natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
By letter dated 26 April 2004 and further to a meeting held on 10 April 2004, in which Germany announced that it would provide supplementary information on the scheme, Germany requested an extension of the deadline. This extension was granted by letter dated 10 May 2004.
V dopisu z dne 26. aprila 2004 in po razgovoru z dne 10. aprila 2004, v okviru katerega je Nemčija napovedala, da bo v zvezi s shemo pomoči posredovala dodatna pojasnila, je Nemčija zaprosila za podaljšanje roka, ki je bilo v dopisu z dne 10. maja 2004 odobreno.
ECR I-135. See also judgement dated 17 September 1980 in case 730/79 Philip Morris v Commission [1980] ECR I-2671.
Recueil 1997, str. I-135; glej tudi sodbo z dne 17. septembra 1980 v zadevi 730/79 Philip Morris proti Komisiji, Recueil 1980, str. I-2671.
By enabling such companies to demolish unoccupied apartment blocks, Germany intends to improve the physical appearance and infrastructure of certain areas in the labour market region of Berlin which are otherwise characterised by a poor physical environment. […] [5].
Medtem ko bo tem podjetjem omogočeno, da porušijo stanovanja, ki se ne uporabljajo, namerava Nemčija izboljšati podobo in infrastrukturo določenih območij v območju trga delovne sile dežele Berlin, ki jih zaznamuje fizično neprimerna okolica […] [5].
on a German aid scheme for Bavarian machinery rings
o državni pomoči Nemčije bavarskim kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam
(notified under document number C(2004) 4771)
(notificirano pod dokumentarno številko C(2004) 4771)
(Only the German text is authentic)
(Zavezujoče je le nemško besedilo)
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 88(2)(1) thereof,
ob upoštevanju Pogodbe o ustanovitvi Evropske skupnosti in zlasti člena 88(2)(1) Pogodbe,
Having called on interested parties to submit their comments in accordance with the Articles cited above [1] and having regard to those comments,
ob upoštevanju zahtev zainteresiranih strank za dajanje pripomb v skladu s členi [1] in ob upoštevanju teh pripomb,
By letter of 31 January 2001 Germany notified the Commission of a measure in favour of Bavarian machinery rings.
V pismu z dne 31. januarja 2001 je Nemčija Komisijo obvestila o ukrepu za bavarske kmetijske strojne zadruge.
Additional information was provided by letter of 11 May 2001, registered on 16 May 2001, and by letter of 9 October 2001, registered on 11 October 2001.
Dodatne informacije so bile posredovane v pismu z dne 11. maja 2001, ki je prispelo 16. maja 2001, in v pismu z dne 9. oktobra 2001, ki je prispelo 11. oktobra 2001.
By letter of 9 October 2001 Germany informed the Commission that the measure dated back to 1970 and had not been notified before.
V pismu z dne 9. oktobra 2001 je Nemčija sporočila, da se ukrep izvaja že od leta 1970 in do zdaj še ni bil priglašen.
The aid was therefore placed on the list of non-notified aid schemes.
Pomoč je bila zato uvrščena na seznam nepriglašenih pomoči.
By letter of 7 February 2003, the Commission informed Germany that it had decided to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of this measure.
V pismu z dne 7. februarja 2003 je Nemčija Komisijo obvestila o svoji odločitvi, da zaradi tega ukrepa uvede postopek iz člena 88(2) Pogodbe ES.
In its decision to initiate the formal investigation procedure the Commission stated that it had no objections to raise on one part of the measure (social assistance), since it fell within the scope of section 14 of the Community Guidelines for State aid in the agriculture sector [2] (hereinafter the Guidelines) and was therefore compatible with the common market in accordance with Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty.
Pri odločitvi o uvedbi formalnega postopka preiskave je Komisija opozorila, da ne nasprotuje delu ukrepa (pomoč za socialno varstvo), saj je v skladu z določbami Priloge 14 Smernic Skupnosti za državne pomoči v kmetijskem sektorju [2] (v nadaljevanju „okviri Skupnosti“) in je tako v skladu členom 87(3)(c) Pogodbe ES združljiv s skupnim trgom.
