natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
However, when the attempts to privatise NMS failed and EMSA ceased activities (June 2002), NMS was not wound up.
Vendar ko poskusi privatizacije družbe NMS niso bili uspešni in je EMSA ustavila dejavnosti (junija 2002), družba NMS ni bila likvidirana.
Following the failure of the privatisation, Italy notified to the Commission a plan for a new capital injection into the company of some EUR 24 million. According to Italy, the new capital would allow investments in preparation for the exploitation of new, deeper deposits, leading to an increase in the fluorite content of the minerals extracted and in overall production at the mine.
Po neuspešni privatizaciji je Italija priglasila Komisiji načrt za novo dokapitalizacijo družbe v višini približno 24 milijonov EUR. Po mnenju Italije bi nov kapital omogočil naložbe v pripravo za izkoriščanje novih, globlje ležečih zalog, zaradi česar bi se povečala vsebnost fluorita v pridobljenih mineralih in celotni proizvodnji v rudniku.
Italy argued that the measure had been notified solely for purposes of legal certainity as it did not involve State aid, and this for two reasons:
Italija je trdila, da je ukrep priglasila le zaradi pravne varnosti, ker ni pomenil državne pomoči, to pa iz dveh razlogov:
Intra-Community trade would not be affected as the supply of fluorite in the Community covers hardly 30 % of demand.
ukrep ne bi vplival na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti, ker dobava fluorita v Skupnosti pokriva komaj 30 % povpraševanja.
Hence, the only likely results of the plan would have been a reduction in imports from third countries and a moderation of price increases.
Zato bi bili edini možni posledici načrta zmanjšanje uvoza iz tretjih držav in ublažitev povišanja cen.
RAS was behaving in the same way as a market economy investor since (i) exports of fluorite from China, which account for some 50 % of world production, are declining because of increased domestic consumption, and this is likely to have a positive impact on fluorite prices, (ii) the company had prepared a new industrial plan for the next eight years which foresaw a full recovery in investment and a generation of profits as from the fourth year, even given current market conditions, and (iii) by continuing business activities, the shareholder avoided loss of its previous investments in the company and probably a number of legal disputes with clients.
RAS je ravnala kot vlagatelj pod tržnimi pogoji, ker (i) se izvoz fluorita iz Kitajske, ki predstavlja približno 50 % svetovne proizvodnje, zmanjšuje zaradi večje domače porabe, in to lahko pozitivno vpliva na cene fluorita, (ii) je družba pripravila nov industrijski načrt za naslednjih osem let, ki je predvideval celotno vračilo naložbe in ustvarjanje dobička od četrtega leta dalje, kljub sedanjim tržnim pogojem, in (iii) se je delničar, ker je družba nadaljevala svoje poslovne dejavnosti, izognil izgubi svojih predhodnih naložb v družbo in verjetno številnim pravnim sporom s strankami.
In the alternative, if the Commission concluded that there might be an element of State aid in the planned measure, Italy claims that the aid element would have been limited to the amount in excess of the profits to be obtained from the investment project.
Italija trdi, da bi v nasprotnem primeru, če bi Komisija ugotovila, da je v načrtovanem ukrepu element državne pomoči, ta element pomoči omejila na znesek, ki presega dobiček, ki bi bil ustvarjen v naložbenem projektu.
According to Italy's calculations, this excess would not be greater than 26 % of the investment, which would be below the threshold for compatible regional aid in the area [4].
Ta presežek po izračunih Italije ne bi bil večji od 26 % naložbe, kar bi bilo pod pragom za združljivo regionalno pomoč na tem območju [4].
In addition to the notified measure, the information provided by the Italian authorities shows that NMS has benefited in recent years from a continuous transfer of public funds from its single shareholder RAS [5], with the objective of covering losses during the pre-liquidation period.
