natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
If, despite the above, the Commission decides that Measure 4 constitutes State aid, Spain considers that it falls within the thresholds for de minimis aid of Commission Regulations (EC) No 1998/2006 and (EU) No 1407/2013.
Osim toga, kad je riječ o određivanju primjerenog iznosa jamstva, Španjolska odbacuje kao neuvjerljivu izjavu gđe Assumpte Feran (ravnateljice uprave odgovorne za zaštitu okoliša pri katalonskoj vladi) od 2. listopada 2013. pred Odborom za zaštitu okoliša Katalonskog parlamenta, u kojoj ona navodi da bi financijsko jamstvo trebalo iznositi 200 milijuna EUR.
Finally, Spain asks that Measure 4 be declared compatible on the basis of the 2008 Environmental Guidelines and especially in view of the innovative character of the technology used to cover the Vilafruns salt tip, which, unlike the technology used in other mining facilities, it is also designed to prevent leaks of the deposited material.
Španjolska smatra da je ta izjava iznesena tijekom rasprave protivničkih političkih stranaka i da je stoga bila potaknuta političkim razlozima.
RESPONSE OF SPAIN TO COMMENTS SUBMITTED BY THIRD PARTIES
Španjolska također smatra da presuda Višeg suda Katalonije od 11. listopada 2011. nije dovoljno određena da bi poslužila za određivanje primjerenog iznosa jamstva jer se sâm sud suzdržao od njegova izračuna.
Spain responded to the observations formulated on Measure 1 by the two interested parties by pointing out, once more, to the administrative procedure in place under Spanish law for the enforcement of the environmental obligations of Iberpotash and for the recoupment from Iberpotash of any amount Spain would eventually pay if the guarantee for the environmental restoration proves to be insufficient.
Španjolska nadalje smatra da je studija koju je podnositelj pritužbe dostavio, a na koju je Komisija uputila u uvodnoj izjavi 71. odluke o pokretanju postupka, nepouzdana jer u njoj nije izračunan primjeren iznos jamstva na temelju kriterija utvrđenih u Uredbi 202/1994 od 14. lipnja, odnosno primjenjivog zakonodavstva o iznosu jamstva.
The ability to enforce as such Iberpotash's obligation means that there is no burden on the State budget and, consequently, no transfer of State resources.
Španjolska tvrdi i da 1. mjera ne donosi selektivnu gospodarsku prednost poduzetniku Iberpotash.
Spain responded to the observations formulated on Measure 4 by the two interested parties by explaining that the decision of the Barcelona Provincial Court of 22 February 2016 included a list of areas where Iberpotash was obligated to implement measures of environmental restoration, which neither includes the Vilafruns tip nor mentions that the tip is a source of pollution.
Sva navodna prednost utvrđena je na temelju pravnog okvira koji je jednako primjenjiv na sve potencijalne konkurente.
What is more, the persons convicted pursuant to the decision belonged to the company that exploited the mines before the acquisition of the mining concession by Iberpotash.
Štoviše, eksploatacije na lokacijama Sallent i Súria jedine su aktivne u Španjolskoj pa Iberpotash nije mogao steći prednost s obzirom na to da na španjolskom teritoriju ne postoje usporedive eksploatacije.
Besides, those persons were convicted for actions and omissions that took place long before the covering of the Vilafruns tip.
Španjolska tvrdi da državna sredstva nisu bila uključena jer je, u slučaju da se pokaže da iznos jamstva nije dostatan, Iberpotash i dalje obvezan sanirati zemljište zahvaćeno aktivnostima vađenja.
Spain also reiterates its arguments with regards to the lack of obligation of Iberpotash, according to Spanish law, to cover the Vilafruns tip.
Španjolska može nametnuti izvršenje obveze poduzetnika Iberpotash zapljenom njegovih prava i imovine na španjolskom teritoriju.