The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union [3].
Sklep Komisije o uvedbi postopka je bil objavljen v Uradnem listu Evropske unije [3].
The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments on this aid scheme.
Komisija je zainteresirane stranke pozvala k predložitvi mnenja o zadevni pomoči.
The Commission received comments from interested parties in letters of 29 April 2003 (registered on 2 May 2003), 5 May 2003 (registered on 6 May 2003) and 26 May 2003 (registered on 28 May 2003), and in an e-mail of 12 February 2003 (registered on 14 February 2003).
Komisija je stališča zainteresiranih strank prejela v pismu z dne 29. aprila 2003, ki je prispelo 2. maja 2003, v pismu z dne 5. maja 2003, ki je prispelo 6. maja 2003, v pismu z dne 26. maja 2003, ki je prispelo 28. maja 2003, in po elektronski pošti z dne 12. februarja 2003, ki je bila registrirana 14. februarja 2003.
Germany sent its comments to the Commission by letter dated 4 April 2003, registered on 8 April 2003.
Nemčija je svoje stališče Komisiji sporočila v pismu z dne 4. aprila 2003, ki je prispelo 8. aprila 2003.
In a further letter of 29 August 2003 registered on 3 September 2003, Germany submitted its comments on the comments from interested parties.
Razen tega je v pismu z dne 29. avgusta 2003, ki je prispelo 3. septembra 2003, izrazila svoje stališče o mnenju zainteresiranih strank.
On 19 May 2004, the file was split, and the Commission adopted a final decision [4] authorising pro futuro the notified aid Germany intended to grant over the period 2001 to 2005.
maja 2004 je bil spis razdeljen in Komisija je izdala končno odločbo [4], s katero je za naprej odobrila priglašeno pomoč, ki jo je Nemčija nameravala plačevati v časovnem obdobju 2001–2005.
By letter of 14 September 2004, registered on 16 September 2004, Germany sent additional information on the non-notified part of the measure, as requested by the Commission by letter of 24 May 2004.
V pismu z dne 14. septembra 2004, ki je prispelo 16. septembra 2004, je Nemčija Komisiji v odgovor na pismo z dne 24. maja 2004 posredovala dodatne informacije o nepriglašenem delu ukrepa.
This Decision relates only to aid unlawfully granted by Germany to Bavarian machinery rings in the period preceding 2001 (excluding aid for social assistance).
Ta odločba zadeva izključno pomoči, ki jih je Nemčija pred letom 2001 nezakonito odobrila bavarskim kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam; (razen gospodarske pomoči za socialno varstvo).
Objective and legal basis
Cilj in pravna podlaga ukrepa
The aim of the measure is to facilitate cooperation between agricultural and forestry holdings in Bavaria by subsidising machinery and relief service organisations called ‘machinery rings’.
Cilj ukrepa je pospeševanje sodelovanja kmetijskih in gozdarskih gospodarstev na Bavarskem s subvencioniranjem tako imenovanih „kmetijskih strojnih zadrug in zadrug za gospodarsko pomoč“.
The legal basis for the measure is the Gesetz zur Förderung der bayerischen Landwirtschaft (LwFöG) of 8 August 1974 (Bavarian Agricultural Promotion Act).
Ukrep se izvaja na podlagi zakona o spodbujanju bavarskega kmetijstva (LwFöG) z dne 8. avgusta 1974.
Recipients
Prejemniki
The recipients are the Bavarian machinery rings and the Kuratorium Bayerischer Maschinen- und Betriebshilferinge e.V.
Prejemniki so bavarske kmetijske strojne zadruge ter kuratorij bavarskih kmetijskih strojnih zadrug in zadrug za gospodarsko pomoč (Kuratorium Bayerischer Maschinen- und Betriebshilferinge e.V.
(KBM).
(KBM)).
The Bavarian machinery rings
Bavarske kmetijske strojne zadruge
Machinery rings are farmers’ self-help organisations operating at local or regional level.
