natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
In the case of guarantees covering foreign risks (i.e. guarantee for the foreign buyer), the buyers are assigned to risk categories on the basis of their countries.
V primeru jamstev, ki pokrivajo tuja tveganja (npr. jamstvo za tujega kupca), se kupci razdelijo v kategorije tveganja glede na svojo matično državo.
As for the guarantee fee, the Hungarian authorities specified that it would be in the range of 0,5 %-2,0 % annually.
Glede provizije za jamstvo so madžarski organi opredelili, da ta znaša od 0,5 % do 2,0 % na leto.
In addition to the above, a one-off management fee of 0,1 % of the guaranteed amount is also payable.
Poleg zgoraj navedenega je potrebno tudi enkratno plačilo provizije za upravljanje v višini 0,1 % zajamčenega zneska.
The Hungarian authorities claim that revenues from the fees will cover the operating costs of the scheme and the guarantee claims.
Madžarski organi trdijo, da bodo dohodki iz provizij pokrili operativne stroške sheme pomoči in zahtevke po jamstvu.
The fees are subject to quarterly review.
Nadzor provizij se izvede štirikrat na leto.
The Hungarian authorities have also indicated that guarantee cover for the type of risks in question is not available on the Hungarian market.
Madžarski organi so navedli tudi, da jamstva za zadevni tip tveganj na madžarskem trgu ni.
In order to substantiate this, Hungary submitted declarations by two Hungarian commercial banks having an international background stating that guarantee provision to finance export activities of SMEs with limited export turnover does not distort the market activity of commercial banks and enhances their willingness to take risks.
Da bi Madžarska to utemeljila, je predložila izjavi dveh madžarskih poslovnih bank z mednarodnim ozadjem, ki sta izjavili, da zagotavljanje jamstva za financiranje izvoznih dejavnosti MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom ne izkrivlja tržnega delovanja poslovnih bank in krepi njihovo pripravljenost za tveganja.
Moreover, Hungary also submitted declarations by two large international export-credit insurers and one national credit insurer confirming the market gap and stating that they are not active in this segment of the market.
Poleg tega je Madžarska predložila tudi izjavi dveh velikih mednarodnih zavarovateljev izvoznih kreditov in enega domačega zavarovatelja kreditov, ki so potrdili, da obstaja vrzel na trgu in da niso dejavni na tem tržnem segmentu.
Implementing body
Izvajalec
The guarantee is issued by the Hungarian Export-Import Bank (hereinafter referred to as Eximbank), a fully state-owned export-credit agency.
Jamstvo izda madžarska banka Export-Import Bank (v nadaljnjem besedilu „Eximbank“), ki je izvoznokreditna agencija v popolni državni lasti.
Eximbank benefits from state support in the form of a guarantee covering any liability resulting from the implementation of the measure.
Eximbank ima korist od državne podpore v obliki jamstva, ki pokriva vse obveznosti, povezane z izvajanjem ukrepa.
The measure is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Act XLII of 1994 on the Hungarian Export-Import Bank Corporation and the Hungarian Export Credit Insurance Corporation as well as on Articles 1(2) and 11/A(13) of Government Decree 85/1998 (V.6.).
Ukrep temelji na členu 6(1)(b) zakona XLII iz leta 1994 o madžarski izvoznokreditni agenciji Export-Import Bank Corporation in madžarski zavarovalni družbi Export Credit Insurance Corporation ter na členu 1(2) in členu 11/A(13) uredbe vlade 85/1998 (V.6.).
The total amount of guarantee cover to be given by Eximbank over the two-year period of the measure is HUF 15 billion (EUR 60 million).
Celotni znesek jamstva, ki ga zagotavlja Eximbank v dveh letih trajanja ukrepa, je 15 milijard HUF (60 milijonov EUR).
The duration of the measure is limited to two years after its approval by the Commission.
Trajanje ukrepa je omejeno na dve leti po odobritvi Komisije.
