natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof,
ob upoštevanju Sporazuma o Evropskem gospodarskem prostoru in zlasti člena 62(1)(a) Pogodbe,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty [1], and in particular Article 7(2) and (3) thereof,
ob upoštevanju Uredbe Sveta (ES) št. 659/1999 z dne 22. marca 1999 o določitvi podrobnih pravil za uporabo člena 93 Pogodbe ES [1] in zlasti člena 7(2) in (3) Uredbe,
By letter dated 15 June 2004, the Commission was informed by a citizen of the United Kingdom of aid granted by the Shetland Islands Council, the public authority in the Shetlands Islands of the United Kingdom to the fisheries sector, which possibly concerned illegal State aid.
Z dopisom z dne 15. junija 2004 je Komisija prejela obvestilo državljana Združenega kraljestva o pomoči, ki jo je Svet Shetlandskih otokov, javni organ Shetlandskih otokov Združenega kraljestva, dodelil ribiškemu sektorju, in se je domnevno nanašala na nezakonito državno pomoč.
The United Kingdom provided the Commission with further information by letters dated 10 December 2004, 6 April 2005, 8 September 2005 and 31 January 2006.
Združeno kraljestvo je predložilo Komisiji dodatne informacije z dopisi z dne 10. decembra 2004, 6. aprila 2005, 8. septembra 2005 in 31. januarja 2006.
By letter dated 13 September 2006, the Commission informed the United Kingdom of the decision to initiate the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid.
Z dopisom z dne 13. septembra 2006 je Komisija obvestila Združeno kraljestvo o odločitvi, da sproži postopek, določen v členu 88(2) Pogodbe ES v zvezi s pomočjo.
Following the requests from the Commission dated 31 January 2007 and 5 February 2008, additional information was provided by letters dated 4 September 2007 and 27 February 2008.
Po zahtevi Komisije z dne 31. januarja 2007 in 5. februarja 2008 so bile dodatne informacije predložene z dopisoma z dne 4. septembra 2007 in 27. februarja 2008.
The Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 30 November 2006 [3].
Odločitev Komisije, da sproži postopek, je bila objavljena v Uradnem listu Evropske unije dne 30. novembra 2006 [3].
The Commission invited any interested parties to submit their comments on the aid.
Komisija je povabila zainteresirane stranke, da predložijo svoje pripombe o pomoči.
The Commission received no comments from interested parties.
Komisija ni prejela nobene pripombe zainteresiranih strank.
The Shetland Islands Council made payments to the fisheries sector under the scope of two general aid measures named ‘Aid to the Fish Catching and Processing Industry’ and ‘Aid to the Fish Farming Industry’, which actually consisted of several different types of aid schemes.
Svet Shetlandskih otokov je izvedel plačila ribiškemu sektorju na podlagi dveh splošnih ukrepov pomoči, imenovanih „Pomoč za ribištvo in ribiško predelovalno industrijo“ in „Pomoč za ribogojno industrijo“, ki ju je dejansko sestavljalo več različnih vrst shem pomoči.
Amongst these schemes were the so-called Loan assistance schemes (‘the scheme’).
Med temi shemami so bile tako imenovane sheme posojil („shema“).
Aid has been granted to salmon farmers, by way of loan assistance granted through the Fish Farming Association and to fish processors, by way of loan assistance granted through the Fish Processors' Association.
Pomoč je bila dodeljena rejcem lososa s posojilom, dodeljenim iz Združenja za ribogojstvo, in predelovalcem rib s posojili, dodeljenimi iz Združenja predelovalcev rib.
Salmon Farming Loan Assistance
Posojilo za gojenje lososov
The Salmon Farming Loan Assistance was established in 2000 for the purpose of providing working capital loans to individual salmon farming companies to on-grow fish to a harvestable size.
Posojilo za gojenje lososov je bilo ustanovljeno leta 2000 z namenom, da bi posameznim družbam, ki gojijo lososa, zagotovili posojila za obratna sredstva za vzrejo rib lovne velikosti.
The loans granted under the scheme vary from GBP 87000 to GBP 250000, those amounts representing a maximum of 75 % of the costs of buying smolts (young salmon).
Posojila, dodeljena v okviru sheme, znašajo od 87000 do 250000 GBP, navedene vsote pa predstavljajo največ 75 % stroškov nakupa dveletnega lososa (mladega lososa).
The total amount of the loans granted is GBP 3477130.
Skupni znesek odobrenih posojil je 3477130 GBP.
The loans were made to companies that could demonstrate viability through the production of an acceptable business plan and financial projections for a period covering at least three years.
