natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
The Commission deemed the Italian authorities replies insufficient as they did not rule out the possibility of applications for aid being repeatedly submitted by different service stations belonging to the same large enterprise(s), and they furthermore failed to provide evidence that the contractual relationship [7] was such as to bind the dealer (operating the service stations) to the supplier without leaving him any leeway.
Komisija je menila, da so odgovori italijanskih organov nezadostni, ker niso izključili možnosti, da vloge za dodelitev pomoči večkrat predložijo različni bencinski servisi, ki pripadajo istemu velikemu podjetju, poleg tega niso zagotovili dokazov, da pogodbeno razmerje [7] trgovca (ki upravlja bencinske servise) veže na dobavitelja brez možnosti odstopanja.
Eligible costs
Dvomi glede upravičenih stroškov
The Commission noted that the investment aid was not clearly linked to any eligible cost provided for by the Community guidelines on State aid for environmental protection [8], and in particular point 37 thereof.
Komisija je opozorila, da pomoč za naložbe ni bila jasno povezana z nobenimi upravičenimi stroški, določenimi v smernicah Skupnosti o državni pomoči za varstvo okolja [8], zlasti v točki 37 teh smernic.
Neither did the investment aid notified under the scheme in question correspond to any of the cases covered by points 29 (aid to improve on Community standards), 30 (energy saving), 31 (combined production of electric power and heat) or 32 (aid to promote renewable sources of energy) of the environmental aid guidelines [9].
Prav tako ni pomoč za naložbe, priglašena v okviru zadevnega programa, ustrezala nobenemu primeru, ki jih zajemajo točke 29 (pomoč za izboljšanje standardov Skupnosti), 30 (varčevanje z energijo), 31 (kombinirana proizvodnja toplote in električne energije) oziroma 32 (pomoč za spodbujanje uporabe obnovljivih virov energije) smernic o okoljski pomoči [9].
Final remarks
Končne opombe
Notwithstanding its doubts, the Commission recognised that there was an a priori presumption that any distortions of competition would indeed be limited.
Komisija je ne glede na svoje dvome priznala, da obstaja vnaprejšnja domneva, da bodo vsaka izkrivljanja konkurence dejansko omejena.
The Commission also noted that the scheme was not in line with any other guidelines or frameworks.
Komisija je prav tako opozorila, da program ni v skladu z nobenimi drugimi smernicami oziroma okviri.
In their comments, the Italian authorities took the view that — in order to attain the Kyoto targets, which had been embodied in both Community and Italian legislation — it was necessary to act on one of the most polluting human activities, namely road transport (mobility).
Italijanski organi so v svojih pripombah zavzeli stališče, da je – z namenom doseganja kjotskih ciljev, ki so zajeti v zakonodajah Skupnosti in Italije – treba ukrepati na področju dejavnosti človeka, ki je eden največjih onesnaževalcev, in sicer cestnega prometa (mobilnosti).
CO2, PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 were the main pollutants produced by this activity and natural gas was the best alternative to traditional fuels.
CO2, PM10, PM2.5 in NO2 so glavna onesnaževala, ki jih proizvaja ta dejavnost, zemeljski plin pa je najboljša alternativa tradicionalnim gorivom.
Its wider use should have an impact on public transport, public service vehicle fleets and road haulage (freight transport).
Njegova širša uporaba bi morala vplivati na javni prevoz, vozni park javnih služb in cestni prevoz tovora (tovorni promet).
Moreover, in Piedmont, motor vehicle traffic in urban centres with more than 10000 inhabitants was subject to limitations.
Poleg tega v Piemontu za promet z motornimi vozili v mestnih središčih z več kot 10000 prebivalci veljajo omejitve.
In this respect, natural gas could play an important role in attaining the objective of sustainable mobility.
Tako bi lahko zemeljski plin imel pomembno vlogo pri doseganju cilja trajnostne mobilnosti.