Grounds for initiating the formal investigation procedure
Razlogi za sprožitev formalnega postopka preiskave
In the decision initiating proceedings the Commission considered that the measure raised doubts since the export guarantee to be given by Eximbank and the export-credit insurance covered by the Communication appeared to differ in a number of respects, in particular:
V odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka je Komisija menila, da ukrep vzbuja pomisleke, ker se zdi, da se jamstvo za izvozne kredite, ki naj bi ga dala Eximbank, in zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov, zajeto v Sporočilu, razlikujeta v več vidikih, še zlasti ker:
they cover different types of risk.
krijeta različne vrste tveganj.
While export-credit insurance always covers risks associated with the buyer (i.e. the risk that the buyer might not pay the supplier), the guarantee to be given by Eximbank to an exporting SME with limited export turnover covers the risks of non-repayment of a loan by the exporter itself, which is in fact a support for export activities of SMEs with limited export turnover not exclusively linked to the risks of the buyer.
Medtem ko zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov vedno krije tveganja, povezana s kupcem (npr. tveganje, da kupec dobavitelja ne bo plačal), pa jamstvo, ki naj bi ga dala Eximbank izvoznemu MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom, krije tveganja nevračila posojila s strani samega izvoznika, kar pomeni dejansko pomoč za izvozne dejavnosti MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom, ki ni izključno povezana s tveganji kupca.
The Eximbank guarantee can also be provided for the buyer (including large companies), covering risks associated with the buyer.
Jamstvo banke Eximbank se lahko da tudi kupcu (vključno z velikimi podjetji) in krije tveganja, povezana s kupcem.
However, these risks involve the non-repayment of a commercial loan by the buyer, whereas export-credit insurance covers risks of non-payment for the purchased goods and services by the foreign buyer.
Vendar ta tveganja vključujejo nevračilo komercialnega posojila s strani kupca, medtem ko zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov krije tveganja neplačila za kupljeno blago in opravljene storitve s strani tujega kupca.
It follows that the guarantee given to the foreign buyer enhances its ability to take out loans on more favourable terms, whereas export-credit insurance has no such effect;
Iz tega sledi, da jamstvo, ki je dano tujemu kupcu, neposredno koristi njegovi zmožnosti, da najame posojila po ugodnejših pogojih, zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov pa nima tega učinka;
in Hungary the legal bases of the two activities concerned are well defined and different: a guarantee is a financial service which can be provided solely by financial institutions whereas insurance activity can only be performed by an insurer falling under the scope of the Insurance Act.
na Madžarskem ti dve dejavnosti temeljita na dobro opredeljenih in različnih pravnih podlagah: jamstvo je finančna storitev, ki jo lahko zagotovijo izključno finančne institucije, medtem ko lahko zavarovalne dejavnosti opravlja le zavarovatelj, ki sodi v področje uporabe Zakona o zavarovanju.
This fact might explain the declarations submitted by the export-credit insurers stating that they do not operate in the segment of export-credit guarantees (in fact, they cannot do so under the law).
S tem dejstvom se lahko pojasnijo izjave zavarovateljev izvoznih kreditov, da niso dejavni na področju jamstev za izvozne kredite (dejansko je zakonsko določeno, da ne smejo biti).
The declarations made by two Hungarian banks are also ambiguous since the guarantee by Eximbank would decrease the risks they would have to bear without it and thus they seem to benefit from such a measure.
Izjavi madžarskih bank sta tudi dvoumni, saj bi jamstvo banke Eximbank zmanjšalo tveganje, ki bi ga morali vzeti v zakup brez tega jamstva, in zato se zdi, da bi imeli korist od takega ukrepa.
In so far as the Communication is not applicable, the measure might rank as State aid directly linked to export (within as well as outside the Community), which is incompatible with the common market.
Če se Sporočilo ne uporablja, bi ukrep lahko pomenil državno pomoč, ki je neposredno povezana z izvozom (znotraj Skupnosti in zunaj nje), kar je nezdružljivo s skupnim trgom.
