natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Sklep Komisije, da bo sprožila formalni postopek preiskave, je bil objavljen v Uradnem listu Evropske unije .
The Commission invited interested parties to submit their comments on the aid.
Komisija je pozvala vse zainteresirane stranke, da predložijo svoje pripombe o pomoči.
The Commission received comments from one interested party.
Komisija je prejela pripombe od ene zainteresirane stranke. Poslala jih je Franciji, da o njih pove svoje mnenje.
It forwarded them to France, which was given the opportunity to react; its comments were received by letter dated 15 September 2003.
Francija je svoje pripombe predložila z dopisom z dne 15. septembra 2003.
Other letters were received from France dated 11 June 2003, 13 October 2003, 10 February 2004, 24 March 2004, 3 June 2004 and 10 May 2005.
Komisija je od Francije prejela druge dopise z dne 11. junija 2003, 13. oktobra 2003, 10. februarja 2004, 24. marca 2004, 3. junija 2004 in 10. maja 2005.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE
Podroben opis ukrepa
The two almost identical passenger cruise ships R3 and R4, delivered in May and September 1999, were built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, a shipyard situated in France.
Dve skoraj enaki potniški ladji za križarjenja, R3 in R4, ki sta bili dobavljeni maja oziroma septembra 1999, je zgradilo podjetje Chantiers de l'Atlantique s sedežem v Franciji.
They were eligible for French development aid as they were intended to support tourism in French Polynesia (hereinafter FPO), a territory eligible for development aid according to OECD and EU shipbuilding rules.
Bili sta upravičeni do francoske pomoči za razvoj, ker sta bili namenjeni podpori turizma v Francoski Polineziji, na ozemlju, upravičenem do pomoči za razvoj v skladu s predpisi Organizacije za gospodarsko sodelovanje in razvoj (OECD) in Skupnosti, ki veljajo za ladjedelništvo.
The original owners of the ships R3 and R4 were private investors in France.
Prvotna lastnika potniških ladij R3 in R4 sta bila zasebna francoska vlagatelja.
They received a tax deduction based on their investment in the ships under a tax aid scheme allowing tax concessions on investments in French departments and territories, the Loi Pons.
Izkoristila sta davčno olajšavo zaradi svoje naložbe v potniški ladji v skladu s programom davčnih pomoči za naložbe v francoskih čezmorskih departmajih in ozemljih, imenovanim „Loi Pons“.
In Decision 1999/719/EC, the aid element was estimated to be 41,6 % of the value of the ships.
V Odločbi 1999/719/ES je bilo ocenjeno, da znaša element pomoči 41,6 % vrednosti potniških ladij.
Under the scheme introduced by the Loi Pons, the owners of R3 and R4 undertook to rent out the ships at an attractive rate for five years to Renaissance Financial and to sell the ships for a below‐market price to Renaissance Financial after five years.
V okviru programa, uvedenega z zakonom Pons, sta se lastnika potniških ladij R3 in R4 zavezala, da bosta ladji za pet let dala v najem podjetju Renaissance Financial po ugodni ceni in da mu ju bosta po preteku teh petih let prodala za nižjo ceno od tržne.
The aid to the operator was thus to be provided via the owners, both on a year‐by‐year basis and as a one‐off gain at the end of the five‐year period.
Pomoč najemniku bi se torej morala dodeliti prek lastnikov, hkrati na letni osnovi in v obliki enkratnega dobitka po preteku petih let.
The condition for approving the aid, as stated in Decision 1999/719/EC, was that, in order to ensure the ‘development’ content, the vessels would be used exclusively in FPO for at least five years.
Pogoj, ki je bil v Odločbi 1999/719/ES določen za odobritev pomoči, je bil, da se morata potniški ladji za zagotovitev „razvojne“ vsebine pomoči najmanj pet let uporabljati izključno v Francoski Polineziji.
This condition relating to the use of the ships expired in May and September 2004.
Ta pogoj v zvezi z uporabo potniških ladij je prenehal veljati maja oziroma septembra 2004.
