natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
The French authorities submitted their comments by e-mail dated 16 March 2006, registered as received on 17 March 2006 (A/32057).
Francoski organi so pripombe predložili z elektronskim dopisom z dne 16. marca 2006, evidentiranim 17. marca 2006 (A/32057).
By letter dated 26 April 2006, the Commission informed France of its decision to open the procedure laid down in Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty in respect of the aid at issue with a view to revoking its Decision of 17 August 2000 and adopting a new Decision.
Komisija je z dopisom z dne 26. aprila 2006 Francijo obvestila, da bo glede sporne pomoči začela postopek iz člena 88(2) Pogodbe ES, da bi preklicala Odločbo z dne 17. avgusta 2000 in sprejela novo odločbo.
The Commission’s Decision to open the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union [5].
Odločitev Komisije, da sproži postopek, je bila objavljena v Uradnem listu Evropske unije [5].
The Commission called on interested parties to submit their comments on the aid.
Komisija je zainteresirane stranke pozvala, naj predložijo pripombe o sporni pomoči.
France submitted its comments by e-mail dated 2 June 2006.
Francija je pripombe predložila po elektronski pošti 2. junija 2006.
The Commission received no comments on the matter from interested parties.
Komisija od zainteresiranih strank glede tega ni prejela pripomb.
By letter dated 12 September 2007 (D/53668), the Commission requested additional information.
Komisija je z dopisom z dne 12. septembra 2007 (D/53668) zahtevala dodatne informacije.
France submitted a partial answer by letter dated 21 December 2007 (A/40607) and supplemented that answer by e-mail dated 30 May 2008 (A/10204).
Francija je delni odgovor predložila z dopisom z dne 21. decembra 2007 (A/40607) in nato ta odgovor dopolnila po elektronski pošti 30. maja 2008 (A/10204).
By e-mails dated 16 September and 19 September 2008 (A/19328 and A/19263), France submitted new information, which was supplemented by e-mail dated 24 October 2008 (A/22746).
Francija je z elektronskima dopisoma z dne 16. septembra in 19. septembra 2008 (A/19328 in A/19263) predložila nove podatke, ki jih je dopolnila z elektronsko pošto z dne 24. oktobra 2008 (A/22746).
The aid recipients
Prejemniki pomoči
The following description of the recipients reflects the situation as it existed in 2000.
Opis prejemnikov, ki sledi, povzema položaj iz leta 2000.
The companies concerned
Zadevne družbe
In its 2000 notification, France informed the Commission of its intention to grant regional investment aid to two French public limited companies (incorporated in the form of sociétés par actions simplifiées) jointly owned by two glassmaking groups, Interpane and Pilkington, and named Pilkington Glass France SAS and Interpane Glass Coating France SAS (PGF/IGCF).
S priglasitvijo iz leta 2000 je Francija Komisijo seznanila z nameravano dodelitvijo regionalne pomoči za naložbe dvema delniškima družbama po francoskem pravu (poenostavljeni delniški družbi), ki sta v skupni lasti dveh skupin proizvajalk stekla, Interpane in Pilkington, z imenoma podjetij Pilkington Glass France SAS in Interpane Glass Coating France SAS (v nadaljevanju „PGF/IGCF“).
Ownership of the joint ventures is shared unequally between the parent companies as follows (see also figure 1):
Lastništvo skupnih družb ni enako razporejeno med matični podjetji (glej sliko 1):
PGF is owned 51 % by Pilkington and 49 % by Interpane,
PGF je v 51-odstotni lasti skupine Pilkington in 49-odstotni lasti skupine Interpane,
IGCF is owned 51 % by Interpane and 49 % by Pilkington.
IGCF je v 51-odstotni lasti skupine Interpane in 49-odstotni lasti skupine Pilkington.
Legal structure of the companies
Pravna struktura družb
The two new State-aided companies are production joint ventures.
Novi družbi prejemnici javnih pomoči sta skupni proizvodni podjetji.
They will not operate autonomously in the market.
Ti družbi na trgu ne bosta ravnali samostojno.