The Commission has always strictly condemned export aid in intra-Community trade, and support for export outside the Community can also affect competition within the Community.
Komisija je vedno strogo obsojala izvozno pomoč v trgovini znotraj Skupnosti, pomoč za izvoz iz Skupnosti pa tudi lahko vpliva na konkurenčnost znotraj Skupnosti.
Finally, even if export-credit insurance and the Eximbank guarantee were equivalent and the Communication was applicable, some concerns would remain.
Nazadnje, nekateri pomisleki bi ostali tudi, če bi bilo zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov enakovredno jamstvu banke Eximbank in če bi se Sporočilo uporabljalo.
Since the Commission’s approval on 22 January 2007 of the measure N 488/06 — ‘Export credit insurance for SMEs with limited export turnover’ for a period of two years, MEHIB (the other Hungarian state-owned export-credit agency) has already been providing short-term export-credit insurance for the risks incurred by SMEs with limited export turnover, so that such cover is already available on the market.
Odkar je Komisija 22. januarja 2007 odobrila ukrep N 488/06 – „Zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov za MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom“ za dve leti, MEHIB (druga madžarska izvoznokreditna agencija v državni lasti) že zagotavlja kratkoročna zavarovanja izvoznih kreditov za tveganja, ki so jim izpostavljena MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom, tako da tako kritje na trgu že obstaja.
Moreover, allowing two state-supported export-credit agencies to provide services and establish their client base in this segment might defer the entry of potential market players.
Poleg tega pa bi dovoljenje dvema državno podprtima izvoznokreditnima agencijama, da v tem segmentu opravljata storitve in si ustvariti bazo strank, lahko otežilo vstop morebitnih tržnih akterjev na trg.
COMMENTS FROM HUNGARY
PRIPOMBE MADŽARSKE
No third parties commented on the Commission decision initiating proceedings.
Tretje strani niso predložile pripomb glede odločitve Komisije o sprožitvi postopka.
The comments submitted by the Hungarian authorities can be summarised as follows:
Pripombe, ki so jih predložili madžarski organi, je mogoče povzeti, kot sledi:
Hungary agrees that, whereas insurance always covers risks associated with the buyer, the guarantee to be given by Eximbank to an exporting SME with limited export turnover covers the risks of non-repayment of a loan by the exporter itself.
Madžarska se strinja, da medtem ko zavarovanje vedno krije tveganja, povezana s kupcem, jamstvo, ki naj bi ga dala Eximbank izvoznemu MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom, krije tveganja nevračila posojila samega izvoznika.
However, Hungary considers that even in that case the risks are primarily associated with the buyer, since the repayment of the loan taken out by the exporting SME depends primarily on the buyer paying for the purchased goods;
Vendar pa Madžarska meni, da so celo v tem primeru tveganja povezana predvsem s kupcem, saj je vračilo posojila, ki ga je najelo izvozno MSP, odvisno predvsem od tega, ali je kupec plačal kupljeno blago;
Hungary agrees that the risks covered by export-credit insurance and those covered by the Eximbank guarantee that is given to the foreign buyer are different.
Madžarska se strinja, da so tveganja, ki jih krije zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov, in tveganja, ki jih krije jamstvo, ki ga Eximbank da tujemu kupcu, različna.
Moreover, Hungary also refers to commercial bank practice which appraises guarantees more favourably than insurance as loan collateral since insurers often refuse to pay by designating the case as a commercial dispute;
Poleg tega se Madžarska sklicuje tudi na prakso poslovnih bank, v skladu s katero bolj cenijo jamstva kot zavarovanja posojil s premoženjem, ker zavarovanci pogosto zavračajo plačilo in primer označijo za trgovinski spor;
Hungary points to the fact that it submitted the declarations made by insurers, which the Commission had already accepted for measure N 488/06.
