natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
After a meeting between the Italian authorities and the Commission's Services, which took place on 16 April 2003, the comments of Italy to the opening of proceedings were submitted by letter of 13.06.2003 (A/34148).
Po srečanju italijanskih organov in služb Komisije, ki je potekal 16. aprila 2003, je Italija s pismom A/34148 z dne 13. junija 2003 poslala svoje pripombe glede začetka postopka.
By letter of 18.12.2003 (D/58151) the Commission asked Italy for further information to be submitted.
V pismu z dne 18. decembra 2003 (D/58151) je Komisija zaprosila Italijo, naj ji posreduje nadaljnje podatke.
The Italian authorities asked, by letter A/31204 of 19.02.2004, for a prorogation of the deadline, which was accepted by the Commission (D/51435 of 26.02.2004), and supplied the requested elements by letters A/32487 of 07.04.2004 and A/32628 of 14.04.2004.
Italijanski organi so s pismom A/31204 z dne 19. februarja 2004 zaprosili za časovni odlog, ki ga je Komisija dovolila s pismom D/51435 z dne 26. februarja 2004. Zahtevane podatke je Italija predložila v pismih A/32487 z dne 7. aprila 2004 in A/32628 z dne 14. aprila 2004.
According to the complainant, illegal aid would have been awarded to certain training institutions, active on the territory of the Region Piemonte, pursuant to Decision No57-5400, of the Regional Executive of the Region Piemonte, of 25 February 2002, which would have been put into effect in contravention of Article 88(3) of the Treaty.
Po pritožnikovem mnenju naj bi bile dodeljene nezakonite pomoči ustanovam poklicnega usposabljanja, ki delujejo na območju dežele Piemonte, v skladu z odločbo št. 57-5400 deželnega odbora dežele Piemonte z dne 25. februarja 2002. Izvedba naj bi pomenila kršitev člena 88(3) Pogodbe ES.
Nevertheless, it soon came out, from the documentation attached to the reply of the Italian authorities to the request for additional information of the Commission (A/38204), that the Decision 57-5400/2002, which resulted in the complaint, only constituted the implementing rule, as regards the Piemonte Region, of the national Ministerial Order(decreto ministeriale) 173/2001 (hereinafter referred to as MO 173/2001), and particularly of one of its sub-programmes, i.e. “grants for payment of past burdens”.
Vendar se je na podlagi dokumentacije, ki je bila priložena odgovoru italijanskih oblasti na zahtevo Komisije po zadnjih informacijah (A/38204), takoj pokazalo, da je sklep 57-5400/2002, iz katerega izhaja pritožba, določal samo pravila izvajanja ministrskega odloka 173/2001 (v nadaljnjem besedilu DM 173/2001) za deželo Piemonte, in zlasti enega od podprogramov, tj. „dodelitev finančnih sredstev za plačilo obveznosti iz preteklosti“.
Aid provided by the above mentioned sub-programme is mainly targeted to reimburse debts of the training institutions for financial burdens and bygone wage costs. It is provided in the form of non-repayable grants.
Dodeljena pomoč na osnovi zgoraj navedenega podprograma je namenjena predvsem povračilu dolgov ustanov za usposabljanje, kar zadeva pretekle finančne obveznosti in izplačane plače in sicer v obliki nepovratnih sredstev.
In receipt of aid are training institutions, constituted in different forms, both profit-making and no-profit; large enterprises are not excluded.
Do pomoči so upravičene profitne ali neprofitne ustanove poklicnega usposabljanja različnih oblik; velika podjetja niso izključena.