Poleg priglašenega ukrepa, informacije, ki so jih zagotovili italijanski organi, kažejo, da je družba NMS v zadnjih letih nenehno prejemala javna sredstva od svojega edinega delničarja, regije RAS [5], da bi krila izgube v obdobju pred likvidacijo.
Since 1997, these transfers have amounted to EUR 90,7 million:
Transferji od leta 1997 so znašali 90,7 milijona EUR.
Amount transferred
Vloženi zneski
The transfers are entered in the company balance sheet under the items ‘RAS cover for future losses’ and ‘EMSA cover for future losses’.
Transferji so vpisani v računovodski izkaz družbe pod postavkama „kritje s strani RAS za prihodnje izgube“ in „kritje s strani EMSA za prihodnje izgube“.
Furthermore, the Italian authorities confirmed that NMS had benefited from the following public support:
Poleg tega so italijanski organi potrdili, da je družba NMS prejela naslednjo javno podporo:
By the Ministerial Decree of 9 May 2002, the company was granted EUR 7,66 million under Law No 488/92 [6] of 19 December 1992 in respect of eligible investments amounting to EUR 14,31 million.
z ministrsko odredbo z dne 9. maja 2002 je bilo družbi odobrenih 7,66 milijona EUR v skladu z Zakonom št. 488/92 [6] z dne 19. decembra 1992 za naložbe, ki izpolnjujejo pogoje za odobritev podpore, v višini 14,31 milijona EUR;
By the Ministerial Decree of 28 December 2000 [7], the company was granted EUR 1,869 million under Article 9 of Law No 752/82 of 6 October 1982 in order to finance 60 % of the cost of prospecting for deeper deposits at the mine.
z ministrsko odredbo z dne 28. decembra 2000 [7] je bilo družbi odobrenih 1,869 milijona EUR v skladu s členom 9 Zakona št. 752/82 z dne 6. oktobra 1982, namenjenih financiranju 60 % stroškov iskanja globlje ležečih zalog v rudniku.
However, according to the Italian authorities, this amount has not yet been paid.
Po navedbah italijanskih organov ta znesek še ni bil plačan.
INITIATION OF THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
SPROŽITEV FORMALNEGA POSTOPKA PREISKAVE
In its decision to initiate the formal investigation procedure, the Commission raised doubts as to the compatibility of the above measures with the common market, and in particular their compliance with the Community Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty [8] (‘the Guidelines’).
Komisija je v odločitvi o sprožitvi formalnega postopa preiskave izrazila dvome o združljivosti zgoraj navedenih ukrepov s skupnim trgom in zlasti glede njihove združljivosti s Smernicami Skupnosti o državni pomoči za reševanje in prestrukturiranje podjetij v težavah [8] (v nadaljnjem besedilu „Smernice“).
The Commission's invitation to submit comments on the measure resulted in reactions from three competitors.
Na poziv Komisije k predložitvi pripomb o ukrepu so se odzvali trije tekmeci.
According to the first competitor, the situation at NMS has been critical for the last twenty years and the company is able to survive only thanks to the constant provision of public funds.
Po mnenju prvega tekmeca je bil položaj družbe NMS kritičen zadnjih dvajset let, družba pa je preživela le zaradi stalnega zagotavljanja javnih sredstev.
Even though market prices have increased significantly in the last five years, leading other companies to expand their existing mines or to open new ones, NMS remained unprofitable throughout.
Čeprav so se tržne cene v zadnjih petih letih znatno povišale, zaradi česar so druge družbe razširile svoje obstoječe rudnike ali odprle nove, družba NMS ves ta čas ni bila dobičkonosna.
Furthermore, it was impossible to privatise because it was not considered viable despite the State aid it had already received.
Poleg tega je ni bilo mogoče privatizirati, ker ni veljala za družbo z možnostmi za gospodarski uspeh, kljub državni pomoči, ki jo je že prejela.
According to this competitor, the aid amounts are spectacular, scandalous, and incredibly disproportionate, as shown by the fact that during 2004 they exceeded the company's turnover two-fold.