Madžarska opozarja na dejstvo, da je predložila izjave zavarovateljev, ki jih je Komisija že odobrila za ukrep N 488/06.
Hungary furthermore agrees that the guarantee given by Eximbank would decrease the risks commercial banks would have to bear without it, which is why the banks provided their declarations as interested parties;
Ob tem se Madžarska strinja, da bi jamstvo, ki bi ga dala Eximbank, zmanjšalo tveganja, ki bi ga poslovne banke morale nositi brez tega jamstva, zato so banke izjave predložile kot zainteresirane strani;
Hungary indicates that the scheme would not be applied in parallel to the already existing export-credit insurance scheme N 488/06 with regard to the same transaction.
Madžarska navaja, da se shema pomoči ne bo uporabljala vzporedno z že veljavnim zavarovanjem izvoznih kreditov N 488/06 pri isti transakciji.
Hungary also emphasises that a single export-credit agency cannot cover all SMEs with limited export turnover and this may lead to harmful selection among them.
Madžarska poudarja tudi, da ena sama izvozna kreditna agencija ne more pokrivati vseh MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom, in to bi lahko vodilo do škodljive selekcije med njimi.
Hungary also claims that the Eximbank guarantee scheme would allow commercial banks to gather experience concerning the risks involved and to build up a commercial export-credit guarantee market over a period of 2-3 years;
Madžarska prav tako trdi, da bi jamstvena shema agencije Eximbank omogočila poslovnim bankam nabiranje izkušenj v zvezi s povezanimi tveganji in izgrajevanje trga jamstev za trgovinske izvozne kredite v dveh do treh letih;
Hungary claims that the rules concerning medium and long-term export-credit [5] apply to export-credit insurance, guarantees and refinancing as well.
Madžarska trdi, da pravila v zvezi s srednje- in dolgoročnimi izvoznimi krediti [5] veljajo za zavarovanja izvoznih kreditov, jamstva in refinanciranja.
Therefore, it is not appropriate to interpret the Communication setting out the rules on short-term export-credit insurance so that it only covers insurance and leaves out other short-term transactions, since that would discriminate against export-credit guarantee institutions.
Zato ni primerno Sporočilo o kratkoročnem zavarovanju izvoznih kreditov razlagati tako, da pokriva samo zavarovanja, izpusti pa druge kratkoročne transakcije, saj bi to pomenilo diskriminacijo institucij za izvoznokreditna jamstva.
ASSESSMENT OF THE MEASURE
ANALIZA UKREPA
The notification concerns only one part of the public activities of Eximbank, namely the guarantee scheme for export contracts.
Priglasitev zadeva samo en del javnih dejavnosti Eximbank, in sicer jamstveno shemo za izvozne pogodbe.
Therefore, the assessment of this guarantee scheme is without prejudice to any Commission position on the overall relation between the State and Eximbank and on any other product of Eximbank.
Zato ocena te jamstvene sheme ne posega v nobeno stališče Komisije glede splošnega razmerja med državo in agencijo Eximbank ter glede katerega koli drugega proizvoda agencije Eximbank.
Applicability of the Communication on short-term export-credit insurance
Uporaba Sporočila o kratkoročnem zavarovanju izvoznih kreditov
The arguments put forward by the Hungarian authorities (summarised in paragraph 25 above) do not dispel the Commission’s initial doubts.
Trditve, ki so jih predložili madžarski organi (povzete zgoraj v odstavku 25), ne odpravljajo začetnih dvomov Komisije.
the decision initiating proceedings stated that, in contrast to export-credit insurance, Eximbank guarantees given to exporting SMEs with limited export turnover are not exclusively linked to the risks of the buyer.
v odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka je bilo navedeno, da v nasprotju z zavarovanji izvoznih kreditov jamstva, ki jih Eximbank daje izvoznim MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom, niso izključno povezana s tveganji kupca.
