavas analüüsis pinnasesaastet üksikasjalikult, et pädev asutus saaks teha otsuse puhastustööde vajaduse ja korralduse kohta.
In this case, it is clear from the above considerations that the following measures involve aid, that this aid is unlawful and incompatible and, in so far as the aid was made available to VSL, it must be recovered:
Määrus (EÜ) nr 1998/2006.
Measure 1: soft loan of EUR 1 million granted to VSL on 3 April 2012 by the Walloon Region, represented by the Société Wallonne de Gestion et de Participations (hereinafter ‘Sogepa’).
Määrus (EL) nr 1407/2013.
The entire loan constitutes aid.
SA N 541/09 – Sweden – State guarantee in favour of Saab Automobile AB (SA N 541/09 – Rootsi – Riigitagatis äriühingule Saab Automobile AB), 8. veebruar 2010.