natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
the criterion of ‘viability after restructuring’ has no bearing on the overall assessment of the viability of the firm prepared by the credit body, since eligibility for restructuring is determined immediately after the viability study;
merilo o „rentabilnosti po ureditvi“ dejansko ni vplivalo na skupno oceno rentabilnosti podjetja s strani kreditne ustanove, saj je bila odločitev o tem, ali je podjetje upravičeno do prestrukturiranja ali ne, sprejeta takoj po oceni rentabilnosti;
the restructuring concerned old loans and did not constitute financing for new investments;
omenjeno prestrukturiranje se je nanašalo na starejša posojila in pomenilo financiranja novih naložb;
as regards the overall grant equivalent for the restructuring, the vast majority of the aid measures constituted small amounts, the areas for which the measures were intended (Kastoria and Evia) were all less-favoured areas within the meaning of Council Directive 75/268/EEC of 28 April 1975 on mountain and hill farming in certain less-favoured areas [22], and the country as a whole falls under Objective 1;
glede na kumulativni ekvivalent dotacije za prestrukturiranje je velika večina ukrepov pomoči vključevala nizke zneske, območja uporabe (Kastoria in Euboia) pa so bila vsa območja z omejenimi možnostmi v smislu Direktive Sveta 75/268/EGS z dne 28. aprila 1975 o gorskem in hribovskem kmetovanju na nekaterih področjih z omejenimi možnostmi [22], medtem ko se celotna država umesti v Cilj 1;
the interest rate applied to new loans was that which applied to the latest issue of Greek Treasury bonds; the reduction does not concern the entire duration of the restructured loan, but only the first critical years; the difference between the rates was not very high (1 to 2 points);
obrestna mera za nova posojila je bila usklajena s stopnjo obresti zadnje izdaje zakladnih menic grške države, zmanjšanje obresti ni pokrivalo celotnega obdobja trajanja prestrukturiranega dolga, temveč le prva kritična leta, razlika v višini obrestnih mer pa ni bila zelo velika (1 do 2 točki);
the scheme existed from 30 June 1993 to 30 June 2003.
shema je trajala od 30. junija 1993 do 30. junija 2003.
Observations of the Greek authorities on the opening of the second procedure
Pripombe s strani grških organov oblasti na začetek drugega postopka
By letter of 18 August 2005, the Greek authorities set out the following arguments, most of which had already been presented in their reply to the first opening of the procedure (cf. previous recital):
Z dopisom z dne 18. avgusta 2005 so grški organi oblasti predložili naslednje utemeljitve, katerih večino so že predložili v odgovoru na začetek prvega postopka (glej prejšnjo uvodno izjavo):
the consolidation of the loans is an administrative instrument which does not result in high costs for the public authorities (the authorities add here that the intention of this instrument is not the selective granting of aid);
konsolidacija posojil je upravno sredstvo, ki ne povzroča visokih stroškov za javne organe (organi dodajajo, da ta ureditev ni namenjena selektivnemu zagotavljanju pomoči);
during the reference period, interest rates in Greece were much higher than in the rest of the Union and remained thus despite the reductions applied;
v referenčnem obdobju so bile obrestne mere, oblikovane v Grčiji, veliko višje od tistih v preostalem delu Unije in so kljub uporabljenim zmanjšanjem obresti takšne tudi ostale;
the granting of the State guarantee cannot be considered as aid since, even if it is used, it is contingent on particularly stringent conditions for the principal debtor;
dajanja jamstva grške države ni mogoče šteti za pomoč, ker se, tudi če obveznosti zapadejo, izvede poplačilo z uporabo posebej strogih ukrepov za glavnega dolžnika;
the arrears interest and the interest-rate reductions were financed by a special account (account set up pursuant to Law No 128/75), separate from the State budget;