Po mnenju tega tekmeca so zneski pomoči izjemno visoki, pretirani in zelo nerazumni, kar dokazuje dejstvo, da so leta 2004 dvakratno presegli promet družbe.
The second competitor expressed its astonishment at the situation.
Drugi tekmec je izrazil presenečenje nad položajem.
NMS and the other European fluorite producers suffered severely from the adverse market conditions of the 1990s, which were triggered by dumping from China and eased only after 2000.
Družbo NMS in druge evropske proizvajalce fluorita so zelo prizadele neugodne tržne razmere v devetdesetih letih prejšnjega stoletja, ki jih je povzročil dumping iz Kitajske in so se umirile šele po letu 2000.
Whereas it was known that NMS received public funds, this competitor claims not to have been aware of the magnitude of the aid, which, in its view, was unreasonably high.
Ta tekmec trdi, da se je sicer vedelo, da je družba NMS prejela javna sredstva, vendar se ni zavedal obsega pomoči, ki je po njegovem mnenju nerazumno velik.
On the basis of its own rough calculations, it estimates that the funds received by NMS from RAS during the last five to six years have been about 10 times the amount of a typical investment per tonne applying normal industry standards.
Na podlagi svojih približnih izračunov ocenjuje, da so finančna sredstva, ki jih je v zadnjih petih do šestih letih družba NMS prejela od RAS, približno desetkrat večja od zneska običajne naložbe na tono ob uporabi običajnih industrijskih standardov.
This competitor concludes that, as a European producer operating in the very competitive market for fluorite, it cannot accept a situation where a single company is kept afloat by means of large state transfers over many years.
Tekmec ugotavlja, da kot evropski proizvajalec, ki deluje na zelo konkurenčnem trgu fluorita, ne more dopustiti razmer, v katerih se eno samo družbo rešuje z večletnim zagotavljanjem obsežnih državnih sredstev.
The third competitor expressed its strong opposition to the granting of aid to NMS that was, in its view, substantial and disproportionate.
Tretji tekmec je izrazil močno nasprotovanje, da se družbi NMS odobri pomoč, ki je po njegovem mnenju velika in pretirana.
According to this submission, the amount of financial support intended for a company with such small mining activities appears to represent extremely poor value for money, and it risks being used merely to support uneconomic employment at the mine.
V skladu s to predloženo pripombo je znesek finančne podpore, namenjene družbi s tako majhnimi rudarskimi dejavnostmi, stroškovno zelo neučinkovit in pomeni nevarnost, da se bo uporabil le za podporo negospodarne uporabe rudnika.
REACTION FROM ITALY
ODZIV ITALIJE
In their reaction to the initiation of the formal investigation procedure, the Italian authorities announced that RAS had decided not to implement the notified aid and, in view of its financial difficulties, to wind up the company.
Italijanski organi so v odgovoru na sprožitev formalnega postopka preiskave sporočili, da RAS ne bo izvedla priglašene pomoči in da bo družbo, glede na njene finančne težave, likvidirala.
By letter of 30 August 2006, the Italian authorities confirmed that NMS was indeed to be wound up, as decided by the extraordinary general meeting held on 28 July 2006.
Z dopisom z dne 30. avgusta 2006 so italijanski organi potrdili, da bo družba NMS likvidirana, kot je bilo o tem odločeno na izredni skupščini, ki je potekala 28. julija 2006.
Italy further claimed (i) that the liquidation of NMS assets would not permit the repayment of RAS financing, (ii) that, with the company's exit from the market, there would be no further effects on intra-Community trade, and (iii) that, under those circumstances, any order to recover the aid could not produce any practical effects.
Italija je nadalje trdila, da (i) z likvidacijo premoženja družbe NMS regiji RAS ne bo mogoče vrniti finančnih sredstev, (ii) da izstop družbe iz trga ne bo dodatno vplival na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti in (iii) da v teh okoliščinah ne bo noben nalog za izterjavo dejansko uresničen.