Finally, Spain points out that, although the first interested party highlights that no documents related to the public financing of the covering of the tip describe the project as a ‘pilot’ project, nevertheless said party does not question that the technology used for the covering of the tip is distinguishable and, unlike the technology used in other potash mines, it is also designed to prevent leaks of the deposited material.
Španjolska naposljetku primjećuje da se 1. mjerom niti narušava tržišno natjecanje niti se utječe na trgovinu među državama članica jer su troškovi koje bi Iberpotash morao snositi kada bi se morao odrediti viši iznos jamstva zanemarivi u kontekstu standarda u industriji vađenja potaše.
The fact that the word ‘pilot’ is not mentioned does not exclude the innovative character of the technology used.
Kad je riječ o 4. mjeri, Španjolska tvrdi da Iberpotash nije mogao steći gospodarsku prednost jer Iberpotash nije imao obvezu prekrivanja jalovišta Vilafruns s obzirom na to da u skladu s općenito primjenjivim španjolskim zakonodavstvom Iberpotash nije onečišćivač.
ASSESSMENT OF THE AID
Osim toga, Iberpotash snosi troškove održavanja pokrivenog jalovišta i stoga će, čak i da javnim financiranjem uštedi na troškovima izgradnje jalovišta, sigurno potrošiti puno veći iznos na njegovo održavanje u sljedećim desetljećima pa samom mjerom nije stečena nikakva gospodarska prednost.
This decision first assesses whether the two Measures under scrutiny entail State aid to Iberpotash in the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU, and then whether such aid, were it to be present, would be lawful and compatible with the internal market.
Španjolska tvrdi da 4. mjera ne može biti selektivna jer je Iberpotash jedini poduzetnik u Španjolskoj koje se bavi djelatnošću vađenja potaše.
EXISTENCE OF STATE AID
Mjera usto ne narušava tržišno natjecanje među državama članicama s obzirom na to da se izvađena sol ne može prevoziti među državama članicama zbog poteškoća u prijevozu.
By virtue of Article 107(1) TFEU, any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the internal market.
Ako Komisija unatoč prethodno navedenom odluči da 4. mjera ipak jest državna potpora, Španjolska smatra da se ona nalazi unutar pragova de minimis potpore iz uredbi Komisije (EZ) br.
In order to conclude whether State aid is present, the Commission must assess whether the cumulative criteria of Article 107(1) TFEU (i.e. transfer of State resources and imputability, selective advantage, potential distortion of competition and affectation of intra-EU trade) are met for the Measures under assessment.
1998/2006 i (EU) br.
MEASURE 1: REDUCED LEVEL OF THE FINANCIAL GUARANTEES
1407/2013.
Under national law and, in case of mines already operated on 1 May 2008 as of 2014 also Union law, operators of mining facilities are obliged to establish a financial guarantee aimed at ensuring that they have sufficient resources set aside for covering the costs of restoration of their sites once their mining activities are closed.
Španjolska naposljetku traži da se 4. mjera proglasi spojivom na temelju Smjernica o potporama za zaštitu okoliša iz 2008. i osobito s obzirom na inovativnu prirodu tehnologije koja se upotrebljava za prekrivanje jalovišta Vilafruns koja je, za razliku od tehnologija koje se upotrebljavaju u drugim rudarskim postrojenjima, osmišljena i za sprječavanje curenja nataloženog materijala.
Further, these resources may be used by public authorities under the relevant national law to finance environmental protection measures which the operators are obliged to take but fail to do so.
ODGOVOR ŠPANJOLSKE NA PRIMJEDBE TREĆIH STRANA
The operator may establish such guarantees in the form of a bank guarantee for which they pay a fee.
Španjolska je odgovorila na očitovanja dviju zainteresiranih strana o 1. mjeri ponovnim upućivanjem na administrativni postupak uspostavljen španjolskim zakonodavstvom za nametanje izvršenja obveza poduzetnika Iberpotash u području okoliša i za povrat od poduzetnika Iberpotash bilo kojeg iznosa sredstava koje bi Španjolska platila u slučaju da se pokaže da jamstvo za sanaciju okoliša nije dostatno.