Kmetijske strojne zadruge so kmetijske organizacije za samopomoč na lokalni ali regionalni ravni.
Under Article 9 of the LwFöG, they may only engage in the following activities:
V skladu s členom 9 LwFöG so lahko te organizacije dejavne le na naslednjih področjih:
Social assistance (already approved by the Commission, see recital 3: the machinery rings organise relief farm personnel in the event of illness, accident and other such emergencies.
Gospodarska pomoč za socialno varstvo (že odobreno s strani Komisije, glej uvodno izjavo 3): kmetijske strojne zadruge organizirajo izmenjavo kmetijske delovne sile v primeru bolezni, pri nesrečah in v drugih nujnih socialnih primerih;
Farming and forestry relief services: the machinery rings organise exchanges of farm and forestry labour in particular to cope with seasonal demand and to meet the needs for specialised, in some cases highly skilled, personnel often not available on the holding.
Kmetijska in gozdarska pomoč za službe za zagotavljanje nadomeščanja na gospodarstvu: kmetijske strojne zadruge organizirajo izmenjavo kmetijske in gozdarske delovne sile, zlasti za obvladovanje sezonskih delovnih konic in izvajanje posebnih del s strani v nekaterih primerih visoko usposobljenega osebja, ki na gospodarstvih pogosto ni na voljo;
Coordinating the provision of tourist accommodation on agricultural and forestry undertakings.
Usklajevanje ponudbe turističnih prenočitev na kmetijskih in gozdarskih gospodarstvih;
Sharing of machinery between holdings: the machinery rings organise and coordinate machinery exchanges between holdings.
Delitev uporabe strojev med gospodarstvi: kmetijske strojne zadruge organizirajo in usklajujejo izmenjavo uporabe strojev med gospodarstvi.
This saves farmers having to purchase their own specialist equipment which in many cases would be uneconomical, particularly for small-scale farms.
Tako kmetom ni treba kupiti posebnih strojev, ker je nakup zlasti za manjša gospodarstva v veliko primerih neekonomičen.
Machinery rings act merely as intermediaries.
Kmetijske strojne zadruge imajo zgolj vlogo posrednika.
The actual services — provision of machinery and labour — are rendered by the farmers, who receive marketprice remuneration from the undertakings (i.e. other farmers) availing themselves of the services.
Dejanske storitve, kot je zagotavljanje strojev in dela, opravljajo kmetje, ki v zameno od podjetja (= kmet), ki storitve uporablja, prejmejo plačilo po tržni ceni.
In return for the service offered by the machinery ring, farmers pay a membership fee and fees per service rendered by the machinery ring.
V zameno za storitve, ki jih opravljajo kmetijske strojne zadruge, kmetje plačujejo članarino in plačilo za zadevno storitev.
Not all the activities of the machinery rings are subsidised by the State.
Vseh dejavnosti kmetijskih strojnih zadrug država ne subvencionira.
In particular, the coordination of tourist accommodation provision is excluded from support, and is subject to a separate accounting requirement.
Iz podpore je izključeno zlasti usklajevanje turističnih prenočitev, ki ga je treba v bilanci obravnavati ločeno.
The Act LwFöG limits the activities of the machinery rings to the ‘core tasks’ [5] referred to in recital 12, which are (with limited exceptions) subsidised.
Zakon omejuje dejavnosti kmetijskih strojnih zadrug na glavne naloge iz uvodne izjave (12) [5], ki se (z nekaterimi omejenimi izjemami) subvencionirajo.
However, if the machinery rings set up legally independent subsidiaries, they may also engage in other activities (Article 10(c) of the LwFöG) in so far as these do not jeopardise fulfilment of the aforementioned ‘core tasks’.
Toda če kmetijske strojne zadruge ustanovijo zakonsko neodvisne hčerinske družbe, lahko te družbe izvajajo tudi druge dejavnosti (člen 10(c) LwFöG), če izpolnjevanje glavnih nalog pri tem ni ogroženo.
