natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
As a result of the writing back of the renewal provision of FRF 38,5 billion, making EDF liable for corporation tax, the Senate report stated that ‘the financial relations between EDF and the state have been revised downwards’.
Nakon pozitivnog pripisa rezerviranja za obnovu u iznosu od 38,5 milijardi FRF zbog kojeg je EDF postao obveznik poreza na dobit, u izvješću Senata navedeno je da su „financijski odnosi između države i EDF-a smanjeni”.
60-80 % of profits in the US, 40 % for National Power and Power Gen, 78 % for Union Fenosa and 30 % for Endesa, giving the Spanish state a return of 28 % for the period 1991-1996 taking account of dividends and the increase in share price.
60–80 % dobiti u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, 40 % za društva National Power i Power Gen, 78 % za društvo Union Fenosa i 30 % za društvo Endesa u kojem je španjolska država ostvarila isplativost od 28 % u razdoblju od 1991. do 1996. s obzirom na dividende i povećanje cijene dionice.
Despite the two further documents sent by EDF to the Senate with its letter of 15 September 1997, the principles, figures and their application to shareholder remuneration by EDF as set out in the memo of 27 July 1996 were not analysed or included in the Senate report.
Unatoč drugim dvama dokumentima koje je EDF dostavio Senatu u svojem dopisu od 15. rujna 1997., načela, iznosi i njihova primjena na prinos koji je EDF plaćao dioničaru, a koji su izneseni u obavijesti od 27. srpnja 1996., nisu analizirani niti navedeni u izvješću Senata.
ASSESSMENT OF THE MEASURES:
OCJENA MJERA:
Article 107(1) TFEU provides:
Člankom 107. stavkom 1. UFEU-a određeno je sljedeće:
SELECTIVE ADVANTAGE TO AN UNDERTAKING
SELEKTIVNA PREDNOST ZA PODUZETNIKA
Since Act No 97-1026 established that EDF was deemed to have been the owner of the high-voltage transmission network (RAG) for which it had been granted the concession, it has to be ascertained whether the Act involved a transfer of ownership of the RAG.
Budući da je Zakonom br. 97-1026 utvrđeno da se EDF smatra vlasnikom RAG-a za koji mu je dodijeljena koncesija, potrebno je provjeriti podrazumijeva li se tim zakonom prijenos vlasništva nad RAG-om.
According to the information provided by the French authorities, EDF can reasonably be regarded as the owner of the RAG before the entry into force of the Act. This finding is supported by the following considerations:
U skladu s informacijama koje su dostavila francuska tijela, EDF se prije stupanja na snagu navedenog zakona mogao opravdano smatrati vlasnikom RAG-a.
the features of the different types of concession contract under French law;
Taj zaključak temelji se na sljedećim elementima:
the special features of the original concession granted to EDF, which did not include an explicit retrocession clause; the procedure for the acquisition of the assets concerned, for which EDF had to pay a fee similar to compensation under a compulsory purchase procedure; and the conditions for the financing, maintenance and extension of the RAG at EDF's expense.
obilježjima raznih vrsta ugovora o koncesiji u francuskom pravu, posebnim obilježjima izvorno dodijeljene koncesije EDF-u, koja nije izrijekom sadržavala odredbe o retrocesiji, postupku stjecanja predmetne imovine za koju je EDF morao platiti pristojbu sličnu naknadi za izvlaštenje te na uvjetima financiranja održavanja i razvoja RAG-a o trošku EDF-a.
The ‘clarification’ of the ownership of the RAG provided by Act No 97-1026 does not therefore in itself appear to confer an economic advantage on EDF.
Prema tome, „pojašnjenje” u pogledu vlasništva nad RAG-om iz Zakona br. 97-1026, samo po sebi ne čini ekonomsku prednost u korist EDF-a.
It therefore has to be examined whether Act No 97-1026 addressed all the tax implications of the ‘clarification’ of ownership of the RAG and, if not, whether an economic advantage in the form of a tax concession was granted to EDF.
