natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
By letter of 7 January 2005 (registered as received on 11 January), the Portuguese authorities presented their comments in the context of the abovementioned procedure.
Z dopisom z dne 7. januarja 2005 (evidentiranim 11. januarja) so portugalski organi predložili svoje pripombe v zvezi z zgoraj navedenim postopkom.
The Commission requested further information from Portugal by letter of 26 September 2005, to which Portugal replied by letter of 9 November 2005 (registered as received on 10 November).
Komisija je Portugalsko zaprosila za dodatne podatke z dopisom z dne 26. septembra 2005, na katerega je Portugalska odgovorila z dopisom z dne 9. novembra 2005 (evidentiranim 10. novembra).
The Portuguese authorities provided the final additional information by letter of 22 December 2005 (registered as received on 23 December).
Portugalski organi so predložili končne dodatne podatke z dopisom z dne 22. decembra 2005 (evidentiranim 23. decembra).
CORDEX is a producer of ropes located in Ovar, a region falling under Article 87(3)(a) of the Treaty.
CORDEX je proizvajalec vrvi, ki se nahaja v pokrajini Ovar, regiji, ki spada na področje uporabe člena 87(3)(a) Pogodbe.
It was set up in 1969 and specialises in the production of synthetic fibre ropes (polypropylene and polyethylene) as well as binder and baler twine and other sisal products.
Podjetje je bilo ustanovljeno leta 1969 in je specializirano za proizvodnjo vrvi iz sintetičnih vlaken (iz polipropilena in polietilena) ter dvonitnih vrvi za povezovanje in strojno pakiranje ter drugih izdelkov iz sisala.
At the time the aid was notified, CORDEX had 259 employees.
Ob času priglasitve pomoči je imel CORDEX 259 zaposlenih.
Its turnover in the same year (2004) was some EUR 25 million. CORDEX is affiliated to two other companies located in the same region: FLEX 2000, set up in 2001, and CORDENET, set up in 2003.
Njegov promet je v istem letu (2004) znašal približno 25 milijonov EUR. CORDEX je pridružen dvema drugima podjetjema, ki se nahajata v isti regiji, in sicer FLEX 2000, ustanovljenemu leta 2001, in CORDENET, ustanovljenemu leta 2003.
Together, the three companies have 415 employees [3].
Ta tri podjetja imajo skupaj 415 zaposlenih [3].
The project consists in the establishment of a new company in Brazil — Cordebrás Lda.
Projekt vključuje ustanovitev novega podjetja v Braziliji – Cordebras Lda. – izključno za proizvodnjo dvonitnih vrvi za strojno pakiranje, ki se v glavnem uporabljajo v kmetijstvu.
that will be engaged exclusively in producing baler twine, which is used mainly in agriculture.
CORDEX pričakuje, da bo s to investicijo povečal svojo proizvodnjo izdelkov iz sisala in izkoristil prednosti nižjih stroškov ter razpoložljivosti surovin in delovne sile v Braziliji.
With this investment, CORDEX expects to step up its production of sisal products and to take advantage of the lower costs and availability of the raw material and labour in Brazil, which is considered to be the world’s leading producer of the raw material (sisal fibre) and labour costs there are about 1/3 of those in Portugal.
Brazilija velja v svetu za vodilno državo v proizvodnji te surovine (vlaken iz sisala), stroški delovne sile v Braziliji pa znašajo približno 1/3 stroškov na Portugalskem.
With this project, CORDEX is also planning to gain a foothold on new markets, in particular in the United States, Canada and the Mercosur countries.
CORDEX prav tako načrtuje, da bo s tem projektom pridobil nove trge, zlasti v Združenih državah, Kanadi in v državah MERCOSUR.
In addition, some of the sisal produced in Brazil will be imported into Portugal either as a finished or semi-finished product [4].
