natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Even if financing decisions can indeed be expected to be taken in the best interest of the group as a whole, the analysis at the level of the group has no foundation in Hungarian tax law which does not include any tax consolidation system for groups.
Čeprav se lahko pričakuje, da se bodo finančni sklepi sprejemali v korist skupine kot celote, nima analiza na ravni skupine nobene podlage v madžarski davčni zakonodaji, ki ne vključuje nobenega sistema davčne konsolidacije za skupine.
The Hungarian corporate income tax is levied on individual entities, not on groups.
Madžarski davek od dohodkov pravnih oseb se obračuna za posamezne subjekte in ne za skupine.
Therefore, the Commission is of the opinion that the assessment of the reference system should be made at the level of individual companies.
Zato Komisija meni, da je treba opraviti oceno referenčnega sistema na ravni posameznih družb.
Analysis of the selective nature of the measure
Analiza selektivnosti ukrepa
The Commission considers that for the taxation of specific types of revenues, it may be relevant to determine whether a regime covers broad categories of transactions in a non-discriminatory manner.
Komisija meni, da bi bilo za obdavčitev posebnih vrst dohodkov pomembno ugotoviti, ali zajema ureditev širokih kategorij transakcij na nediskriminatoren način.
Any discrimination that cannot be justified by objective differences between taxpayers may lead to a distortion of competition.
Vsaka diskriminacija, ki je ni mogoče upravičiti z objektivnimi razlikami med davčnimi zavezanci, lahko povzroči izkrivljanje konkurence.
This being said, it must be determined whether loan transactions between related companies can be objectively entitled to a reduced taxation rate.
Zaradi tega je treba ugotoviti, ali so transakcije posojil med povezanimi družbami objektivno upravičene do znižane davčne stopnje.
The Hungarian authorities, as well as the American Chamber of Commerce, argue that a company providing intra-group loans is not in a situation comparable to that of a company providing loans to independent parties.
Madžarski organi in Ameriška gospodarska zbornica trdijo, da družba, ki zagotavlja posojila znotraj skupine, ni v primerljivem položaju z družbo, ki zagotavlja posojila neodvisnim strankam.
The latter activity could only be pursued by an authorised financial institution as laid down in the Hungarian Act on credit institutions in line with the Banking directive [39].
To dejavnost lahko opravlja le finančna institucija, ki je pridobila dovoljenje, kot je določeno v madžarskem zakonu o kreditnih institucijah v skladu z bančno direktivo [39].
Companies that finance third parties as their main activity should therefore not be compared to companies providing intra-group financing in order to optimally distribute liquidity within a group.
Družb, katerih glavna dejavnost je financiranje tretjih oseb, se zato ne more primerjati z družbami, ki zagotavljajo financiranje znotraj skupine, da bi se likvidnost znotraj skupine čim bolje porazdelila.
According to the Hungarian authorities, the measure would have the effect of reducing the difference between equity and intra-group loan financing.
Po navedbah madžarskih organov bi imel ukrep učinek zmanjšanja razlik med lastniškim financiranjem in financiranjem posojil znotraj skupine.
The Commission is of the opinion that regardless of the existence of discrimination against specific sectors, the measure at stake will have the effect of reducing this arbitrage (in a domestic situation), as the taxation of intra-group interests will approximate to the taxation of intra-group dividends, thus reinforcing the technical neutrality of the fiscal system.
Komisija meni, da bo imel zadevni ukrep ne glede na obstoj diskriminacije posameznih sektorjev vpliv zmanjšanja te poljubnosti (v domačih razmerah), ker se bo obdavčenje obresti znotraj skupine približalo obdavčenju dividend znotraj skupine, s čimer se bo povečala tehnična nevtralnost davčnega sistema.
In addition, as stand-alone companies that are not credit or financial institutions are in principle not engaged in the regular business of granting loans to independent parties, they are not discriminated against compared to related companies where loan transactions are concerned in the granting of loans to affiliated companies.
Ker se poleg tega samostojne družbe, ki niso kreditne ali finančne institucije, načeloma ne ukvarjajo z redno dejavnostjo odobravanja posojil neodvisnim strankam, pri transakcijah posojil niso diskriminirane v primerjavi s povezanimi družbami, ki odobravajo posojila povezanim družbam.
In terms of its effects, the advantage given to a company providing a loan to a related company cannot be considered as discriminatory, since a loan to a related company cannot be compared to a loan to an unrelated company.
V smislu učinkov se prednost, podeljena družbi, ki zagotavlja posojilo povezani družbi, ne more šteti za diskriminatorno, ker se posojilo povezani družbi ne more primerjati s posojilom nepovezani družbi.