According to the Complainant, Iberpotash received an illegal and incompatible aid by having the amount of the financial guarantee set by the relevant authorities at a very low level.
Sposobnost nametanja izvršenja te obveze poduzetnika Iberpotash podrazumijeva da nema tereta za državni proračun, a samim time ni prijenosa državnih sredstava.
Selective economic advantage
Španjolska je odgovorila na očitovanja dviju zainteresiranih strana o 4. mjeri obrazloženjem da se u odluci Pokrajinskog suda u Barceloni od 22. veljače 2016. navodi i popis područja na kojima je Iberpotash obvezan provesti mjere sanacije okoliša, no na njemu se ne nalazi jalovište Vilafruns ni ne spominje da je to jalovište izvor onečišćenja.
The Commission first needs to assess whether the levels of the financial guarantees as set by the Spanish authorities were indeed lower than required by the applicable rules in the relevant period.
Štoviše, osobe osuđene na temelju te odluke bile su povezane s društvom koje je eksploatiralo rudnike prije nego što je Iberpotash dobio rudarsku koncesiju.
This is a necessary requirement for any existence of possible State aid with respect to this particular measure.
Osim toga, te osobe osuđene su zbog radnji i propusta do kojih je došlo znatno prije nego što je pokriveno jalovište Vilafruns.
If, on the contrary, the level of the guarantees had been set in line with applicable rules, then Iberpotash would have been treated as any other undertaking in a similar situation and there would have been no reason to consider it has been selectively favoured by the concrete application in its case of the rules laid down to set financial guarantees.
Španjolska ponavlja i svoje argumente o tome da na temelju španjolskog zakonodavstva Iberpotash nema obvezu prekrivanja jalovišta Vilafruns.
Applicable legislation
Naposljetku, Španjolska ukazuje na to da, unatoč isticanju prve zainteresirane strane da se ni u jednom dokumentu povezanom s javnim financiranjem prekrivanja jalovišta ne navodi da je riječ o pilot-projektu, ta strana ipak ne dovodi u pitanje razlikovnost tehnologije upotrijebljene za prekrivanje jalovišta i njezine sposobnosti sprečavanja curenja nataloženog materijala, što nije značajka tehnologije koja se upotrebljava u drugim rudnicima potaše.
Therefore, it is necessary first to summarise the relevant Union and national rules governing the setting of the financial guarantees.
Činjenica da se ne spominje riječ „pilot” ne isključuje inovativnost upotrijebljene tehnologije.
According to Article 14 of the Extractive Waste Directive, the competent national authorities must, ‘prior to the commencement of any operations involving the accumulation or deposit of extractive waste in a waste facility, require a financial guarantee (e.g. in the form of a financial deposit, including industry-sponsored mutual guarantee funds) or equivalent’.
OCJENA POTPORE
The aim of this guarantee is that ‘all obligations under the permit issued pursuant to this Directive, including after-closure provisions, are discharged’ and that ‘there are funds readily available at any given time for the rehabilitation of the land affected by the waste facility’.
U ovoj se odluci prvo analizira predstavljaju li dvije mjere koje se ocjenjuju državnu potporu poduzetniku Iberpotash u smislu članka 107. stavka 1.
According to Article 14(2) of the Directive, the calculation of the guarantee should be made on the basis of (i) the likely environmental impact of the waste facility, and (ii) the assumption that independent and suitably qualified third parties will assess and perform any rehabilitation work needed.
UFEU-a te zatim je li takva potpora, ako postoji, zakonita i spojiva s unutarnjim tržištem.
The size of the guarantee shall be periodically adjusted in accordance with any rehabilitation work needed.