By way of conclusion, Italy requested the Commission to refrain from issuing a recovery order.
Na koncu je Italija je zaprosila Komisijo, da ne izda naloga za izterjavo pomoči.
As regards the comments made by NMS competitors, Italy considers that they are no longer relevant insofar as the notification has been withdrawn and the company will be wound up.
Glede pripomb tekmecev družbe NMS Italija meni, da niso več pomembne, ker je bila priglasitev umaknjena, družba pa bo likvidirana.
Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty declares incompatible with the common market 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 and affects trade between Member States.
Člen 87(1) Pogodbe ES določa, da je vsaka pomoč, ki jo dodeli država članica, ali kakršna koli vrsta pomoči iz državnih sredstev, ki izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco z dajanjem prednosti posameznim podjetjem ali proizvodnji posameznega blaga in vpliva na trgovino med državami članicami, nezdružljiva s skupnim trgom.
Investment project and loss cover
Naložbeni projekt in kritje izgub
The Commission notes that the measures listed in paragraphs 8 and 10 involve the allocation of state resources attributable to the public authorities.
Komisija ugotavlja, da ukrepi iz odstavkov 8 in 10 vključujejo dodelitev državnih sredstev, ki jo je mogoče pripisati organom oblasti.
As the public support is directed to one individual company, the selectivity criterion is met.
Ker je javna podpora usmerjena v eno samo družbo, je izpolnjeno merilo selektivnosti.
Furthermore, since NMS has been active in the fluorite market, a sector in which trade exists between Member States, the criterion of effect on intra-Community trade is also fulfilled.
Poleg tega je, ker je družba NMS delovala na trgu fluorita, v sektorju, v katerem obstaja trgovina med državami članicami, izpolnjeno tudi merilo vpliva na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti.
In particular, the argument by the Italian authorities according to which there would be no effect on intra-Community trade has to be rejected since, according to settled caselaw, when aid granted by a State or through state resources strengthens the position of an undertaking compared with all other undertakings competing in intra-Community trade, the latter must be regarded as being affected by that aid [9].
Zlasti je treba zavrniti trditev italijanskih organov, da ne bo nobenega vpliva na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti, ker v je skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso, kadar se z državno pomočjo ali pomočjo iz državnih sredstev okrepi položaj podjetja v primerjavi z vsemi drugimi konkurenčnimi trgovskimi podjetji znotraj Skupnosti, treba šteti, da so bila ta s pomočjo prizadeta [9].
Furthermore, the presence of intra-Community trade is borne out by the observations received from competing suppliers of fluorite in different Member States in reaction to the decision to initiate the procedure.
Poleg tega obstoj trgovine znotraj Skupnosti potrjujejo pripombe konkurenčnih dobaviteljev fluorita v različnih državah članicah, ki jih je Komisija prejela kot odziv na odločitev o sprožitvi postopka.
As regards the argument in the original notification to the effect that RAS behaved in a manner comparable to that of a market economy investor, the Commission points out that, in view of its performance in recent years and the change in its financial ratios [10], NMS had to be considered a ‘firm in difficulty’ within the meaning of Section 2.1 of the Guidelines.
Komisija v zvezi s trditvijo v prvotni priglasitvi, da je RAS ravnala kot vlagatelj pod tržnimi pogoji, poudarja, da je bilo treba družbo NMS, ob upoštevanju njenih rezultatov poslovanja v zadnjih letih in sprememb v njenih finančnih razmerjih [10], obravnavati kot „podjetje v težavah“ v smislu razdelka 2.1 Smernic.
Accordingly, and taking into consideration the company's continuing need for loss cover in recent years, it seems very unlikely if there is no improvement in its financial situation that a market economy investor would have committed additional funds of EUR 24 million to a project that had hitherto proved unprofitable.