Their sole object will be to supply the parent companies with first-stage-processed raw flat float glass either for their own use or for on-selling.
Namen njunih dejavnosti bo izključno oskrbovati matična podjetja z neobdelanim ravnim float steklom ali steklom, pridobljenim po prvi predelavi, za lastno porabo ali nadaljnjo prodajo na trgu.
The formation of the joint ventures
Ustanovitev skupnih podjetij
The formation of the joint ventures was notified, by letter dated 7 April 2000, under Article 81 of the EC Treaty [6] with a view to obtaining individual exemption under Article 81(3) of the Treaty.
Ustanovitev skupnih podjetij je bila priglašena z dopisom z dne 7. aprila 2000 na podlagi člena 81 Pogodbe ES [6], zato da se odobri posamično izvzetje na podlagi člena 81(3) Pogodbe ES.
The notifying parties agreed to the notification being dealt with by comfort letter.
Priglasitveni stranki sta se strinjali, da se priglasitev obravnava z upravnim pismom.
On 29 June 2000, two comfort letters were sent by the Commission to each of the notifying parties, informing them that:
Komisija je 29. junija 2000 odposlala dve upravni pismi, s katerima je vsako od priglasitvenih strank obvestila, da:
the agreements contained restrictions of competition caught by the prohibition in Article 81(1) of the EC Treaty,
sporazumi vsebujejo omejevalne določbe konkurence, ki spadajo na področje prepovedi iz člena 81(1) Pogodbe ES,
the Directorate-General for Competition considered that the notifying parties had furnished sufficient justification for its concluding that the criteria of Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty were met,
Generalni direktorat za konkurenco meni, da sta priglasitveni stranki predložili zadostne utemeljitve, na podlagi katerih je mogoče skleniti, da so izpolnjeni pogoji uporabe člena 81(3) Pogodbe ES,
consequently, the Directorate-General for Competition considered that it was unnecessary to close the procedure by proposing that the Commission adopt an exemption decision under Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty in accordance with the procedure laid down by the old Regulation No 17 [7].
zato Generalni direktorat za konkurenco meni, da postopka ni treba zaključiti s predlogom Komisiji, naj sprejme odločitev o izvzetju na podlagi člena 81(3) Pogodbe ES v skladu s postopkom iz stare Uredbe št. 17 [7].
The comfort letters were sent following an economic analysis of the situation, which can be summed up as follows:
Zadevni upravni pismi sta bili poslani po izvedbi ekonomske analize položaja, ki jo je mogoče povzeti z naslednjimi točkami:
the notified operation consisted in the formation of two cooperative joint ventures,
priglašeno transakcijo sestavlja ustanovitev dveh sodelovalnih skupnih podjetij,
the notified agreements concerned:
priglašeni sporazumi zadevajo:
the production by the joint ventures of unprocessed or intermediate products intended for further processing into finished products by the founders or for sale by their own distribution networks;
proizvodnjo v skupnih podjetjih vhodnih ali vmesnih izdelkov, ki jih ustanovitelja predelata v končne izdelke ali jih prodata prek lastnih distribucijskih mrež;
the exclusive supplying of the founders by the joint ventures; this agreement was ancillary to the formation of the joint ventures in so far as it could not be dissociated from the joint ventures without calling their existence into question;
izključno dobavo, ki jo skupni podjetji zagotavljata ustanoviteljema; ta sporazum je pomožen del ustanovitve skupnih podjetij, saj ga ni mogoče ločiti od skupnih podjetij, ne da bi bil ogrožen obstoj same ustanovitve,
there was a strong presumption that the joint ventures were caught by Article 81(1) of the EC Treaty inasmuch as:
obstaja utemeljena domneva, da skupni podjetji spadata na področje uporabe člena 81(1) Pogodbe ES, ker:
there was a likelihood of sensitive information being exchanged between them;
je verjetna izmenjava občutljivih informacij med skupnima podjetjema;
the cooperation between two major competitors could lead to coordination of the parties’ conduct in the highly concentrated market for coated glass;
bi lahko sodelovanje dveh glavnih konkurentov privedlo do usklajenega ravnanja strank na zelo skoncentriranem trgu stekla z nanosi,
the Directorate-General for Competition analysed the agreements in the light of Article 81(3) of the EC Treaty and, following confirmation by the parties that clause 2 of the exclusive supply agreement had been deleted, concluded that the criteria of Article 81(3) were satisfied.