Further sub-programmes are also provided for by MO 173/2001 as follow:
DM 173/2001 vsebuje tudi druge podprograme, ki so navedeni v nadaljevanju:
“incentive to voluntary departure of personnel”
„spodbujanje prostovoljnih odpovedi kadrov“
“adaptation of buildings and equipment to compulsory security standard and for improvement of access to disabled”
„izvedba in vzdrževanje operativnih struktur in opreme po obvezni zakonodaji o varnosti in izboljšanje dostopa za invalide“
“improvement of information equipment”
„posodabljanje informacijskih sistemov“
“training of trainers, in order to comply with the accreditation requirements”
„izobraževanje nosilcev usposabljanja z namenom zadovoljevanja zahtevanih pogojev za certifikacijo“
The Italian authorities confirmed, by letter A/38204 of 8 November 2002, that the aid at hand has been granted through a national fund, of the global amount of 180 billion ITL ( about EUR 93 million €), implemented and distributed among the Italian Regions by MO 173/2001.
Italijanski organi so v pismu A/38204 z dne 8. novembra 2002 potrdili, da je bila pomoč dodeljena preko nacionalnega sklada v skupni višini 180 milijard ITL (okrog 93 milijonov EUR) in v skladu z DM 173/2001 dana na razpolago različnim italijanskim deželam.
The latter is the implementing rule of national law 388 of 23 December 2000, “Disposizioni per la formazione del bilancio annuale e pluriannaule dello Stato (legge finanziaria 2001)” (hereinafter refered to as law 388/2000), stipulating at Article 118(9), the reform of the Italian training institutions in view of their certification.
DM 173/2001 določa pravila za izvajanje nacionalnega zakona Pravila o oblikovanju letne in večletne državne bilance (finančni zakon 2001) („Disposizioni per la formazione del bilancio annuale e pluriennale dello Stato (legge finanziaria 2001)“) št. 388 z dne 23. decembra 2000 (v nadaljnjem besedilu „zakon 388/2000“), ki s členom 118(9) ureja prestrukturiranje ustanov poklicnega usposabljanja glede na njihovo certifikacijo.
By the same letter, it has been confirmed that the aforementioned measure was not deemed, by the Italian authorities, to constitute State aid, as in their view it was intended to support non-market activities of general interest.
V istem pismu, omenjenem pod točko 14, so italijanski organi potrdili, da program ni bil mišljen kot državna pomoč, saj naj bi bil po njihovem obvestilu namenjen podpori netržnih dejavnosti splošnega interesa.
Italy also pointed out the certification system to be implemented was, at least de facto, tied to the reform of the training institutions, by means of the agreement of May 2000, between central Government and Italian regions, pursuant to the provision of Article 17 of the law of 24 Juin 1997, No 196 (hereinafter referred to as law 196/97).
Italija je poleg tega zatrdila, da je bil sprejemajoči sistem certificiranja, vsaj dejansko vezan na prestrukturiranje ustanov za usposabljanje po sporazumu med državo in deželami iz maja 2000 na osnovi določbe iz člena 17 zakona št. 196 „Pravila za spodbujanje zaposlovanja“ (Norme in materia di promozione dell'occupazione) z dne 24. junija 1997 (v nadaljnjem besedilu „zakon 196/97“).
This formulation was confirmed by Article 118, par.9 of law 388/2000 and implemented by MO 173/2001.
Ta postavka je bila potrjena s členom 118(9) zakona 388/2000, in izvedena z DM 173/2001.
According to Italy, training institutions funding was intended to remove the correspondent organisation shortcomings of the beneficiaries, possibly susceptible to undermine the success of the certification process.
Kot zatrjuje Italija, je bilo subvencioniranje ustanov za usposabljanje namenjeno odpravljanju organizacijskih pomanjkljivosti upravičencev, ki so bili v procesu certificiranja izpostavljeni neuspehu.
As a matter of fact, only the certificated training agencies have been, in principle, allowed to implement training activities financed by public resources from July 2003 onward.
Dejansko so bile samo certificirane ustanove za usposabljanje pooblaščene za izvajanje usposabljanj, ki so bila financirana iz javnih sredstev od julija 2003 dalje.