With respect to debt financing activities, related companies are not in a comparable legal and factual situation with unrelated companies.
Kar zadeva dejavnosti dolžniškega financiranja, povezane družbe niso v primerljivem pravnem in dejanskem položaju nepovezanih družb.
The reason is that related companies are not engaged in a merely commercial transaction, unlike unrelated companies, when they try to obtain loan or equity financing within the group.
Razlog je ta, da povezane družbe v nasprotju z nepovezanimi družbami ne izvajajo izključno komercialnega posla, kadar želijo znotraj skupine pridobiti financiranje s posojili ali lastniško financiranje.
The parent and the subsidiary share the same interests, which is not the case of a commercial transaction with a third-party provider of finance, where each party tries to maximise its profits at the expense of the other.
Matična in odvisna družba imata enake interese, kar pa ne velja pri komercialnem poslu s tretjim financerjem, kjer želi vsaka stranka čim bolj povečati svoj dobiček na račun druge.
However, the Commission notes that the measure is not open to any company subject to corporate tax and receiving/paying interest in the context of intra-group relations.
Komisija kljub temu ugotavlja, da ukrep ni na voljo nobeni družbi, ki plačuje davek od dohodkov pravnih oseb in prejema/plačuje obresti v okviru razmerij znotraj skupine.
Although the measure does not include any limitation regarding the country in which the transaction is to take place, the Commission considers that the measure includes discriminating elements at three different levels.
Čeprav ukrep ne vključuje omejitev glede države, v kateri se bo izvedla transakcija, Komisija meni, da ukrep vključuje diskriminacijske elemente na treh različnih ravneh.
Exclusion of the financial sector
Izključitev finančnega sektorja
Hungary states that it did not intend to promote intra-group financing as these companies have operated with considerable profits.
Madžarska navaja, da ni nameravala spodbujati financiranja znotraj skupine, ker so te družbe poslovale z znatnim dobičkom.
Hungary and the American Chamber of Commerce consider that extending the measure to financial service providers, insurance companies, investment companies and venture capital companies would precisely have constituted de facto selectivity as, given the special status of financial services providers, they would have obtained disproportionately large benefits when applying the measure.
Madžarska in Ameriška gospodarska zbornica menita, da bi razširitev ukrepa na ponudnike finančnih storitev, zavarovalnice, investicijske družbe in družbe s tveganim kapitalom pomenila dejansko selektivnost, ker bi glede na poseben položaj ponudnikov finančnih storitev pri uporabi ukrepa pridobili nesorazmerno velike ugodnosti.
In general, and as for any tax measure, it cannot be ruled out that group companies in specific sectors would benefit more from the measure because of the higher intensity of financial transactions in such sectors.
Na splošno, in kar velja za vse davčne ukrepe, ni mogoče izključiti, da utegnejo imeti družbe skupine v posameznih sektorjih večjo korist od ukrepa zaradi večje intenzivnosti finančnih transakcij v takšnih sektorjih.
This could indeed be the case of companies in the financial sector, which have lending as their main activity and which could easily increase lending to related companies as a result.
To lahko velja zlasti za družbe v finančnem sektorju, katerih glavna dejavnost je zagotavljanje posojil in ki lahko zaradi tega enostavno okrepijo posojanje povezanim družbam.
However, this situation does not justify in itself the exclusion of the financial sector.
Vendar ta položaj sam po sebi ne upravičuje izključitve finančnega sektorja.
Hungary could reach its objective of avoiding any abuse of the scheme by specific sectors or undertakings by a provision limiting the amount that can be taxed/deducted at a reduced rate.
Madžarska lahko doseže cilj preprečitve zlorab sheme s strani posameznih sektorjev ali podjetij na podlagi določbe, ki omejuje znesek, ki se lahko obdavči/odbije po znižani stopnji.
Furthermore, the Commission fiscal notice indicates that ‘the fact that some firms or some sectors benefit more than others from some of these tax measures does not necessarily mean that they are caught by the competition rules governing State aid.’
Poleg tega davčno obvestilo Komisije navaja, da „[d]ejstvo, da imajo nekatera podjetja ali nekateri sektorji večje ugodnosti kot druga zaradi teh davčnih ukrepov, ne pomeni nujno, da so zajeti v pravila o konkurenci, ki urejajo državno pomoč.“
Exclusion of small companies
Izključitev malih podjetij
The Hungarian authorities argue that (1) small companies typically do not provide intra-group financing, (2) the extension of the measure to them would require high administrative costs disproportionate to the potential advantages that they could effectively achieve, (3) the Hungarian Act on Corporate Tax provides for several tax benefits specifically designed for small companies.