This difference seems to be confirmed by the Hungarian authorities, since according to them the risk of non-repayment of a loan by the exporting SME is not exclusively but only primarily linked to the buyer;
Zdi se, da so to razliko potrdili tudi madžarski organi, saj po njihovih navedbah tveganje nevračila posojila izvoznega MSP ni izključno, ampak samo primarno vezano na kupca;
the decision initiating proceedings also indicated that the risks covered by the Eximbank guarantee given to the foreign buyer and the risks covered by export-credit insurance are different.
v odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka je bilo tudi navedeno, da so tveganja, ki jih krije jamstvo, ki ga Eximbank da tujemu kupcu, in tveganja, ki jih krije zavarovanje izvoznih kreditov, različna.
The arguments put forward by Hungary do not refute this;
Trditve, ki jih je predložila Madžarska, tega ne izpodbijajo;
the decision initiating proceedings stated that the declarations submitted by commercial insurers confirming that they do not operate in this specific segment of the guarantee market are irrelevant, since they are not allowed to grant guarantees by law.
v odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka je bilo navedeno, da so izjave komercialnih zavarovateljev, s katerimi potrjujejo, da niso dejavni v tem posebnem segmentu trga jamstev, nepomembne, saj je zakonsko določeno, da ne smejo zagotavljati jamstev.
In case N 488/06 the same declarations were relevant, since that measure concerned short-term export-credit insurance;
V primeru N 488/2006 pa so bile iste izjave pomembne, saj je ukrep zadeval kratkoročna zavarovanja izvoznih kreditov;
the decision initiating proceedings stated that even though the two instruments (guarantee and insurance) would not be applied for the same transaction, a second measure might provide further benefits to Hungarian exporting SMEs with limited export turnover.
v odločitvi o sprožitvi postopka je bilo navedeno, da čeprav se oba instrumenta (jamstvo in zavarovanje) ne bi uporabila za isto transakcijo, bi bil drugi ukrep lahko še dodatno koristen za madžarska izvozna MSP z omejenim izvoznim prometom.
This seems to be confirmed since the Hungarian authorities indicated that commercial banks are in general more willing to accept a guarantee as collateral, which means that the availability of such guarantees entails additional benefits for the SMEs;
Zdi se, da se je to potrdilo, saj so madžarski organi navedli, da poslovne banke na splošno raje sprejemajo jamstva kot zavarovanja s premoženjem, kar pomeni, da razpoložljivost takih jamstev omogoča dodatne koristi za MSP;
as regards the rules on medium- and long-term export-credit referred to by Hungary, those provisions are based on Treaty provisions relating to external trade (Article 132 of the Treaty).
kar zadeva pravila o srednje- in dolgoročnih izvoznih kreditih, na katera se je sklicevala Madžarska, te določbe temeljijo na določbah Pogodbe glede zunanje trgovine (člen 132 Pogodbe).
As the Court of Justice has confirmed, they can therefore not preclude the application of the State aid provisions of the EC Treaty [6].
Kot je potrdilo Sodišče, zato ne morejo izključevati uporabe določb Pogodbe ES glede državne pomoči [6].
Moreover, the Communication on short-term export-credit insurance has the declared aim of removing distortion of competition due to State aid in the sector of export-credit insurance business where there is competition between public and private export-credit insurers, i.e. the Communication refers and is applicable only to insurance.
Poleg tega je jasen cilj Sporočila o kratkoročnem zavarovanju izvoznih kreditov odpraviti izkrivljanje konkurence zaradi državne pomoči v sektorju zavarovanja izvoznih kreditov, v katerem obstaja konkurenca med javnimi in zasebnimi zavarovatelji izvoznih kreditov, torej se Sporočilo nanaša samo na zavarovanja in se uporablja samo zanja.
The comments of the Hungarian authorities confirm the interpretation set out in the decision initiating proceedings that the guarantee to be granted by Eximbank differs in important respects from export-credit insurance.