The claimed impact on pollutant emissions of replacing vehicles (buses, trucks, vans, etc.) powered by traditional fuels with natural gas-driven vehicles was supported by statistical evidence provided by the Piedmont regional authorities.
Trditve o vplivu, ki naj bi ga imela zamenjava vozil na tradicionalna goriva (avtobusov, tovornjakov, kombijev itd.) z vozili na zemeljski plin na emisije onesnaževal, so potrdili tudi statistični dokazi regionalnih organov v Piemontu.
The Commission itself had proposed that 20 % of petrol and diesel fuel used in the road transport sector be replaced by alternative fuels, and natural gas had been identified as one of the fuels that could contribute significantly to the attainment of that objective.
Sama Komisija je predlagala, da se 20 % bencinskega in dizelskega goriva v sektorju cestnega prevoza zamenja z nadomestnimi gorivi, zemeljski plin pa je bil označen kot eno od goriv, ki lahko bistveno prispeva k doseganju tega cilja.
In their comments, the Italian authorities took the view that EUR 150000 per service station was the minimum level of incentive needed to stimulate and promote such investments — both when the infrastructure is built as part of an entirely new station for the supply of natural gas as motor fuel and when it is limited to a new outlet (dispenser or pump, with the annexed infrastructure) built at an existing station.
Italijanski organi so v svojih pripombah zavzeli stališče, da je 150000 EUR na bencinski servis minimalna raven pobude za spodbujanje in pospeševanje takšnih naložb – pri gradnji infrastrukture kot v okviru popolnoma novega servisa za dobavo zemeljskega plina kot motornega goriva in kadar je ta omejena na nova prodajna mesta (razdeljevalec ali črpalko s pripadajočo infrastrukturo), zgrajena na obstoječem servisu.
The amount of EUR 150000 was based on an estimate of the minimum incentive in a sector where profitability under normal market conditions was deemed to be still low, due to long pay-back periods and very slim profit margins.
Znesek 150000 EUR je temeljil na oceni minimalne spodbude v sektorju, kjer se je dobičkonosnost v normalnih tržnih pogojih zdela še vedno nizka zaradi dolgih obdobij odplačevanja in zelo majhnih stopenj dobička.
This was demonstrated by the fact that in the past 25 years only six sales outlets had been built.
To je bilo razvidno iz dejstva, da je bilo v zadnjih 25 letih zgrajenih samo šest prodajnih mest.
In support of their arguments, the Italian authorities provided the Commission with estimates of the operating margin of an average operator, based on the costs calculated for a standard service station for the sale of natural gas as motor fuel connected to a pipeline with a normal pressure of between 5 and 12 bars.
Italijanski organi so v podporo svojim trditvam Komisiji predložili ocene o donosu iz poslovanja povprečnega upravljavca, ki so bile izračunane na podlagi stroškov za standardne bencinske servise za prodajo zemeljskega plina kot motornega goriva, priključene na cevovod z običajnim tlakom med 5 in 12 bari.
The operating margin, gross of both variable and fixed costs, amounted to EUR 0,069 per cubic metre of gas sold.
Donos iz poslovanja, bruto znesek variabilnih in fiksnih stroškov, je znašal 0,069 EUR na kubični meter prodanega plina.
Net of the variable costs, the margin fell to EUR 0,040 per cubic metre (standard margin applied by the operator), which would be further reduced by the annual overheads (staff, maintenance and administrative costs), estimated at EUR 10000 per year.
Donos, zmanjšan za variabilne stroške, se je znižal na 0,040 EUR na kubični meter (standardni donos upravljavca) in se bo dodatno znižal z letnimi režijskimi stroški (osebje, vzdrževanje in administrativni stroški), ocenjenimi na 10000 EUR na leto.
In the example provided by the Italian authorities, natural gas accounted for only 2,51 % of the annual turnover of the service station.
V primeru, ki so ga navedli italijanski organi, je zemeljski plin predstavljal samo 2,51 % letnega prometa bencinskega servisa.