Poleg tega bo nekaj sisala, proizvedenega v Braziliji, uvoženega na Portugalsko bodisi kot končni izdelek bodisi kot polizdelek [4].
In the latter case, the product will be subject to oil-based processing as well as to rewinding and packaging before being sold on the market.
V slednjem primeru bo izdelek pred prodajo na trgu obdelan s postopkom na osnovi olja ter zavit in zapakiran.
The eligible costs of this investment amount to EUR 2678630, which is equivalent to the nominal capital of the new company, Cordebrás Lda.
Upravičeni stroški te investicije znašajo 2678630 EUR, kar je enakovredno nominalnemu kapitalu novega podjetja Cordebras Lda.
The project was completed in 2002 and is now operational.
Projekt je bil dokončan leta 2002 in sedaj obratuje.
CORDEX applied for aid from the Portuguese authorities under a Portuguese scheme that aims to promote the internationalisation of Portuguese companies [5].
CORDEX je zaprosil za pomoč portugalskih organov v okviru portugalskega programa, katerega cilj je spodbujanje internacionalizacije portugalskih podjetij [5].
Under the scheme, aid to large companies must be notified to the Commission.
Po tem programu je treba pomoč velikim podjetjem priglasiti Komisiji.
Although CORDEX requested the aid in 2000 before initiating the project, internal delays meant that Portugal notified the aid to the Commission only in January 2004.
Čeprav je CORDEX za pomoč zaprosil leta 2000, torej pred začetkom projekta, je Portugalska zaradi notranjih zamud priglasila pomoč Komisiji šele januarja 2004.
The notified measure consists of a tax incentive of EUR 401795, representing 15 % of eligible investment costs.
Priglašeni ukrep vključuje davčno spodbudo v višini 401795 EUR, kar pomeni 15 % upravičenih investicijskih stroškov.
The Commission, in its decision to initiate the procedure in the present case, stated that it would examine the measure in the light of Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty in order to determine whether the aid would facilitate the development of an economic activity without adversely affecting trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
Komisija je v svoji odločitvi, da sproži postopek v tem primeru, navedla, da bo ukrep proučila glede na člen 87(3)(c) Pogodbe, da bi ugotovila, ali bi pomoč pospešila razvoj gospodarske dejavnosti, ne da bi negativno vplivala na trgovinske pogoje v obsegu, ki je v nasprotju s skupnimi interesi.
The Commission also considered the following criteria, which have been applied in previous cases of aid to large companies to finance foreign direct investment projects [6]: whether the aid contains disguised export elements; any effects on employment in the country of origin and in the host country; the risk of relocation; the impact of the measure on the region where the aid recipient is located; the necessity of the aid, including the envisaged aid intensity, given the international competitiveness of the EU industry and/or in view of the risks associated with investment projects in certain third countries.
Komisija je prav tako upoštevala naslednja merila, ki so bila uporabljena v prejšnjih primerih pomoči velikim podjetjem za financiranje neposrednih investicijskih projektov v tujini [6]: ali pomoč vsebuje prikrite izvozne elemente; morebitni učinki na zaposlenost v državi izvora in v državi gostiteljici; tveganje premestitve; vpliv ukrepa na regijo, v kateri se nahaja prejemnik pomoči; potreba po pomoči, vključno s predvideno intenzivnostjo pomoči, upoštevajoč mednarodno konkurenčnost industrije EU in/ali glede na tveganja, povezana z investicijskimi projekti v določenih tretjih državah.
The Commission concluded in this connection that the aid was granted for initial productive investment and did not contain disguised export elements.
Komisija je v tej zvezi zaključila, da je bila pomoč dodeljena za začetno proizvodno investicijo in ni vsebovala prikritih izvoznih elementov.
Nor would it lead to the relocation of jobs from Portugal to Brazil in so far as CORDEX intended to maintain employment levels in Portugal.
Prav tako ne bi privedla do premestitve delovnih mest iz Portugalske v Brazilijo, kolikor je CORDEX nameraval ohranjati stopnje zaposlenosti na Portugalskem.
