natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Essent, which is the second largest cable operator in the Netherlands and which also operates a cable network in Appingedam, had also lodged an appeal in a Dutch court in September 2004.
Essent, drugi največji kabelski operater na Nizozemskem, ki upravlja kabelsko omrežje v Appingedamu, je septembra 2004 vložil pritožbo na nizozemsko sodišče.
The court ordered the municipality on the basis of Article 88(3) EC Treaty to notify the plans to build the network in Appingedam and to grant aid to the Commission and to suspend the further roll-out of the network.
Sodišče je v skladu členom 88(3) Pogodbe ES občini Appingedam naložilo, da Komisijo uradno obvesti o načrtovani pomoči, da s Komisijo sodeluje in da začasno ustavi razvoj omrežja.
By letter registered on 3 February 2005, the Dutch authorities notified the measure to the Commission ‘for reasons of legal certainty’, asserting that the measure did not constitute aid.
V dopisu, evidentiranem 3. februarja 2005, so nizozemski organi „zaradi pravne varnosti“ uradno obvestili Komisijo o tem ukrepu in pri tem navedli, da ta ukrep ni državna pomoč.
On 31 March 2005, the Commission requested further information from the Dutch authorities.
maja 2005 je Komisija zaprosila nizozemske organe, naj ji posredujejo dodatne informacije.
The authorities, after an extension of the deadline, replied by letter of 4 August 2005, registered on 16 August 2005.
Nizozemski organi so v podaljšanem roku odgovorili z dopisom z dne 4. avgusta 2005, ki je bil evidentiran 16. avgusta 2005.
By letter dated 20 October 2005, the Commission informed the Dutch authorities that it had decided to initiate the formal investigation procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty with respect to the measure at hand (‘decision to initiate the procedure’).
V dopisu z dne 20. oktobra 2005 je Komisija sporočila nizozemskim organom, da bo sprožila postopek v skladu s členom 88(2) Pogodbe ES glede tega ukrepa („odločitev Komisije o sprožitvi formalnega postopka preiskave“).
The decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union of 16 December 2005.
Odločitev Komisije je bila objavljena v Uradnem listu Evropske unije16. decembra 2005.
The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments on the measure.
V njej je Komisija je pozvala vse zainteresirane stranke, da predložijo svoje pripombe o ukrepu.
The Dutch authorities responded by letter of 3 January 2006 to the request for comments in the decision to initiate the procedure.
V dopisu z dne 3. januarja 2006 so nizozemski organi odgovorili na poziv k predložitvi pripomb, zapisan v odločitvi Komisije o sprožitvi formalnega postopka preiskave.
The Commission further received comments from the following interested parties:
Poleg tega je Komisija prejela pripombe naslednjih zainteresiranih strank:
Essent Kabelcom B.V., received by letter dated 13 January 2006;
Essent Kabelcom B.V., v dopisu z dne 13. januarja 2006;
VECAI, received by letter dated 13 January 2006;
VECAI, v dopisu z dne 13. januarja 2006;
An industry association which requested not to reveal its identity, received by letter dated 16 February 2006;
panožno združenje, ki je želelo ostati anonimno, v dopisu z dne 16. februarja 2006.
The comments from the interested parties were sent to the Dutch authorities on 3 May 2006.
Komisija je 3. maja 2006 posredovala pripombe nizozemskim organom.
The authorities informed the Commission on 7 June 2006 that they did not have any comments with regard to the observations received.
Ti so Komisiji 7. junija 2006 sporočili, da nimajo dodatnih pripomb na prejete pripombe.
The municipality of Appingedam considers that public intervention is needed to address the non-pervasive supply of advanced broadband services to companies and citizens by supporting the deployment of a glass fibre access network ( ‘Fibre To The Home’, ‘FTTH’) in Appingedam.
