natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
In this respect, the Commission first wishes to emphasise that, as pointed out in the first paragraph of the Reference Rates Communication: ‘The reference and discount rates are applied as a proxy for the market rate and to measure the grant equivalent of aid, in particular when it is disbursed in several instalments and to calculate the aid element resulting from interest subsidy schemes. They are also used to check compliance with the de minimis rule and block exemption regulations.’ [38]. The Reference Rates Communication cannot therefore be binding on the Commission as regards its application of the principle of the private market economy operator, especially in cases where real market data are available which are manifestly different from those resulting from the methodology set out in this Communication.
Komisija v zvezi s tem najprej poudarja – kot je navedeno tudi v prvem odstavku sporočila o referenčnih obrestnih merah –, da se „[r]eferenčne obrestne mere in diskontne stopnje […] uporabljajo kot približek za tržno stopnjo in za izračun ekvivalenta dotacije pomoči, zlasti kadar je slednja izplačana v več obrokih, ter za izračun elementa pomoči, ki izhaja iz shem subvencioniranja obresti. Prav tako se uporabljajo za preverjanje skladnosti s pravilom de minimis in uredbami o skupinskih izjemah.“ [38] Torej sporočilo o referenčnih obrestnih merah pri uporabi načela zasebnega vlagatelja v tržnem gospodarstvu za Komisijo ni zavezujoče, in sicer še zlasti ne, če so na voljo konkretni tržni podatki, ki se očitno razlikujejo od podatkov, pridobljenih po metodi iz zadevnega sporočila.
on State aid SA.12522 (C 37/08) — France — Enforcing the Sernam 2 Decision
o Državni pomoči SA.12522 (C 37/08) – Francija – Uporaba odločbe Sernam 2
(notified under document C(2012) 1616)
(notificirano pod dokumentarno številko C(2012) 1616)
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 108(2) thereof [1],
ob upoštevanju Pogodbe o delovanju Evropske unije (v nadaljnjem besedilu: PDEU) in zlasti prvega pododstavka člena 108(2) PDEU [1];
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, and in particular Article 62(1)(a) thereof,
ob upoštevanju Sporazuma o Evropskem gospodarskem prostoru in zlasti člena 62(1)(a) Sporazuma;
Having called on interested parties to submit their comments pursuant to those provisions [2],
po pozivu vsem zainteresiranim stranem, naj predložijo svoje pripombe v skladu z navedenima določbama [2];
GENERAL PROCEDURAL CONTEXT
SPLOŠNI POSTOPKOVNI OKVIR
On 23 May 2001, the Commission approved aid for the restructuring of SCS Sernam (limited partnership), which became Sernam SA in December 2001 (‘the Sernam 1 Decision’) [3].
Komisija je 23. maja 2001 odobrila pomoč za prestrukturiranje za družbo SCS Sernam (komanditna družba), ki je decembra 2001 postala družba Sernam SA (v nadaljnjem besedilu: odločba Sernam 1 [3]).
On 20 October 2004, the Commission adopted a final decision in which it confirms that the aid approved under the Sernam 1 Decision, amounting to EUR 503 million, is compatible with the internal market under certain conditions (‘the Sernam 2 Decision’) [4].
Komisija je 20. oktobra 2004 sprejela dokončno odločbo, v kateri je potrdila, da je pomoč, odobrena z odločbo Sernam 1, v višini 503 milijone EUR združljiva z notranjim trgom, vendar pod nekaterimi pogoji (v nadaljnjem besedilu: odločba Sernam 2 [4]).
This Decision also establishes the presence of supplementary aid amounting to EUR 41 million which is incompatible with the internal market, to be recovered by France.
V tej odločbi je bil ugotovljen tudi obstoj dodatne pomoči v višini 41 milijonov EUR, ki ni združljiva z notranjim trgom in jo mora Francija izterjati.
By letter dated 24 June 2005, a first third party (‘the first complainant’) complained about the incorrect application of the Sernam 2 Decision [5].
