natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Indeed, France states that it has always kept the Commission informed of developments in the matter and with the different measures adopted since January 2005, in accordance with the duty to cooperate in good faith between the Member States and the Commission.
Poleg tega Francija navaja, da je Komisijo na podlagi načela lojalnega sodelovanja med državami članicami in Komisijo vedno obveščala o razvoju primera in različnih ukrepih, sprejetih od januarja 2005.
Concerning those recent measures, the French authorities consider that since none of them constitute aid, Article 88(3)EC is not, ultimately, applicable to them and, accordingly, there is no obligation to suspend their application.
Francoski organi v zvezi z zadnjimi ukrepi menijo, da ker nobeden od teh ukrepov ni pomoč, naj se člen 88(3) ES in fine zanje ne bi uporabljal, in zato naj ne bi bilo nobene obveznosti, da bi bilo njihovo izvajanje ustavljeno.
First, the French authorities state that they did not cast doubt on the applicability of the Altmark judgment while noting, on the other hand, certain difficulties in applying the test laid down by that judgment, since the amount in question preceded it and could not therefore have taken into account those new criteria.
Najprej, francoski organi pojasnjujejo, da niso izpodbijali uporabe sodbe Altmark, hkrati pa poudarjajo nekatere težave pri izvedbi preskusa, določenega s to sodbo, ker naj bi bil zadevni znesek določen pred to sodbo in torej pri njem ni bilo mogoče upoštevati teh novih meril.
According to France, the observations of CFF and STIM do not call into question the applicability to the present case of the first and second Altmark conditions.
Po mnenju Francije pripombe družb CFF in STIM ne postavljajo pod vprašaj uporabe prvega in drugega pogoja iz sodbe Altmark za obravnavani primer.
In respect of the third criterion in Altmark, the French authorities deny the argument put forward by CFF and STIM that the payment of that sum necessarily results in overcompensation because the Commission authorised, by its decision of 30 October 2001, the payment of EUR 787 million as compensation for public service costs.
Kar zadeva tretje merilo iz sodbe Altmark, francoski organi izpodbijajo trditev družb CFF in STIM, da naj bi izplačilo tega zneska zanesljivo vodilo do čezmernega nadomestila, ker je Komisija z odločbo z dne 30. oktobra 2001 odobrila izplačilo 787 milijonov EUR iz naslova izravnalnih ukrepov za stroške javne službe.
In that respect, France states that the Commission, in its 2003 decision, stated that those obligations had been undercompensated and that the amount of EUR 53,48 million was justified as public service compensation.
V zvezi s tem Francija pojasnjuje, da je Komisija v Odločbi iz leta 2003 dejansko ugotovila, da je bilo nadomestilo za te obveznosti prenizko in da je znesek v višini 53,48 milijona EUR upravičen kot nadomestilo za javno službo.
Regarding the fourth Altmark condition, the French authorities submit that, despite the absence of a reference undertaking and thus the impossibility of establishing an overall comparison between SNCM and other undertakings, as noted also by CFF, they endeavoured to provide information serving to make the most exact comparison possible with similar undertakings, that is to say, primarily with CMN.
Francoski organi v zvezi s četrtim pogojem iz sodbe Altmark poudarjajo, da so se kljub neobstoju referenčnega podjetja in torej nezmožnosti splošne primerjave družbe SNCM in drugih podjetij, kot ugotavlja tudi CFF, potrudili in predložili podatke, ki omogočajo kar se da natančno primerjavo s podobnimi podjetji, to je zlasti z družbo CMN.
France also challenges the argument raised by STIM and CFF that the structural costs of SNCM are greater than those of CMN.
Francija izpodbija tudi trditev družb STIM in CFF, da naj bi bili strukturni stroški družbe SNCM višji kot stroški družbe CMN.
Even if that were to be the case, the French authorities consider that the productivity ratios of SNCM are very similar to those of CMN.
Tudi če bi bilo to res, francoski organi menijo, da so kazalniki produktivnosti družbe SNCM zelo podobni kazalnikom produktivnosti družbe CMN.
In conclusion, SNCM was managed as well as CMN to which STIM at no point refers as a badly-run undertaking.
Skratka, družba SNCM je bila enako dobro vodena kot družba CMN, ki je STIM nikjer ne opredeli kot slabo vodeno podjetje.
France states that the losses suffered between 1991 and 2001 were not attributable only to the public service delegation, as CFF appears to assert, but that the public service obligations prevented SNCM from adapting to the change in the competitive environment.