Generalni direktorat za konkurenco je sporazume analiziral z vidika člena 81(3) Pogodbe ES in sklenil, da so pogoji za uporabo člena 81(3) izpolnjeni, ko sta stranki potrdili, da je bila črtana klavzula 2 sporazuma o izključni dobavi.
Clause 2, the ancillary nature of which was open to question, provided that Pilkington and Interpane could at any time obtain supplies according to their requirements from different plants of the two joint ventures.
S to klavzulo, katere pomožen značaj je bil dvomljiv, je bilo določeno, da se lahko skupini Pilkington in Interpane kadar koli glede na svoje potrebe oskrbujeta v različnih tovarnah obeh skupnih podjetij.
The partners
Partnerji
The recipient companies are co-owned by the two international glassmaking groups Interpane and Pilkington.
Podjetji prejemnici sta v skupni lasti mednarodnih skupin proizvajalk stekla Interpane in Pilkington.
Interpane was set up in 1971 by Mr Georg Hesselbach, the current majority owner and chairman of the management board of the Interpane group.
Družbo Interpane je leta 1971 ustanovil Georg Hesselbach, trenutni večinski lastnik in predsednik upravnega odbora skupine Interpane.
The group is presently active worldwide in the sector of glass for the building industry and in related fields (manufacture of windows in Germany and the United States, manufacture of equipment for the glass industry in Germany).
Skupina danes deluje na svetovni ravni v industriji stekla za gradbene namene in na sorodnih področjih (proizvodnja oken v Nemčiji in Združenih državah Amerike, proizvodnja opreme za steklarsko industrijo v Nemčiji).
In Europe, the activities of the group (15 companies in 1999) are centred on the treatment and processing of glass for the building industry.
V Evropi se dejavnosti skupine (petnajst družb leta 1999) osredotočajo na obdelavo, predelavo in reciklažo stekla za gradbene namene.
Interpane has been present in France since 1998 following its acquisition of two glass processors (at Hoerdt in Alsace and Mitry-Mory in the Paris area).
Skupina Interpane v Franciji deluje od leta 1998, ko je kupila dve družbi za predelavo stekla (v vasi Hoerdt v Alzaciji in občini Mitry-Mory v pariški regiji).
The European subsidiaries are headed by the holding company Interpane Glas Industrie AG, the registered office of which is in Lauenförde, Germany.
Evropske hčerinske družbe nadzira holdinška družba Interpane Glas Industrie AG s sedežem v Lauenfördeju (poštna št. 37697) v Nemčiji.
This holding company is owned 88 % by the Hesselbach family and 12 % by the German publicly owned bank Nord/LB.
Ta holdinška družba je v 88-odstotni lasti družine Hesselbach in 12-odstotni lasti javne nemške banke Nord/LB.
The holding company holds, in partnership with the Dutch holding company Interpane NV, via the holding company Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV, the Interpane group’s shares in the joint ventures receiving the aid.
Holdinška družba ima skupaj z nizozemsko holdinško družbo Interpane NV – prek holdinške družbe Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV – v lasti deleže skupine Interpane v skupnih družbah prejemnicah pomoči.
Interpane NV and Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV were specially created for the purposes of this transaction.
Holdinga Interpane NV in Interpane Glass Manufacturing BV sta bila ustanovljena posebej za to transakcijo.
They are owned by the Hesselbach family either alone or jointly with Nord/LB.
Sta v lasti samo družine Hesselbach oziroma v skupni lasti z banko Nord/LB.
The Pilkington group is a world leader in the glass sector.
Skupina Pilkington je ena od vodilnih skupin v steklarskem sektorju na svetu.
Its activities cover all industrial areas of the sector: the manufacture, treatment and processing of glass for the building industry (49 % of activities) and the automotive industry (44 %), and the production of special glasses.