Investment costs of the service stations
Investicijski stroški bencinskih servisov
In their reply, the Italian authorities provided a detailed breakdown of the eligible investment costs.
V svojem odgovoru so italijanski organi navedli podrobno razčlenitev upravičenih investicijskih stroškov.
These were limited to the machinery and equipment needed for the supply of natural gas and the safety of the installation and included:
Ti so bili omejeni na stroje in opremo, potrebne za dobavo zemeljskega plina in varnost objektov, ter so zajemali:
substations,
napajalne postaje
compressors,
kompresorje
damping cylinders,
dušilne jeklenke
refrigeration units,
hladilne enote
electrical substations,
elektro napajalne postaje
check weight twin dispensers (nozzles),
dvojne razpršilnike za nadzor teže (šobe)
canopies for the dispensers,
baldahine za razpršilnike
other equipment needed for the supply of the gas and the safety of the installation.
drugo opremo, potrebno za dobavo zemeljskega plina in varnost objektov.
The total cost of the above machinery/equipment (the only eligible costs) averaged around EUR 500000, for a compression system capable of handling gas delivery pressures of between 5 and 12 bars.
Skupni stroški zgornjih strojev/opreme (edini upravičeni stroški) so znašali povprečno 500000 EUR za kompresijski sistem, ki deluje pri tlaku dobavljenega plina med 5 in 12 bari.
Other, non-eligible costs included: the connection to the gas pipeline, the electricity grid and other public utilities (around EUR 100000 on average, but with possible variations that greatly depended on distance and the lie of the land); the purchase of land; construction works (road links); ancillary costs (planning, acquisition of permits and licences).
Drugi, neupravičeni stroški so zajemali: priključitev na plinovod, električno omrežje in druge komunalne storitve (v povprečju okoli 100000 EUR, vendar z možnimi odstopanji, ki so bila precej odvisna od razdalje in lege zemljišča); nakup zemljišča; gradbena dela (cestne povezave); druge tozadevne stroške (načrtovanje, nabava dovoljenj in licenc).
Such costs were entirely borne by the investor.
Te stroške je v celoti nosil vlagatelj.
Although it is not necessary to analyse any further the investment costs indicated by the Italian authorities for installing an additional sales outlet for natural gas at an existing service station, since the assessment concludes that the proposed measure does not constitute State aid, the Commission considers that a maximum cost of EUR 300000 for installing a gas distribution outlet is acceptable, on the basis of market conditions in other Member States.
Čeprav ni več potrebe, da bi še analizirali investicijske stroške za namestitev dodatnih prodajnih mest zemeljskega plina na obstoječem bencinskem servisu, ki so jih navedli italijanski organi, saj je sklep ocene, da predlagani ukrep ni državna pomoč, Komisija na podlagi tržnih razmer v drugih državah članicah meni, da je najvišji strošek 300000 EUR za prodajno mesto za distribucijo plina sprejemljiv.
Distance of the network from the intra-Community borders and possible impact of the measure on intra-Community trade
Razdalja omrežja od meja znotraj Skupnosti in možen vpliv ukrepa na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti
Given the particular structure of Italy’s domestic supply and the strategic choices made in the past in order to diversify supplies and reduce its dependence on oil, methane (natural gas) accounted for a very significant share of the main motor fuels supplied in Italy.
Glede na posebno strukturo italijanske domače oskrbe in pretekle strateške izbire za zagotavljanje raznovrstnosti oskrbe in zmanjšanja svoje odvisnosti od nafte je metan (zemeljski plin) predstavljal zelo pomemben delež glavnih motornih goriv, dobavljenih v Italiji.
The following table compares the situation in Italy with that in other European countries [10].
Naslednja tabela primerja položaj v Italiji in drugih evropskih državah [10].
LPG outlets
Prodajna mesta utekočinjenega naftnega plina
Methane outlets
Prodajna mesta metana
0Croatia
0Hrvaška
356 (51 under construction)
356 (51 v gradnji)
The following table compares the situation of different Italian regions.