Renaissance Financial went bankrupt in September 2001.
Podjetje Renaissance Financial je šlo v stečaj septembra 2001.
In agreement with the owners (the French private investors), the agreement between Renaissance Financial and the owners as regards the ships R3 and R4 was terminated at the end of 2001.
V soglasju z lastnikoma (zasebnima francoskima vlagateljema) je bila pogodba med podjetjem Renaissance Financial in ladjarji v zvezi s potniškima ladjama R3 in R4 prekinjena konec leta 2001.
The owners of the ships therefore needed to find a new operator.
Lastnika potniških ladij sta morala tako najti novega najemnika.
Only P&O Princess Cruises (P&O PC) made an offer for both ships.
Ponudbo za obe potniški ladji je predložilo samo podjetje P & O Princess Cruises (v nadaljnjem besedilu „P & O PC“).
Consequently, in August 2002 the owners signed an agreement with P&O PC whereby the latter would rent the ships for three years and then buy them.
Tako sta lastnika avgusta 2002 podpisala pogodbo s podjetjem P & O PC, v kateri je bilo določeno, da bo to podjetje potniški ladji najelo za tri leta in ju nato odkupilo.
At the time, P&O PC was an independent listed company but in April 2004 it was taken over by Carnival Corporation and split into two subsidiaries (P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises).
P & O PC je bil tedaj neodvisna delniška družba, vendar pa jo je aprila 2004 prevzel Carnival Corporation in jo razdelil v dve hčerinski družbi (P & O Cruises in Princess Cruises).
The ship R3 was renamed Pacific Princess and operates all over the Pacific Ocean, including Australia and Alaska.
Potniška ladja R3 je bila preimenovana v Pacific Princess in se je uporabljala na celotnem območju Tihega oceana, vključno v Avstraliji in na Aljaski.
The ship R4 was renamed Tahitian Princess and is based in Tahiti, FPO.
Potniška ladja R4 je bila preimenovana v Tahitian Princess in ima bazo na Tahitiju v Francoski Polineziji.
Most of its cruises take place between the islands of FPO but visits are also made to areas outside FPO, such as the Cook Islands and the Samoan Islands.
Večino križarjenj opravlja med otoki Francoske Polinezije, pluje pa tudi po drugih območjih, kot so Cookovi otoki in otoki Samoa.
The ships are operated by Princess Cruises.
Potniški ladji uporablja družba Princess Cruises.
Even though these new arrangements, contrary to the condition imposed by Decision 1999/719/EC, provided for operation of the ships outside FPO, the French tax authorities agreed to this solution by deciding that the tax benefits under the Loi Pons could be maintained.
Ne glede na dejstvo, da so v nasprotju s pogojem, določenim v Odločbi 1999/719/ES, te nove ureditve predvidevale uporabo potniških ladij zunaj Francoske Polinezije, so francoski davčni organi to rešitev odobrili in odločili, da se lahko obdržijo finančne ugodnosti, dodeljene v skladu z zakonom Loi Pons.
According to Article 16 of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty, the Commission may, in the case of misuse of aid, open the formal investigation procedure.
Na podlagi člena 16 Uredbe Sveta (ES) št. 659/1999 z dne 22. marca 1999 o določitvi podrobnih pravil za uporabo člena 93 Pogodbe ES lahko Komisija v primeru zlorabe pomoči sproži formalni postopek preiskave.
It informed France of this possibility by letter of 18 October 2002, but France did not react.
Komisija je o tej možnosti Francijo obvestila v svojem dopisu z dne 18. oktobra 2002, vendar pa se Francija ni odzvala.
Given the clear conditions imposed by the Commission in Decision 1999/719/EC and the fact that it transpired that both ships were at least partially used outside FPO, the Commission took the view in its decision to open the formal investigation procedure that the condition laid down in its 1999 decision was no longer met, causing it to suspect that there may have been a misuse of State aid.