Njene dejavnosti pokrivajo vsa industrijska področja v tem sektorju: proizvodnjo, obdelavo in predelavo stekla za gradbeno (49 % dejavnosti) in avtomobilsko (44 %) industrijo ter proizvodnjo posebnih stekel.
The group’s headquarters are in the United Kingdom.
Skupina ima sedež v Veliki Britaniji.
The group has 24 manufacturing subsidiaries worldwide (Europe, North and South America, Asia/Pacific).
Upravlja 24 proizvodnih hčerinskih družb po vsem svetu (v Evropi, Severni in Južni Ameriki ter na azijsko-pacifiškem območju).
The group’s shareholdings in the joint ventures situated in Freyming-Merlebach are held by the Dutch holding company Pilkington BV.
Nosilec deležev te skupine v skupnih družbah v Freyming-Merlebachu je nizozemski holding Pilkington BV.
The figures for Interpane are based on an exchange rate of FF 3,35 to one DM (1999 rate).
Opomba: Podatke za skupino Interpane je bilo mogoče izračunati na podlagi tečaja 1 DEM za 3,35 FF (tečaj iz leta 1999).
The figures for Pilkington are based on an exchange rate of FF 10,60 to one GBP (January 2000 rate).
Podatke za skupino Pilkington pa je bilo mogoče izračunati na podlagi tečaja 1 GBP za 10,60 FF (tečaj iz januarja leta 2000).
World/Europe [8]
Svet/Evropa [8]
France [9]
Francija [9]
Europe
Evropa
The groups’ workforces
Število zaposlenih v skupinah
Europe [10]
Evropa [10]
France [11]
Francija [11]
The joint ventures are situated in the Freyming-Merlebach employment area, which was an assisted area within the meaning of Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty for the period 2000-2006 [12] in which the intensity of public investment aid may be as high as 15 % NGE.
Skupni podjetji ležita na območju zaposlovanja občine Freyming-Merlebach, ki je bila območje, upravičeno do pomoči po členu 87(3)(c) Pogodbe ES za obdobje 2000–2006 [12], na katerem lahko intenzivnost javnih pomoči za naložbe doseže 15 % neto ekvivalenta dotacije (NED).
According to the information furnished by France, the investment project is being carried out by two separate joint ventures owing to the dual ownership of the production facilities.
Na podlagi podatkov, ki jih je predložila Francija, sta nosilca naložbenega projekta dve skupni družbi, ločeni zaradi dvojnega lastništva proizvodnih naprav.
The investment project is nevertheless fully integrated and self-contained: the float glass production unit was designed from the outset to part supply a joint glass-treatment unit, and the latter unit is present on the site only because its float glass supplier is adjacent to it.
Naložbeni projekt kljub temu ostaja popolnoma združen in enoten: od vsega začetka je bil namen enote za proizvodnjo ravnega stekla deloma oskrbovati pridruženo enoto za obdelavo stekla, medtem ko zadevna druga enota na tej lokaciji deluje le, ker je povezana z dobaviteljem float stekla.
According to the same information, the integrated nature of the project is attested by the siting of the float, laminating and coating lines in the same building.
Na podlagi istih podatkov se združenost projekta uresničuje tudi z umestitvijo linije za proizvodnjo float stekla, laminacijske linije in linije za nanos prevlek v isto stavbo.
France accordingly considers the joint investment project on the site in Lorraine to be an ‘initial investment in fixed assets in the creation of a new establishment’ within the meaning of point 7.2 of the 1998 MSF.
Zato Francija meni, da je skupni naložbeni projekt na lorenski lokaciji „naložba v opredmetena sredstva, zato da se oblikuje nova ustanova“ v smislu točke 7.2 VSO 1998.
There are two aid recipients, but a single investment project is being aided.
Prejemnika pomoči sta dva, vendar se javne pomoči dodelijo za en sam naložbeni projekt.
The purpose of the project is to construct an integrated float glass production unit for the building, comprising the activities of raw float glass manufacture, cutting, treatment (coating) and processing by laminating.