On the other hand, the training institutions were already free to supply “private” training -which is to say market training services on a competitive basis- since 1997, further to the evolution of the relevant legal national framework (namely the “pacchetto Treu”; national law 144/99 and the State-Regions agreement of March 2000) and in several cases indeed implemented it.
Po drugi strani so ustanove za usposabljanje od 1997 že lahko ponudile neke vrste „zasebnega“ usposabljanja – to pomeni tržne storitve usposabljanja, ki temeljijo na konkurenčnosti – zaradi razvoja nacionalnega okvira (z nazivom „pacchetto Treu“; zakon št. 144, „Program naložb, pooblastilo Vladi za preureditev spodbujanja zaposlovanja in določb, ki urejajo tudi določbe za preureditev ustanov socialnega zavarovanja“ (Misure in materia di investimenti, delega al Governo per il riordino degli incentivi all'occupazione e della normativa che disciplina l'INAIL, nonche' disposizioni per il riordino degli enti previdenziali) z dne 17. maja 1999, in sporazuma med državo in deželami v marcu 2000) in so ga v številnih primerih tudi dejansko izvedle.
Nevertheless, according to Italy, the measure under scrutiny would not result in a competitive advantage, as it is intended to preserve the expertise and know-how of the “historical” agencies (for example, at least 3 to 5 years running covenant with the funding public body are asked to be eligible for aid) and was necessary at that stage to make them fulfil the conditions set down for certification in order to keep them carrying on training, on a liberalized market.
Vendar, kot zatrjuje Italija, naj ukrep ne bi povzročil konkurenčne prednosti, ker ima namen ohranjati izkušnje in znanje ustanov s tradicijo (eden od pogojev za upravičenost do pomoči so tekoče veljavni sporazumi za obdobje najmanj 3 do 5 let z javnimi ustanovami financiranja), v tej fazi pa je potreben, da bi ustanovam zagotovili določene pogoje za certifikacijo, tako da bi lahko nadaljevale z dejavnostjo usposabljanj na liberaliziranem trgu.
In addition, these agencies, operating mostly at local (sub regional) level, would be, in its opinion, incapable to affect trade.
Nadalje naj bi te ustanove, ki večinoma delujejo na lokalni (subregionalni) ravni, ne bi bile sposobne negativno vplivati na trgovino.
Only the Autonomous Province of Bolzano was not allowed any funding under M.O.
Deželi Toscana in Umbria sta sprejeli enako reševanje po pričetku postopka o tem primeru.
GROUNDS FOR INITIATING THE PROCEDURE
VZROKI ZA SPROŽITEV POSTOPKA
First of all, the Commission observed that only training agencies were in receipt of the aid, granted from a fund expressly conceived by a national rule.
Komisija je ugotovila, da so bile do pomoči upravičene samo ustanove za usposabljanje, pomoč pa se je dodeljevala iz sklada, ki je bil zasnovan izrecno po nacionalnih pravilih.
In addition they were selected on the basis of specific criteria, stipulated by the Regions, thus the measure was to be considered selective and implying public expenditure.
Poleg tega so bili upravičenci izbrani na podlagi posebnih kriterijev, ki so jih postavile dežele, torej je bil ukrep selektiven in je temeljil na koriščenju javnih sredstev.
Secondly, the Commission expressed strong doubts as to whether vocational training in its whole, could be considered as a non-market activity of general interest, as pointed out in the beginning by the Italian authorities.
Poleg tega je Komisija izrazila velik dvom glede trditve italijanskih organov, da se poklicno usposabljanje v celoti lahko smatra za nekomercialno dejavnost širšega javnega interesa.
In that respect, the Commission took the view that these contributions were able to improve the financial situation of the recipients of the aid, as they reduced the costs that the beneficiaries would have normally had to bear by themselves.
Glede na to je Komisija izrazila stališče, da so dodeljena sredstva izboljšala finančno stanje prejemnikov pomoči, saj so se s tem znižali stroški, ki bi jih sicer prejemniki morali nositi sami.