Mestna občina Appingedam ocenjuje, da je javno posredovanje nujno za zagotavljanje splošne dostopnosti zmogljivejših širokopasovnih storitev podjetjem in posameznikom in zato namerava podpreti izgradnjo omrežja FTTH v Appingedamu.
According to the municipality, Essent and telecommunications operator KPN provide broadband access in Appingedam, but they do not provide ‘advanced broadband services’.
Po podatkih mestne občine, Essent in telekomunikacijski operater KPN ponujata internetni dostop v Appingedamu, vendar ne nudita zmogljivejšega širokopasovnega dostopa.
The municipality decided to participate financially in the project after private investors and operators had shown no interest to take part in the project on market terms.
Mestna občina je sklenila, da bo finančno podprla projekt, ker operaterji na trgu ne kažejo interesa za sodelovanje pod tržnimi pogoji.
The envisaged measure
Predvideni ukrep
The passive layer of the planned glass fibre network (rights of way, ducts, fibres, etc.) would be owned by a public foundation (‘Stichting Glasvezelnet Appingedam’, hereafter: ‘the foundation’) set up and controlled by the municipality.
Pasivna plast omrežja optičnih vlaken (pravice poti, vodi, optična vlakna itd.) bi bili last javne ustanove („Stichting Glasvezelnet Appingedam“, v nadaljevanju „ustanova“), ki jo je ustanovila in jo nadzira mestna občina.
The investment in the passive layer is estimated at € 4,9 million. The municipality of Appingedam will provide either a loan or a guarantee for a loan for that amount.
Naložba v pasivno plast je ocenjena na 4,9 milijona EUR. Mestna občina Appingedam bi dodelila posojilo ali jamstvo za posojilo do višine tega zneska.
Initially, it was not foreseen that the construction of the passive layer would be tendered out.
Sprva ni bilo predvideno, da bi za razvoj pasivne plasti omrežja objavili postopek za javna naročila.
However, the municipality decided, as stated in the letter of the Dutch authorities of 4 August 2005, that the construction of the passive layer would be subject to a public procurement procedure.
Kot je razvidno iz dopisa nizozemskih organov z dne 4. avgusta 2005, se je mestna občina vseeno odločila za postopek za javna naročila.
On the basis of the passive layer, an active network would be operated which provides wholesale services to service providers who would offer broadband services to end users (households and businesses).
Aktivna plast bi obratovala na podlagi pasivne plasti. Njen operater bi veleprodajne storitve ponujal izvajalcem storitev, ti pa bi zagotavljali širokopasovne storitve za končne uporabnike (gospodinjstva in podjetja).
The costs of the active layer (telecommunications equipment, network management, etc.) are estimated at € 1 to 1,3 million. The active components have, according to the Dutch authorities, an estimated lifecycle of 5 to 8 years.
Strošek aktivne plasti (telekomunikacijske naprave, vodenje omrežja itd.) je ocenjen med 1 in 1,3 milijona EUR. Ekonomska življenjska doba aktivnih komponent je ocenjena na 5 do 8 let.
The authorities initially stated that the active layer would be owned and financed by an entity (‘Stichting Damsternet’) set up by private investors.
Nizozemski organi so sprva izjavili, da bi aktivno plast financiral in jo imel v lasti subjekt „Stichting Damsternet“, ki bi ga ustanovili določeni zasebni vlagatelji.
Not all potential private investors were known at the initial stage of the project.
Sprva vse zainteresirane stranke niso bile znane.
According to the authorities, […], […] and […] had initially shown an interest.
Po podatkih organov so zanimanje izrazili […], […] in […].
However, in their letter of 4 August 2005, the authorities stated that the municipality would in fact tender out the concession for the active layer, including the operation of the network, to an operator (hereafter ‘the operator’).
V dopisu z dne 4. avgusta 2005 so nizozemski organi tudi izjavili, da bi mestna občina pravico do uporabe aktivne plasti omrežja, to je do upravljanja omrežja, dejansko dodelila enemu izvajalcu, v nadaljevanju „operater“.
