natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
In the case cited above relating to La Banque Postale, the Commission considered it necessary for the French authorities to enter into commitments permitting a mechanism to be put in place which neutralised at the level of the subsidiary any advantages that might be enjoyed by the parent. As regards the funding terms, this obligation was to state in writing in the financing contract, for each instrument covered by a contract, that under French law (in particular the need for express statutory authorisation by law for each guarantee) this financing transaction would not benefit from any guarantee of any kind, direct or indirect, on the part of the State.
Komisija je v zgoraj navedeni zadevi v zvezi s podjetjem La Banque Postale menila, da morajo francoski organi sprejeti obveznosti, ki bodo omogočile vzpostavitev mehanizma, s katerim se v hčerinski družbi nevtralizirajo morebitne prednosti za matično družbo.
The issuing prospectus of each transaction was to publicise this contractual provision [220].
Navedena obveznost pri pogojih financiranja naj bi zajemala, da se „za vsak posel v pogodbe o financiranju (za vsak instrument iz pogodbe) pisno vključi, da za to financiranje v skladu s francoskim pravom (zlasti potrebo po izrecnem zakonskem dovoljenju za vsako poroštvo) ni nikakršnega neposrednega ali posrednega državnega poroštva. Navedena pogodbena določba bo morala biti za vsak posel objavljena v prospektih“ [220].
In the present case, the French authorities have given a commitment, with regard to the borrowing terms of the IFP subsidiaries (Axens, Beicip-Franlab and Prosernat), to state in writing in the financing contract for each transaction (for any instrument covered by a contract) that ‘Pursuant to French law (in particular the need for express statutory authority for each guarantee), the present financing transaction shall not enjoy any form of direct or indirect State guarantee’.
Francoski organi so se v obravnavanem primeru pri posojilnih pogojih za hčerinske družbe osebe javnega prava IFP (Axens, Beicip-Franlab in Prosernat) zavezali, da se za vsak posel v pogodbe o financiranju (za vsak instrument iz pogodbe) pisno vključi naslednje: „[Z]a to financiranje v skladu s francoskim pravom (zlasti potrebo po izrecnem zakonskem dovoljenju za vsako poroštvo) ni nikakršnega neposrednega ali posrednega državnega poroštva.“
As regards the use by the subsidiaries of human and material resources made available by their parent, as noted by the Commission in decision C 51/2005, ‘if there is any subsidisation of economic activities, it results from the level of the remunerations paid by the subsidiaries concerned to the parent company and is reflected in IFP’s accounts’ [221].
Pri človeških in materialnih virih, ki jih uporabljajo hčerinske družbe in da na voljo matična družba, v skladu z ugotovitvijo Komisije v zgoraj navedeni odločbi C 51/2005 „subvencioniranje temelji na stopnji plačil, ki jih izvedejo zadevne hčerinske družbe matični družbi, in se izraža v računovodskih izkazih skupine IFP, če gre za subvencioniranje gospodarskih dejavnosti“ [221].
In the examination of IFP’s accounts, the only cost components not taken into account by the Commission for the year 2006 in decision C 51/2005, and for the following years in the annual reports sent by the French authorities, are those relating to the cover provided by the unlimited guarantee for the services provided by IFP to its subsidiaries.
Toda v preučitvi računovodskih izkazov osebe javnega prava IFP so bili edini stroški, ki jih Komisija še ni upoštevala za leto 2006 v zgoraj navedeni odločbi C 51/2005 in za naslednja leta v letnih poročilih, ki so jih predložili francoski organi, stroški v zvezi s kritjem storitev, ki jih je oseba javnega prava IFP opravila za svoje hčerinske družbe, z neomejenim poroštvom.
Since the premium corresponding to a performance bond, at the very for best efforts, was not paid to the State, it was not possible for it to be priced into the services supplied to the subsidiaries either.
Ker državi ni bila plačana premija, ki ustreza garanciji za dobro ali vsaj kar najboljšo izvedbo pogodbenih obveznosti, zanjo prav tako ni mogla biti določena tarifa za storitve, opravljene za hčerinske družbe.
Consequently, it must be held that the economic advantage conferred on the publicly owned establishment by the guarantee it enjoys by virtue of its legal form was transferred in this way to its private-law subsidiaries Axens and Prosernat.
Zato je treba šteti, da je bila gospodarska prednost, nastala za osebo javnega prava zaradi poroštva na podlagi njenega statusa, na tej podlagi prenesena na njeni hčerinski družbi zasebnega prava Axens in Prosernat.