POSTOJANJE DRŽAVNE POTPORE
As regards the national rules, the Extractive Waste Directive has been transposed to the Spanish law by a Royal Decree 975/2009 of 12 June 2009 on waste management in mining and quarrying and protection and rehabilitation of areas affected by mining activities (‘Royal Decree 975/2009’).
Na temelju članka 107. stavka 1.
According to First Transitory Disposition (Disposición transitoria primera) of the Royal Decree 975/2009, the provisions of that act concerning the financial guarantees (i.e. in particular Article 43) would apply as from 1 May 2014 to the mining sites already operated as on 1 May 2008 (i.e. including Iberpotash's sites).
UFEU-a sve potpore koje daju države članice ili koje se daju putem državnih sredstava u bilo kojem obliku, a koje narušavaju ili prijete narušavanjem tržišnog natjecanja stavljanjem u povlašteni položaj određenih poduzetnika ili proizvodnje određene robe, nisu spojive s unutarnjim tržištem ako utječu na trgovinu između država članica.
However, before the applicability of the Royal Decree 975/2009 transposing the Extractive Waste Directive, in the Catalan region the permits, restoration plans and guarantees in case of mining companies had been governed by Law 12/1981 establishing additional measures for the protection of natural sites affected by mining activities (‘Law 12/1981’) and by Decree 202/1994 establishing the criteria for determining the guarantees related to the restoration programmes for mining activities (‘Decree 202/1994’).
Kako bi se zaključilo je li riječ o državnoj potpori, Komisija mora ocijeniti jesu li u pogledu mjera koje se ocjenjuju ispunjeni kumulativni kriteriji iz članka 107. stavka 1.
According to Article 8(2) of Law 12/1981, the financial guarantee should be established while taking into account the area affected by the restoration and/or the global costs of such restoration.
UFEU-a (odnosno prijenos državnih sredstava i pripisivost državi, selektivna prednost, moguće narušavanje tržišnog natjecanja i utjecaj na trgovinu unutar Unije).
Article 2 of Decree 202/1994 quantifies the amount of guarantees per hectare for various standard restoration measures and indicates that for any other specific measures the amount should take into account their costs.
MJERA: SMANJENJE IZNOSA FINANCIJSKIH JAMSTAVA
Further, Article 3 of Decree 202/1994 stipulates that for mining activities not situated in natural sites of special interest (including Ibepotash's sites), the resulting amount on the basis of Article 2 should be reduced by 50 %.
U skladu s nacionalnim zakonodavstvom, a od 2014. i sa zakonodavstvom Unije kad je riječ o rudnicima aktivnima na dan 1. svibnja 2008., operateri rudarskih postrojenja obvezni su odrediti financijsko jamstvo čiji je cilj osiguranje dostatnih rezervnih sredstava za pokrivanje troškova sanacije lokacija rudnika nakon prestanka rudarskih radova.
Financial guarantee amounts set for Iberpotash
Nadalje, u skladu s mjerodavnim nacionalnim zakonodavstvom tijela javne vlasti mogu upotrijebiti ta sredstva za financiranje mjera zaštite okoliša koje su operateri obvezni poduzeti, no nisu to učinili.
On the basis of these national rules, Iberpotash obtained from the Generalitat de Catalunya a permit to operate its extractive activity of potash on its site in Súria on 9 November 2006 and on its site in Balsareny/Sallent on 28 April 2008.
Operater takva jamstva može ugovoriti u obliku bankovnog jamstva za koje plaća naknadu.
These permits constitute individual administrative decisions which set the financial guarantees to EUR 1130128 for the site in Balsareny/Sallent and EUR 773682,28 (increased to EUR 828013,24 in 2008) for the site in Súria.
Podnositelj pritužbe tvrdi da je Iberpotash primio nezakonitu i nespojivu potporu jer su nadležna tijela odredila vrlo nizak iznos financijskog jamstva.
These amounts of the guarantees have been revised only in 2015, when the Spanish authorities proposed significantly higher levels amounting to EUR 6979471,83 for the site in Balsareny/Sallent (effective only after the approval by the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia in December 2016 — see below) and EUR 6160872,35 for the site in Súria (effective as of May 2015).