These ‘non-core tasks’, for which a separate accounting requirement exists (Article 12 of the LwFöG), include:
„Dodatne dejavnosti“, ki se morajo v bilanci obravnavati ločeno (člen 12 LwFöG), so:
maintenance of green spaces;
vzdrževanje zelenih površin;
collection, processing and re-use of organic waste;
zbiranje, predelava in ponovna uporaba organskih odpadkov;
provision of transport services in the agricultural and forestry sectors;
zagotavljanje prevoznih storitev na kmetijskem in gozdarskem področju;
forestry work;
gozdarska dela;
provision to local authorities of services such as snow clearing, cleaning services and similar activities.
zagotavljanje komunalnih storitev, npr. odstranjevanje snega, storitve čiščenja in podobne dejavnosti.
The KBM is the umbrella organisation of machinery rings in Bavaria.
KBM je krovna organizacija bavarskih kmetijskih strojnih zadrug.
Between 1994 and 2000, KBM had a membership of 83 to 90 machinery rings, representing around 100000 agricultural and forestry holdings.
Med letoma 1994 in 2000 je bilo v KBM včlanjenih 83–90 kmetijskih strojnih zadrug, ki jih je sestavljalo okoli 100000 kmetijskih in gozdarskih gospodarstev.
KBM received payments for performing the following tasks:
KBM je bil plačan za izvajanje naslednjih nalog:
acting as the central contact with the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry;
delovanje kot osrednja služba za stike z bavarskim državnim ministrstvom za kmetijstvo in gozdarstvo;
managing the public funds made available to machinery rings;
upravljanje javnih sredstev za kmetijske strojne zadruge;
recruiting full-time managers and other staff for the machinery rings;
zaposlovanje usposobljenih direktorjev in drugega osebja za kmetijske strojne zadruge;
advising and supporting the machinery rings in all matters relating to the pooling of equipment and labour;
svetovanje in podpora kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam pri vseh vprašanjih v zvezi z delitvijo uporabe strojev in delovne sile med gospodarstvi;
providing a wide range of services to machinery rings throughout Bavaria;
zagotavljanje ponudbe storitev kmetijskih strojnih zadrug za vse področje na celotnem Bavarskem;
general and specialist supervision of machinery ring managers;
nadzorovanje storitev in strokovnosti direktorjev kmetijskih strojnih zadrug;
organising training and further training for machinery ring personnel.
organizacija izobraževanja in usposabljanja delavcev kmetijskih strojnih zadrug.
Budget
Proračunska sredstva
The German authorities said that aid was paid to KBM and the machinery rings from 1974.
Nemčija navaja, da se pomoči KBM in kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam plačujejo od leta 1974.
Under Article 15(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty [6], the powers of the Commission to recover aid are subject to a limitation period of 10 years.
V skladu s členom 15(1) Uredbe Sveta (ES) št. 659/1999 z dne 22. marca 1999 o določitvi podrobnih pravil za uporabo člena 93 Pogodbe ES [6] veljajo pooblastila Komisije, da zahteva vračilo pomoči za obdobje desetih let.
The Commission investigation started in 2001, which means that, in line with Article 15(2) of that Regulation, this 10-year period goes back to 1991.
Postopek preiskave Komisije je bil uveden leta 2001, kar pomeni, da sega desetletno časovno obdobje v skladu s členom 15(2) omenjene uredbe v leto 1991.
Therefore, aid paid before this period will not be investigated further.
Zato pomoči, dodeljene pred tem časovnim obdobjem, ne bodo zajete v dodatnih preiskavah.
The budgetary data provided by Germany and set out in the table below relate to payments to KBM and the machinery rings during the period 1992 to 2000 only.
Proračunski podatki, ki jih je predložila Nemčija in navedla v naslednji tabeli, veljajo le za izplačila KBM in kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam v časovnem obdobju 1992–2000.
Aid paid out to KBM
Pomoč, plačana KBM
of which: aid to machinery rings
Od tega pomoči za kmetijske strojne zadruge
Nature and scope of the aid
Vrsta in obseg pomoči
The measure was financed by the Land of Bavaria.
Ukrep se je financiral iz sredstev dežele Bavarske.