Finally, although training is likely to constitute a limited object of intra-community exchanges, it could not be excluded that some training companies were active at the community level.
Prav tako čeprav je usposabljanje najverjetneje predmet trgovine znotraj Evropske skupnosti v omejenem smislu, ni mogoče izključiti možnosti, da nekatera podjetja za usposabljanje izvajajo svoje dejavnosti na ravni Skupnosti.
These undertakings might be interested to enter the Italian training market.
Ta podjetja bi lahko bila zainteresirana za vstop na italijanski trg.
The Commission therefore considered that the measure might constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the Treaty.
Komisija je zato presodila, da bi ta ukrep lahko predstavljal državno pomoč v skladu s členom 87(1) Pogodbe ES.
Provided it had to be qualified as State aid, the measure at hand should have been assessed on the basis of the provisions of the Treaty and of the other relevant Community rules.
Če bi torej ta ukrep smatrali kot državno pomoč, bi ga morali ocenjevati na osnovi določb Pogodbe ES in drugih zadevnih pravil Skupnosti.
In this respect, the Commission took the view that just part of the aid for the adaptation of premises and equipment, might benefit of an exemption, provided it referred to additional costs of employment of disabled workers.
Glede na to je Komisija izrazila mnenje, da bi bil lahko upravičen do ugodnosti izvzetja le del pomoči za „izvedbo in vzdrževanje operativnih struktur in opreme“ v višini dodatnih stroškov, ki se nanašajo na zaposlovanje invalidov.
Likewise, aid under the sub-programme “training of trainers” might benefit of an exemption, as long as it met the criteria laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No68/2001 of 12 January 2001 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to training aid [4].
Podobno bi bila lahko upravičena do ugodnosti izvzetja pomoč za „izobraževanje nosilcev usposabljanja“ v primeru, ko bi bili izpolnjeni kriteriji Uredbe Komisije (ES) št. 68/2001 z dne 12. januarja 2001 o uporabi členov 87 in 88 Pogodbe ES o pomoči za usposabljanje [4].
On the contrary, at that stage of the dossier, all the other measures had to be qualified, to the Commission’s mind, as operating aid, hence not susceptible to be granted any exemption, under any provisions of the Treaty.
V nasprotju z dejanskim stanjem bi morali biti vsi ostali podprogrami po mnenju Komisije kvalificirani kot pomoč za tekoče poslovanje in jim torej ne pripadajo ugodnosti izvzetja, ker to ni v skladu z nobeno določbo Pogodbe ES.
COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES
MNENJA ZAINTERESIRANIH STRANK
Comments from interested parties has only been submitted to the Commission by an Italian training agency, allegedly active at least at national level, which is also a beneficiary of the measure taken into consideration.
Mnenje tretjih strank je Komisiji predložila samo ena italijanska izobraževalna ustanova, ki je nedvoumno aktivna vsaj na nacionalni ravni in ki je bila udeležena kot prejemnica pomoči zadevnega ukrepa.
While it is of the opinion that the Italian rules for accession to the training market are the same for national and other Community undertakings, it also points out that the operational units of the training institutions are requested, in order to be charged with training supported by public funding, to have reached an efficiency threshold in the activity carried on in the past and to have a close link with the productive and social environment, according to criteria established by the Regions.
Navedena ustanova je mnenja, da so italijanski predpisi za vstop na trg usposabljanja enaki tako za nacionalna podjetja kot za druga podjetja Evropske skupnosti, in meni, da morajo operativne enote ustanov za usposabljanje, če želijo izvajati usposabljanja, ki se financirajo iz javnih sredstev, doseči določen prag učinkovitosti v izvajanih aktivnostih v preteklosti in biti morajo trdno povezane s socialnim in podjetniškim okoljem, po merilih, ki so jih postavile dežele.
This is why no foreign training agency would have been able to fulfil the conditions set down.
To je razlog, zaradi katerega naj še nobena tuja ustanova za usposabljanje ne bi izpolnjevala zahtevanih pogojev.