According to the information available to the Commission, it is not envisaged that other providers of electronic communications services than the operator would have direct access to the passive layer.
Glede na informacije, ki jih ima Komisija, ni predvideno, da bi poleg operaterja imeli neposredni dostop do pasivne plasti tudi drugi ponudniki elektronskih komunikacijskih storitev.
It is unclear under which financial terms the concession would be granted.
Na tej stopnji ni mogoče vedeti, pod kakšnimi finančnimi pogoji bi bila dodeljena pravica uporabe.
The draft concession agreement submitted to the Commission lays down that the concession holder would pay a concession fee to the foundation on an annual basis.
Osnutek pogodbe o uporabi določa, da bo nosilec pravice uporabe ustanovi enkrat letno plačal koncesnino.
The foundation would claim ‘a payment which equals a maximum of 80 % of the generated annual cash flow’.
Tako bo ustanova „zahtevala največ 80 % finančnih tokov v zadevnem poslovnem letu“.
In case of a negative cash flow, the foundation would not claim the payment of the fee.
Če bodo finančni tokovi negativni, ustanova ne bo zahtevala plačila koncesnine.
In that case it would only claim a minimal payment as laid down in an annex to the concession agreement.
V tem primeru bo zahtevala minimalno plačilo, kot je določeno v prilogi k pogodbi o uporabi.
The annex to the concession agreement submitted to the Commission does however not set out the amount or conditions of the foreseen payments.
Vendar pa v prilogi predvideni znesek plačila še ni določen.
Product or service markets concerned
Zadevni trgi izdelkov ali storitev
In case the FTTH network in Appingedam would be built, providers of electronic communications services would use the wholesale access provision to offer retail broadband services to end users.
Če bo v Appingedamu širokopasovno omrežje, bodo imeli ponudniki elektronskih komunikacijskih storitev dostop do omrežja kot grosisti, končnim uporabnikom pa bodo širokopasovne storitve ponujali na drobno.
Therefore, both the wholesale as well as the retail markets in Appingedam are affected by the introduction of the planned FTTH network financed by the municipality.
Zato bo vzpostavitev predvidenega širokopasovnega omrežja, ki ga mora financirati mestna občina, vplivala na maloprodajni in veleprodajni trg v Appingedamu.
As regards the retail market for broadband services in Appingedam, both KPN and Essent offer broadband services to end users: Essent currently offers up to 5Mbit/s and KPN currently up to 6 Mbit/s.
Na maloprodajnem trgu s širokopasovnimi storitvami v Appingedamu ta proizvod končnim uporabnikom ponujata KPN in Essent: podjetje Essent sedaj ponuja največjo hitrost prenosa do 5 Mbit/s, KPN pa do 6 Mbits.
Both Essent and KPN offer ‘triple play’ services (telephony, internet, digital/analogue TV).
Essent in KPN ponujata trojni paket storitev (telefonija, internet in analogna/digitalna televizija).
Other Internet Service Providers are also in the position to offer broadband services based on the wholesale offers of KPN.
Tudi drugi ponudniki internetnih storitev lahko ponudijo širokopasovne storitve preko grosističnega dostopa podjetja KPN.
According to information available to the Commission, Essent will offer 8 Mbit/s and for its high end product even 15 Mbit/s in the course of 2006.
Glede na informacije, ki jih ima Komisija, bo Essent v letu 2006 ponudil hitrost prenosa do 8 Mbit/s in celo do 15 Mbit/s za najbolj zmogljiv proizvod.
Moreover, both KPN and Essent have the technical possibilities to further increase, on the basis of their existing networks, the bandwidth capacity of their service offerings.
Poleg tega imata KPN in Essent v okviru obstoječih omrežij notranje tehnične možnosti za nadaljnje povečanje pasovne širine svojih storitev.