Madžarski organi trdijo, da (1) mala podjetja praviloma ne zagotavljajo financiranja znotraj skupine, (2) da bi razširitev ukrepa nanje povzročila višje administrativne stroške, ki bi bili nesorazmerni z možnimi prednostmi, ki bi bile lahko dejansko dosežene, (3) da madžarski zakon o davku od dohodkov pravnih oseb zagotavlja več davčnih ugodnosti, posebej namenjenih malim podjetjem.
The Commission notes that Hungary did not provide any data confirming that small Hungarian companies indeed do not provide or receive intra-group financing.
Komisija ugotavlja, da Madžarska ni predložila nobenih podatkov, ki potrjujejo, da mala madžarska podjetja dejansko ne zagotavljajo ali prejemajo financiranja znotraj skupine.
It cannot therefore be ruled out that a significant number of small companies are organised in the form of a group and receive/pay interest in the context of their intra-group relations.
Zato ni mogoče izključiti, da se veliko število malih podjetij organizira v skupino in prejema/plačuje obresti v okviru svojih razmerij znotraj skupine.
In addition, the fact that small companies benefit from tax measures specifically designed for them is not relevant to the assessment of the selectivity of the measure.
Poleg tega dejstvo, da imajo mala podjetja koristi od davčnih ukrepov, ki so posebej oblikovani zanje, ni pomembno za oceno selektivnosti ukrepa.
Optional nature of the measure
Izbirna narava ukrepa
The optional nature of the measure allows the taxpayer to decide on a yearly basis whether to apply the measure or opt out.
Izbirna narava ukrepa omogoča, da se lahko davčni zavezanec vsako leto odloči, ali bo ukrep uporabljal ali ne.
The Hungarian authorities point out that such a feature naturally derives from the annual cycle of corporate taxation, together with other provisions of tax law.
Madžarski organi poudarjajo, da taka značilnost logično izhaja iz letnega cikla obdavčitve dohodkov pravnih oseb skupaj z drugimi določbami davčne zakonodaje.
The Commission considers, however, that such a feature has the effect of introducing differentiated treatment between group companies, as the measure does not apply to all group companies (with intra-group loan transactions) but only to those that have decided to opt in for the fiscal year concerned.
Komisija kljub temu meni, da ima taka značilnost učinek uvajanja diferencirane obravnave med družbami skupine, ker ukrep ne velja za vse družbe skupine (s transakcijami posojil znotraj skupine), vendar le za tiste, ki so se odločile za neuporabo sheme v zadevnem proračunskem letu.
Justification by the nature and general scheme of the tax system
Utemeljitev glede na naravo in splošno shemo davčnega sistema
In point 23 of its fiscal notice, the Commission indicates that ‘the differential nature of some measures does not necessarily mean that they must be considered to be State aid.
V točki 23 davčnega obvestila Komisija navaja, da „[p]ristranska narava nekaterih ukrepov ne pomeni nujno, da predstavljajo državno pomoč.
This is the case with measures whose economic rationale makes them necessary to the functioning and effectiveness of the tax system.
To velja za ukrepe, ki so glede na ekonomsko podlago potrebni za delovanje in učinkovitost davčnega sistema.
However, it is up to the Member State to provide such justification.’
Vendar pa morajo za takšno utemeljitev poskrbeti države članice.“
According to the Hungarian authorities, the aim of the measure was to diminish certain unfavourable effects that are attributable to the absence of group taxation in Hungary.
Po mnenju madžarskih organov je cilj ukrepa zmanjšati nekatere neželene učinke, ki jih je mogoče pripisati dejstvu, da na Madžarskem ni obdavčenja v skupini.
The measure departs from the ‘classic’ method of individual (i.e. non-consolidated) tax assessment to a much lesser degree than frequently-used group taxation schemes do in other Member States.
Ukrep izvira iz „klasične“ metode posamezne (tj. nekonsolidirane) davčne ocene v precej manjšem obsegu kot pogosto uporabljene sheme obdavčenja v skupini v drugih državah članicah.
As a consequence, the measure aims to implement (in a special way) an established and frequently used modern income tax system.
Zato je cilj ukrepa izvajati (na poseben način) uveljavljen in pogosto uporabljen sodoben sistem davka od dohodkov.
The Commission observes, however, that the absence of tax consolidation systems for groups in Hungary does not justify the selective award of State aid to a limited number of companies.