Ob upoštevanju jasnih pogojev, ki jih je Komisija določila v Odločbi 1999/719/ES, in dejstva, da se je izkazalo, da sta se obe potniški ladji vsaj delno uporabljali zunaj Francoske Polinezije, je Komisija v svojem sklepu, da bo sprožila formalni postopek preiskave, menila, da pogoj, naveden v njeni odločbi iz leta 1999, ni bil več izpolnjen, zaradi česar je začela domnevati, da gre za morebitno zlorabo državne pomoči.
COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES
Pripombe, ki so jih sporočile zainteresirane stranke
European Corporate partners (ECP), which is a limited company and one of the joint owners of R3, submitted comments in a letter dated 16 July 2003.
Družba European Corporate Partners (ECP), delniška družba in članica skupnega lastništva potniške ladje R3, je pripombe sporočila z dopisom z dne 16. julija 2003.
It considers that, despite the change in use of the ships, the conditions for their deployment are still met.
Družba ECP meni, da so kljub spremembi uporabe potniških ladij pogoji, ki veljajo za njihovo obratovanje, še vedno izpolnjeni.
Princess Cruises has undertaken to spend USD 4 million locally in order to develop tourism and, as far as possible, to employ local workers.
Družba Princess Cruises se je zavezala, da bo 4 milijone ameriških dolarjev lokalnih izdatkov dodelila za razvoj turizma in v okviru možnosti zaposlila lokalno delovno silo.
The annual financial benefit for FPO will, according to ECP, amount to EUR 30 million. ECP also stated that Princess Cruises aims at a more upmarket segment than Renaissance Financial did, and this should lead to higher spending locally.
Francoska Polinezija bo po mnenju družbe ECP imela letno finančno korist v višini 30 milijonov EUR. ECP je tudi izjavil, da Princess Cruises cilja na višji tržni segment od segmenta, na katerem je deloval Renaissance Financial, zaradi česar bi se morali povečati lokalni izdatki.
Moreover, it claims that a multiplier of 2,5 should be applied to measure the full positive impact on FPO.
ECP prav tako trdi, da bi bilo treba uporabiti množitelj 2,5 za izračun skupnega pozitivnega vpliva za Francosko Polinezijo.
Finally, as regards the ‘development’ content, it stresses that spending in regions outside FPO that are also eligible for development aid should likewise be taken into account when estimating the overall development effect of the ships.
Ne nazadnje ECP v zvezi z razvojnim elementom poudarja, da bi bilo treba izdatke zunaj Francoske Polinezije na območjih, ki so tudi upravičena do pomoči za razvoj, prav tako upoštevati pri oceni vpliva potniških ladij na skupni razvoj.
ECP also claims that it was force majeure (events of 11 September 2001) which made it necessary to change the operator and to modify the conditions for the operation of the ships.
ECP poudarja tudi, da je bilo treba zaradi višje sile (dogodki 11. septembra 2001) zamenjati najemnika in spremeniti pogoje uporabe potniških ladij.
Lastly, it considers that the principle of proportionality should lead the Commission to conclude that the solution which was found with P&O PC was the best in view of the difficult circumstances obtaining.
Družba meni tudi, da bi moralo načelo sorazmernosti Komisijo pripeljati do ugotovitve, da je bila rešitev, ki se je našla skupaj s P & O PC, najboljša mogoča glede na težke okoliščine.
COMMENTS FROM FRANCE
Pripombe Francije
France essentially is of the opinion that the conditions imposed by Decision 1999/719/EC are met even in view of the new use of the ships, since the development effect for FPO in particular and for other areas eligible for development aid in general is in keeping with the fundamental objectives of the decision.
Francija meni, da so v bistvu pogoji, ki jih določa Odločba 1999/719/ES, izpolnjeni tudi z vidika nove uporabe potniških ladij, ker je vpliv na razvoj, zlasti za Francosko Polinezijo in za druga območja, upravičena do pomoči za razvoj, na splošno, v skladu z osnovnimi cilji odločbe.