V skladu s tem in ob upoštevanju stalne potrebe družbe po kritju izgub v zadnjih letih, je malo verjetno, da bi vlagatelj pod tržnimi pogoji, če se finančni položaj družbe ne izboljša, dodelil dodatna sredstva v višini 24 milijonov EUR projektu, ki doslej ni bil dobičkonosen.
This conclusion is further supported by the fact that all attempts to privatise the company in the period from 1998 to 2002 resulted in failure.
To ugotovitev dodatno podpira dejstvo, da so bili vsi poskusi privatizacije družbe v obdobju od 1998 do 2002 neuspešni.
This has also been confirmed by the reactions received from competitors in the industry.
To so podprli tudi odzivi tekmecev v tej gospodarski panogi.
In addition, RAS showed no interest in the past in weighing the costs to be borne in the event of liquidation against the costs of continuing with NMS activities.
Poleg tega RAS v preteklosti ni pokazala zanimanja za primerjavo stroškov v primeru likvidacije in stroškov v primeru nadaljevanja dejavnosti družbe NMS.
On the contrary, liquidation was explicitly avoided in June 2002, when it became clear that the privatisation procedure had failed.
Prav nasprotno se je junija 2002, ko je postalo jasno, da postopek privatizacije ni uspel, izrecno izognila likvidaciji.
Furthermore, it was apparent from the notification that, to a large extent, RAS had been supporting NMS on the basis of public welfare considerations, such as the fact that it was one of the few industrial companies remaining in the region.
Poleg tega je iz priglasitve izhajalo, da je RAS podpirala družbo NMS pretežno zaradi javne blaginje, na primer dejstva, da je ena od redkih družb, ki je še ostala v regiji.
However, arguments of that kind are not relevant for a market economy investor.
Vendar tovrstne trditve niso pomembne za vlagatelja pod tržnimi pogoji.
Accordingly, as the Commission concluded in the decision initiating the procedure and would again stress, the investments proposed in the original notification, together with all previous contributions from the shareholder designed to cover losses and amounting to EUR 114,7 million constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty.
V skladu s tem, kot je Komisija ugotovila v odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka in bi ponovno poudarila, naložbe, predlagane v prvotni priglasitvi, z vsemi prejšnjimi prispevki delničarja, ki so bili namenjenimi kritju izgub in so znašali 114,7 milijona EUR, pomenijo državno pomoč v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES.
The latter aid (loss cover) is illegal as it was granted in breach of Article 88(3) of the Treaty.
Slednja pomoč (kritje izgub) je nezakonita, ker njena odobritev pomeni kršitev člena 88(3) Pogodbe.
As regards the measure in the original notification, the Italian authorities have confirmed that some of the funds had already been granted to the beneficiary in order to undertake some urgent and non-delayable works.
V zvezi z ukrepom v prvotni priglasitvi so italijanski organi potrdili, da je bilo nekaj sredstev že dodeljenih upravičenki, da izvede nekatera nujna in neodložljiva dela.
Therefore, this part of the aid, totalling an unknown amount, was granted unlawfully.
Zato je bil ta del pomoči, katerega znesek ni znan, dodeljen nezakonito.
Funds provided under Laws Nos 488/92 and 752/82
Sredstva, zagotovljena na podlagi zakonov št. 488/92 in 752/82
As regards the measures mentioned in paragraph 11, it is not contested that they constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty.
V zvezi z ukrepoma iz odstavka 11 ni sporno, da pomenita državno pomoč v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES.
Nevertheless, Italy has declared that no aid has as yet been paid under Law No 752/82.
Italija je sporočila, da pomoč na podlagi Zakona št. 752/82 še ni bila plačana.
Derogations under Article 87(2) and (3) of the EC Treaty
Odstopanja po členu 87(2) in (3) Pogodbe ES
The primary objective of the measures mentioned in paragraphs 8 and 10 seems to be to assist a firm in difficulty.
Glavni cilj ukrepov iz odstavkov 8 in 11 je bil pomagati podjetju v težavah.