The aid was paid in the form of direct grants to the umbrella organisation of machinery rings, the KBM, which partly distributed the funds to its affiliate machinery rings in the form of financial transfers and services.
Pomoč se je krovni organizaciji kmetijskih strojnih zadrug, KBM, plačevala v obliki neposrednih nepovratnih sredstev. KBM je del sredstev v obliki plačil in storitev posredoval včlanjenim kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam.
Aid to machinery rings was calculated as the percentage of the overall expenditure accounted for by the expenditure required to carry out their statutory core tasks.
Pomoči kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam so bile izračunane kot delež celotnih izdatkov ob upoštevanju izdatkov, ki so potrebni za opravljanje glavnih nalog.
Reasons for initiating the formal investigation procedure
Razlogi za uvedbo formalnega postopka preiskave
It was not clear, after initial examination, whether public payments to KBM remunerated it for its services to the machinery rings without going beyond the market price for such services, or whether such payments exceeded the market price and thus subsidised KBM’s operating costs.
Po predhodni preiskavi ni bilo jasno, ali so plačila KBM iz javnih sredstev plačila za storitve, ki jih je KBM opravljal za kmetijske strojne zadruge, ne da bi pri tem presegel tržno ceno takšnih storitev, in ali so takšna plačila presegla tržno ceno in s tem subvencionirala stroške poslovanja KBM.
It was unclear whether such possible aid fell within the scope of Commission Regulation (EC) No 69/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to de minimis aid [7].
Ni bilo jasno, ali so takšne domnevne pomoči na področju uporabe Uredbe Komisije (ES) št. 69/2001 z dne 12. januarja 2001 o uporabi členov 87 in 88 Pogodbe ES v skladu s pomočmi de minimis [7].
Nor did the Commission have any information to indicate that such aid was linked to investment or other eligible expenditure, or fell within the scope of Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to State aid to small and medium-sized enterprises [8].
Komisija tudi ni imela informacij, ali so tovrstne pomoči povezane z naložbami ali drugimi ustreznimi izdatki in ali so v zvezi z Uredbo Komisije (ES) št. 70/2001 z dne 12. januarja 2001 o uporabi členov 87 in 88 Pogodbe ES v skladu z državnimi pomočmi malim in srednje velikim podjetjem [8].
The aid was therefore possibly classifiable as operating aid incompatible with the common market [9].
Zato so bile te pomoči najverjetneje uvrščene med pomoči za tekoče poslovanje, ki niso združljive s skupnim trgom [9].
A similar objection applied to payments in favour of machinery rings.
Podobno velja za plačila kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam.
In particular, it was unclear whether the public funds channelled to the machinery rings by KBM were used exclusively to reduce the costs to farmers of the services offered, meaning that it was only the farmers who were subsidised, or whether the machinery rings themselves as enterprises were among the final beneficiaries of the funds and thus received State aid themselves.
Zlasti nejasno je bilo, ali so bila javna sredstva, ki jih je KBM iz javnega sektorja plačeval kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam, uporabljena izključno za zmanjšanje stroškov storitev za kmete, tako da se lahko predpostavljajo le pomoči kmetom, in ali so kmetijske strojne zadruge kot podjetja sama kot zadnje upravičenke prejemale del sredstev in s tem pomoč.
Furthermore, initial examination of the measure indicated that the aid benefited, at least partially, farms and forestry holdings.
V zvezi s tem je predhodna preiskava ukrepa pokazala, da so pomoč vsaj deloma prejemala kmetijska in gozdarska gospodarstva.
The Commission had serious doubts as to whether the aid for farm relief services and machine pooling could be authorised on the basis of section 14 of the Guidelines or whether such aid was not in fact operating aid to agricultural producers.
Komisija je resno podvomila, ali bi bile lahko pomoči službam za zagotavljanje nadomeščanja na gospodarstvu in delitev uporabe strojev med gospodarstvi odobrene na podlagi oddelka 14 Smernic Skupnosti in ali je šlo pri tem dejansko za pomoči za tekoče poslovanje kmetijskim proizvajalcem.