Stoga je potrebno ispitati jesu li Zakonom br. 97-1026 obuhvaćene sve porezne posljedice pojašnjenja iznesenog u pogledu vlasništva nad RAG-om te, pod pretpostavkom da to nije slučaj, je li EDF-u dana ekonomska prednost u obliku poreza.
Waiving the tax owed by EDF constitutes prima facie a selective advantage
Odustajanje od naplate poreznog dugovanja EDF-a predstavlja prima facie selektivnu prednost
During the period between 1987 and 1996, EDF created tax-free provisions for the renewal of the RAG, provisions which were identified as irregular by the French Court of Auditors.
EDF je tijekom razdoblja od 1987. do 1996. stvorio rezerviranja izuzećem od oporezivanja za obnovu RAG-a čiju je nepravilnost istaknuo francuski Revizorski sud.
Article 4 of Act No 97-1026 declaring that EDF was deemed to be the owner of the RAG rendered those provisions superfluous and they therefore had to be reallocated to other items in the balance sheet.
Člankom 4. Zakona br. 97-1026, prema kojem se EDF smatra vlasnikom RAG-a, ta rezerviranja postaju bespredmetna te su stoga trebala biti reklasificirana u druge stavke bilance.
The letter from the Minister for Economic Affairs setting out the tax implications of the restructuring of EDF's balance sheet shows that the unused provisions for renewal of the RAG were subjected by the French authorities to corporation tax at 41,66 %, the rate applicable in 1997.
U dopisu ministra gospodarstva, u kojem su utvrđene porezne posljedice restrukturiranja bilance EDF-a, pokazano je da su francuska tijela neupotrijebljena rezerviranja za obnovu RAG-a teretila porezom na dobit po stopi od 41,66 %, koja je bila na snazi 1997.
On the other hand, the provisions corresponding to renewal operations already carried out, also called grantor rights, were reclassified as capital contributions amounting to FRF 14,119 billion without being subjected to corporation tax.
S druge strane, dio tih rezerviranja koja su odgovarala već izvršenim radovima obnove (poznat i pod nazivom „prava davatelja koncesije”) reklasificiran je u dokapitalizaciju u iznosu od 14,119 milijardi FRF. Ta reklasifikacija rezerviranja nije terećena porezom na dobit.
The tax authorities acknowledge that this transaction was illegal, as can be seen from the memorandum dated 9 April 2002 addressed by the Directorate-General for Taxation to the Commission and quoted in recital 35.
Porezna uprava priznaje nezakonitost te radnje, što je vidljivo iz obavijesti Glavne porezne uprave od 9. travnja 2002., koja je upućena Komisiji i navedena u uvodnoj izjavi 35.
In line with the National Accountancy Council opinion, corrections to accounting errors should be posted in the accounts for the financial year in which they are discovered.
Prema mišljenju Nacionalnog računovodstvenog vijeća, ispravke pogrešaka potrebno je knjižiti u dobiti/gubitku poslovne godine tijekom koje su utvrđene.
Moreover, since the unused provisions amounting to FRF 38,5 billion that had been created free of tax were subjected to corporation tax at the rate of 41,66 % in 1997, there is no objective reason why the rest of the provisions created free of tax should not have been taxed at the same rate.
Međutim, ako su neupotrijebljena rezerviranja, koja su nastala izuzećem od oporezivanja u iznosu od 38,5 milijardi FRF, terećena 1997. porezom na dobit po stopi od 41,66 %, nema nikakvog objektivnog razloga da se po istoj stopi ne oporezuje drugi dio rezerviranja nastalih izuzećem od oporezivanja.
The grantor rights should have been taxed at the same time and at the same rate as the other accounting provisions created free of tax.
Prava davatelja koncesije trebala su biti oporezovana istodobno i po istoj stopi kao i druga računovodstvena rezerviranja nastala izuzećem od oporezivanja.