The French authorities have confirmed the existence of the contracts jointly concluded by IFP and its subsidiaries Axens, Prosernat and Beicip-Franlab with common suppliers, which the Commission mentioned in its opening decision and which UOP also referred to in its comments, as indicated in recital 73; but the French authorities have pointed out that that essentially they concerned the transport sector (air and rail) for business travel of the staff of the various entities.
V zvezi s pogodbami, ki so jih oseba javnega prava IFP ter njene hčerinske družbe Axens, Prosernat in Beicip-Franlab sopodpisale s skupnimi dobavitelji, Komisija pa jih je navedla v odločitvi o začetku postopka, družba UOP Limited pa v svojih pripombah, kot je navedeno v uvodni izjavi 73, so francoski organi njihov obstoj seveda potrdili, vendar so pojasnili, da zadevajo zlasti področje prevoza (letalskega in železniškega) za službena potovanja osebja različnih subjektov.
The Commission considers that if the subsidiaries were able to benefit from more favourable purchasing conditions granted to the IFP group — which has not necessarily been established with regard to the supplies in question — this was the result of a volume discount policy applied by these suppliers for bulk purchasing, rather than for any impact of the guarantee.
Komisija meni, da so hčerinske družbe lahko imele ugodnejše pogoje nakupa, odobrene skupini IFP, kar ni nujno ugotovljeno za zadevne dobave, bolj zaradi politike količinskih popustov, ki so jih morebiti uvedli dobavitelji za skupinske nakupe, kot pa zaradi morebitnega učinka poroštva.
In any case, even supposing that the analysis presented in section 7.1.4.1 B with regard to the publicly owned establishment can be transposed to the subsidiaries for the supplies obtained jointly with it, and that by such a mechanism these subsidiaries benefit from a transfer of the advantage enjoyed by the publicly owned establishment IFP on account of the guarantee, thus enabling them to obtain these services more cheaply, the sums in question would be so negligible that the Commission doubts whether they can be described as a real economic advantage.
Kakor koli, tudi če bi se lahko analiza iz dela 7.1.4.1 B za osebo javnega prava uporabila pri hčerinskih družbah za skupne nabave in bi se nanje zaradi takega mehanizma prenesla prednost, ki jo ima oseba javnega prava IFP zaradi poroštva, s tem ko bi ceneje kupovale navedene storitve, bi bili zadevni zneski tako zanemarljivi, da Komisija dvomi, da bi lahko pomenili dejansko gospodarsko prednost.
Consequently, in line with the conclusions of decision C 51/2005, the only activities that may benefit from an advantage deriving from the cover provided by the parent’s State guarantee for the research activities conducted in the subsidiaries’ exclusive fields are confined to the ‘contribution [by the publicly owned establishment IFP] to activities in the fields of activity of Axens and Prosernat’ [222].
Zato so v skladu z ugotovitvami iz zgoraj navedene odločbe C 51/2005 edine dejavnosti, ki bi lahko imele prednost zaradi kritja raziskovalnih dejavnosti, opravljenih na izključnem področju dejavnosti hčerinskih družb, z državnim poroštvom, odobrenim matični družbi, omejene na „prispevke [osebe javnega prava IFP] za dejavnosti na področjih dejavnosti družb Axens in Prosernat“ [222].
The Commission cannot quantify the advantage transferred to Axens and Prosernat precisely, but in view of the specific nature of the risk covered, the Commission considers that it would not in any case exceed, service by service, year by year, the sums shown in Table 5 in recital 236.
Čeprav Komisija zlasti pri prednostih, prenesenih na družbi Axens in Prosernat, zaradi posebnosti kritega tveganja ne more natančno določiti zneska prednosti, meni, da ta v posameznem letu in za posamezno storitev nikakor ne more preseči zneskov iz Preglednice 5 v uvodni izjavi 236.
In the Commission’s view, such an economic advantage transferred by the publicly owned establishment IFP to its private-law subsidiaries Axens and Prosernat is selective, because the subsidiaries’ competitors do not have access to the technologies and human and material resources of IFP on such favourable terms.
Taka gospodarska prednost, ki jo oseba javnega prava IFP prenese na svoji hčerinski družbi zasebnega prava Axens in Prosernat, je po mnenju Komisije selektivna, ker njuni tekmeci nimajo dostopa do tehnologij ter človeških in materialnih virov osebe javnega prava IFP pod tako ugodnimi pogoji.
The measure examined may lead to a reduction in the operating costs of IFP for the services it supplies to third parties (contract research) and in those of Axens and Prosernat for the services they obtain from their parent (research in their exclusive field, contract research, provision of staff and infrastructures, and provision of administrative services), which has the effect of favouring the IFP group and therefore of distorting competition within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.