Naslednja tabela primerja položaj v različnih italijanskih regijah.
0Piedmont
0Piemont
Sicily
Sicilija
0‘White outlets’ (independent outlets, not broken down by region): all fuels
0„Bela prodajna mesta“ (neodvisna prodajna mesta, ki niso razčlenjena po regijah): vsa goriva
Total for Italy
Skupaj za Italijo
Out of 1974 [12] outlets for the supply of motor fuels in Piedmont (down from 3753 in 1980), 14 are authorised also for the supply of methane, of which only 12 are operational and just six have been built in the past 25 years.
Izmed 1974 [12] prodajnih mest za dobavo motornih goriv v regiji Piemont (od 3753 leta 1980) jih je 14 pooblaščenih tudi za dobavo metana, med katerimi jih deluje samo 12, zgolj šest pa jih je bilo zgrajenih v zadnjih 25 letih.
The provinces of Turin and Alessandria have the largest share (six outlets each), followed by Cuneo and Novara, with just one outlet.
Provinci Torino in Alessandria imata največji delež (vsaka po šest prodajnih mest), sledita jima Cuneo in Novara, vsaka s samo po enim.
Asti, Biella, Verbania and Vercelli have none.
Asti, Biella, Verbania in Vercelli nimajo nobenega prodajnega mesta.
The planned budget for the scheme will allow only 33 new outlets to be built.
Načrtovan proračun za ta program bo omogočil gradnjo samo 33 novih prodajnih mest.
On the demand side, Piedmont has a total fleet of 5500 methane-fuelled vehicles (0,16 % of the total).
Na strani povpraševanja ima Piemont skupno okoli 5500 vozil, ki jih poganja metan (0,16 % vseh vozil).
Nationwide, the figure is 330000 vehicles (0,80 % of the total fleet).
Po vsej državi je takšnih vozil približno 330000 (0,80 % vseh vozil).
With regard to the proximity of the methane outlets to the border with France and the possible impact on intra-Community trade, the Italian authorities put forward the following arguments:
Glede na neposredno bližino prodajnih mest metana francoski meji ter možen vpliv na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti so italijanski organi predložili naslednje utemeljitve:
The range of a methane-fuelled motor vehicle was around 300 km, meaning that refuelling was only possible at a station that was within reach during opening hours (no self-service was allowed by law in Italy).
Motorno vozilo, ki ga poganja metan, lahko z enim polnjenjem prevozi 300 km, kar pomeni, da ga je mogoče napolniti samo na servisu, ki je dosegljiv v okviru rednega delovnega časa (zakonodaja v Italiji ne dovoljuje samopostrežbe).
The territorial distribution of the pipelines heavily influenced the location of the service stations since, if an outlet was to be economically viable, it had to be positioned at short distance from the closest pipeline.
Ozemeljska razporeditev cevovodov je močno vplivala na razmestitev bencinskih servisov, saj mora biti prodajno mesto ekonomsko upravičeno in tako postavljeno blizu najbližjega cevovoda.
A map provided by the regional authorities showed the path of the two pipelines closest to the border between Italy and France: (1) the ‘Val di Susa’ pipeline linked Salbertrand to Bardonecchia, via Oulx; (2) the ‘Val Chisone’ pipeline followed the alignment of the valley between Roure and Cesana Torinese, mid-way between Sestrière and Clavière, on the French border; the two pipelines were connected through Sauze d'Oulx.
Z zemljevida, ki so ga predložili regionalni organi, je razviden potek dveh cevovodov najbliže italijansko-francoski meji: (1) cevovod „Val di Susa“ povezuje Salbertrand in Bardonecchio ter poteka prek Oulxa; (2) cevovod „Val Chisone“ poteka po dolini med Rourom in Cesana Torinesejem, na pol poti med Sestrièrom in Clavièrom na francoski meji; cevovoda sta povezana prek Sauze d'Oulxa.
The regional authorities of Piedmont argued that natural gas service stations in Italy were not in any way in competition with existing or future French service stations and did not distort or threaten to distort competition such as to affect trade between Member States within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty.