In such cases, provided that the relevant conditions are met, only the derogation in Article 87(3)(c), which permits State aid designed to facilitate the development of certain economic activities where such aid does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest can apply.
V takšnih primerih, če so izpolnjeni ustrezni pogoji, se lahko uporabi le odstopanje iz člena 87(3)(c), ki dovoljuje državno pomoč, namenjeno lajšanju razvoja določenih gospodarskih dejavnosti, kadar takšna pomoč ne spreminja trgovinskih pogojev v obsegu, ki bi bil v nasprotju s skupnim interesom.
Rescue or restructuring aid to ailing firms is currently governed by the Guidelines.
Pomoč za reševanje ali prestrukturiranje podjetij, ki so v težavah, trenutno urejajo Smernice.
The transitional provisions stipulate that the Guidelines will apply for the assessment of any rescue or restructuring aid granted without the authorisation of the Commission (unlawful aid) if some or all of the aid is granted after 1 October 2004, the date of publication of the new Guidelines in the Official Journal of the European Union (point 104).
Prehodne določbe določajo, da se nove smernice uporabljajo pri ocenjevanju vseh pomoči za reševanje ali prestrukturiranje, odobrenih brez dovoljenja Komisije (nezakonita pomoč), če je bil del ali celoten obseg pomoči odobren po 1. oktobru 2004, kar je datum objave novih smernic v Uradnem listu Evropske unije (točka 104).
Consequently, the new Guidelines are applicable in the present case as the notification took place in 2005 and at least EUR 11 million of public aid (out of the EUR 90,7 loss cover mentioned in paragraph 10) was granted after 1 October 2004.
Zato se v tem primeru uporabljajo nove smernice, ker je bila pomoč priglašena leta 2005, vsaj 11 milijonov EUR javne pomoči (od 90,7 milijona EUR za kritje izgub iz odstavka 10) pa je bilo odobrenih po 1. oktobru 2004.
As regards the aid granted under Law No 488/92 and possibly under Law No 752/82, its compatibility must also be assessed in the light of the Guidelines insofar as the Commission considers that aid to firms in difficulty may contribute to the development of economic activities without adversely affecting trade to an extent contrary to the Community interest only if the conditions set out in the Guidelines are met [11].
Združljivost pomoči, odobrene na podlagi Zakona št. 488/92 in mogoče Zakona št. 752/82, je treba oceniti tudi ob upoštevanju Smernic, ker Komisija meni, da lahko pomoč podjetjem v težavah pripomore k razvoju panog, ne da bi vplivala na trgovinsko menjavo tako, da bi to nasprotovalo interesom Skupnosti, le ob izpolnjenih pogojih iz Smernic [11].
As firms in difficulty are explicitly excluded from the scope of Law No 488/92, the Commission concludes that NMS was not eligible for regional aid under Law No 488/92, the firm already being in difficulty at the time the aid was granted (May 2002) [12].
Ker so podjetja v težavah izrecno izključena iz obsega uporabe Zakona št. 488/92, Komisija ugotavlja, da družba NMS ni izpolnjevala pogojev za pomoč po Zakonu št. 488/92, saj je bilo podjetje v težavah že v času, ko je bila pomoč odobrena (maja 2002) [12].
For the same reason, the subsidiary argument by the Italian authorities according to which the supposed aid would have to be regarded as falling below the threshold set for regional aid in Sardinia has to be rejected.
Iz istega razloga je treba zavrniti dodaten argument italijanskih organov, v skladu s katerim bi bilo treba domnevno pomoč obravnavati kot pomoč, ki je pod pragom, določenim za regionalno pomoč na Sardiniji.
As regards the eligibility of NMS for restructuring aid, the Commission considers that the criteria for compatible aid laid down in the Guidelines are not met.
V zvezi z upravičenostjo družbe NMS do pomoči za prestrukturiranje Komisija meni, da merila za združljivo pomoč iz Smernic niso izpolnjena.