Francija navaja, da izgub, nastalih med letoma 1991 in 2001, ni bilo mogoče pripisati samo PPJS, kot naj bi trdila družba CFF, vendar pa so obveznosti javne službe družbi SNCM preprečile, da bi se prilagodila spremembi konkurenčnega okolja.
The French authorities also state that those losses are not concentrated in the period 2000 to 2001 but gathered pace over that period on account of the increase in the round trips made by CFF.
Francoski organi tudi pojasnjujejo, da se te izgube niso nakopičile v obdobju 2000–2001, ampak so v tem obdobju hitreje naraščale zaradi povečanja števila voženj, ki jih je opravljala družba CFF.
Concerning the compatibility of the EUR 53,48 million paid as compensation for public service costs in accordance with Article 86(2) EC, the French authorities note that, first, in its 2003 decision, the Commission had already declared that amount as compatible with that article and, secondly, the CFI did not call it into question in its judgment in Case T-349/03.
Kar zadeva združljivost 53,48 milijona EUR, izplačanih iz naslova nadomestil za stroške javne službe, s členom 86(2) ES, francoski organi opozarjajo, da je po eni strani Komisija v Odločbi iz leta 2003 že razglasila združljivost tega zneska z navedenim členom in da je po drugi strani Sodišče prve stopnje v sodbi z dne 15. junija 2005 ni izpodbijalo.
As regards the sale process, France states that from its outset it provided for classic selection criteria based primarily on the price offered for the increase in value of SNCM’s stock and, secondarily, on other criteria (industrial plan, social plan and so on), including the amount which the candidates were prepared to invest in the company for a recapitalisation.
Kar zadeva postopek prodaje, Francija pojasnjuje, da je od samega začetka določala klasična merila izbire, ki temeljijo predvsem na ceni, ponujeni za valorizacijo vrednostnih papirjev družbe SNCM, in, podredno, na drugih parametrih (industrijski projekt, socialni projekt itd.), med katerimi je znesek, ki so ga bili kandidati pripravljeni vložiti v družbo na podlagi finančne sanacije.
France firmly challenges the argument put forward by third parties that the process of putting up for sale was not transparent and notes that, in the present case, the State itself went beyond its legal and statutory obligations, substantial and restrictive as they were, provided for in the event of transfer of public shareholdings.
Francija odločno izpodbija trditev tretjih strani, da naj postopek prodaje ne bi bil pregleden, in opozarja, da je v obravnavanem primeru država celo presegla svoje že tako stroge in obvezujoče zakonske in podzakonske obveznosti, določene v primeru prodaje javnih deležev.
France notes that the development following BCP’s offer again to take up 100 % of SNCM’s stock occurred in a very difficult financial and social context and that VT’s joining BCP’s offer did not change the commercial and financial terms of the transaction (except for capital ownership).
Francija opozarja, da so dogodki po ponudbi podjetja BCP, da kupi 100 % vrednostnih papirjev družbe SNCM, potekali v zelo težkih finančnih in socialnih okoliščinah ter da pridružitev podjetja VT ponudbi podjetja BCP ni spremenila poslovnih in finančnih pogojev postopka (razen razdelitve kapitala).
As regards the negative price of EUR 158 million, the French authorities note that, having regard to SNCM’s financial situation on 30 September 2005, the undertaking was sold at a market price and that the sale was economically more advantageous than a liquidation of the undertaking.
V zvezi z negativno ceno 158 milijonov EUR francoski organi opozarjajo, da je bilo podjetje glede na finančno stanje družbe SNCM na dan 30. septembra 2005 prodano po tržni ceni in da je bila prodaja ekonomsko ugodnejša od likvidacije podjetja.
In that respect, the French authorities state that the application of the criterion of the private investor in the event of a transfer of undertaking similar to liquidation must not be regarded in the same way as the search for ‘profitability of public action’ but as the prevention of greater losses which the shareholder would have to suffer through a more costly liquidation.
V zvezi s tem pojasnjujejo, da se uporaba merila zasebnega vlagatelja za primer prodaje podjetja blizu likvidacije ne sme šteti kot iskanje „donosnosti javnega posredovanja“, ampak kot preprečitev večjih izgub, ki bi jih utrpel delničar v primeru dražje likvidacije.
In respect of the price paid, France challenges the argument that SNCM was transferred at a price which did not reflect its actual value.
Glede cene, ki je bila plačana, Francija izpodbija trditev, da naj bi bila družba SNCM prodana po ceni, ki ne ustreza njeni realni vrednosti.