Namen projekta je zgraditi združeno enoto za proizvodnjo ravnega stekla za gradbene namene, v katero bodo vključene dejavnosti proizvodnje neobdelanega stekla (float), rezanja, obdelave (processing z nanosom oblog) in predelave stekla z laminacijo.
The planned glass manufacturing cycle is as follows:
Predvideni cikel proizvedenega stekla je prikazan spodaj:
By letter dated 13 January 2005, the French authorities informed the Commission that the project had been amended.
Francoski organi so z dopisom z dne 13. januarja 2005 Komisijo obvestili, da je bil projekt spremenjen.
The planned State aid consists of several measures which either come under various authorised aid schemes or are individual ad hoc aid measures:
Sklop načrtovanih državnih pomoči sestavlja več ukrepov, ki so ali odvisni od različnih odobrenih shem pomoči ali pa se izvedejo v obliki posamičnih ad hoc pomoči:
regional planning grant (prime à l’aménagement du territoire — PAT) for industrial projects,
subvencija za prostorsko načrtovanje za industrijske projekte (prime à l’aménagement du territoire, PAT),
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),
Evropski sklad za regionalni razvoj (ESRR),
ad hoc aid for purchasing the land (discount on the selling price),
ad hoc pomoč za nakup zemljišča (znižanje prodajne cene),
ad hoc aid for real estate development,
ad hoc pomoč za ureditev nepremičnin,
exemption from business tax,
oprostitev od poslovnega davka,
soft loan from the Société Financière pour favoriser l’industrialisation des Régions Minières (Sofirem).
subvencionirano posojilo Finančne družbe za spodbujanje industrializacije rudarskih regij (Société financière pour favoriser l’industrialisation des régions minières (SOFIREM)).
The PAT scheme was approved by Commission Decision of 28 June 2000 (N 782/1999).
Shema PAT je bila odobrena z Odločbo Komisije z dne 28. junija 2000 (N 782/1999).
The Sofirem loans scheme was approved by Commission Decision of 15 June 1989 (NN 2/89), as amended following the taking of appropriate measures to bring the scheme into line with the 1998 Guidelines on national regional aid [13].
Shema, ki vključuje posojila družbe SOFIREM, pa je bila odobrena z Odločbo Komisije z dne 15. junija 1989 (NN 2/89, kakor je bila spremenjena po uvedbi ustreznih ukrepov za uskladitev takega ukrepa s Smernicami o državni regionalni pomoči za leto 1998 [13].
The five-year exemption from business tax is based on Articles 1464 B and 1465 of the General Tax Code (Code Général des Impôts — CGI), the Order of 16 December 1993, the Order of 24 November 1980 and Decrees 86/225, 80/921 and 80/922.
Petletna oprostitev od poslovnega davka izhaja iz členov 1464 B in 1465 Splošnega davčnega zakonika (code général des impôts, CGI), odloka z dne 16. decembra 1993, odloka z dne 24. novembra 1980 ter odlokov 86/225, 80/921 in 80/922.
The current aid total is EUR 17106280 in nominal terms (see also point 5.2).
Celotna sedanja nominalna vrednost pomoči znaša 17106280 EUR (glej tudi točko 5.2).
OPENING OF THE PROCEDURE
ZAČETEK POSTOPKA
The new information communicated by the French authorities
Novi podatki, ki so jih predložili francoski organi
By letter dated 13 January 2005, the French authorities informed the Commission firstly that the project had been amended and secondly that the amount of aid linked to the business tax exemption had been underestimated by France.
Francoski organi so z dopisom z dne 13. januarja 2005 Komisijo obvestili, da je bil po eni strani projekt spremenjen in da je po drugi strani Francija podcenila višino pomoči v zvezi z oprostitvijo od poslovnega davka.
Total eligible expenditure now came to EUR 158,5 million in nominal terms (EUR 164,7 million in the 2000 Decision).
Nominalna vrednost vseh upravičenih stroškov naj bi od takrat znašala 158,5 milijona EUR (164,7 milijona EUR v Odločbi 2000).
In March 2005, the number of direct jobs created was 176 and the number of indirect jobs created was 150 (245 and 260 respectively in the 2000 Decision).