France also considers it essential that, although the two ships are now used very differently from each other, they should be assessed together.
Prav tako meni, da je nujno, da se obe potniški ladji, čeprav se odslej različno uporabljata, ocenita skupaj.
France further justifies its approval of the new use of the ships with the following arguments:
Francija poleg tega dejstvo, da je odobrila novo uporabo potniških ladij, utemeljuje z naslednjimi argumenti.
The number of ports of call in areas eligible for development aid is identical overall to the number catered for with the original use.
Število pristanišč na območjih, upravičenih do pomoči za razvoj, je v celoti enako, kot je bilo v okviru prvotno predvidene uporabe.
The aggregate development effect with the new use of the ships is very similar to what was originally intended for FPO.
Vpliv na skupni razvoj, ki je nastal v okviru nove uporabe, je zelo podoben vplivu, ki je bil prvotno predviden za Francosko Polinezijo.
The development effects forgone during the year when the ships were not operated on account of the bankruptcy of Renaissance Financial need not necessarily be offset by any of the conditions relating to the use of the ships since the bankruptcy was the result of force majeure (the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001).
Izgubo razvojnih učinkov zaradi tega, ker potniški ladji eno leto nista obratovali zaradi stečaja podjetja Renaissance Financial, ni treba nujno nadomestiti s podaljšanjem pogojev v zvezi z uporabo potniških ladij, saj je bil stečaj povezan z višjo silo (teroristični napadi 11. septembra 2001).
In order to provide some compensation for the time lost when the ships were not in operation, France imposed, and the owner accepted, an extension of the requirement on the use of the two ships by four and five months respectively, to mid‐2005.
Da bi v določeni meri nadomestili izgubljeni čas v obdobju, ko potniški ladji nista obratovali, je Francija podaljšala obveznost uporabe obeh ladij za štiri oziroma pet mesecev do sredine leta 2005, ta pogoj pa je lastnik sprejel.
P&O PC has decided to continue operation of at least one of the ships in FPO until April 2006 and is currently in talks with the Government of FPO on a further extension of its presence there.
Družba Princess Cruises se je odločila, da bo še naprej uporabljala vsaj eno potniško ladjo v Francoski Polineziji do aprila 2006, trenutno pa potekajo pogajanja z vlado Francoske Polinezije glede novega podaljšanja njene prisotnosti na območju.
In its later submissions France estimates that the spending generated by the two ships in areas eligible for development aid amounts to EUR 28,9 million a year, of which 78 % or EUR 22,5 million a year in FPO.
Francija v svojih poznejših sporočilih ocenjuje, da znašajo izdatki, ki sta jih ustvarili obe potniški ladji na območjih, ki bi lahko bila upravičena do pomoči za razvoj, 28,9 milijona EUR na leto, od tega 78 % ali 22,5 milijona EUR na leto v Francoski Polineziji.
The total spending in FPO generated by the new use of the ships would therefore be EUR 175,5 million (see Table).
Skupni izdatki, ki so v Francoski Polineziji nastali zaradi nove uporabe potniških ladij, naj bi torej znašali 175,5 milijona EUR (glej tabelo).
Estimated spending in French Polynesia linked to the ships Pacific Princess (formerly R3) and Tahitian Princess (formerly R4)
Ocena izdatkov, povezanih s potniškima ladjama Pacific Princess (nekdanja R3) in Tahitian Princess (nekdanja R4) v Francoski Polineziji
[7](EUR million)
[7](v milijonih EUR)
Owners [7]
Lastnika [7]
Lastly, France agrees with the comments made by ECP.
Na koncu se Francija strinja s pripombami, ki jih je dal ECP.
V. ASSESSMENT
V. Presoja
Legal basis for the assessment
Pravna podlaga presoje
Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty declares any aid granted through State resources to certain undertakings incompatible with the common market in so far as it distorts or threatens to distort competition and affects trade between Member States, unless it falls within the scope of the derogations provided for in Article 87(2) or Article 87(3).