In response to CFF’s argument calling into question the application of the Gröditzer case-law by referring to the fact that the capital contribution of the State in SNCM was linked to the sale of 75 % of its holding, reducing in proportion the prospects of profit in return, the French authorities note that the negative sale price of EUR 158 million does correspond to the sale of the entirety of SNCM’s capital, followed by a new investment by the State of 25 % giving a return of […] % per year.
Glede trditve družbe CFF, s katero izpodbija uporabo sodbe Gröditzer, pri čemer se sklicuje na dejstvo, da je bil kapitalski vložek države v družbo SNCM povezan s prodajo 75 % njenega deleža, s čimer so se zmanjšale možnosti za donos, francoski organi opozarjajo, da se negativna prodajna cena 158 milijonov EUR dejansko ujema s prodajo celotnega kapitala družbe SNCM, tej pa sledi nova naložba države v višini 25 %, ki prinaša donos v višini […] % na leto.
Accordingly, France takes the view that the return on investment remains guaranteed by virtue of its shareholding of 25 % in the company in so far as that holding enjoys a guarantee of very high return.
Zato Francija meni, da donosnost naložbe ostaja zagotovljena zaradi njenega 25-odstotnega deleža v družbi, ker je s tem deležem zajamčen zelo velik donos.
France also challenges the argument put forward by CFF on the non-application to the present case of the ABX approach, taking as a basis in particular the analysis of the actual liquidation costs of SNCM and the risk that the State could be considered to be liable for the liabilities of the undertaking in an action ‘en comblement de passif’ as provided for by French insolvency procedures and confirmed by national case-law (judgment of the Court of Appeal of Rouen of 22 March 2005).
Francija izpodbija tudi trditev družbe CFF, da pristopa ABX ni mogoče uporabiti za ta primer, pri čemer se CFF opira zlasti na analizo dejanskih stroškov likvidacije družbe SNCM in tveganje, da bi bilo mogoče državo šteti za odgovorno za obveznosti podjetja na podlagi tožbe za plačilo dolgov, kot je določena s francoskimi kolektivnimi postopki in potrjena z nacionalno sodno prakso (sodba pritožbenega sodišča v Rouenu z dne 22. marca 2005).
Although the French authorities consider that their conduct as manager of SNCM cannot be described as being ‘wrongful’ in that action, they insist that there is a very high risk that an order would be made against the State by a national court for the shortfall in SNCM’s assets owing to flexible criteria for characterisation of mismanagement as provided for in Article L-651-2 of the Commercial Code and pursuant to the case-law cited above which can be transposed to the present case.
Čeprav francoski organi menijo, da njihovega ravnanja kot upravitelja družbe SNCM na podlagi te tožbe ni mogoče opredeliti za „krivdnega“, vztrajajo pri obstoju zelo velikega tveganja, da bi nacionalno sodišče obsodilo državo zaradi nezadostnosti sredstev družbe SNCM zaradi ohlapnih meril opredelitve napake pri upravljanju v smislu člena L.651-2 trgovinskega zakonika in na podlagi zgoraj navedene sodne prakse, ki naj bi jo bilo mogoče prenesti na obravnavani primer.
In respect of the capitalisation of EUR 8,75 million, France notes that, contrary to the contentions of CFF and STIM, that capital contribution does not constitute State aid on account of the concurrence of that investment, the similarity of its subscription conditions and the higher-than-average return obtained by the State via CGMF.
Kar zadeva finančno sanacijo v višini 8,75 milijona EUR, Francija opozarja, da v nasprotju s trditvami družb CFF in STIM ta kapitalski vložek ne pomeni državne pomoči zaradi sočasnosti te naložbe, podobnosti pogojev njegovega vpisa in plačila, višjega od povprečnega, ki ga je država dobila prek družbe CGMF.
In particular, the French authorities submit that the principle of equality of investors is not called into question by the existence of cancellation clauses since the latter were laid down in connection with the 100 % sale of SNCM and not with the EUR 35 million recapitalisation which followed it.
Francoski organi zlasti pojasnjujejo, da naj načelo enakosti vlagateljev ne bi bilo postavljeno pod vprašaj z obstojem razveznih klavzul, ker so bile te predvidene na podlagi 100-odstotne odprodaje družbe SNCM in ne na podlagi finančne sanacije v višini 35 milijonov EUR, ki ji je sledila.
Finally, France challenges STIM’s argument that that contribution is a guarantee given to private purchasers that SNCM has indeed been awarded the public service delegation to operate services to Corsica.
Nazadnje Francija izpodbija trditev družbe STIM v zvezi z dejstvom, da naj bi ta vložek pomenil jamstvo za zasebne kupce, da bo družba SNCM dejansko dobila PPJS za povezave s Korziko.