zamudne obresti dolgov in zmanjšanja obresti so financirala s posebnih računov (račun, odprt v skladu z zakonom 128/75) zunaj državnega proračuna;
the provisions of Ministerial Decision 66336/B.1398/1993 and its amendments provided for the possibility of aid for firms established in the Florina and Kilkis Prefectures without high costs for the public authorities and on the condition that the firms in question were considered viable; they did not therefore distort competition within the meaning of Article 87 of the EC Treaty; moreover, it should be recalled that the Florina and Kilkis Prefectures share borders with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and that, during the reference period (1990s), they suffered greatly as a result of the war and instability in the region;
določbe sklepa Ministrskega sveta 66336/B.1398/1993, kot je bil spremenjen, je predvidevala možnost državne pomoči podjetjem s sedežem v regijah Florina in Kilkis brez visokih stroškov za javne organe in pod pogojem, da bodo ta podjetja sposobna preživeti; torej niso izkrivljala konkurence v smislu člena 87 Pogodbe ES; poleg tega ne smemo pozabiti, da sta regiji Florina in Kilkis na meji z Nekdanjo jugoslovansko republiko Makedonijo in da so v referenčnem obdobju (konec 90. let) na njuno situacijo močno vplivali nestabilnost in vojne razmere v soseščini;
lastly, the aforementioned Decision refers to industrial and craft firms; according to the Greek authorities, no agricultural firms are concerned by these provisions.
ne nazadnje se zgoraj navedeni sklep nanaša na industrijska in obrtna podjetja; po mnenju grških organov oblasti se določbe tega sklepa ne nanašajo na nobeno kmetijsko podjetje.
Observations of the Greek authorities on the opening of the third procedure
Pripombe grških organov oblasti na začetek tretjega postopka
By letter of 10 May 2006, the Greek authorities submitted the following arguments:
Z dopisom dne 10. maja 2006 so grški organi oblasti predložili naslednje utemeljitve:
the Prefectures concerned by the Decisions in question were experiencing a difficult economic situation characterised by low levels of economic activity and a higher unemployment rate than in the rest of the country; this situation was compounded by the state of war in neighbouring countries (for example, Kosovo); competition could not therefore be distorted and the aid measures granted in the form of debt restructuring and reductions could therefore benefit from the derogation provided for in Article 87(3)(a) and (c) of the EC Treaty;
v regijah, na katere so se nanašali zadevni sklepi, so bile težke gospodarske razmere, ki sta jih zaznamovali nizka stopnja gospodarske dejavnosti in visoka stopnja brezposelnosti v primerjavi z razmerami drugod po državi; na ta okvir je dodatno vplivala vojna v sosednjih državah (npr. na Kosovu); zato ni bilo mogoče izkrivljati konkurence, za ukrepe pomoči v obliki prestrukturiranja ali zmanjševanja dolga so zato lahko veljala odstopanja po členu 87(3)(a) in (c) Pogodbe ES;
the aid measures were focused on resolving problems such as the lack of dynamism of local markets, the contraction of the labour market and falling demand, as well as long-term economic development;
cilj ukrepov pomoči je bilo reševanje težav, kot so pomanjkanje dinamičnosti na lokalnih trgih, zmanjšanje trga dela in manjše povpraševanje, ob hkratnem doseganju dolgoročnih gospodarskih razvojnih ciljev;
with regard to the Commission’s argument that the conditions of Community trade could be distorted given the high level of competition in the agricultural sector, only Decision 1648/B22/13.1.1994, among all those examined, concerns industrial livestock firms; moreover, over the period 1995-2004, meat production in the Evros, Rodopi and Xanthi Prefectures only accounted for a small proportion of agricultural production in the Prefectures in question, and, although the gross domestic product (GDP) of these Prefectures rose over that period (both in absolute terms and per capita), it remained well below the national average;