Komisija kljub temu ugotavlja, da pomanjkanje sistemov davčne konsolidacije za skupine na Madžarskem ne upravičuje selektivne dodelitve državne pomoči omejenemu številu družb.
This principle was established in the Court of Justice judgment in Case 173/73 [40].
To načelo je bilo oblikovano v sodbi Sodišča Evropskih skupnosti v zadevi 173/73 [40].
Hungary also refers to the current different tax treatment of equity and debt and observes that in both cases the income is subject to the same tax rate but the taxable person is different (for dividends, it is the subsidiary, and for interest, it is the parent company).
Madžarska se sklicuje tudi na trenutno različno davčno obravnavo lastniškega kapitala in dolga ter ugotavlja, da za dohodek v obeh primerih velja enaka davčna stopnja, vendar ne gre za istega davčnega zavezanca (za dividende je odvisno podjetje, za obresti je matično podjetje).
The Commission is of the opinion that the scheme in question has the effect of excluding several sectors from the benefit of reduced taxation and that it does not qualify as a simple technical measure aiming to shift part of the tax burden from the net interest-receiving company to the net interest-paying company.
Komisija meni, da ima zadevna shema učinek izključitve več sektorjev iz prednosti znižane obdavčitve in ne izpolnjuje meril enostavnega tehničnega ukrepa, katerega cilj je prenos dela davčne obremenitve iz družbe, ki prejema čiste obresti, v družbo, ki plačuje čiste obresti.
As to the exclusion of the financial sector, the Hungarian authorities also refer to paragraph 27 of the fiscal notice: ‘Specific provisions that do not contain discretionary elements, allowing for example tax to be determined on a fixed basis (for example, in the agriculture or fisheries sectors), may be justified by the nature and general scheme of the system where, for example, they take account of specific accounting requirements or of the importance of land in assets which are specific to certain sectors; such provisions do not therefore constitute State aid (…)’.
Kar zadeva izključitev finančnega sektorja, se madžarski organi sklicujejo tudi na odstavek 27 davčnega obvestila: „Posebne določbe, ki ne vsebujejo diskrecijskih elementov in omogočajo določanje davkov na fiksni osnovi (na primer v kmetijskem in ribiškem sektorju), je mogoče upravičiti z naravo in splošno shemo sistema, če na primer upoštevajo specifične računovodske zahteve ali pomen zemljišča v premoženju, kar je značilno za nekatere sektorje; takšne določbe torej ne predstavljajo državne pomoči […]“.
The Commission notes, however, that the provisions referred to in paragraph 27 of the fiscal notice do not aim to increase or reduce the tax burden on specific sectors but rather to take into account specific features of the sectors in question, such as accounting requirements that could justify the implementation of simplification rules for the assessment of the taxable basis.
Komisija kljub temu ugotavlja, da cilj določb iz odstavka 27 davčnega obvestila ni povečati ali zmanjšati davčne obremenitve za posamezne sektorje, ampak upoštevati posebne značilnosti zadevnih sektorjev, kot so računovodske zahteve, ki lahko upravičijo izvajanje pravil o poenostavitvi za oceno davčne osnove.
Conclusion on selectivity
Sklepna ugotovitev o selektivnosti
The differentiation between on the one hand the financial sector and small undertakings and on the other hand the other sectors, as well as the optional nature of the scheme, is not justified by the nature and general scheme of the Hungarian tax system.
Narava in splošna shema madžarskega davčnega sistema ne upravičujeta razlikovanja med finančnim sektorjem in malimi podjetji na eni strani ter drugimi sektorji in izbirno naravo sheme na drugi strani.
In this context, the Commission must conclude that the measure at stake is selective.
V povezavi s tem mora Komisija skleniti, da je zadevni ukrep selektiven.
The Commission is, however, of the opinion that an advantage at the level of one company cannot be offset by the disadvantage at the level of another company, even if that company is part of the same group.
Komisija kljub temu meni, da se prednost na ravni ene družbe ne more izravnati z negativnim učinkom na ravni druge družbe, tudi če je ta družba del iste skupine.
The assessment whether there is an advantage has to be made at the level of the individual company, not of the group.
Oceno, ali obstaja prednost, je treba opraviti na ravni posamezne družbe in ne na ravni skupine.
In addition, it must be underlined that group companies can easily reorganise their financing activities and influence the outcome of the application of the measure.
Poleg tega je treba poudariti, da lahko družbe skupine enostavno reorganizirajo svoje finančne dejavnosti in vplivajo na rezultat uporabe ukrepa.
Besides, the Commission considers that the symmetry of the measure and its neutral impact at the level of the group is not sufficient to exclude the possibility of an advantage at the level of individual companies.