The fact that the new company in Brazil was equipped with new production plant and that labour was recruited locally further limited the risk of relocation.
Dejstvo, da je bilo novo podjetje v Braziliji opremljeno z novim proizvodnim obratom in da je zaposlovalo lokalno delovno silo, je dodatno zmanjšalo tveganje premestitve.
The Commission also noted the arguments of the Portuguese authorities that this is the first internationalisation experience of CORDEX, which is not familiar with the Brazilian market and that investing in an unknown market may entail high risks.
Komisija je prav tako upoštevala utemeljitve portugalskih organov, da je to prva izkušnja podjetja CORDEX na področju internacionalizacije, ki ni poznalo brazilskega trga, in da je lahko investiranje na neznani trg povezano z visokimi tveganji.
It can be reasonably assumed that, if the project failed, this would have a significant financial impact on the company, given that the investment costs accounted for some 12 % of its turnover.
Utemeljeno se lahko domneva, da bi, če projekt ne bi uspel, to imelo pomemben finančni vpliv na podjetje, saj so investicijski stroški znašali približno 12 % njegovega prometa.
Moreover, the company applied for aid before initiating the project, and this would seem to indicate that the measure fulfils the ‘incentive criteria’ as normally required by the Guidelines on national regional aid [7].
Poleg tega je podjetje zaprosilo za pomoč pred začetkom projekta, kar bi lahko pomenilo, da je ukrep izpolnjeval „merila za dodeljevanje spodbud“, ki jih običajno zahtevajo Smernice o državni regionalni pomoči [7].
However, the Commission expressed doubts regarding the impact of the aid on the overall competitiveness of the EU industry concerned.
Vendar je Komisija izrazila pomisleke glede vpliva pomoči na splošno konkurenčnost zadevne industrije v EU.
Therefore, it could not conclude at that stage that the aid was in conformity with the exception under Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty.
Zaradi tega ni mogla v tej fazi zaključiti, da je pomoč skladna z izjemo po členu 87(3)(c) Pogodbe.
Comments from interested parties
Pripombe zainteresiranih strank
One French company, BIHR, claimed that the investment by CORDEX in Brazil followed that of other Portuguese producers and that these companies, together with other Brazilian and American competitors, were threatening BIHR’s production of sisal in Europe.
Eno francosko podjetje, BIHR, je trdilo, da je investicija podjetja CORDEX v Braziliji sledila naložbi drugih portugalskih proizvajalcev in da so ta podjetja, skupaj z drugimi brazilskimi in ameriškimi konkurenti, ogrožala proizvodnjo sisala podjetja BIHR v Evropi.
It was also concerned that the aid would strengthen the position of CORDEX in the synthetic fibres sector.
Prav tako je to podjetje izrazilo zaskrbljenost, da bi pomoč lahko okrepila položaj podjetja CORDEX v sektorju sintetičnih vlaken.
Similar concerns were expressed by Saint Germaine, another French producer, which claims to produce synthetic products in Europe and to have transferred its sisal activities to Brazil.
Podobno zaskrbljenost je izrazil Saint Germaine, še en francoski proizvajalec, ki trdi, da proizvaja sintetične izdelke v Evropi in da je prenesel svoje dejavnosti na področju sisala v Brazilijo.
Saint Germaine stated that Portuguese companies had advantages when investing in Brazil because they could subsequently import the product in Europe at lower rates of duty.
Saint Germaine je navedel, da so imela portugalska podjetja prednosti pri investicijah v Braziliji, ker so lahko posledično uvozila izdelek v Evropo po nižjih carinskih stopnjah.
Another company that wished to remain anonymous made similar comments as to the competitive advantage that the aid would confer on CORDEX in the rope sector.
Še eno podjetje, ki je želelo ostati anonimno, je dalo podobne pripombe glede konkurenčne prednosti, ki bi jo pomoč omogočila podjetju CORDEX v sektorju vrvi.