glede trditve Komisije, po kateri bi lahko prišlo do izkrivljanja trgovine v EU glede na močno konkurenco v kmetijskem sektorju, se med vsemi preiskovanimi le sklep Ministrskega sveta št. 1648/B22/13.1.1994 nanaša na živinorejska podjetja industrijskega tipa; poleg tega je bila v obdobju 1995–2004 proizvodnja mesa v regijah Evros, Xanthi in Rodopi le majhen del kmetijske proizvodnje v teh regijah, bruto domači proizvod (BDP) (absolutno in tudi na prebivalca) v teh regijah pa je, čeprav je v zadevnem obdobju rasel, ostal na izredno nizkih ravneh v primerjavi z državnim povprečjem;
Ministerial Decisions Nos 2041901/16.5.1989 and 2078809/1989, which provide for interest reductions in respect of working capital loans for firms in Lesbos, Samos, Chios and the Dodecanese Prefectures, also stipulate that the firms must be viable before and after the restructuring of their debts;
sklepa Ministrskega sveta št. 2041901/16.5.1989 in št. 2078809/1989, ki določata zmanjšanje obrestnih mer za posojila za obratni kapital za podjetja s sedežem v regijah Lesbos, Samos, Chios in Dodekanez, predvidevata tudi, da morajo biti ta podjetja tudi rentabilna, tako pred prestrukturiranjem svojih dolgov kot tudi po njem;
the competent authorities in Greece were asked to collect data on the beneficiaries and the aid actually granted, but said they were unable;
od pristojnih organov v Grčiji se je zahtevalo zbiranje podatkov o upravičencih in pomoči, ki je bila dodeljena, ti pa so poročali, da teh podatkov ne morejo zagotoviti;
the interest-rate reductions are financed by an account set up pursuant to Law No 128/75 which does not constitute a State resource, since it is an account intended primarily for the redistribution of funds.
zmanjšanje obrestne mere posojil se financira z računa zakona št. 128/75, ki ni državni vir, saj gre za predvsem prerazdelitveni račun.
Letters from the Greek authorities of 15 and 29 March 2011
Dopisa grških organov oblasti z dne 15. in 29. marca 2011
By letters dated 15 and 29 March 2011, the Greek authorities firstly stated the expiry dates for the initial Ministerial Decisions governing the schemes in question.
V dopisih z dne 15. in 29. marca 2011 so grški organi oblasti pojasnili predvsem datume prenehanja veljavnosti prvotnih ministrskih sklepov, ki urejajo ustrezne sheme pomoči.
The dates are as follows:
Datumi so naslednji:
30 June 2003 for Decision No 69836/B1461 (Kastoria and Evia Prefectures);
30. junij 2003 v zvezi s sklepom št. 69836/B1461 (regiji Kastoria in Euboia);
30 June 2000 for Decision No 66336/B/398/14-9-1993 (Florina and Kilkis Prefectures);
30. junij 2000 v zvezi s sklepom št. 66336/B/398/14-9-1993 (regiji Florina in Kilkis);
31 December 2005 for Decision No 1648/B.22/13.1.94 (Xanthi, Rodopi and Evros Prefectures);
31. december 2005 v zvezi s sklepom št. 1648/B.22/13.1.94 (regije Xanthi, Rodopi in Evros);
31 December 2004 for Decision No 2041901/16-5-1989 (Rodopi, Evros, Xanthi and Dodecanese Prefectures; islands of Lesbos, Samos and Chios).
31. december 2004 v zvezi s sklepom št. 2041901/16-5-1989 (regije Rodopi, Evros, Xanthi in Dodekanez; regije otokov Lesbos, Samos ter Chios).
The Greek authorities then indicated that the criterion regarding the viability of the firms after the restructuring did not constitute the only factor considered; rather, there was an overall assessment of the viability of the firms before and after restructuring.
Grški organi oblasti so nato pojasnilo, da kriterij za rentabilnost podjetij po prestrukturiranju dolgov ni bil mišljen tako, da je treba upoštevati samo rentabilnost podjetja po prestrukturiranju dolgov, temveč tako, da je določal skupno oceno rentabilnosti pred prestrukturiranju dolgov in po njej.