Obravnavani ukrep lahko povzroči znižanje stroškov poslovanja osebe javnega prava IFP za storitve, ki jih zagotavlja tretjim osebam (pogodbene raziskave), in znižanje stroškov poslovanja družb Axens in Prosernat za storitve, ki jih pridobijo od svoje matične družbe (raziskave na njunem izključnem področju dejavnosti, pogodbene raziskave, posredovanje osebja in materiala, izvajanje upravnih storitev), zaradi česar bi skupina IFP lahko pridobila prednost in bi se lahko torej izkrivljala konkurenca v smislu člena 107(1) PDEU.
The markets on which the IFP group operates, in particular that of contract research in the case of the publicly owned establishment IFP itself, those of catalysts and technologies for the refining and petrochemicals industries in the case of its subsidiary Axens, and consultancy, other services, and infrastructures in the field of gas treatment and sulphur recovery in the case of its subsidiary Prosernat, are wide open to trade within the European Union, so that the measure is liable to have an unfavourable impact on competing undertakings which have, or wish to develop, similar economic activities in the markets concerned.
Ker so trgi, na katerih je dejavna skupina IFP – in sicer oseba javnega prava IFP neposredno zlasti na trgu pogodbenih raziskav, hčerinska družba Axens na trgih katalizatorjev in tehnologij za industrijske panoge na področju rafiniranja in petrokemičnih izdelkov, hčerinska družba Prosernat pa na trgih študij, storitev in opreme na področju predelave plina in razžvepljevanja –, široko odprti za trgovino v Evropski uniji, ima lahko tak ukrep neugoden učinek za konkurenčna podjetja, ki so razvila ali bi želela razviti podobne gospodarske dejavnosti na zadevnih trgih.
The existence of an unlimited State guarantee for the publicly owned establishment IFP is consequently liable to distort competition and to affect trade within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.
V teh okoliščinah lahko obstoj neomejenega državnega poroštva za osebo javnega prava IFP izkrivlja konkurenco in prizadene trgovino v smislu člena 107(1) PDEU.
CONCLUSION REGARDING THE NATURE OF THE AID MEASURE
SKLEPNA UGOTOVITEV GLEDE NARAVE UKREPA POMOČI
The guarantee given by the State to IFP by virtue of its legal form therefore results in a transfer of State resources imputable to the State, and distorts or threatens to distort competition and trade between Member States by favouring the IFP group.
Državno poroštvo na podlagi statusa za osebo javnega prava IFP torej povzroči prenos državnih sredstev, za katerega je odgovorna država, in izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljalo konkurenco in trgovino med državami članicami z dajanjem prednosti skupini IFP.
UNLAWFULNESS OF THE AID MEASURE
NEZAKONITOST UKREPA POMOČI
Before its change of legal form, IFP was a legal person governed by private law, in the form of a trade body within the meaning of Law No 43-612 of 17 November 1943 on the management of trade interests.
Oseba javnega prava IFP je bila pred spremembo statusa pravna oseba zasebnega prava, ustanovljena kot strokovna ustanova v smislu akta, imenovanega zakon št. 43-612 z dne 17. novembra 1943 o upravljanju strokovnih interesov.
In this capacity, IFP was subject to the compulsory administration and winding-up procedures provided for under ordinary law and did not benefit from the State guarantee conferred by EPIC status.
Za osebo javnega prava IFP so zato veljali postopki občega prava s področja sanacije in sodne likvidacije in ni imela državnega poroštva, dodeljenega na podlagi statusa EPIC.
In accordance with Article 2(1) of the Procedural Regulation, Member States are required to notify in sufficient time ‘any plans to grant new aid’.
Države članice morajo v skladu s členom 2(1) postopkovne uredbe pravočasno prijaviti „vsak načrt za dodeljevanje nove pomoči“.
The change of IFP’s legal form was not formally notified by France, but only pointed out incidentally in the context of other proceedings, and the measure was implemented without the prior approval of the Commission, so that the State aid in question was put into effect by the French Government in breach of Article 108(3) TFEU.
Ker Francija spremembe statusa osebe javnega prava IFP ni priglasila, temveč samo posredno navedla v okviru drugega postopka, in ker dejansko izvajanje ukrepa ni bilo pogojeno s predhodno odobritvijo Komisije, je francoska vlada zadevno državno pomoč izvajala v nasprotju s členom 108(3) PDEU.
Consequently, the Commission considers that this measure constitutes unlawful aid within the meaning of Article 1(f) of the Procedural Regulation.