This means that the FRF 14,119 billion in grantor rights should have been added to the FRF 38,5 billion in unused provisions and taxed at the rate of 41,66 % applied to the restructuring of EDF's balance sheet.
To znači da su prava davatelja koncesije u iznosu od 14,119 milijardi FRF trebala biti pridodana iznosu neupotrijebljenih rezerviranja od 38,5 milijardi FRF radi oporezivanja po stopi od 41,66 % koja je primijenjena na restrukturiranje bilance EDF-a.
By not paying all the corporation tax due when it restructured its balance sheet, EDF made tax savings of FRF 5882849762.
Neplaćanjem ukupnog iznosa poreza na dobit prilikom restrukturiranja svoje bilance EDF je uštedio 5882849762 FRF na ime poreza.
The tax measure was advantageous to EDF in 1997, as the amount of FRF 5,88 billion exempted from tax and included in the amount of FRF 14,119 billion was recorded in EDF's balance sheet as grantor rights reclassified by the state when it implemented Act No 97-1026 with retroactive effect from 1 January 1997.
Porezna je mjera imala učinke koji su 1997. pogodovali EDF-u jer je iznos od 5,88 milijardi FRF poreznog izuzeća obuhvaćen iznosom od 14,119 milijardi FRF bio u bilanci EDF-a upisan pod pravima davatelja koncesije koje je država reklasificirala provedbom Zakona br. 97-1026 s retroaktivnim učinkom od 1. siječnja 1997.
The tax implications of the Act are set out in the letter from the Minister for Economic Affairs with effect from the same date of 1 January 1997.
Porezne posljedice zakona iznesene su u dopisu ministra gospodarstva, s učinkom od istog datuma 1. siječnja 1997.
The tax advantage dates from 1997, not from the preceding years.
Porezna pogodnost potječe iz 1997., a ne iz godina koje su joj prethodile.
Moreover the irregular provisions were in part responsible for the tax loss carry-forward.
Osim toga, nezakonita je dokapitalizacija rezerviranjem djelomično uzrokovala prenesene porezne gubitke.
The carry-forwards would have been gradually absorbed between 1987 and 1996 and the amount of tax payable by EDF would have been significantly higher, even without taking account of the non-payment of tax for the reclassification of the grantor rights.
Preneseni porezi postupno su nestajali od 1987. do 1996., tako da je 1997. iznos poreznog dugovanja EDF-a bio znatno veći od prijašnjeg, čak i ako se ne uzme u obzir neplaćanje poreza zbog reklasifikacije prava davatelja koncesije.
The French authorities also take the view that, even if the creation of provisions for the renewal of the RAG resulted in an advantage, that advantage should be regarded as cancelled out by the increase in corporation tax paid in 1997.
Francuska tijela također smatraju da bi, ako je stvaranje rezerviranja za obnovu RAG-a dovelo do prednosti, tu prednost trebalo smatrati poništenom povećanjem poreza na dobit koji je plaćen 1997.
However, as the French authorities themselves acknowledged in their memorandum dated 9 April 2002 and quoted in recital 35, although the unused replacement provisions were correctly taxed, the grantor rights were reclassified as capital contributions without being subjected to corporation tax.
Međutim, kao što francuska tijela sama tvrde u svojoj obavijesti od 9. travnja 2002., navedenoj u uvodnoj izjavi 35., iako su neupotrijebljena rezerviranja za obnovu oporezovana na uobičajeni način, prava davatelja koncesije reklasificirana su u dokapitalizaciju bez oporezivanja porezom na dobit.
The tax paid by EDF in 1997 is therefore lower than the tax normally due.
Porez koji je EDF platio 1997. stoga je niži od onoga koji bi uobičajeno dugovao.
The French authorities also claim that, over the period from 1987 to 1996, EDF paid more to the state overall than the corporation tax that would have been paid by a commercial company which did not create provisions for the renewal of the RAG and which paid its shareholder a dividend equal to 37,5 % of its net income after tax.