It also needed to be established whether the machinery rings’ various areas of activity could be clearly separated from one another and whether State aid payments to the machinery rings led to distortions of competition in other economic sectors (i.e. in areas of activity outside the official core tasks of the machinery rings).
Razen tega je bilo treba pojasniti, ali so se lahko različna področja dejavnosti kmetijskih strojnih zadrug medsebojno jasno ločevala in ali so plačila državnih pomoči kmetijskim strojnim zadrugam povzročila izkrivljanje konkurence v drugih gospodarskih sektorjih (tj. na področjih dejavnosti zunaj uradnih glavnih nalog kmetijskih strojnih zadrug).
COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES
STALIŠČA ZAINTERESIRANIH STRANK
Objections to the measure
Pritožbe proti ukrepu
The Commission services have received a number of complaints.
Komisija je prejela veliko pritožb.
The complainants allege that the machinery rings were not only involved in the core tasks described in recital 12, but also provided other communal services such as snow clearing, road building/repairs, waste-water treatment plant construction, etc., plus garden/landscape maintenance and building golf courses and other sports facilities, in competition with other commercial undertakings.
Pritožniki trdijo, da kmetijske strojne zadruge ne opravljajo le glavnih nalog iz uvodne izjave (12), ampak tudi druge storitve, kot so komunalne storitve (npr. odstranjevanje snega, gradnja/vzdrževanje cest, gradnja čistilnih naprav), urejanje vrtov in okolice, gradnja športnih objektov in igrišč za golf, v konkurenci z drugimi gospodarskimi podjetji.
The complainants argued that, because of the close relationship in staffing and geographical terms between the machinery rings and their subsidiaries, and the insufficient separation between the rings’ core tasks and their other economic activities, it was not possible to make a clear distinction between those tasks which were supported through public funds and those which were not.
Pritožniki menijo, da zaradi tesne povezave ali enotnosti pri zaposlovanju in prostorske enotnosti kmetijskih strojnih zadrug in njihovih hčerinskih družb ter nezadostne razmejitve med glavnimi nalogami in drugimi gospodarskimi dejavnostmi kmetijskih strojnih zadrug ni mogoča jasna razmejitev med področji dejavnosti, ki se subvencionirajo z državnimi sredstvi, in tistimi, ki niso subvencionirane.
The complainants felt that the aid could be used to cross-subsidise other economic activities, and therefore distorted competition also outside the agriculture sector.
Pritožniki so trdili, da se lahko pomoči uporabijo za navzkrižno subvencioniranje drugih gospodarskih dejavnosti in tako izkrivijo konkurenco tudi izven kmetijskega sektorja.
Comments of interested parties during the formal investigation procedure
Stališča zainteresiranih strank med formalnim postopkom preiskave
The Commission received comments from four interested parties during the formal investigation procedure.
Komisija je med formalnim postopkom preiskave prejela štiri stališča zainteresiranih strank.
The interested parties do not raise objections against the subsidised core tasks of the machinery rings, i.e. social assistance, farming and forestry relief services and machine pooling.
Zainteresirane stranke ne izražajo pomislekov v zvezi s subvencioniranjem glavnih nalog kmetijskih strojnih zadrug, npr. socialno varstvo in zagotavljanje nadomeščanja na kmetiji ter delitev uporabe strojev med gospodarstvi.
Their comments concern the ‘non-core tasks’ carried out by machinery rings through their subsidiaries, such as clearing snow in winter and gardening and landscaping under contract for outside companies.
Stališča so v zvezi z „dodatnimi dejavnostmi“, ki jih izvajajo kmetijske strojne zadruge prek hčerinskih družb, npr. odstranjevanje snega pozimi ali urejanje vrtov in okolice po naročilu tretjih podjetij.
In some cases these subsidiaries cannot be distinguished from the machinery rings since they use the same name and employ the same staff.
V nekaterih primerih se teh hčerinskih družb ne da razlikovati od kmetijskih strojnih zadrug, ker uporabljajo isto ime in zaposlujejo isto osebje.