Posojila so bila dana družbam, ki so lahko dokazale sposobnost za preživetje s predložitvijo sprejemljivega poslovnega načrta in finančnih napovedi za obdobje, ki je zajemalo najmanj tri leta.
The loans were subject to interest at rates generally corresponding to the applicable UK base rate plus 2 %.
Obrestna mera za ta posojila je bila v glavnem veljavna temeljna obrestna mera v Združenem kraljestvu, povečana za 2 %.
In order to secure the loan, it was granted under the condition that the lender took the ‘right of title’ on the smolts, thus securing the loan on the basis of the sale value of the adult fish.
Zaradi zavarovanja je bilo posojilo dodeljeno pod pogojem, da ima posojilojemalec „lastništvo nad“ dveletnimi lososi, tako da je bilo posojilo zavarovano na podlagi prodajne vrednosti odraslih rib.
Loan scheme for fish processing
Shema posojila za predelavo rib
Under the Loan scheme for fish processing, five loans were granted during the period from 1996 to 2002.
V okviru sheme posojil za predelavo rib je bilo v obdobju od leta 1996 do 2002 dodeljenih pet posojil.
The loans varied from GBP 73000 to GBP 200000, with a total of GBP 698300.
Posojila so znašala od 73000 GBP do 200000 GBP, v skupnem znesku 698300 GBP.
The loans were made to companies that during the period of the loan undertook to provide professionally audited accounts, to work to the relevant national and Community standards on hygiene, health and safety, and to be a member of the Shetland Fish Processors' Association.
Posojila so bila dana družbam, ki so se zavezale, da bodo v obdobju posojila zagotavljale strokovno revidirane izkaze, delale po ustreznih nacionalnih standardih in standardih Skupnosti o higieni, zdravju in varnosti ter da bodo članice Shetlandskega združenja predelovalcev rib.
The Commission considered that it could not be established from the information available whether the loans under the schemes were granted under conditions acceptable to normal private lenders on the market.
Komisije je menila, da se iz razpoložljivih informacij ne da ugotoviti, ali so bila posojila v okviru shem dodeljena pod pogoji, ki so sprejemljivi za normalne zasebne posojilodajalce na trgu.
As the loans appeared to have been granted under more favourable circumstances or with more favourable conditions than would be acceptable to a normal private lender, the beneficiaries appeared to have been granted a benefit which they would not have received under normal economic circumstances.
Ker se zdi, da so bila posojila odobrena v ugodnejših okoliščinah ali z ugodnejšimi pogoji, kot bi bili sprejemljivi za normalnega zasebnega posojilodajalca, se zdi, da je bila upravičencem dodeljena ugodnost, ki je ne bi dobili v normalnih gospodarskih razmerah.
As, moreover, the companies concerned were considered to be in direct competition with other companies in the fisheries sector, the loans appeared to be State aid within the meaning of Article 87 of the EC Treaty.
Ker se je poleg tega za zadevne družbe štelo, da neposredno konkurirajo drugim družbam v ribiškem sektorju, se zdi, da so bila posojila državna pomoč v smislu člena 87 Pogodbe ES.
As regards the compatibility of the loans, as State aid, with the Guidelines for the examination of State aid to fisheries and aquaculture applicable at the time the aid was granted, the Commission doubted that the loans could be considered commercial loans and therefore considered them to be State aid.
Glede združljivosti posojil kot državne pomoči s Smernicami za preučitev državne pomoči za ribištvo in ribogojstvo, ki so se uporabljale v času, ko je bila dodeljena pomoč, Komisija dvomi, da bi se posojila lahko štela za komercialna posojila in jih zato šteje za državno pomoč.
As regards the compatibility of the loans with the common market, the Commission moreover doubted that, on the basis of the information available, they could be considered to comply with the conditions of the respective Guidelines for the examination of State aid to fisheries and aquaculture, applicable at the respective times of granting the aid.
Glede združljivosti posojil s skupnim trgom Komisija poleg tega dvomi, da bi se na podlagi razpoložljivih informacij lahko štelo, da izpolnjujejo pogoje zadevnih Smernic za preučitev državne pomoči za ribištvo in ribogojstvo, ki so se uporabljale v času dodelitve pomoči.
In its letters dated 16 October 2006, 4 September 2007 and 27 February 2008, the United Kingdom provided further information on the loans granted under the schemes.
V svojih dopisih z dne 16. oktobra 2006, 4. septembra 2007 in 27. februarja 2008 je Združeno kraljestvo predložilo dodatne informacije o posojilih, dodeljenih v okviru shem.