Francuska tijela tvrde i da je EDF u razdoblju od 1987. do 1996. ukupno platio državi veći iznos poreza na dobit od onoga koji bi platilo neko trgovačko društvo koje nije stvorilo rezerviranja za obnovu RAG-a i koje je svojem dioničaru isplatilo dividendu od 37,5 % neto dobiti nakon oporezivanja.
Moreover, the rate of corporation tax that should have been applied when EDF's balance sheet was restructured was the 1996 rate and not the 1997 rate.
Nadalje, na restrukturiranje bilance EDF-a trebala se primjenjivati stopa poreza na dobit iz 1996., a ne iz 1997.
First, as stated in recitals 32 and 116, the National Accountancy Council takes the view that corrections to accounting errors should be posted in the accounts for the financial year in which they are discovered.
S jedne strane, kao što je navedeno u uvodnim izjavama 32. i 116., Nacionalno računovodstveno vijeće smatra da je računovodstvene pogreške potrebno ispraviti u računovodstvenoj godini u kojoj su utvrđene.
Since the provisions for renewal of the RAG became superfluous following Act No 97-1026 of 10 November 1997, they should have been reclassified in the accounts for the 1997 financial year and therefore taxed at the rate of corporation tax applicable to that year.
Rezerviranja za obnovu RAG-a koja su nakon donošenja Zakona br. 97-1026 od 10. studenoga 1997. postala bespredmetna trebala su biti reklasificirana tijekom računovodstvene godine 1997. i stoga oporezovana po stopi poreza na dobit koja je bila na snazi za tu godinu.
Second, the French authorities themselves applied the 1997 rate of corporation tax to the share of the provisions that was taxed, as set out in recital 34.
S druge strane, francuska su tijela sama, na dio rezerviranja koji jest oporezovan, primijenila stopu poreza na dobit iz 1997., kao što je navedeno u uvodnoj izjavi 34.
The non-payment by EDF, in 1997, of FRF 5882849762 in corporation tax constitutes an economic advantage for the undertaking.
EDF je 1997. neplaćanjem poreza na dobit u iznosu od 5882849762 FRF ostvario ekonomsku prednost.
EDF was able to use this amount to increase its own funds without having to raise outside finance.
EDF je mogao taj iznos iskoristiti za jačanje svojeg vlasničkog kapitala ne upotrebljavajući vanjska financijska sredstva.
If the tax had in fact been paid and the increase in own funds financed by the undertaking's operating profit, it would have had to cut costs, increase profit or refrain from investment expenditure.
Da je porez bio stvarno plaćen, a porast vlasničkog kapitala financiran poslovnim rezultatima poduzetnika, on bi morao smanjiti troškove, povećati prihode ili odustati od izdataka za ulaganja.
By having at its disposal amounts that should have been paid to the French state by way of corporation tax, EDF benefited from a selective measure which placed it at an advantage over French undertakings in a similar situation, and which had to pay corporation tax on the reclassification of irregular provisions under Article 38-2 of the General Tax Code in force in 1997, as set out in recital 35.
Raspolažući iznosima koji su trebali biti plaćeni francuskoj državi na ime poreza na dobit, EDF je uživao korist od mjere namijenjene isključivo njemu, koja mu je pogodovala u odnosu na francuske poduzetnike u sličnom položaju koji su morali platiti porez na dobit na reklasifikaciju neopravdanih rezerviranja na temelju članka 38.-2. Općeg poreznog zakonika koji je bio na snazi 1997., kao što je objašnjeno u uvodnoj izjavi 35.
However, in its comments of 11 December 2002, France called for application of the principle of the prudent private investor in a market economy.
Međutim, Francuska se u svojim primjedbama od 11. prosinca 2002. pozvala na primjenu načela razumnog privatnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu.
As pointed out by the EU courts in their judgments referred to in recitals 7 and 8 in this case, a further capital contribution to EDF of an amount equal to the tax owed could not be regarded as conferring an economic advantage on the undertaking within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU, if it was established that a hypothetical private shareholder would have invested an equivalent amount in EDF, on similar terms and in similar circumstances, in accordance with the prudent private investor in a market economy test.