Na podlagi člena 87(1) Pogodbe je pomoč, ki jo nekaterim podjetjem dodeli država članica, ali kakršna koli vrsta pomoči iz državnih sredstev, ki izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco, nezdružljiva s skupnim trgom, če prizadene trgovino med državami članicami, razen če ne izhaja iz področja uporabe odstopanj iz člena 87(2) in (3) Pogodbe.
With regard to Article 87(3), the Council adopted on 21 December 1990 Directive 90/684/EEC on aid to shipbuilding, in accordance with which the present aid was initially notified and approved.
V zvezi s členom 87(3) Pogodbe je Svet sprejel Direktivo 90/684/EGS z dne 21. decembra 1990 o pomoči ladjedelništvu, v skladu s katero je bila ta pomoč prvotno priglašena in odobrena.
Under Article 4(7) of this Directive, aid granted as development assistance to a developing country is not subject to the aid ceiling for operating aid.
Na podlagi člena 4(7) navedene direktive za pomoči, dodeljene kot pomoči za razvoj državi v razvoju, ne velja zgornja meja, ki se uporablja za pomoči za tekoče poslovanje.
In assessing the compatibility of development aid with the common market, the Commission:
Da bi presodila združljivost pomoči za razvoj s skupnim trgom, Komisija:
ascertains that the proposed aid falls within the scope of the Agreement of OECD Working Party No 6 concerning the interpretation of Articles 6 to 8 of the OECD Understanding on Export Credits for Ships,
preveri, ali predvidena pomoč spada na področje uporabe sporazuma Delovne skupine št. 6 Organizacije za gospodarsko sodelovanje in razvoj (OECD) glede razlage členov 6, 7 in 8 Sporazuma OECD o izvoznih kreditih za ladje,
verifies the particular ‘development’ content of the proposed aid.(30) In approving the aid, the Commission therefore verified its development content.
preveri poseben „razvojni“ element predvidene pomoči.(30) Da bi Komisija odobrila pomoč, je torej preverila „razvojni“ element te pomoči.
In Decision 1999/719/EC approving the aid, it stated that:
V svoji Odločbi 1999/719/ES o odobritvi pomoči Komisija navaja:
‘Clearly, if the vessels are not deployed in FPO, they will not bring about any economic development there.
„Jasno je, da če se potniški ladji ne uporabljata v Francoski Polineziji, ne bosta temu ozemlju prinesli nobenega gospodarskega razvoja.
Therefore, it is essential that the aid is linked to a requirement that the vessels be deployed in FPO.
Zato je nujno, da mora biti pomoč povezana s pogojem, da se ti ladji uporabljata v Francoski Polineziji.
France has undertaken that the vessels will be used exclusively in FPO for at least five years.
Francija se je zavezala, da se bosta najmanj pet let uporabljali izključno na tem ozemlju.
The Commission has decided to make this a condition upon which it approves the aid, since the development content of the project would otherwise be compromised.’
Komisija se je odločila, da bo odobritev pomoči podredila temu pogoju, da ne bi bila ogrožena ‚razvojna‘ vsebina projekta.“
The Commission noted in its decision to open the formal investigation procedure in 2003 that France had agreed that one of the ships, Pacific Princess, formerly R3, should operate permanently outside FPO and that the other, Tahitian Princess, formerly R4, although being based in Papeete, the capital of FPO, should also occasionally operate in regions not belonging to FPO.
Komisija je v svojem sklepu o sprožitvi formalnega postopka preiskave iz leta 2003 navedla, da je Francija sprejela, da se bo ena od potniških ladij, Pacific Princess, nekdanja R3, trajno uporabljala zunaj Francoske Polinezije, druga ladja, Tahitian Princess, nekdanja R4, pa se bo, čeprav ima bazo v glavnem mestu Francoske Polinezije Papeete, občasno prav tako uporabljala na območjih, ki niso del Francoske Polinezije.