Poleg tega Komisija meni, da simetričnost ukrepa in njegovega nevtralnega učinka na ravni skupine ne zadostuje za izključitev možnosti prednosti na ravni posameznih družb.
Similarly, a lower taxation of interests by one entity of the group cannot be justified by a higher rate of taxation — due to a lower deductibility level of interests — in another one [41].
Podobno tudi nižje obdavčitve obresti enega subjekta v skupini ni mogoče upravičiti z obdavčitvijo po višji stopnji – zaradi nižje stopnje odbitnosti obresti – v drugem subjektu [41].
It results from the jurisprudence referred to above that the fact that some group companies suffer a disadvantage does not call into question the existence of an advantage at the level of another company.
To izhaja iz navedene sodne prakse, pri čemer dejstvo, da imajo nekatere družbe v skupini negativen učinek, ne povzroča dvoma glede obstoja prednosti na ravni druge družbe.
In this case, the Commission takes the view that the advantage granted by the State through a lower tax (50 % reduction of the taxable amount) must be considered a loss of tax equivalent to consumption of State resources in the form of fiscal expenditure.
V tem primeru Komisija meni, da se mora prednost, ki jo država dodeli z nižjim davkom (50 % znižanje obdavčljivega zneska), obravnavati kot izguba davka, enaka porabi državnih sredstev v obliki davčnih izdatkov.
As the beneficiaries are undertakings active in various economic sectors in markets that are open to competition, it has the potential to distort competition between Member States and affect intra-Community trade.
Ker so upravičenci podjetja, dejavna v različnih sektorjih na trgih, ki so odprta konkurenci, obstaja možnost izkrivljanja konkurence med državami članicami in vpliva na trgovino znotraj Skupnosti.
In principle, aid which is intended to release an undertaking from costs which it would normally have had to bear in its day-to-day management or normal activities distorts the conditions of competition [42].
Pomoč, katere namen je oprostitev podjetja stroškov, ki bi jih običajno moralo kriti pri vsakodnevnem upravljanju ali običajnih dejavnostih, dejansko izkrivlja konkurenčne pogoje [42].
In addition, it has been ruled that any granting of aid to an undertaking exercising its activities in the Community market is liable to cause distortion of competition and affect trade between Member States [43].
Poleg tega je bilo odločeno, da bi lahko vsaka dodelitev pomoči podjetju, ki opravlja svoje dejavnosti na trgu Skupnosti, povzročila izkrivljanje konkurence in vplivala na trgovino med državami članicami [43].
Consequently, without it being necessary to carry out an economic analysis of the current situation in the markets concerned [44] and in view of the fact that the tax scheme introduced by Hungary strengthens the position of the economic operators who benefit from it compared with other operators competing in intra-Community trade, the Commission considers that the scheme affects trade between Member States and distorts competition between those operators.
Ne da bi bila izvedba gospodarske analize trenutnega položaja na zadevnih trgih [44] nujna, in glede na dejstvo, da davčna shema, ki jo je uvedla Madžarska, izboljšuje položaj gospodarskih subjektov, ki imajo zaradi nje prednost v primerjavi z drugimi subjekti, konkurenčnimi v trgovini znotraj Skupnosti, Komisija meni, da vpliva shema na trgovino med državami članicami in izkrivlja konkurenco med temi subjekti.
In the light of all the above considerations, the Commission takes the view that the intra-group interest deduction provided for in Act LXXXI of 1996 on Corporate Tax and Dividend Tax constitutes aid within the meaning of Article 87(1) of the Treaty.
Glede na navedeno Komisija meni, da pomeni odbitek za obresti znotraj skupine iz Zakona LXXXI iz leta 1996 o davku od dohodkov pravnih oseb in davku od dividend pomoč v smislu člena 87(1) Pogodbe.
Classification of the scheme as unlawful or existing aid
Opredelitev sheme kot nezakonite ali obstoječe pomoči
Annex IV.3 of the Act of Accession provides that the following aid schemes and individual aid put into effect in Hungary before the date of accession and still applicable after that date must be regarded upon accession as existing aid within the meaning of Article 88(1) of the EC Treaty:
Priloga IV.3 k Aktu o pristopu določa, da se morajo naslednje sheme pomoči in posamična pomoč, ki so na Madžarskem začele veljati pred pristopom in veljajo tudi po njem, ob pristopu šteti za obstoječo pomoč v smislu člena 88(1) Pogodbe ES:
aid measures listed in the Appendix to Annex IV;
ukrepi pomoči iz Dodatka k Prilogi IV;