The letters also contain tables indicating the grant equivalent of the aid measures in question received by each beneficiary firm, with the objective of illustrating the percentage of firms for which the aid measures could fall under a de minimis scheme.
Ta dopisa vsebujeta tudi seznam podatkov o ekvivalentu dotacije zadevnih ukrepov pomoči, ki jih je prejelo vsako od upravičenih podjetij, da bi pokazali, kakšen delež podjetij je prejel pomoč, ki bi lahko sodila v katero od shem pomoči de minimis.
According to the Greek authorities, analysis of the data demonstrates that the aid in question falls below the de minimis ceiling in 73,55 % to 99,46 % of cases, depending on the three-year period and the Decision considered.
Kot pravijo grški organi oblasti, analiza podatkov kaže, da so pomoči v skladu z zgornjimi mejami pravila de minimis v od 73,55 do 99,46 % primerov, odvisno od obravnavanega obdobja treh let in sklepa Ministrskega sveta, na katerega se nanašajo.
Lastly, the Greek authorities state that agricultural product production, processing and marketing firms were not eligible for the aid and that the expression ‘mining firms’ actually designates marble and stone extraction firms.
Na koncu grške oblasti pojasnjujejo, da podjetja, ki proizvajajo, predelujejo in tržijo kmetijske proizvode, niso bila upravičena do pomoči in da je izraz „rudarska podjetja“ v praksi zadeval podjetja predelave marmorja in kamna.
V. EVALUATION
V. OCENA
In accordance with Article 107(1) of the 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 is, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, incompatible with the internal market.
Na podlagi člena 107(1) Pogodbe 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 z notranjim trgom, kolikor prizadene trgovino med državami članicami.
In absolute terms, the aid measures in question correspond to this definition in the sense that they are granted by the State or through State resources, are intended for certain firms (firms in the agriculture, craft, industrial, hotel, extraction — cf. recital 63 — and shipping sectors in the aforementioned Prefectures) and favour those firms by means of measures such as restructuring their loans, reducing the size of instalments by extending the repayment period, interest-rate reductions and the granting of guarantees, and may affect trade [23] and distort competition [24].
V absolutnem smislu zadevne pomoči ustrezajo tej opredelitvi, v smislu, da jih je dodelila država ali so bile dodeljene iz državnih sredstev, da so bile usmerjene v določene panoge (podjetja na področju kmetijstva, obrti, industrije, hotelov, rudarstva – glej uvodno izjavo 63 – in ladjedelništva v imenovanih regijah), ki jih podpirajo z ukrepi, kot so prestrukturiranje posojil, znižanje anuitet zaradi podaljšanja časa poplačila, zmanjšanja obresti ali celo dodelitve jamstva, in lahko vplivajo na trgovino [23] in izkrivljajo konkurenco [24].
The Greek authorities sought to demonstrate that the aid measures in question could fall under a de minimis scheme and did not therefore constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.
Vsekakor so grške oblasti poskušale dokazati, da bi se zadevne pomoči uvrstile v okviru sheme de minimis in zato niso državna pomoč v smislu člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
However, quite apart from the fact that the de minimis rule was not applicable in all the sectors concerned over the validity period of the Ministerial Decisions constituting the legal basis of the schemes in question (this was indeed one of the reasons for the opening of the procedures in question), the data is incomplete, as acknowledged by the Greek authorities themselves (cf. recital 62).
Toda poleg dejstva, da se pravilo de minimis ni vedno uporabljalo v vseh ustreznih sektorjih v obdobju veljavnosti sklepov Ministrskega sveta, ki predstavljajo pravno podlago ustreznih shem (to je dejansko eden od razlogov, zaradi katerega so bili začeti postopki), so ti podatki nepopolni, tudi po mnenju omenjenih oblasti (glej uvodno izjavo 62).