As regards the wholesale markets, the intervention by the municipality of Appingedam is aimed at the provision, through the operator, of a wholesale glass fibre access network and wholesale high-bandwidth broadband services over fibre.
Na veleprodajnem trgu je posredovanje mestne občine Appingedam preko operaterja usmerjeno v zagotavljanje dostopa do omrežja optičnih vlaken in do veleprodajnih širokopasovnih storitev s širokopasovnimi optičnimi povezavami.
As regards the wholesale markets identified in the Commission Recommendation on relevant markets, two specific markets seem to be — directly or indirectly — concerned by the proposed measure.
V zvezi z veleprodajnimi trgi, opredeljenimi v priporočilu Komisije o upoštevnih trgih, se zdi, da v tem primeru predlagani ukrep posredno ali neposredno zadeva dva posebna trga.
These appear to be, the market for wholesale unbundled access to local loops (market 11 of the Recommendation) and the market for wholesale broadband access (market 12 of the Recommendation).
To sta trg za veleprodajo razvezanega dostopa do krajevne zanke (11. trg iz Priporočila) in veleprodajni trg širokopasovnega dostopa (12. trg iz Priporočila).
In Appingedam, KPN offers wholesale access to infrastructure and services necessary for the provision of broadband services.
V Appingedamu podjetje KPN ponuja grosistični dostop do infrastrukture in storitev, potrebnih za zagotavljanje širokopasovnih storitev.
Reasons for initiating the formal investigation procedure
Razlogi za sprožitev formalnega postopka preiskave
In its opening decision, the Commission expressed reservations with regard to the compatibility of the measure with the Common market on the basis of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty.
V odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka preiskave je Komisija podvomila, da je ukrep združljiv s skupnim trgom v skladu s členom 87(3)(c) Pogodbe ES.
Relating to the necessity of the measure, the opening decision questioned whether the situation in Appingedam could actually be described as featuring elements of ‘market failure’.
Glede potrebe po ukrepu je Komisija v odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka izrazila dvom, da dejansko obstajajo elementi, ki dokazujejo „tržno nepopolnost“.
It was stated in the opening decision that broadband access was in fact available in Appingedam, although the broadband services currently provided are not entirely comparable with the services which could be offered over the planned network.
V odločitvi je Komisija ugotovila, da je bilo v Appingedamu širokopasovno omrežje že dostopno, čeprav storitve niso bile povsem primerljive s storitvami načrtovanega omrežja.
Consequently, it was considered that there is an important overlap of network coverage and services offered between existing networks and the envisaged measure.
Prav tako je menila, da obstaja pomembno prekrivanje pokritosti omrežja in zagotavljanja storitev med obstoječimi omrežji in predvidenim ukrepom.
The Commission also stated that it was difficult to envisage applications or services for citizens and businesses which could not be deployed using broadband services delivered over the existing networks.
Komisija je poleg tega poudarila, da si je težko zamisliti aplikacije ali storitve za državljane in podjetja, ki ne bi mogle delovati s pomočjo širokopasovnih storitev v okviru sedanjih omrežij.
It was considered that the degree of substitutability between retail and wholesale services delivered over the envisaged FTTH network on the one hand and services delivered over the existing networks on the other hand were high.
Stopnja zamenljivosti med veleprodajnimi in maloprodajnimi storitvami, ki bi jih zagotavljalo predvideno omrežje FTTH na eni strani ter storitvami obstoječih omrežij na drugi strani je bila visoka.
Hence, the potential distortion of competition by the measure was expected to remain very high for the foreseeable future.
Zato bi lahko ukrep v bližnji prihodnosti resno izkrivljal konkurenco.
The measure foreseen by the authorities would entail a serious risk that State intervention would crowd out existing and future investments by market players.
Ukrepi, ki jih predvidevajo nizozemski organi, pomenijo resno tveganje, da bi posredovanje organov oblasti izrinilo sedanje in prihodnje naložbe udeležencev na trgu.