Selektivna gospodarska prednost
The amounts of guarantees were set by individual and specific decisions adopted by the Generalitat addressed to Iberpotash.
Komisija prvo mora procijeniti jesu li iznosi financijskih jamstava koje su odredila španjolska nadležna tijela doista bili niži od onoga što se zahtijeva primjenjivim propisima u predmetnom razdoblju.
Evidence that Ibepotash's guarantee amounts are lower than required
To je neophodno za utvrđivanje može li se ova mjera smatrati državnom potporom.
In this respect it needs to be stressed that it is first for the competent environmental authorities to determine and approve the amounts of the financial guarantees under national or regional rules applicable to the case at hand.
Ako se pak utvrdi da su iznosi jamstava određeni u skladu s primjenjivim propisima, tada bi se s poduzetnikom Iberpotash postupalo kao s bilo kojim poduzetnikom u sličnoj situaciji i ne bi bilo razloga da se smatra da je ostvario selektivnu prednost zbog praktične primjene propisa za određivanje iznosa financijskih jamstava.
Even though the Commission is responsible for safeguarding the correct transposition and implementation of the Extractive Waste Directive, which is applicable to Iberpotash's financial guarantees as of 1 May 2014, this Directive leaves a significant discretion to the Member States in determining the exact amount of the guarantees.
Primjenjivo zakonodavstvo
For this reason, the Commission has not engaged in its own evaluation of the correct levels of the financial guarantees according to the Extractive Waste Directive but limits its assessment to evaluating the existing evidence of the insufficiency of the financial guarantees.
Stoga se prvo mora dati sažet pregled mjerodavnih propisa Unije i nacionalnih propisa kojima se uređuje određivanje iznosa financijskih jamstava.
In fact, there is a number of pieces of evidence suggesting that the amount of the financial guarantees as set by the public authorities in 2006 and 2008 was actually lower than required under the applicable legislation.
U skladu s člankom 14.
Most importantly, the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia (Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Cataluña) ruled on 11 October 2011 that the amount of the financial guarantee for Iberpotash's Cogulló waste heap at its site of Balsareny/Sallent amounting to EUR 585153 was lower than required.
Direktive o otpadu od industrija vađenja minerala „prije početka bilo kakve djelatnosti koja uključuje skupljanje ili zbrinjavanje otpada od vađenja minerala u postrojenju za gospodarenje otpadom” nacionalno nadležno tijelo mora zahtijevati „financijsko jamstvo (npr. u obliku financijskog depozita, uključujući uzajamne jamstvene fondove koje financira industrija) ili istovrijedno jamstvo”.
The judgment rules that the amount of the guarantee does not respect the legal and regulatory parameters set by the national legislation, referring in particular to Article 8(2) of Law 12/1981 and Decree 202/1994.
Cilj je tog jamstva da se „ispune sve obveze iz dozvole izdane sukladno ovoj Direktivi, uključujući i one koje proizlaze iz odredaba koje se odnose na razdoblje nakon zatvaranja” i da se „odmah, u bilo koje vrijeme, može raspolagati sredstvima za sanaciju zemljišta onečišćenog radom postrojenja za gospodarenje otpadom”.
The judgment states that, even in the absence of any conclusive proof (‘una prueba concluyemente determinada’) of the correct amount of the guarantee, the Court is able to conclude that the guarantee amount set to only EUR 585153 is clearly not in line with these legal provisions.
U skladu s člankom 14. stavkom 2.
The court thus declares the guarantee as insufficient and not in line with the applicable legislation and orders the Spanish authorities to set a new level of the financial guarantee.
Direktive iznos jamstva izračunava se na temelju i. vjerojatnih utjecaja postrojenja za gospodarenje otpadom na okoliš i ii. pretpostavke da sve potrebne radove za sanaciju procjenjuje i vrši neovisna i za to stručno osposobljena treća osoba.