The United Kingdom stated that the loans had been granted under circumstances acceptable to a normal private lender and that, therefore, the loans did not constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the Treaty.
Združeno kraljestvo je navedlo, da so bila posojila dodeljena v okoliščinah, sprejemljivih za normalnega zasebnega posojilodajalca in zato posojila niso predstavljala državne pomoči v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe.
In this respect, the United Kingdom provided a description of the interest rate policy applied with regard to granting the loans.
S tem v zvezi je Združeno kraljestvo predložilo opis uporabljene politike obrestnih mer v zvezi z dodeljevanjem posojil.
The interest rates had been set by reference to achievement of a return on capital consistent with the EC (UK) base rate and following an assessment of the risk.
Obrestne mere so bile določene s sklicevanjem na doseženo donosnost kapitala v skladu s temeljno mero ES (v Združenem kraljestvu) in po oceni tveganja.
This resulted in an interest rate policy giving indicative interest rates of UK base rate plus 2 % for low-risk loans, UK base rate plus 3 % for medium-risk loans and UK base rate plus 4 % for high-risk loans.
Posledica tega je bila politika obrestnih mer, ki je dala okvirne obrestne mere s temeljno obrestno mero v Združenem kraljestvu, povečano za 2 % za malo tvegana posojila, temeljno obrestno mero v Združenem kraljestvu, povečano za 3 % za srednje tvegana posojila in temeljno obrestno mero v Združenem kraljestvu, povečano za 4 % za visoko tvegana posojila.
The United Kingdom considered this policy to be in line with the market economy investor principle.
Združeno kraljestvo je menilo, da je ta politika v skladu z načelom vlagatelja v tržnem gospodarstvu.
As regards the loans granted to salmon farmers under the Salmon Farming Loan Assistance, 15 loans were granted during the period from September 2000 to January 2003.
Glede posojil, ki so bila dodeljena rejcem lososa v okviru posojila za gojenje lososov, je bilo v obdobju od septembra 2000 do januarja 2003 dodeljenih 15 posojil.
The conditions and interest rates of the loans varied as follows:
Pogoji in obrestne mere za posojila so bili naslednji:
Amount (GBP)
Znesek (GBP)
Loan as % of total project
Posojilo kot % celotnega projekta
Loan term
Čas trajanja posojila
Interest rate in %
Obrestna mera v %
20 months
20 mesecev
21 months
21 mesecev
The United Kingdom stated that majority of these loans had been granted by applying the Bank of England base rate plus 2 %, sometimes plus 3 %.
Združeno kraljestvo je navedlo, da je bila večina teh posojil dodeljena z uporabo temeljne obrestne mere Bank of England, povečane za 2 %, včasih 3 %.
The repayments terms had been designed to reflect the growing cycle of the smolts.
Odplačilni roki so bili določeni tako, da so odražali dobo rasti dveletnih lososov.
Typically the term was approximately 2 years with interest being paid monthly and capital being repaid on expiry of the loan period, which was structured to coincide with the harvest.
Praviloma je bil čas trajanja približno 2 leti, z mesečnim odplačevanjem obresti in poplačilom kapitala ob izteku posojilne dobe, ki je bila sestavljena tako, da je sovpadala z ulovom.
The loan to value ratios ranged from 24 % to 75 %.
Razmerja med posojilom in vrednostjo so se gibala od 24 % do 75 %.
In order to secure the loans, they were granted under the condition that the lender took the ‘right of title’ on the smolts, thus securing the loan on the basis of the sale value of the adult fish.
Zaradi zavarovanja so bila posojila dodeljena pod pogojem, da je imel posojilojemalec „lastništvo nad“ dveletnimi lososi, tako da je bilo posojilo zavarovano na podlagi prodajne vrednosti odraslih rib.
The United Kingdom claimed that, in a normal market, it would be anticipated that the value of the smolts would increase over the on-growing period, and therefore the loan to value ratio would improve over the same period.
Združeno kraljestvo je trdilo, da bi na normalnem trgu pričakovali, da se bo vrednost dveletnih lososov v obdobju rasti povečevala in bi se torej razmerje med posojilom in vrednostjo v istem obdobju izboljševalo.
In addition, security had been held for the loans advanced by way of floating charges, which provided security not only through the value of the fish, but also through all tangible assets held by the company, for example, fish cages, licences, etc.
Poleg tega je bilo dano zavarovanje za posojila povečano s splošnimi bremenitvami sredstev, ki so zagotavljale zavarovanje ne le z vrednostjo rib, temveč tudi z vsemi osnovnimi sredstvi družbe, na primer s kletkami za ribe, licencami itd.