Accordingly, it was expressed in the opening decision that it would under these circumstances also be questionable whether the foreseen measure and the use of the aid instrument as such were proportionate.
Zato glede na odločitev o sprožitvi postopka preiskave v teh okoliščinah ni gotovo, da sta predvideni ukrep in izvajanje pomoči v ožjem pomenu sorazmerna z zastavljenim ciljem.
OBSERVATIONS RECEIVED BY THE COMMISSION
PRIPOMBE, KI JIH JE PREJELA KOMISIJA
Observations by third parties
Pripombe zainteresiranih strank
The Commission has received comments from three interested parties: Essent, Vecai and one industry association requesting anonymity.
Komisija je prejela pripombe treh zainteresiranih strank: podjetja Essent, organizacije VECAI in panožne organizacije, ki želi ostati anonimna.
Cable operator Essent states, referring to a report published by the CPB, that there is no market failure present in Appingedam.
Kabelski operater Essent s sklicevanjem na poročilo CPB navaja, da v Appingedamu ni tržne nepopolnosti.
According to Essent, the Minister of Economic Affairs supported the conclusion of the CPB in a letter to the Dutch parliament of 5 December 2005, which was submitted to the Commission.
Essent navaja, da se minister za gospodarske zadeve v dopisu nizozemskemu parlamentu z dne 5. decembra 2005, ki ga je prejela tudi Komisija, strinja z zaključki CPB.
Essent also states that Appingedam cannot be considered a peripheral area with socio-economic arrears.
Essent poleg tega trdi, da Appingedam ne more veljati za obrobno regijo, ki je socialno-ekonomsko zaostala.
The services the municipality wants to offer for education, healthcare and elderly care can in fact be offered through the existing networks.
Storitve, ki jih želi mestna občina ponuditi na področju izobraževanja, zdravstva in oskrbe starejših, se bodo lahko izvajale tudi preko obstoječih omrežij.
Essent states that it supports the Commission's conclusion that it is not clear what applications or services could be offered on the FTTH network that cannot be offered through the existing networks.
Essent se strinja z zaključkom Komisije, da si je težko zamisliti aplikacije ali storitve, ki bi jih lahko zagotavljal samo FTTH, ne pa tudi sedanja omrežja.
Moreover, the prices of broadband access in Appingedam are, according to Essent, not higher than elsewhere in the Netherlands.
Poleg tega Essent ocenjuje, da cene dostopa do širokopasovnega omrežja v Appingedamu niso višje od cen v drugih mestih na Nizozemskem.
VECAI, the trade association of cable companies in the Netherlands, considers the proposed state aid measure to be incompatible with Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty.
Panožna organizacija kabelskih operaterjev VECAI ocenjuje, da predvidena pomoč ni združljiva s členom 87(3)(c) Pogodbe ES.
Government funding in this sector would, according to VECAI, directly distort competition in a highly competitive market.
Državna pomoč v tem sektorju bi povzročila neposredno izkrivljanje konkurence na trgu, kjer je konkurenca zelo močna.
There is, according to VECAI, no market failure present in the market for broadband services in the Netherlands.
Po mnenju organizacije VECAI trenutno ni tržne nepopolnosti na nizozemskem trgu širokopasovnih storitev.
To substantiate its statement, VECAI also refers to the report of the CPB and the letter of the Minister of Economic Affairs also mentioned by Essent.
VECAI, tako kot Essent, to utemeljitev podpira s poročilom CPB in z dopisom ministra za gospodarske zadeve.
The currently available infrastructures are capable of supporting highly advanced broadband services.
Sedanja infrastruktura je primerna za opravljanje zelo zmogljivih širokopasovnih storitev.
The proposed investments would, according to VECAI, duplicate rather than complement existing infrastructures.