This judgment was fully confirmed on appeal by the judgment of the Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) of 9 July 2014.
Iznos financijskog jamstva povremeno se prilagođava u skladu s radovima nužnim za sanaciju.
Finally, as noted by the Spanish authorities, by its finding of 14 December 2016, the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia confirmed that a newly proposed amount of EUR 6979471,83 for the whole site at Balsareny/Sallent was adequate.
Kad je riječ o nacionalnim propisima, Direktiva o otpadu od industrija vađenja minerala prenesena je u španjolsko zakonodavstvo Kraljevskom uredbom 975/2009 od 12. lipnja 2009. o gospodarenju otpadom od vađenja ruda i kamena i zaštiti i sanaciji područja zahvaćenih rudarskim radovima („Kraljevska uredba 975/2009”).
In view of the national judgment of the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia of 11 October 2011 authoritatively interpreting the relevant national rules, the Commission considers as demonstrated that the original amount of the financial guarantee for Iberpotash's site at Balsareny/Sallent set in 2006 at the level of EUR 1130128 (including EUR 585153 for the Cogulló waste heap) was significantly insufficient.
U skladu s prvom prijelaznom odredbom (Disposición transitoria primera) Kraljevske uredbe 975/2009 odredbe tog propisa o financijskim jamstvima (osobito članak 43.) primjenjuju se od 1. svibnja 2014. na rudnike aktivne na dan 1. svibnja 2008. (odnosno uključujući rudnike poduzetnika Iberpotash).
By its finding of 2016, the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia confirmed that the overall amount for Balsareny/Sallent should have actually been set at a level which is at least six times higher, and most likely even higher for the period preceding the announcement of the Plan Phoenix in 2011 — see recitals 73, 80 and 81 below.
No prije stupanja na snagu Kraljevske uredbe 975/2009 o prijenosu Direktive o otpadu od industrija vađenja minerala dozvole, planovi sanacije i jamstva za rudarska društva na katalonskom području bili su uređeni Zakonom 12/1981 o uspostavi dodatnih mjera zaštite prirodnih područja zahvaćenih rudarskim radovima („Zakon 12/1981”) i Uredbom 202/1994 o uspostavi kriterija za određivanje jamstava povezanih s programima obnove u slučaju rudarskih radova („Uredba 202/1994”).
Even though there is no similar court ruling with respect to the guarantee for the site in Súria, there is convincing evidence that the finding of clear insufficiency of the level of guarantee would have been equally probable in case of any court action.
U skladu s člankom 8. stavkom 2.
The amount of the original guarantee of EUR 773682,28 (increased to EUR 828013,24 in 2008) reflects proportionally the fact that the site at Súria is smaller than at Balsareny/Sallent as regards the mass of the waste accumulated and the total area of the waste heaps.
Zakona 12/1981 financijsko jamstvo treba se odrediti uzimajući u obzir područje zahvaćeno sanacijom i/ili sveukupne troškove te sanacije.
Further, the guarantee for Suria has been significantly increased to EUR 6160872,35 at the same time as for Balsareny/Sallent (i.e. only after the order of the court and its confirmation on appeal) and by even higher proportion (more than seven times higher).
Člankom 2.
Therefore, in the absence of any other factors explaining the difference of the amounts of the guarantees for Súria on the one hand and Balsareny/Sallent on the other hand, the amount of the guarantee for Súria can also be considered as insufficient.
Uredbe 202/1994 određuje se izračun iznosa jamstava po hektaru za različite standardne mjere sanacije i ukazuje se na to da se u slučaju drugih posebnih mjera u izračunu iznosa trebaju uzeti u obzir njihovi troškovi.
Both the Spanish authorities and Iberpotash confirm in their submissions that the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia has considered that the guarantee for El Cogulló was insufficient.
Nadalje je člankom 3.