Comments from Portugal
Pripombe Portugalske
Portugal noted that the investment in Brazil is part of a strategy on the part of CORDEX for maintaining a wide range of activities in Portugal, while at the same time maintaining its current levels of employment.
Portugalska je navedla, da je investicija v Braziliji del strategije podjetja CORDEX za ohranjanje širokega razpona dejavnosti na Portugalskem in hkrati ohranjanje svojih trenutnih ravni zaposlenosti.
CORDEX will continue to produce sisal products in Portugal with raw material imported from Brazil, while also importing from Cordebrás Lda either finished or semi-finished products that it will process into sisal products with higher value added.
CORDEX bo še naprej proizvajal izdelke iz sisala na Portugalskem iz surovine, uvožene iz Brazilije, hkrati pa bo prav tako uvažal od Cordebras Lda bodisi končne izdelke ali polizdelke, ki jih bo predelal v izdelke iz sisala z višjo dodano vrednostjo.
These activities also include adapting the packaging of the imported baler twine to customers demands (for example, with regard to size and labelling) and will thus also contribute to employment in the packaging industry in the region where CORDEX is located.
Te dejavnosti prav tako vključujejo prilagoditev embalaže uvoženih dvonitnih vrvi za strojno pakiranje zahtevam kupcev (na primer glede velikosti in označevanja) in bodo zato prav tako prispevale k zaposlovanju v pakirni industriji v regiji, v kateri se CORDEX nahaja.
Following the investment in Brazil, CORDEX has created two new companies in Ovar (FLEX and CORDENET, which produce foam-based products and nets respectively).
Po investiciji v Braziliji je CORDEX ustanovil dve novi podjetji v pokrajini Ovar (FLEX in CORDENET, ki proizvajata izdelke iz pene oziroma mreže).
This has led to some shifts of personnel between these companies and to a slight increase in the overall employment levels of the three companies in Ovar: from 358 employees in 2000 to 415 in 2005.
To je privedlo do nekaj premestitev zaposlenih med temi podjetji in do rahlega povečanja skupne ravni zaposlenosti teh treh podjetij v Ovarju: s 358 zaposlenih leta 2000 na 415 zaposlenih leta 2005.
The newly established Brazilian company, Cordebrás Lda., has about 145 employees.
Novoustanovljeno brazilsko podjetje Cordebras Lda ima približno 145 zaposlenih.
According to the Portuguese authorities, the diversification strategy of CORDEX, including the investment in Brazil, is thus conducive to maintaining employment in a region (Ovar) that already suffers from unemployment levels well above the national average.
Po mnenju portugalskih organov strategija raznolikosti podjetja CORDEX, vključno z investicijo v Braziliji, zato ugodno vpliva na ohranjanje zaposlenosti v regiji (Ovar), v kateri je raven brezposelnosti že močno nad državnim povprečjem.
It also contributes to creating employment in the State of Bahia (Brazil), where Cordebrás Lda is located.
Prav tako prispeva k odpiranju delovnih mest v državi Bahia (Brazilija), kjer se Cordebras Lda nahaja.
Concerning the comments made by interested parties, the Portuguese authorities noted that CORDEX is subject to the same conditions and the same import duties as any other EU producer when importing sisal products from Brazil and that the small amount of aid which it is planning to grant CORDEX is unlikely to have any significant impact on the Community market.
V zvezi s pripombami, ki so jih dale zainteresirane stranke, so portugalski organi navedli, da pri uvozu izdelkov iz sisala iz Brazilije za CORDEX veljajo enaki pogoji in enake uvozne dajatve kakor za katerega koli drugega proizvajalca EU in da ni verjetno, da bi majhen znesek pomoči, ki jo nameravajo dodeliti podjetju CORDEX, lahko kakor koli pomembno vplival na trg Skupnosti.