The United Kingdom finally provided details of the undertakings to which the loans were granted, their registered capital, the percentage of lost capital at the time of the investments and in the 12 months before the investments, information showing that none of the undertaking had been subject to insolvency proceedings at the respective times of grant, and the financial projections submitted by the undertakings demonstrating their financial viability at the moment of application, as well as information on the specific securities and ranking arrangements of each loan.
Združeno kraljestvo je nazadnje predložilo podrobne podatke o podjetjih, ki so dobila posojila, njihovem registriranem osnovnem kapitalu, odstotku izgubljenega kapitala v času naložb in v 12 mesecih pred naložbami, informacije, ki so pokazale, da nobeno od podjetij ni bilo v času odobritve v postopku zaradi nesolventnosti in finančne projekcije, ki so jih predložila podjetja, da bi dokazala svojo finančno sposobnost preživetja v času prijave, pa tudi informacije o posebnih zavarovanjih in ureditvah razvrstitve za vsako posojilo.
Concerning the loans granted to fish processors under the Loan scheme for fish processing, the loans were as follows:
Posojila, dodeljena predelovalcem rib v okviru sheme posojil za predelavo rib, so bila naslednja:
Amount of the loan (GBP)
Znesek posojila (GBP)
7 years
7 let
The United Kingdom stated that all the loans, except one, had been granted at interest rates in excess of both the Bank of England base rate and the EC (UK) reference rate; that the loans were typically for equipment and generally for terms of 10 years; the terms were considered to be in line with the terms which would be offered by normal commercial lenders and that, in all cases, the loan value rate was not greater than 40 %.
Združeno kraljestvo je navedlo, da so bila vsa posojila razen enega dodeljena po obrestnih merah, ki so bile višje od temeljne obrestne mere Bank of England in referenčne obrestne mere ES (v Združenem kraljestvu), da so bila posojila praviloma za opremo in na splošno za dobo 10 let, pogoji so se upoštevali v skladu s pogoji, ki bi jih ponudili normalni komercialni posojilodajalci in da vrednost posojila v nobenem primeru ni bila višja od 40 %.
The loans were subject to securities in the form standard securities and floating charges.
Za posojila se je zahtevalo zavarovanje v obliki standardnega zavarovanja in splošnih bremenitev sredstev.
The United Kingdom provided details of the undertakings to which the loans were granted, their registered capital, the percentage of lost capital at the time of the investments and in the 12 months before the investments, information showing that none of the undertaking had been subject to insolvency proceedings at the respective times of grant, and the financial projections submitted by the undertakings demonstrating their financial viability at the moment of application, as well as information on the specific securities and ranking arrangements of each loan.
Združeno kraljestvo je predložilo podrobne podatke o podjetjih, ki so dobila posojila, njihovem registriranem osnovnem kapitalu, odstotku izgubljenega kapitala v času naložb in v 12 mesecih pred naložbami, informacije, ki so pokazale, da nobeno od podjetij ni bilo v času odobritve v postopku zaradi nesolventnosti in finančne projekcije, ki so jih predložila podjetja, da bi dokazala svojo finančno sposobnost preživetja v času prijave, pa tudi informacije o posebnih zavarovanjih in ureditvah razvrstitve za vsako posojilo.
Finally, as regards the loan granted to D Watt (Shetland) Ltd in 1998, the United Kingdom stated that although the original interest rate for this loan was 8 %, it had been reduced to 5 % trough an interest reduction grant of GBP 20000 paid directly to the lender by the Shetland Islands Council.
Nazadnje je v zvezi s posojilom, dodeljenim leta 1998 družbi D Watt (Shetland) Ltd, Združeno kraljestvo navedlo, da je bila obrestna mera za to posojilo, ki je bila prvotno 8 %, znižana na 5 % z nepovratnimi sredstvi za znižanje obresti v višini 20000 GBP, plačanimi neposredno posojilodajalcu Svetu Shetlandskih otokov.
The United Kingdom noted that the grant element could have been paid directly to the borrower, as the borrower was eligible for grant assistance.
Združeno kraljestvo je pripomnilo, da bi se lahko del nepovratnih sredstev plačal neposredno posojilojemalcu, ker je bil posojilojemalec upravičen do dodelitve pomoči.
However, to make matters easier to administer, the grant had been paid to the lender and the loan interest reduced.
A da bi bilo stvari lažje upravljati, je bila pomoč plačana posojilodajalcu, obresti pa so bile znižane.
Compatibility and recovery
Združljivost in vračilo
The United Kingdom submitted that, if the Commission were to consider the loans not to be commercial, they were compatible with the relevant State aid rules.