Komisija zato meni, da je navedeni ukrep nezakonita pomoč v smislu člena 1(f) postopkovne uredbe.
AID IN THE FIELD OF CONTRACT RESEARCH AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE PUBLICLY OWNED ESTABLISHMENT IFP
POMOČ ZA POGODBENE RAZISKAVE IN IZVAJANJE STORITEV OSEBE JAVNEGA PRAVA IFP
The services provided consist in the renting out of research infrastructure, providing staff or providing legal services (to the subsidiaries).
Izvajanje storitev zajema oddajanje raziskovalne infrastrukture, posredovanje osebja ali pravne storitve (za hčerinske družbe).
IFP’s contract research services generally consist in providing support to a customer (a third party or subsidiary) [223] wishing to conduct research activities with a view to better understanding or mastery of a scientific or technical phenomenon [224].
Izvajanje pogodbenih raziskav osebe javnega prava IFP na splošno pomeni pomoč stranki (tretji osebi ali hčerinski družbi [223]), ki želi izvajati raziskovalne dejavnosti, da bi bolje razumela ali obvladovala znanstveni ali tehnični pojav [224].
The request may be more or less precise and leave IFP greater or lesser scope, ranging from simple compliance with specifications strictly defined by the customer to the supply of full research including recommendations.
Naročilo je lahko bolj ali manj natančno in lahko osebi javnega prava IFP omogoča večji ali manjši manevrski prostor od preprostega izpolnjevanja specifikacij, ki jih strogo določi stranka, do zagotavljanja popolne raziskovalne storitve, vključno s priporočili.
[…] (*) In response to a request IFP draws up a technical and commercial proposal, accompanied by contractual conditions for implementation, which is then the subject of negotiation with the customer.
[…] (*) Oseba javnega prava IFP na podlagi vsakega naročila oblikuje tehnično-komercialno ponudbo, ki ji priloži pogodbene pogoje izvedbe, in se o njej pogaja s stranko.
The French authorities have explained the contract research and provision of services provided by IFP in its three fields of competence, handled by its operating centres (‘centres de résultat’) for exploration and production, refining and petrochemicals, and engines and energy.
Francoski organi so prikazali izvajanje pogodbenih raziskav in storitev osebe javnega prava IFP na treh področjih pristojnosti (CREP, CRRP, CRME).
The services provided by the operating centre for exploration and production are aimed in particular at validating and/or improving the methodologies, technologies and software developed by the research centre.
Storitve na ravni CREP (Centre de résultats „Exploration-Production“, center za rezultate na področju raziskovanja in proizvodnje) zajemajo zlasti potrditev in/ali izboljšavo metodologij, tehnologij in programske opreme, ki jih razvije raziskovalno središče.
Moreover, to carry out some of these services, the centre makes available to its industrial partners infrastructures and calculation algorithms specific to IFP or rare expertise which is not available under a commercial service supplied by a private operator.
CREP poleg tega za izvajanje nekaterih navedenih storitev industrijskim partnerjem posreduje opremo in algoritme izračunov, ki so last osebe javnega prava IFP, ali redka strokovna znanja, ki niso na voljo pri komercialni storitvi zasebnega subjekta.
These services can be classified into the following categories:
Navedene storitve je mogoče razvrstiti v te kategorije:
services linked to specific infrastructures with very few if any equivalents in the world [225];
storitve v zvezi s posebno opremo, za katero na svetu ni enakovrednih primerkov ali jih je zelo malo [225];
interpretation of cases using software developed by IFP which is not yet marketed or which in the particular context can be used only with specific expertise and IFP skills [226];
razlaga primerov, za katero je treba uporabiti programsko opremo, ki jo je razvila oseba javnega prava IFP in se še ne trži ali katere uporaba prav v tem okviru zahteva posebno strokovno znanje, pri katerem se uporabljajo znanje in veščine osebe javnega prava IFP [226];
use of special IFP expertise [227];
uporaba posebnega strokovnega znanja osebe javnega prava IFP [227];
use of expertise under development to validate the competency, technologies and methodologies developed [228].
uporaba strokovnega znanja, ki je še v razvoju, za potrditev razvitega znanja in veščin, tehnologij in metodologij [228].
The contract research services provided by the operating centre for refining and petrochemicals have consisted, for example, in assistance in the establishment, by a foreign university [229], of activities within the specific competence of IFP in the field of catalysts, work relating to ‘[…] (*)’ [230] to gain insight into the phenomena of […] (*), or a study on […] (*) [231].