From the viewpoint of the Portuguese authorities, the investment by CORDEX in Brazil was necessary in order to counter the effects of increasing exports from countries with advantages in the form of lower costs (countries in Africa and Brazil) [8].
Po mnenju portugalskih organov je bila investicija podjetja CORDEX v Braziliji potrebna zaradi omejevanja učinkov naraščajočega izvoza iz držav, ki imajo prednosti v obliki nižjih stroškov (države v Afriki in Braziliji) [8].
Finally, Portugal stated that the fact that the investment went ahead without public financing cannot be imputed to the company, which carried out this investment with bank loans and own capital in the expectation of obtaining the state aid it applied for under the relevant national scheme [9].
Končno je Portugalska navedla, da se za dejstvo, da se je z investicijo nadaljevalo brez javnih sredstev, ne more okriviti podjetja, ki je to investicijo izvedlo z bančnimi posojili in lastnim kapitalom v pričakovanju pridobitve državne pomoči, za katero je zaprosilo v okviru ustreznega državnega programa [9].
Under Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty, 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 is, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, incompatible with the common market.
V skladu s členom 87(1) Pogodbe ES je vsaka pomoč, ki jo dodeli država članica ali ki je dodeljena iz državnih sredstev v kakršni koli obliki in ki izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco z dajanjem prednosti določenim podjetjem ali proizvodnji določenega blaga, nezdružljiva s skupnim trgom, kolikor vpliva na trgovino med državami članicami.
In its decision to initiate the procedure in the present case, the Commission concluded that the aid measure fell within the scope of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty for the following reasons:
V svoji odločitvi, da sproži postopek v tem primeru, je Komisija ugotovila, da ukrep pomoči spada na področje uporabe člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES iz naslednjih razlogov:
By providing assistance for the setting-up of a new production unit in the context of the internationalisation initiative of a Portuguese company in Brazil, the notified measure favours a certain undertaking or the production of certain goods.
Z zagotovitvijo pomoči za odprtje nove proizvodne enote v okviru pobude za internacionalizacijo portugalskega podjetja v Braziliji daje priglašeni ukrep prednost določenemu podjetju ali proizvodnji določenega blaga.
The Commission considers that aid granted to undertakings in the European Union in support of foreign direct investment is comparable to aid for undertakings that export almost all their production outside the Community.
Komisija meni, da je pomoč, dodeljena podjetjem v Evropski uniji za neposredno tujo investicijo primerljiva s pomočjo za podjetja, ki skoraj vso svojo proizvodnjo izvozijo iz Skupnosti.
In such cases, given the interdependence between the markets on which Community undertakings operate, it is possible that aid might distort competition within the Community [10].Portugal stated that the investment is intended also to benefit the activities of the recipient in Portugal (as well as in the country where the investment is carried out,) thereby potentially affecting intra-Community trade.
V takih primerih je zaradi medsebojne odvisnosti trgov, na katerih podjetja Skupnosti poslujejo, mogoče, da bo pomoč izkrivljala konkurenco znotraj Skupnosti [10].Portugalska je navedla, da je namen investicije prispevati tudi k dejavnostim prejemnika na Portugalskem (kakor tudi v državi, v kateri se investicija izvaja), s čimer se potencialno vpliva na trgovino v Skupnosti.
The aid is financed through state resources.
Pomoč se financira iz državnih sredstev.
These conclusions have not been contested by Portugal and are hereby confirmed.
Portugalska tem sklepnim ugotovitvam ni ugovarjala, zato so s tem potrjene.