Marca 2005 je bilo neposredno ustvarjenih 176, posredno pa še 150 delovnih mest (245 oziroma 260 v Odločbi 2000).
In their letter of 13 January 2005, the French authorities explained that the business tax exemption had originally been underestimated.
V dopisu z dne 13. januarja 2005 so francoski organi pojasnili, da je bila oprostitev od poslovnega davka sprva podcenjena.
It now came to EUR 6,28 million, of which EUR 2,14 million had already been paid by the French State (being part of the EUR 17,89 million in State aid already disbursed).
Od takrat naj bi znašala 6,28 milijona EUR, od česar je Francija 2,14 milijona EUR že izplačala (v okviru že izplačanih javnih pomoči v višini 17,89 milijona EUR).
This sum corresponded to the amount of aid before tax and was therefore expressed as gross grant equivalent (GGE).
Ta znesek se ujema z zneskom pomoči pred odbitkom davka: gre torej za bruto ekvivalent dotacije (BED).
The outstanding EUR 4,14 million business tax exemption forms part of the EUR 5,19 million still remaining to be paid to the project by the French State, this being the last instalment for which prior Commission authorisation is needed in accordance with point 6.2 of the 1998 MSF and the 2000 Decision, which provide that the final significant payment of the aid (e.g. 25 %) may be made only when the French authorities are satisfied that execution of the investment project by the companies is in compliance with the Commission Decision.
Preostanek oprostitve od poslovnega davka v vrednosti 4,14 milijona EUR spada k znesku 5,19 milijona EUR, ki ga mora Francija še izplačati za projekt in je hkrati zadnja tranša, za katero je potrebna predhodna odobritev Komisije na podlagi točke 6.2 VSO 1998 in Odločbe 2000, v katerih je določeno, da bo zadnja velika tranša pomoči (na primer 25 %) izplačana šele, ko bodo francoski organi preverili, ali so podjetja naložbeni projekt izvedla v skladu z odločbo Komisije.
France has explained that the difference compared with the aid amount notified in 2000 is due to an upward adjustment to the original estimate of the business tax exemption.
Francija pojasnjuje, da je mogoče razliko v primerjavi z zneskom priglašene pomoči iz leta 2000 utemeljiti s povišanjem prvotne ocene oprostitve od poslovnega davka.
The aid total is now said to come to EUR 23,09 million in nominal terms (EUR 14,65 million at net present value).
Nazadnje naj bi skupna nominalna vrednost pomoči znašala 23,09 milijona EUR (neto sedanja vrednost 14,65 milijona EUR).
The intensity of the aid to the Pilkington/Interpane project is therefore said to be 14,65/149,97 = 9,77 % net grant equivalent (NGE).
Intenzivnost pomoči pri projektu Pilkington/Interpane naj bi torej znašala 14,65/149,97 = 9,77 % neto ekvivalenta dotacije (NED).
According to France, this aid intensity is lower than the maximum allowable intensity recalculated to take account of the changes in the project’s parameters (9,82 % on the basis of the 1998 MSF).
Francija meni, da je ob upoštevanju spremenjenih parametrov projekta taka intenzivnost pomoči manjša od preračunane največje dovoljene intenzivnosti (9,82 % na podlagi VSO 1998).
Grounds for opening the procedure
Razlogi za začetek postopka
The new information furnished by the French authorities gives rise to a new maximum allowable aid intensity [14].
Na podlagi novih podatkov, ki so jih predložili francoski organi, se izračuna nova največja dovoljena intenzivnost pomoči [14].
The Commission is of the opinion, therefore, that it is not sufficient to amend the 2000 Decision by way of a corrigendum as in the case of typographical errors.
Komisija meni, da je lahko vprašanje intenzivnosti za odločbo odločilnega pomena in da zato ne zadostuje sprememba Odločbe 2000 s popravkom, kakršen se vnese, če gre za tipkarske napake.
In reality, the 2000 Decision was based on incorrect information provided by the French authorities.
Odločba 2000 namreč temelji na nepravilnih podatkih, ki so jih predložili francoski organi.