Moreover, the amounts of de minimis aid vary between the sectors (they are not the same in the industrial and agricultural sectors) and the tables provided suggest that the Greek authorities were not sufficiently aware of this difference.
Poleg tega se zneski pomoči de minimis razlikujejo glede na sektorje (niso enaki v industriji in kmetijstvu) ter nas tabele, ki so bile predložene, vodijo v razmišljanje, da se grške oblasti niso dovolj zavedale te razlike.
Lastly, the Commission notes that, despite the Greek authorities’ claims that agricultural production, processing and marketing firms were not eligible for the aid schemes in question, the tables mentioned above clearly demonstrate that some firms in those sectors did receive aid considered to fall under a de minimis scheme even though they clearly exceed the permissible ceiling.
Poleg tega Komisija ugotavlja, da kljub pripombam grških organov oblasti, da podjetja, ki proizvajajo, predelujejo in tržijo kmetijske proizvode, niso bila upravičena do vključitve v sheme, ki se obravnavajo, zgornje tabele jasno kažejo, da so nekatera podjetja v teh sektorjih dejavnosti res bila prejemniki pomoči in da se je štelo, da spadajo v eno od shem de minimis, medtem ko so očitno presegala njeno najvišjo dovoljeno mejo.
The Commission recalls that, any individual aid granted under an aid scheme that at the time it was granted satisfied the conditions laid down in an applicable de minimis regulation is deemed not to constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty.
Komisija opozarja, da vsaka individualna pomoč, dodeljena v okviru sheme in ki izpolnjuje pogoje, zahtevane v času dodelitve, ki so v okvirih veljavne uredbe de minimis, ne pomeni državne pomoči v smislu člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
When the Greek authorities first granted the aid measures in question in the agricultural sector, no Union provisions existed on de minimis aid.
V kmetijskem sektorju v času, ko so grške oblasti začele dodeljevati te pomoči, še niso obstajale določbe Unije, ki bi urejale pomoči de minimis.
The first provisions adopted in this respect were those of Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004 [25].
Prve določbe, sprejete v zvezi s tem, so bile določbe Uredbe (ES) št. 1860/2004 [25].
In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004, which relates to both primary agricultural production and the processing and marketing of agricultural products, aid not exceeding a ceiling of EUR 3000 per beneficiary over any period of three years does not affect trade between Member States, does not distort or threaten to distort competition and therefore does not fall under Article 107(1) of the Treaty.
Na podlagi Uredbe (ES) št. 1860/2004, ki se nanaša na primarno kmetijsko proizvodnjo in predelavo ter trženje kmetijskih proizvodov, pomoči, ki ne presegajo 3000 EUR na upravičenca v obdobju treh let, ne vplivajo na trgovino med državami članicami, ne izkrivljajo ali ne grozijo z izkrivljanjem konkurence in posledično ne sodijo v področje uporabe člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
Pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004, the same applies in respect of aid granted before the entry into force of that Regulation, subject to compliance with the conditions laid down in Articles 1 and 3 thereof.
V skladu s členom 5 Uredbe (ES) št. 1860/2004 velja enako tudi za pomoči, dodeljene pred njenim začetkom veljavnosti, če izpolnjujejo pogoje, določene v členih 1 in 3 te uredbe.
On 1 January 2008, Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004 was replaced by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1535/2007 of 20 December 2007 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to de minimis aid in the sector of agricultural production [26], which raises the amount of de minimis aid to EUR 7500 per beneficiary over a period of three fiscal years, irrespective of the form of the aid or the objective pursued, within the limits of the maximum amount per Member State corresponding to 0,75 % of annual output.