Pripombe madžarskih organov potrjujejo razlago iz odločitve o sprožitvi postopka, da se jamstvo, ki naj bi ga dajala agencija Eximbank, v pomembnih vidikih razlikuje od zavarovanja izvoznih kreditov.
Therefore, the measure cannot be assessed under the Communication on short-term export-credit insurance.
Zato ukrepa ni mogoče ocenjevati na podlagi Sporočila o kratkoročnem zavarovanju izvoznih kreditov.
Presence of State aid
Prisotnost državne pomoči
Since the measure cannot be assessed under the Communication on short-term export-credit insurance, it has to be established whether it can be considered State aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty [7].
Ker ukrepa ni mogoče ocenjevati na podlagi Sporočila o kratkoročnem zavarovanju izvoznih kreditov, je treba ugotoviti, ali lahko velja za državno pomoč v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES [7].
In order for a measure to fall within the scope of Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty, four criteria must all be met:
Da bi ukrep spadal v področje uporabe člena 87(1) Pogodbe ES, morajo biti izpolnjeni vsi štirje pogoji:
the measure must involve the use of State resources,
pri ukrepu morajo biti uporabljena državna sredstva,
the measure must confer a selective advantage on the beneficiary,
ukrep mora upravičencu podeljevati selektivno prednost,
the measure must affect trade between Member States,
ukrep mora vplivati na trgovino med državami članicami,
the measure must threaten to distort competition.
ukrep mora pomeniti grožnjo za izkrivljanje konkurence.
The measure is imputable to the State since it is implemented by a fully state-owned export agency set up with the funds of the State, carrying out transactions as required by State regulations and benefiting from a state counter-guarantee for the types of risks in question.
Ukrep se lahko pripiše državi, saj ga izvaja izvoznokreditna agencija v popolni državni lasti, ki je bila ustanovljena s sredstvi države, izvaja transakcije v skladu z državnimi predpisi in je upravičena do posrednega jamstva države za vrste zadevnih tveganj.
The guarantee fee is set on the basis of a risk-rating system which should normally result in a higher fee for riskier clients.
Provizija za jamstvo se določi na podlagi sistema ocenjevanja tveganja, kar običajno pomeni višjo provizijo za bolj tvegane stranke.
It should be noted in this respect that the risk rating system takes into account a wide range of factors as regards domestic risks but relies on only one criterion (i.e. the country of the buyer) as regards foreign risks.
V povezavi s tem je treba opozoriti, da je v sistemu ocenjevanja tveganja v povezavi z domačimi tveganji upoštevan širok spekter dejavnikov, kar zadeva tuja tveganja, pa se sistem zanaša na eno samo merilo (tj. državo stranke).
The Hungarian authorities claim that the fees to be charged are in line with the market fee charged by international commercial insurers or guarantors for the type of risks in question.
Madžarski organi trdijo, da so provizije, ki naj bi jih zaračunavali, v skladu s tržno ceno za jamstvo, ki jo za zadevno vrsto tveganj zaračunavajo mednarodni komercialni zavarovatelji ali garanti.
However, Hungary has not demonstrated (e.g. through independent data or an independent study) that the fees resulting from the risk assessment are in fact aligned with the market level.
Vendar pa Madžarska ni dokazala (npr. z neodvisnimi podatki ali neodvisno študijo), da so provizije, ki izhajajo iz ocene tveganja, res v skladu s tržno stopnjo.
The claim that the guarantee fees cover the operating costs of the scheme and the guarantee claims must be viewed as a positive aspect.
Trditev, da bodo dohodki iz provizij za jamstva pokrili operativne stroške sheme pomoči in zahtevke po jamstvu, je treba razumeti kot pozitiven vidik.
However, this claim by Hungary has not been substantiated with data.
Toda Madžarska te trditve ni podkrepila s podatki.
Moreover, the Hungarian authorities argue that no guarantee cover for the type of risks in question is available on the Hungarian market.
Poleg tega madžarski organi trdijo, da jamstva za zadevni tip tveganj na madžarskem trgu ni.