Kao što podsjećaju sudovi Europske unije, osobito u presudama navedenima u uvodnim izjavama 7. i 8., u ovom slučaju dodatna dokapitalizacija u korist EDF-a koja odgovara poreznom dugovanju ne stavlja poduzetnika koji ju je primio u povoljniji položaj tako što mu daje ekonomsku prednost u smislu članka 107. stavka 1. UFEU-a, ako je s obzirom na kriterij razumnog privatnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu utvrđeno da bi u sličnim uvjetima i u sličnoj situaciji pretpostavljeni privatni dioničar uložio jednak iznos u EDF.
In paragraph 99 of its judgment of 5 June 2012, the Court of Justice stated that, by the judgment under appeal, the General Court had not prejudged the applicability of that test to the present case or the outcome of applying that test.
Sud je u točki 99. prethodno navedene presude od 5. lipnja 2012. naveo da Opći sud presudom na koju je uložena žalba nije doveo u pitanje niti primjenjivost kriterija razumnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu niti moguću primjenu tog kriterija.
The applicability and application of that test to the facts of the case must therefore now be examined in the light of the criteria set out by the Court of Justice.
Stoga je potrebno redom ispitati primjenjivost i primjenu tog načela na predmetne činjenice, osobito uzevši u obzir kriterije koje je naveo Sud.
Applicability of the principle of the prudent private investor in a market economy
Primjenjivost načela razumnog privatnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu
To determine whether the principle of the prudent private investor in a market economy is applicable, an overall assessment must be made of whether the French Republic granted the tax exemption in its capacity as shareholder or in its capacity as public authority.
Da bi se utvrdila moguća primjenjivost načela razumnog privatnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu, potrebno je u okviru ukupne ocjene utvrditi je li Francuska Republika dodijelila izuzeće od oporezivanja u svojstvu dioničara ili u svojstvu javne vlasti.
In its judgment of 5 June 2012, the Court of Justice set out a number of factors that should be taken into account in this overall assessment.
Sud u presudi od 5. lipnja 2012. navodi više elemenata koje je potrebno uzeti u obzir pri toj ukupnoj ocjeni.
These factors, examined in more detail below in relation to the circumstances of the case, are:
Ti elementi, koji su opsežnije ispitani u nastavku u odnosu na predmetne okolnosti, jesu sljedeći:
the Member State must, where there is doubt, establish unequivocally and on the basis of objective and verifiable evidence that the measure implemented falls to be ascribed to the state acting as shareholder [21];
na državi članici je da, u slučaju dvojbe, nedvosmisleno utvrdi na temelju objektivnih i provjerljivih dokaza da poduzeta mjera proizlazi iz njezina svojstva dioničara [21];
that evidence must show clearly that, before or at the same time as conferring the economic advantage, the Member State concerned took the decision to make an investment, by means of the measure actually implemented, in the public undertaking [22],in that regard, it may have to produce evidence showing that the decision was based on economic evaluations comparable to those which, in the circumstances, a rational private investor in a situation as close as possible to that of the Member State would have had carried out, before making the investment, in order to determine its future profitability [23];
iz tih dokaza mora biti jasno vidljivo da je predmetna država članica, prije ili tijekom dodjeljivanja ekonomske prednosti, donijela odluku o ulaganju u javnog poduzetnika putem stvarno provedene mjere [22], u tom pogledu može se tražiti iznošenje dokaza kojima se dokazuje da se ta odluka temelji na ekonomskim procjenama koje su usporedive s onima koje bi prije predmetnog ulaganja, a radi utvrđivanja njegove buduće isplativosti, u sličnim okolnostima proveo razuman privatni ulagač u tržišnom gospodarstvu koji se nalazi u najsličnijem položaju onome države članice [23];
the Commission may refuse to examine evidence established after the decision to make the investment in question [24],the nature and subject-matter of the measure are relevant in that regard, as is its context, the objective pursued and the rules to which the measure is subject [25],application of the private investor test must make it possible to determine whether, in similar circumstances, a private shareholder would have subscribed, to an undertaking in a situation comparable with that of EDF, an amount equal to the tax due [26].(127) In their comments of 11 December 2002 referred to in recital 42, the French authorities argued that it was thought to be more efficient and more neutral for EDF to allocate the grantor rights directly, and in their full amount, to own funds, without paying corporation tax.