1. januarja 2008 je Uredbo (ES) št. 1860/2004 nadomestila Uredba Komisije (ES) št. 1535/2007 z dne 20. decembra 2007 o uporabi členov 87 in 88 Pogodbe ES pri pomočeh de minimis v sektorju kmetijske proizvodnje [26], ki povečuje znesek pomoči de minimis na 7500 EUR na upravičenca v obdobju treh proračunskih let, ne glede na obliko in namen pomoči, v mejah največjega letnega zneska za vsako državo članico, ki predstavlja 0,75 % letne proizvodnje.
Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1535/2007 stipulates that ‘this Regulation shall apply to aid granted before 1 January 2008 to undertakings in the sector of agricultural production, provided that such aid fulfils all the conditions laid down in Articles 1 to 4, except for the reference requirement clearly set out in this Regulation in the first subparagraph of Article 4(1)’.
Člen 6(1) Uredbe (ES) št. 1535/2007 določa, da „[…] se ta uredba uporablja za pomoči, dodeljene pred 1. januarjem 2008 podjetjem v sektorju kmetijske proizvodnje, pod pogojem, da navedene pomoči izpolnjujejo vse pogoje iz členov 1 do 4, razen zahteve o izrecnem sklicu na to uredbo iz prvega pododstavka člena 4(1)“.
The Regulation only applies to primary agricultural production, however.
Vendar pa ta uredba velja samo za primarno kmetijsko proizvodnjo.
With regard to the processing and marketing of agricultural products, the de minimis rule applicable with effect from 1 January 2007 is set out in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 of 15 December 2006 on the application of Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty to de minimis aid [27].
Za predelavo in trženje kmetijskih proizvodov se sprejme pravilo de minimis, ki se uporablja od 1. januarja 2007 z Uredbo Komisije (ES) št. 1998/2006 z dne 15. decembra 2006 o uporabi členov 87 in 88 Pogodbe pri pomoči de minimis [27].
Article 2(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 sets at EUR 200000 per beneficiary over a period of three fiscal years the amount up to which aid does not affect trade between Member States, does not distort or threaten to distort competition and does not therefore fall under Article 107(1) of the Treaty.
V členu 2(2) Uredbe (ES) št. 1998/2006 se določi 200000 EUR na upravičenca v obdobju treh proračunskih let kot znesek pomoči, ki ne vpliva na trgovino med državami članicami, ne izkrivlja ali ne grozi, da bo izkrivljalo konkurenco in torej ne sodi na področje uporabe člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006 stipulates that ‘the Regulation shall apply to aid granted before its entry into force to undertakings active in the transport sector and undertakings active in the processing and marketing of agricultural products if the aid fulfils all the conditions laid down in Articles 1 and 2….’.
Člen 5(1) Uredbe (ES) št. 1998/2006 določa, da „[…] se ta uredba uporablja za pomoč, ki se je pred njenim začetkom veljavnosti dodelila podjetjem, ki delujejo v transportnem sektorju, in v podjetjem, ki delujejo na področju predelave in trženja kmetijskih proizvodov, če pomoč izpolnjuje vse pogoje, določene v členih 1 in 2. …“.
Consequently, the Commission will not consider aid granted under the Ministerial Decisions analysed as State aid if it does not exceed the following levels per beneficiary:
V tem okviru Komisija ne bo upoštevala kot državne pomoči tiste pomoči, ki so bile dodeljene v okviru obravnavanih sklepov Ministrskega sveta, ki ne presegajo na upravičenca:
in the case of primary agricultural production: EUR 3000 per three-year period, if, at the time of granting, the aid was in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1860/2004, or EUR 7500 per period of three fiscal years if, at the time of granting it was in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1535/2007;
v primeru primarne kmetijske proizvodnje: 3000 EUR v treh letih, če so bile v času dodelitve v skladu z določbami Uredbe (ES) št. 1860/2004, ali pa 7500 EUR za obdobje treh proračunskih let, če so bila v času dodelitve v skladu z določbami Uredbe (ES) št. 1535/2007;