Regionalni organi Piemonta so trdili, da bencinski servisi zemeljskega plina v Italiji v ničemer ne konkurirajo obstoječim ali prihodnjim francoskim servisom in ne izkrivljajo konkurence ali grozijo, da bi jo izkrivljali, tako da bi vplivali na trgovino med državami članicami v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES.
On the contrary, the anticipated growth in the number of natural gas-driven vehicles in Piedmont could be expected — through cross-border traffic flows — to result in increased sales of natural gas also by non-Italian service stations, located in France or other Member States.
Nasprotno, zaradi pričakovanega povečanja števila vozil, ki jih poganja zemeljski plin, v Piemontu – zaradi čezmejnega pretoka prometa – lahko pričakujejo povečano prodajo zemeljskega plina tudi neitalijanski bencinski servisi v Franciji ali drugih državah članicah.
In conclusion, the situation described above ruled out any negative cross-border impact of Piedmont’s natural gas service stations and merely suggested that the measure would have a localised — i.e. regional — effect at present and a potential positive impact in the future.
Skratka, zgoraj opisani položaj izključuje vsak negativni čezmejni učinek bencinskih servisov za zemeljski plin v Piemontu in pomeni samo, da bo ukrep za zdaj imel lokalni – tj. regionalni – učinek in potencialen pozitivni vpliv v prihodnosti.
Ownership of the natural gas service stations and identity of the aid recipients (nature of the agreement between the supplier and the dealer)
Lastništvo bencinskih servisov zemeljskega plina in identiteta prejemnikov pomoči (narava sporazuma med dobaviteljem in trgovcem)
The fuel supply (distribution) sector was liberalised in 1998 [13].
Sektor dobave (distribucije) goriva je bil liberaliziran leta 1998 [13].
All operators meeting the subjective and objective — such as minimum performance and safety standards, environmental protection, etc. — requirements were eligible for authorisation.
Do dovoljenja so bili upravičeni vsi upravljavci, ki izpolnjujejo subjektivne in objektivne standarde (na primer minimalni izvedbeni in varnostni standardi, varovanje okolja itd.).
The licence was issued by the competent municipality.
Dovoljenje je izdala pristojna občina.
The measure did not make any distinction based on the size or market power of the investor and was addressed to both large oil companies and independent dealers, either already operating on the market or wishing to enter it for the first time.
Pri ukrepu se nista upoštevali velikost ali tržna moč vlagatelja in je bil namenjen tako velikim naftnim družbam kakor neodvisnim trgovcem, tistim, ki so že delovali na trgu, ali tistim, ki bi želeli vstopiti nanj.
The budget constraints made possible the construction of just 33 new outlets and the recipients would be selected by means of an open procedure (public tender).
Proračunske omejitve so omogočale vzpostavitev samo 33 novih prodajnih mest in prejemniki bi bili izbrani z odprtim postopkom (javni razpis).
The licensee could decide to operate the outlet itself or to entrust it to a third-party operator by means of either a loan for use of not less than six years’ duration (renewable) or a fuel supply contract [14].
Imetniki dovoljenja so se lahko odločili, da bodo prodajno mesto upravljali sami ali da ga bodo zaupali upravljavcu tretje strani s posojanjem za uporabo za najmanj šest let (obnovljivo) ali pogodbo o dobavi goriva [14].
The licensees could be either oil companies which operated under their own brand (ERG, Tamoil) or independents (so-called retisti or network operators).
Imetniki dovoljenja so bile lahko naftne družbe, ki poslujejo pod svojo znamko (ERG, Tamoil), ali pa so bili neodvisni (tako imenovani retisti oziroma upravljavci omrežja).
Based on evidence provided by the Italian authorities, 65 % of all fuel distribution outlets in Piedmont belonged to oil companies whereas 35 % belonged to independents.