On the basis of this observation, and given the clear conditions imposed by the Commission in Decision 1999/719/EC and the fact that both ships were at least partially used outside FPO, the Commission considered that the condition imposed by its 1999 decision was no longer met, causing it to suspect that there had been a misuse of State aid.
Na podlagi te pripombe in ob upoštevanju jasnih pogojev, ki jih je Komisija določila v svoji Odločbi 1999/719/ES, ter dejstva, da sta se obe potniški ladji vsaj delno uporabljali zunaj Francoske Polinezije, je Komisija menila, da pogoj, naveden v njeni odločbi iz leta 1999, ni bil več izpolnjen, zaradi česar je bila prisiljena domnevati, da gre za morebitno zlorabo državne pomoči.
The rules concerning misuse of aid are set out in Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 659/1999, which in turn refers to the normal rules regarding the formal investigation procedure and the procedures applicable to unlawful aid.
Pravila o zlorabi državne pomoči so navedena v členu 16 Uredbe (ES) št. 659/1999. Ta člen se prav tako sklicuje na običajna pravila o formalnem postopku preiskave in postopkih, ki se uporabljajo za nezakonite pomoči.
This assessment will, therefore, focus on whether the aid can be compatible with the common market on the basis of Decision 1999/719/EC and the rules on development aid contained in the State aid rules governing shipbuilding.
Zato bo ta presoja posvečena vprašanju, ali je lahko pomoč na podlagi Odločbe 1999/719/ES in določb o pomoči za razvoj, navedenih v pravilih o državni pomoči, ki urejajo ladjedelništvo, združljiva s skupnim trgom.
Appraisal of the compatibility of the aid
Presoja združljivosti pomoči
The Commission firstly notes that it is established that the ships have not been used in accordance with Decision 1999/719/EC.
Komisija najprej navaja svojo ugotovitev, da se potniški ladji nista uporabljali v skladu z Odločbo 1999/719/ES.
The Commission will therefore assess whether the aid granted in 1999 can nevertheless be considered as compatible with the common market on the basis of the new facts that have come to light during the present investigation and of the original objective of the aid, which was the particular economic development effect on FPO.
Zato bo preučila, ali se lahko pomoč, ki je bila dodeljena leta 1999, vseeno šteje za združljivo s skupnim trgom ob upoštevanju novih dejstev, ugotovljenih v okviru te preiskave in na podlagi prvotnega cilja navedene pomoči, in sicer posebnega vpliva na gospodarski razvoj Francoske Polinezije.
The two main aspects to be assessed are the effects of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and the particular economic development effect on FPO.
Dva glavna vidika, ki ju je treba oceniti, so posledice terorističnih napadov 11. septembra 2001 in poseben vpliv na gospodarski razvoj Francoske Polinezije.
Effects of 11 September 2001
Vplivi 11. septembra 2001
The Commission has, in a number of State aid decisions, acknowledged that the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 were to be regarded as exceptional circumstances for the cruise ship industry.
Komisija je v več odločbah o državni pomoči priznala, da bi bilo treba teroristične napade 11. septembra 2001 obravnavati kot izjemne okoliščine za sektor križarjenj po morju.
It therefore considers that the argument put forward by France and ECP whereby these events created a situation of force majeure is admissible.
Komisija zato sprejema argument Francije in družbe ECP, da so ti dogodki povzročili stanje višje sile.
The Commission considers that, in the case in point, the impact of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 was twofold.
Komisija meni, da so v zadevnem primeru imeli teroristični napadi 11. septembra 2001 dvojni vpliv.
Firstly, it contributed to the bankruptcy of Renaissance Financial.
Prvič, prispevali so k stečaju podjetja Renaissance Financial.
Even though Renaissance Financial had already encountered problems before 11 September 2001, the terrorist attacks in their impact on the cruise market were decisive because potential investors withdrew their support for the company.
Čeprav je res, da je Renaissance Financial imel finančne težave že pred 11. septembrom 2001, so bili teroristični napadi s svojim vplivom na trg križarjenj odločilni, saj so morebitni vlagatelji umaknili vso podporo podjetju.