Na ravni CRRP (Centre de résultats „Raffinage-pétrochimie, center za rezultate na področju rafiniranja in petrokemije) je izvajanje pogodbenih raziskav na primer zajemalo pomoč tuji univerzi [229] pri uvedbi dejavnosti, za katere ima oseba javnega prava IFP posebna znanja in veščine na področju katalizatorjev, dejavnosti v zvezi z „[…] (*) [230]“ za razumevanje pojavov […] (*) ali študijo [231] o […] (*).
Contract research services provided to car manufacturers by the operating centre for engines and energy consisted, for example, in […] (*) on the basis of […] (*), of a […] (*) and an IFP methodology [232], a study […] (*) based on research by IFP […] (*) [233], or tests of […] (*) on […] (*) developed by IFP [234].
Na ravni CRME (Centre de résultats „Moteurs-Énergie“, center za rezultate na področju motorjev in energije) je izvajanje pogodbenih raziskav za avtomobilske proizvajalce zajemalo na primer […] (*) iz […] (*), […] (*) in metodologijo [232] osebe javnega prava IFP, študijo […] (*) [233] na podlagi raziskav osebe javnega prava IFP […] (*) ali poskuse […] (*) o […] (*), ki jih je razvila oseba javnega prava IFP [234].
This description shows that the contract research activities conducted by IFP on behalf of third parties concern technical feasibility studies prior to research activities, or aim at the acquisition of new knowledge and skills in IFP’s fields of competence or at the application of knowledge and technologies developed by IFP to develop new products, processes or services.
Iz navedenega opisa je razvidno, da dejavnosti pogodbenih raziskav, ki jih oseba javnega prava IFP izvaja za tretje osebe, zajemajo izvajanje pripravljalnih študij tehnične izvedljivosti za raziskovalne dejavnosti, pridobivanje novih znanj in veščin na področjih pristojnosti IFP ali uporabo znanj in tehnologij, ki jih je oseba javnega prava IFP razvila za razvoj novih izdelkov, postopkov ali storitev.
Possible transfer of State aid to third parties or subsidiaries
Domneva o prenosu državne pomoči na tretje osebe ali hčerinske družbe
In accordance with point 3.1.2 of the R&D&I Framework, where a not-for-profit research organisation performs economic activities, such as renting out infrastructures, supplying services to business undertakings or performing contract research, any public funding of these economic activities will generally entail State aid.
Če nepridobitna raziskovalna organizacija občasno izvaja gospodarske dejavnosti, kot so dajanje v najem infrastrukture, opravljanje storitev za podjetja ali izvajanje pogodbenih raziskav, javno financiranje teh gospodarskih dejavnosti v skladu s točko 3.1.2 okvira R & R & I na splošno pomeni državno pomoč.
However, if it is possible to prove that the totality of the State funding has been passed on to the final recipient, and that there is no advantage granted to the intermediary, the intermediary organisation may not be a recipient of State aid.
Vendar, če se lahko dokaže, da so bila vsa javna državna sredstva prenesena na končnega prejemnika in da ni nobene prednosti za posrednika, se lahko šteje, da zadnjenavedeni ni prejemnik državne pomoči.
In the present case the research organisation, which is the publicly owned establishment IFP, performs contract research activities whilst being covered by an unlimited public guarantee, and it must be held that it receives State aid unless it can be proved that the selling price of these services has allowed the totality of the State aid to be transferred to its customers.
Ker v obravnavanem primeru raziskovalna organizacija, ki je oseba javnega prava IFP, izvaja dejavnosti pogodbenih raziskav tako, da je krita z neomejenim javnim poroštvom, je treba šteti, da prejema državno pomoč, razen če dokaže, da je bilo zaradi prodajne cene navedenih storitev mogoče prenesti celotno državno pomoč na njene stranke.
The pricing of IFP’s contract research services is established on the basis of their total production cost [235], to which a margin is applied, the rate of which varies according to the outcome of the negotiations with the customer mentioned in recital 261.
Določanje tarif za izvajanje pogodbenih raziskav osebe javnega prava IFP temelji na celotnih proizvodnih stroških [235], na katere se doda marža, katere stopnja je odvisna od izida pogajanja s stranko, omenjenega v uvodni izjavi 261.
The only cost component which IFP does not seem to have taken into account is an insurance premium to be paid by IFP for the performance bond (or best efforts guarantee).
Pri tem edini strošek, za katerega se zdi, da ga oseba javnega prava ni upoštevala, ustreza prav premiji kritja garancije za dobro (ali kar najboljšo) izvedbo osebe javnega prava IFP.