According to Italy, the measure at hand does not affect trade between Member States, as the certification system (sistema di accreditamento), which is based on objective criteria laid down in regional implementing rules, does not establish any barrier or limit to the establishment right of agencies coming from other regions or MS.
Po mnenju Italije obravnavani ukrep ne vpliva na trgovino znotraj Evropske skupnosti, saj sistem certifikacije, ki temelji na objektivnih merilih, ki so določeni v deželnih predpisih za izvajanje, ne postavlja ovir ali omejitev pravice za vzpostavitev dejavnosti agencij za usposabljanje, ki prihajajo iz drugih dežel ali iz drugih držav članic.
Moreover, to the Italian authorities' mind, the newcomers would not be damaged by the aid allowed to the Italian agencies which are supposed to be already in trouble to serve their own area, as confirmed by the losses suffered in the past, the measure under examination was intended to compensate for.
Še več, po besedah italijanskih organov, nove ustanove ne bodo oškodovane zaradi pomoči, ki je bila dodeljena italijanskim ustanovam za usposabljanje, ki so imele težave že pri delovanju na svojem območju, kar so potrjevale izgube v preteklih obdobjih in katerih kritje je bil cilj te pomoči.
Thus, in particular, aid in the form of compensation for losses suffered in the past, engendered by the implementation of vocational training, the training institutions were entrusted with, given in the framework of the public educational system, would not constitute aid in the meaning of Art.87§1, according to Italy.
Tako po mnenju Italije še zlasti pomoč v obliki kompenzacije za izgube iz preteklih obdobij, ki so nastale zaradi izvajanja dejavnosti poklicnega usposabljanja, ki je bilo ustanovam naročeno in je bilo izvedeno v okviru javnega izobraževalnega sistema, ne bi predstavljala pomoči v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES.
Furthermore, in Italy's view, there would be no interest for foreign undertakings to enter the Italian “public” training market, because of its lack of profitability. This would be proved inter alia by the need for the aid under examination.
Poleg tega naj bi po mnenju Italije tuja podjetja ne imela interesa za vstop na italijanski trg „javnega“ izobraževanja prav zaradi premajhne donosnosti, ki se je med drugim potrdila tudi s potrebo po pomoči, o kateri se tu presoja.
Finally, non-profitable vocational training, subsidised by public resources, not directly paid by the beneficiaries, given in the framework of the public educational system, should not be qualified as market activity, in Italian authorities' opinion, an this in particular in the light of the case law “Humbel” [5] and “Wirth” [6].
Končno naj se po mnenju italijanskih organov neprofitno poklicno usposabljanje, ki se financira iz javnih sredstev in ni plačano neposredno s strani udeležencev ter se odvija v okviru javnega izobraževalnega sistema, ne bi smelo smatrati kot komercialna dejavnost, in to je še posebno jasno prikazano glede na pravne primere „Humbel“ [5] in „Wirth“ [6].
Piemonte region, while agreeing that the measure is selective and involves State resources, denied that advantage and effects on intra-community trade were involved.
Dežela Piemonte se strinja, da je program selektiven in da vključuje javna sredstva, zanika pa, da prinaša prednost ali da vpliva na trgovino znotraj Evropske skupnosti.
With regard to the former, it took the view that the grants allowed only represented the compensation for services provided by the training agencies, as long as training supplied in the framework of public education is at stake; concerning the latter, in its opinion there is no training services trade among MS, the major obstacles being represented by language and lack of link to the territory.
Glede na prvi vidik je mnenja, da dodeljena sredstva predstavljajo samo kompenzacijo za opravljene storitve ustanov za usposabljanje v obsegu, v katerem je šlo za opravljeno usposabljanje v okviru javnega izobraževanja. Kar zadeva drugi vidik, po njenem mnenju ne obstaja trgovanje s storitvami usposabljanj med državami članicami, največje ovire predstavljajo jezik in pomanjkanje povezav z območjem.