The French authorities submit that that increase in capital is prudent and irrespective of the undertaking’s performance and that the award of the public service delegation to SNCM does not serve to improve the return expected on that investment.
Francoski organi trdijo, da je to povečanje kapitala preudarno in neodvisno od uspešnosti podjetja ter da dodelitev PPJS družbi SNCM ne bi omogočila izboljšanja pričakovanega donosa te naložbe.
As regards the EUR 38,5 million of social measures, France repeats the argument that those measures are aid to individuals and that their payment by the State cannot be considered to give an indirect advantage to the undertaking in so far as they are in addition to SNCM’s statutory obligations and its obligations in agreements.
V zvezi z 38,5 milijona EUR socialnih ukrepov Francija ponavlja trditev, da so ti ukrepi pomoč za osebe in da tega, da jih je prevzela država, ni mogoče šteti, kot da podjetju prinaša posredno ugodnost, ker ti ukrepi dopolnjujejo zakonske in pogodbene obveznosti, ki jih ima družba SNCM.
Moreover, France recalls that those measures do not permit the departure of employees who would remain, in their absence, the responsibility of SNCM.
Poleg tega Francija opozarja, da naj ti ukrepi ne bi omogočali odhoda zaposlenih, ki bi, če jih ne bi bilo, ostali v breme družbe SNCM.
Contrary to CFF’s argument, the French authorities state that the EUR 38,5 million does not correspond to implementation of reductions in staff provided for in the 2003 social plan because those reductions have, despite the delay, already been implemented.
Francoski organi v nasprotju s trditvijo družbe CFF pojasnjujejo, da 38,5 milijona EUR ne ustreza uresničitvi zmanjšanj števila zaposlenih, določenih na podlagi socialnega načrta iz leta 2003, saj so bila ta zmanjšanja kljub zamudi že izvedena.
The new social plan is therefore in addition to the first social measures of 2003.
Novi socialni načrt torej dopolnjuje prve socialne ukrepe iz leta 2003.
Compatibility with the guidelines
Združljivost s smernicami
France considers that, in the light of the foregoing, the amount of aid to be assessed in the light of the guidelines is EUR 15,81 million.
Francija meni, da je glede na zgoraj navedeno znesek pomoči, ki ga je treba oceniti na podlagi smernic, 15,81 milijona EUR.
Contrary to the contentions of CFF, the French authorities consider that, having regard to point 11 of the 2004 guidelines, the first recapitalisation, although enabling SNCM to build up its capital, did not take away its nature of an undertaking in difficulty in so far as that recapitalisation was intended to ensure the continuation of the company’s activities.
Francoski organi v nasprotju s trditvami družbe CFF menijo, da glede na točko 11 Smernic iz leta 2004 družba SNCM s prvo finančno sanacijo, ki ji je sicer omogočila obnovitev lastnih sredstev, ni izgubila značaja podjetja v težavah, saj je bil cilj te finančne sanacije zagotoviti ohranitev dejavnosti družbe.
France refutes CFF’s contentions that it did not again have to inject money into the undertaking given that SNCM could have had recourse to bank credit.
Francija zavrača trditve družbe CFF, da podjetju ne bi smela dati novih finančnih injekcij, glede na to, da bi se družba SNCM lahko zatekla k bančnemu kreditu.
In that regard, the French authorities note that, on 24 August 2005, the banks refused to grant new cash lines to SNCM and that, accordingly, the only alternatives conceivable were privatisation or the liquidation of the undertaking.
Francoski organi v zvezi s tem opozarjajo, da so banke 24. avgusta 2005 zavrnile odobritev novih kreditnih linij za družbo SNCM in da sta bili zato edini mogoči alternativi privatizacija ali likvidacija podjetja.
France takes the view that SNCM has good prospects for recovery and that the measures contemplated by the new shareholders, in particular the implementation of the social plan, the reinstatement of services and the renewal of certain vessels, will enable the undertaking to return to viability.
Francija meni, da ima SNCM dobre možnosti za sanacijo in da bodo ukrepi, ki jih načrtujejo novi delničarji, zlasti uresničitev socialnega načrta, sanacija povezav in obnova nekaterih ladij, omogočili obnovitev sposobnosti preživetja podjetja.
In that regard, France observes that on account of the revenues deriving from the public service delegation (approximately […] of SNCM’s turnover) and in view of the extent of the fixed costs and the difficulties in redeploying the 6 vessels used on the Marseille-Corsica route, the public service delegation constitutes an essential element of the undertaking’s strategy and its viability.