Given the fact that the aid could not be found compatible under any existing guidelines or frameworks, the Commission indicated that it would assess whether the aid could be found compatible with the EC Treaty on the basis of the exception under Article 87(3)(c) of the Treaty, which allows for aid to facilitate the development of an economic activity if it does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
Glede na to, da pomoč ni združljiva po obstoječih smernicah ali okvirih, je Komisija navedla, da bo ocenila, ali bi bila pomoč lahko združljiva s Pogodbo ES na podlagi izjeme po členu 87(3)(c) Pogodbe, ki pomoč dopušča za spodbujanje razvoja gospodarske dejavnosti, kolikor ne vpliva negativno na trgovinske pogoje v obsegu, ki je v nasprotju s skupnimi interesi.
The Commission must, therefore, assess whether the aid will contribute to the development of sisal production and/or other economic activities in the European Union without adversely affecting trading conditions between Member States.
Komisija mora zato oceniti, ali bo pomoč prispevala k razvoju proizvodnje sisala in/ali drugih gospodarskih dejavnosti v Evropski uniji, ne da bi vplivala negativno na trgovinske pogoje med državami članicami.
In the decision to initiate the procedure, the Commission also noted that it would take into account certain criteria which it used in previous cases of aid to large companies in respect of foreign direct investment projects (see paragraph 14) designed to strike a balance between the benefits of the aid in terms of contributing to the international competitiveness of the EU industry concerned (e.g. whether the aid is necessary, taking into account the risks involved with the project in the third country) and its possible negative effects on the EU market.
V odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka je Komisija prav tako navedla, da bo upoštevala določena merila, ki jih je uporabila v prejšnjih primerih pomoči za velika podjetja za neposredne investicijske projekte v tujini (glej uvodno izjavo 14) in so namenjena ustvarjanju ravnovesja med koristmi ukrepa v smislu prispevanja k mednarodni konkurenčnosti zadevne industrije v EU (npr. ali je pomoč potrebna, ob upoštevanju tveganja, povezanega s projektom v tretji državi) in možnimi negativnimi učinki na trg EU.
In this respect, the Commission had doubts as to the impact of the measure on the common market and on the overall competitiveness of the EU industry concerned; nor did it have any information on the importance of the recipient vis-à-vis EU competitors or on the impact of the measure in the region where CORDEX is located (see paragraph 17).
V zvezi s tem je imela Komisija pomisleke glede vpliva ukrepa na skupni trg in na splošno konkurenčnost zadevne industrije v EU; prav tako ni imela nikakršnih podatkov o pomembnosti prejemnika v primerjavi s konkurenti v EU ali o vplivu ukrepa v regiji, v kateri se CORDEX nahaja (glej uvodno izjavo 17).
Necessity of the aid
Potreba po pomoči
State aid legislation lays down as a general principle that, in order for the aid to be compatible with the common market, it must be demonstrated that it leads to an additional activity by the recipient which would not be carried out without the aid.
Zakonodaja o državni pomoči določa kot splošno načelo, da je pomoč združljiva s skupnim trgom, če se dokaže, da bo privedla do dodatne dejavnosti prejemnika, ki brez pomoči ne bi bila izvajana.
Otherwise, the aid is simply creating a distortion without having any positive counter-effect.
V nasprotnem primeru pomoč zgolj povzroča izkrivljanje, ne da bi imela kakršen koli pozitivni nasprotni učinek.
The Commission noted that, since the company applied for aid before initiating the project, there appeared to be some indication that the measure fulfilled the ‘incentive criteria’ as normally required by the regional state aid rules [11].
Komisija je poudarila, da je podjetje zaprosilo za pomoč pred začetkom projekta, kar bi lahko pomenilo, da je ukrep izpolnjeval „merila za dodeljevanje spodbud“, ki jih običajno zahtevajo Smernice o državni regionalni pomoči [11].
However, this does not fully show whether the aid was really necessary in view of the international competitiveness of the EU industry and/or in view of the risks involved for investment projects in certain third countries.
Vendar pa to ne dokazuje povsem, ali je bila pomoč v resnici potrebna z vidika mednarodne konkurenčnosti industrije EU in/ali zaradi tveganj, povezanih z investicijskimi projekti v določenih tretjih državah.