On the contrary a community market of the “private” training (i.e. competitive market training services), in its mind, can indeed exist.
Nasprotno pa po njenem mnenju lahko obstaja skupni trg „zasebnega“ usposabljanja (oziroma tržnih konkurenčnih storitev usposabljanja).
In any event, no prejudice would be brought to the newcomers by these measures, as they would have not had to undertake the costs the beneficiaries of the aid were obliged to face in the past.
V nobenem primeru naj ta program ne bi vplival za nove ustanove, saj le-te niso utrpele stroškov, s katerimi so se bili prejemniki prisiljeni spopadati v preteklosti.
And, even if this advantage would be proved, it would be, in the view of the Region Piemonte, matter of distortion of a merely local market, so that, in its opinion, Art.87(1) would not be applicable.
Tudi če bi bil ta vpliv dokazan, bi šlo po mnenju dežele Piemonte le za izkrivljanje lokalnega trga, tako da uporaba člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES po njenem mnenju ne bi bila mogoča.
The Commission's analysis concerns the aid scheme constituted by the general measures in question, and not individual grants of aid to particular subjects.
Analiza Komisije zadeva program pomoči splošnih ukrepov in ne dodeljevanja individualnih pomoči določenim subjektom.
Since the opening of the procedure, the Italian authorities have been fully aware of the Commission's doubts concerning the scheme.
Od začetka postopka so bile italijanski organi podrobno seznanjeni z dvomi Komisije v zvezi s programom.
If they considered that some particular cases should have been assessed on an individual basis, they should have had informed the Commission of their specific features and provided all the information needed for an individual assessment to be made.
Če bi presodili, da bi ti določeni primeri morali biti ocenjevani individualno, bi morali obvestiti Komisijo o njihovih določenih značilnostih in bi ji morali predložiti vse potrebne podatke, da bi se izvedlo individualno preverjanje.
Existence of aid under Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty
Izvajanje pomoči v skladu s členom 87(1) Pogodbe ES
Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty states that “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, insofar as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the common market”.
V členu 87(1) Pogodbe ES je določeno, da so pomoči, dodeljene s strani držav, oziroma iz javnih sredstev, ki bi dajale prednost določenim podjetjem ali proizvodnjam, in bi zato izkrivljale konkurenco ali bi lahko predstavljale grožnjo za izkrivljanje konkurence, nezdružljive s skupnim trgom v tolikšni meri, kot vplivajo na trgovino med državami članicami.
The aid under scrutiny is realised through the grant of public resources from a fund of 180 billion ITL (about 93million EUR) which was expressly conceived by a national rule and shared among almost all the Italian regions, as it comes out from the annexe to the MO 173/2001.
Obravnavana pomoč je bila na razpolago za dodeljevanje iz javnih sredstev sklada v višini 180 milijard ITL (okrog 93 milijonov EUR), ki je bil ustanovljen izrecno po nacionalnih predpisih in je bil porazdeljen med skoraj vse italijanske dežele, kot je razvidno iz priloge k DM 173/2001.
Therefore there is public fund expenditure.
Potrjuje se pogoj uporabe javnih sredstev.
Only training agencies are beneficiaries of the aid scheme.
Do sheme pomoči so upravičene samo ustanove za usposabljanje.
Furthermore the recipients of the aid are selected on a regional basis, in the light of the available budget and of possible additional criteria, in respect of each Italian region, thus the selectivity of the measure is twofold.
Poleg tega so prejemniki izbrani na deželni ravni glede na razpoložljive finančne dotacije in glede na morebitna dodatna merila, odvisna od vsake italijanske dežele, torej je selekcija programa dvojna.
The presence of selectivity and public resources have been also confirmed by Italy, in its observations.
Obstoj selektivnosti in javnih financ je bil potrjen v pripombah s strani italijanskih organov.
Presence of economic activity
Obstoj gospodarske dejavnosti