Komisija može odbiti ispitati dokaze koji su utvrđeni nakon donošenja odluke o predmetnom ulaganju [24], u tom pogledu mogu biti relevantni priroda i predmet mjere, njezin kontekst te cilj i pravila koja se primjenjuju na mjeru [25],
However, none of the documents prior to or contemporaneous with the supposed decision not to levy tax, that were submitted by France or EDF in support of their comments on the decision to extend the formal investigation procedure, made any direct or indirect mention of the supposed decision to invest, with its implications, benefits or costs, or of the corresponding decision to increase the amount of contributed capital by not levying tax.
primjena kriterija razumnog privatnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu treba omogućiti utvrđivanje bi li privatni dioničar u sličnim uvjetima unio iznos jednak poreznom dugovanju u poduzetnika čiji je položaj usporediv s položajem EDF-a [26]. (127) Francuska su tijela u primjedbama od 11. prosinca 2002., navedenima u uvodnoj izjavi 42., smatrala da bi za EDF bilo učinkovitije i neutralnije izravno rasporediti ukupni iznos prava davatelja koncesije u vlasnički kapital, bez plaćanja poreza na dobit. Međutim, ni u jednom od dokumenata koji su prethodili navodnoj odluci o neoporezivanju ili koji potječu iz istog razdoblja, a koje su Francuska ili EDF dostavili u prilog svojim primjedbama na odluku o proširenju postupka nije izravno ili neizravno navedena navodna odluka o ulaganju, njezine posljedice, prednosti i nedostaci ili slična odluka o povećanju iznosa dokapitalizacije neoporezivanjem.
The documents submitted by the French authorities as described in recitals 87 to 108 do not mention, still less analyse, the benefits or costs for the state of the decision not to levy corporation tax on the part of the grantor rights reclassified as capital under Act No 97-1026 of 10 November 1997.
U dokumentima koje su dostavila francuska tijela i koji su navedeni u uvodnim izjavama 87. do 108. nisu navedene niti a fortiori analizirane prednosti i nedostaci koje država ima zbog odluke o nenaplaćivanju poreza na dobit na dio rezerviranja prava davatelja koncesije reklasificiranih u dokapitalizaciju EDF-a na temelju Zakona br. 97-1026 od 10. studenoga 1997.
It is for France, in the event of any doubts, such as those formulated by the Commission, about the applicability of the prudent private investor in a market economy test, to establish unequivocally and on the basis of objective and verifiable evidence that the measure implemented falls to be ascribed to the state acting as shareholder.
Francuska je dužna, u slučaju dvojbi u pogledu primjenjivosti načela razumnog privatnog ulagača u tržišnom gospodarstvu koje je izrazila Komisija, nedvosmisleno utvrditi na temelju objektivnih i provjerljivih dokaza proizlazi li provedena mjera iz njezina svojstva dioničara.
However, in the light of the evidence provided, the decision to make an investment by way of waiving the tax EDF should have paid must be deemed to have been taken tacitly, without a reasoned legal act that would reveal the precise content of the decision, its grounds and legal basis or by what authority and on what date it was taken.
S obzirom na dostavljene dokaze, očito je da odluku o ulaganju odricanjem od naplate poreznog dugovanja EDF-a treba smatrati donesenom prešutno, bez obrazloženog pravnog akta koji bi omogućio da se dozna ili provjeri precizan sadržaj te odluke, razlozi i pravna osnova na kojima se ona temelji te koje ju je nadležno tijelo donijelo i kojeg datuma.