Združeno kraljestvo je upoštevalo, da bi bila posojila, če jih Komisija ne bi štela za komercialna, združljiva z ustreznimi pravili o državni pomoči.
Finally, the United Kingdom indicated that if the Commission adopted a negative decision, recovery of aid granted prior to 3 June 2003 should not be required as that would be contrary to the principle of the protection of legitimate expectations.
Končno, Združeno kraljestvo je navedlo, da se v primeru negativne odločbe Komisije ne sme zahtevati vračila pomoči, dodeljene pred 3. junijem 2003, ker bi bilo to v nasprotju z načelom varovanja pravno utemeljenih pričakovanj.
In this respect, the United Kingdom made reference to Commission Decision 2003/612/EC of 3 June 2003 on loans for the purchase of fishing quotas in the Shetland Islands (United Kingdom) [5] as well as to Commission Decision 2006/226/EC of 7 December 2005 on investments of Shetland Leasing and Property Developments in the Shetland Islands (United Kingdom) [6], stating that until 3 June 2003 the Shetland Islands Council legitimately considered the funds used to be private rather than public.
V zvezi s tem se je Združeno kraljestvo sklicevalo na Odločbo Komisije 2003/612/ES z dne 3. junija 2003 o posojilih za nakup ribolovnih kvot na Shetlandskih otokih (Združeno kraljestvo) [5], pa tudi na Odločbo Komisije 2006/226/ES z dne 7. decembra 2005 o naložbah Shetland Leasing and Property Developments na Shetlandskih otokih (Združeno kraljestvo) [6] ter navedlo, da je do 3. junija 2003 Svet Shetlandskih otokov sredstva za takšno pomoč pravno utemeljeno obravnaval kot zasebna in ne javna.
It must be determined first if the measure can be regarded as State aid and if this is the case, whether the aid is compatible with the common market.
Najprej je treba opredeliti, ali se ukrep lahko šteje za državno pomoč in, če je tako, ali je ta pomoč združljiva s skupnim trgom.
According to Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty, ‘save as otherwise provided in this 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 shall, insofar as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the common market’.
V skladu s členom 87(1) Pogodbe ES, „razen če ta pogodba ne določa drugače, 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,, nezdružljiva s skupnim trgom, kolikor škodi trgovini med državami članicami“.
According to established case-law [7] the granting of a loan by the State or by State-controlled entities to a firm may favour that firm within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty if the borrower is granted terms that are more favourable than those that it would have obtained in the capital market.
V skladu z uveljavljeno sodno prakso [7] lahko država ali subjekti pod nadzorom države dajejo pri dodeljevanju posojila nekemu podjetju prednost v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES, če posojilojemalec dobi pogoje, ki so ugodnejši od tistih, ki bi jih dobil na kapitalskem trgu.
An appropriate way of establishing whether a loan is State aid is to apply the criterion of determining to what extent the undertaking would have been able to obtain the sums in question on the private capital markets under similar conditions.
Ustrezen način ugotavljanja, ali je posojilo državna pomoč, je uporaba merila za določanje, v kakšnem obsegu bi bilo podjetje sposobno dobiti zadevne zneske na trgih zasebnega kapitala v podobnih razmerah.
Relevant factors for assessing the loan in comparison with private capital markets are in particular the duration and amount of the loan, the risk of default by the borrower, the interest rate, the nature of the security given and the ranking arrangement.
Pomembni dejavniki za ocenjevanje posojila v primerjavi s trgi zasebnega kapitala so zlasti trajanje in znesek posojila, tveganje neplačila posojilojemalca, obrestna mera, narava danega zavarovanja in ureditev razvrstitve.
As regards the interest rate of such loans, the market rate to be used as a reference point for comparison is the reference rate established by the Commission in accordance with the Commission notice on the method for setting the reference and discount rates [8].
Za obrestne mere takih posojil je tržna obrestna mera, ki naj se uporablja kot referenčna točka za primerjavo, referenčna obrestna mera, ki jo določi Komisija v skladu s sporočilom Komisije o metodi določanja referenčnih obrestnih mer in diskontnih stopenj [8].
The reference rate thus determined is a floor rate which may be increased in situations involving a particular risk (for example, where an undertaking is in difficulty or where the security normally required by banks is not provided).
Tako določena referenčna obrestna mera je najnižja obrestna mera, ki se jo lahko poveča v razmerah, ki vključujejo posebno tveganje (na primer, kadar je podjetje v težavah ali kadar ni zagotovljeno zavarovanje, ki ga normalno zahtevajo banke).