VECAI meni, da bi predvidene naložbe povzročile podvajanje, ne pa dopolnjevanje obstoječe infrastrukture.
VECAI also states that Appingedam cannot be considered as a peripheral area.
VECAI poleg tega ocenjuje, da Appingedam ne more veljati za obrobno regijo.
Moreover, according to VECAI, the fact that the municipality is active both as an infrastructure owner and a public authority (granting permits, rights of way, etc.), may, under some circumstances, lead to a conflict of interest.
VECAI trdi, da funkcija mestne občine kot lastnika infrastrukture in obenem „organa oblasti“ (dodeljevanje dovoljenj, pravice poti itd.) lahko v določenih okoliščinah pripelje do navzkrižja interesov. V primeru podpore pobudam za širokopasovno omrežje obstaja tveganje, da pride do konflikta med javnimi in zasebnimi dejavnostmi.
The industry association requesting confidentiality submitted that the Commission should encourage the deployment of open passive access infrastructures.
Panožna organizacija, ki je želela ostati anonimna, meni, da mora Komisija podpreti razvoj odprte pasivne dostopne infrastrukture.
The de-coupling of services and infrastructure can, according to the association, lower barriers for entry and increase competition as well as stimulate innovation.
Po mnenju organizacije lahko ločitev storitev in infrastrukture zmanjša ovire pri vstopu na trg, poveča konkurenco ter spodbuja inovacije.
The association is of the opinion that the aim of competition rules should be to enhance overall welfare and not to protect existing market players.
Organizacija meni, da mora biti namen pravil o konkurenci izboljšati splošno blaginjo, ne pa ščititi obstoječe udeležence na trgu.
The association states that there is no need for state intervention if the owners of the existing infrastructures agree to make their infrastructure available to all other providers of electronic communications services and provide access on a fair and cost-oriented basis.
Panožna organizacija ugotavlja, da državna pomoč ne bi bila potrebna, če bi se lastniki obstoječe infrastrukture dogovorili, da se omogoči dostop do infrastrukture vsem drugim ponudnikom elektronskih komunikacijskih storitev na pošten in stroškovno naravnan način.
However, if this is not the case, there is in fact a market failure present and public authorities should be allowed to intervene.
Vendar pa lahko v nasprotnem primeru dejansko govorimo o tržni nepopolnosti in organi oblasti morajo imeti možnost posredovanja.
Observations by the Dutch authorities
Pripombe nizozemskih organov
In response to the request for comments in the decision to initiate the procedure, the authorities did not refute any of the arguments brought forward by the Commission in the opening of the procedure.
V odgovoru na poziv, zapisan v odločitvi o sprožitvi preiskave, naj predložijo pripombe, niso nizozemski organi ovrgli nobene utemeljitve, ki jih je Komisija navedla v odločitvi.
The Dutch authorities submitted a number of documents (e.g. research reports) that would explain the reasoning behind the measure and the possible usage of the network.
Predložili so več dokumentov (poročila o preiskavah), ki naj bi pojasnili razloge za ta ukrep ter možnosti uporabe omrežja.
The emphasis in the reports is on the possible applications of the planned network.
Poročila poudarjajo morebitne aplikacije načrtovanega omrežja.
The Dutch authorities argue that the choice for a glass fibre network was made based on the fact that the infrastructure currently available does not support the desired bandwidth capacity and service quality.
Nizozemski organi poudarjajo, da so se odločili za omrežje optičnih vlaken, ker sedanja infrastruktura ne zagotavlja zadostnih širokopasovnih zmogljivosti in ne more zagotavljati zahtevane kakovosti storitev.
The planned infrastructure would enable fast internet connectivity, video-conferencing, video-on-demand, interactive gaming/TV and IP-VPN services.
Predvidena infrastruktura bi omogočila hitro internetno povezljivost, video konference, video na zahtevo, spletne računalniške igre in interaktivno televizijo ter storitev IP-VPN.