Glede na dokaze, ki so jih predložili italijanski organi, 65 % prodajnih mest za distribucijo goriva v Piemontu pripada naftnim družbam z lastno znamko, 35 % pa jih je neodvisnih.
When the licensee was an oil company, the prevailing pattern — both in Piedmont and nationwide — was the company-owned/dealer-operated pattern (Co/Do), where the dealer rents the service station, operates it at his own risk and is linked to the supplier-licensee by either an exclusive purchasing agreement (somministrazione) or a loan for use (comodato petrolifero) [15].
Če je bil imetnik dovoljenja naftna družba, je bil prevladujoč vzorec – tako v Piemontu kot v preostalem delu države – družba-lastnik/trgovec-upravljavec, kjer trgovec najame bencinski servis, ga upravlja na lastno odgovornost in je z dobaviteljem-imetnikom dovoljenja povezan ali s sporazumom o izključni nabavi (somministrazione) ali posojanjem za uporabo (comodato petrolifero) [15].
In this case, the outlet displays the brand of the oil company, the latter being the owner of the installation.
V tem primeru je na prodajnem mestu vidna znamka naftne družbe, saj je ta lastnik objekta.
The company makes all the necessary investments needed for the transformation and upgrading of the outlet.
Družba je zadolžena za vsa potrebna vlaganja za spremembe in posodobitev prodajnega mesta.
The operator buys the fuel from the company and pays for it with a deferment of three to four days.
Upravljavec kupuje gorivo od družbe in ga plača z odlogom 3 do 4 dni.
The dealer, having become the sole owner of the fuel (natural gas/LPG), sells it at a price set freely by him but the company has the right to suggest a selling price and/or indicate a maximum sale price.
Trgovec, ki je zdaj edini lastnik goriva (zemeljski plin/utekočinjeni naftni plin), tega prodaja po ceni, ki jo določi sam, vendar ima družba pravico predlagati maloprodajno ceno in/ali navesti najvišjo prodajno ceno.
Only in 10 instances had Piedmont seen the adoption of the company-owned/company-operated (Co/Co) pattern, where an oil company owns the service station and operates it itself.
V Piemontu je bilo samo deset primerov vzorca družba-lastnik/družba-upravljavec bencinskih servisov, pri katerem je bencinski servis v lasti naftne družbe in ga ta tudi upravlja.
In none of those cases did the service station sell natural gas.
Nobeden od teh bencinskih servisov ni prodajal zemeljskega plina.
The contracts/agreements between the oil companies (the owner-licensee) and the operators’ association had been notified to and approved by the Italian competition authority.
Italijanski pristojni organ je bil obveščen o pogodbah/sporazumih med naftnimi družbami (imetniki dovoljenja) in združenjem upravljavcev ter jih je odobril.
With regard to the remaining 35 % of outlets — the dealer-owned/dealer-operated (Do/Do) pattern — the operator (retista) concluded an exclusive purchasing agreement [16] with an oil company and used the company’s brand.
Pri preostalih 35 % prodajnih mest – vzorec trgovec-lastnik/trgovec-upravljavec – je upravljavec (retista) sklenil sporazum o izključni nabavi [16] z naftno družbo in uporabljal znamko družbe.
All the interested parties that submitted comments pursuant to Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 [17] supported the position taken by the Region of Piedmont with regard to the need to promote the use of natural gas in the transport sector to achieve environmental objectives.
Vse zainteresirane strani, ki so poslale pripombe v skladu s členom 6(1) Uredbe (ES) št. 659/1999 [17], so podprle stališče regije Piemont glede potrebe po spodbujanju uporabe zemeljskega plina v transportnem sektorju za doseganje okoljskih ciljev.
OMV Erdgas pointed to the favourable environmental effects expected from the proposed initiative and the importance of promoting the use of natural gas as an objective of environmental policy.
OMV Erdgas je poudaril ugodne okoljske učinke, ki jih je mogoče pričakovati od predlagane pobude, in pomen spodbujanja uporabe zemeljskega plina kot cilja okoljske politike.