Francija v zvezi s tem navaja, da zaradi prihodkov od PPJS (približno […] prometa družbe SNCM) in ob upoštevanju pomena fiksnih stroškov ter težav s prerazporeditvijo šestih ladij, ki se uporabljajo na povezavah Marseille–Korzika, PPJS pomeni bistveni element strategije podjetja in njegove sposobnosti preživetja.
On the limitation of the aid to the minimum, France believes that it limited to the strict minimum the restructuring costs necessary to enable the restructuring to be carried out.
Glede omejitve pomoči na minimum Francija meni, da je stroške prestrukturiranja omejila na strogi minimum, potreben za izvedbo prestrukturiranja.
The conditions imposed by the Commission decision of 2003 and the possible new compensatory measures
Pogoji, določeni z Odločbo Komisije iz leta 2003, in morebitni novi izravnalni ukrepi
Contrary to the contentions of STIM and CFF, the French authorities state that they complied with all of the conditions imposed by the 2003 decision, to which they were bound until the end of 2006, in particular the maintenance of the fleet of 11 vessels and the application of lower fares than those of its competitors.
Francoski organi v nasprotju s trditvami družb STIM in CFF trdijo, da so upoštevali vse pogoje, določene z Odločbo iz leta 2003, in se jih držali do konca leta 2006, zlasti ohranitev 11 ladij v ladjevju in uporabo cen, nižjih od cen konkurentov.
Indeed, France considers that, under the new final decision, the level of compensatory measures to be imposed on SNCM must be adapted in so far as the amount of restructuring aid was henceforth EUR 15,81 million rather than EUR 69,3 million.
Poleg tega Francija meni, da je treba na podlagi nove končne odločbe raven izravnalnih ukrepov, ki jih je treba naložiti družbi SNCM, prilagoditi, ker naj bi znesek pomoči za prestrukturiranje odslej znašal 15,81 milijona EUR namesto 69,3 milijona EUR.
In that respect, France challenges STIM’s observations concerning the possibility that the Commission may require SNCM to sell its shareholding in CMN as a compensatory measure.
Francija v zvezi s tem izpodbija pripombe družbe STIM glede možnosti, da Komisija družbi SNCM kot izravnalni ukrep naloži prodajo njenega deleža v družbi CMN.
France challenges STIM’s argument that the description of strategic assets was called into question in the 2004 guidelines as opposed to those of 1999.
Francija izpodbija trditev družbe STIM, da naj bi bila opredelitev strateških sredstev v Smernicah iz leta 2004 postavljena pod vprašaj glede na Smernice iz leta 1999.
As regards measures referred to by CFF intended to reduce SNCM’s market presence, the French authorities recall that, as the Commission noted, moreover, in its 2003 decision (recital 87), there is no excess capacity on the markets concerned (France — Corsica — the Maghreb) and that a reconfiguration of services to Corsica under and outwith the public service delegation would jeopardise the viability of the undertaking.
Kar zadeva ukrepe, ki jih je navedla družba CFF in katerih cilj je zmanjšati prisotnost družbe SNCM na trgu, francoski organi opozarjajo, da kot naj bi med drugim navedla Komisija v Odločbi iz leta 2003 (točka 87), na zadevnih trgih (Francija - Korzika - Magreb) ni presežne zmogljivosti in da bi preoblikovanje linij za povezave s Korziko na podlagi PPJS in zunaj PPJS ogrozilo sposobnost preživetja podjetja.
As for the argument raised by CFF that the implementation of the measures described above in favour of SNCM involves a serious risk of eliminating its main competitor on the mainland France-Corsica market, namely CFF, the French authorities submit that, having regard to the current structure of the market on which CFF is in the majority, the maintenance of a competitive structure depends on the authorisation of SNCM’s restructuring plan and the presence of the latter on the market in question.
Kar zadeva trditev družbe CFF, da naj bi izvedba zgoraj opisanih ukrepov v korist družbe SNCM vključevala resno tveganje, da bo s trga celinska Francija–Korzika izginil glavni konkurent družbe SNCM, to je družba CFF, francoski organi trdijo, da je glede na sedanjo izoblikovanost trga, na katerem družba CFF odslej prevladuje, ohranitev konkurenčne strukture odvisna od odobritve načrta prestrukturiranja družbe SNCM in njene prisotnosti na zadevnem trgu.
Article 87(1) of the EC Treaty provides: ‘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 členu 87(1) ES je določeno, da „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 prizadene trgovino med državami članicami“.