Z dopisom z dne 24. junija 2005 se je prva tretja stran (v nadaljnjem besedilu: prva pritožnica) pritožila zaradi neustrezne uporabe odločbe Sernam 2. [5]
On 22 February 2006, this first complainant also brought proceedings for failure to act against the Commission, in so far as the latter, at the time, had taken no action on the complaint.
Prva pritožnica je 22. februarja 2006 vložila še tožbo zaradi opustitve ukrepanja zoper Komisijo, ker se ta v času, ko je vložila pritožbo, nanjo ni odzvala.
By letter dated 10 April 2006, a second interested party, the Mory Group company (‘the second complainant’) also complained to the Commission [6].
Druga zainteresirana stran, družba Mory Group (v nadaljnjem besedilu: druga pritožnica), je 10. aprila 2006 prav tako vložila pritožbo pri Komisiji. [6]
The two complainants essentially considered that the Sernam 2 Decision had been incorrectly applied and asked the Commission to initiate a new formal investigation procedure on the application by France of the Sernam 2 Decision.
Obe pritožnici sta v bistvu menili, da je bila odločba Sernam 2 zlorabljena, zato sta Komisijo pozvali, naj začne nov formalni postopek preiskave v zvezi s tem, kako Francija izvaja odločbo Sernam 2.
By letter dated 16 July 2008, the Commission informed France of its decision to initiate the procedure provided for in Article 108(2) TFEU concerning the application by France of the Sernam 2 Decision (‘the opening decision’).
Komisija je z dopisom z dne 16. julija 2008 Francijo obvestila, da bo začela postopek na podlagi člena 108(2) PDEU v zvezi s tem, kako ta država uporablja odločbo Sernam 2 (v nadaljnjem besedilu: odločitev o začetku postopka).
The Commission in particular expressed doubts as to the compatibility with the Sernam 2 Decision of France’s chosen arrangements purportedly to apply this Decision, and the possibility that these arrangements involve new State aid.
Komisija je podvomila zlasti o tem, ali so pravila, za katera je Francija trdila, da jih je izbrala za izvajanje odločbe Sernam 2, združljiva s to odločbo, in opozorila na možnost, da ta pravila vsebujejo nove državne pomoči.
This Commission decision to initiate the procedure was published in the Official Journal of the European Union [7].
Odločitev Komisije o začetku postopka je bila objavljena v Uradnem listu Evropske unije.
The arguments of the two complainants are summarised in recital 16 of that decision.
Trditve obeh pritožnic so povzete v uvodni izjavi 16 te odločitve.
By means of the same decision, the Commission called on interested parties to submit comments on the application by France of the Sernam 2 Decision.
Komisija je v isti odločitvi zainteresirane strani pozvala, naj predložijo pripombe k načinu, kako Francija uporablja odločbo Sernam 2.
On 8 October 2008, the French authorities presented comments on the opening decision.
Francoski organi so 8. oktobra 2008 predložili pripombe k odločitvi o začetku postopka.
The Commission received comments on this matter from interested parties.
Komisija je prejela pripombe zainteresiranih strani o tej zadevi.
The first complainant submitted comments on 13 November 2008, the Société nationale des chemins de fer (‘SNCF’) on 6 February 2009, and the investment fund Butler Capital Partners (‘BCP’) on 9 February 2009.
Prva pritožnica je predložila pripombe 13. novembra 2008. Skupina Société nationale des chemins de fer (v nadaljnjem besedilu: skupina SNCF) je predložila pripombe 6. februarja 2009. Naložbeni sklad Butler Capital Partners (v nadaljnjem besedilu: sklad BCP) je predložil pripombe 9. februarja 2009.
The Commission forwarded the comments received to France on 25 March 2009, asking it to comment, which the French authorities did with respect to the first complainant’s comments on 7 May 2009.
Komisija je prejete pripombe predložila Franciji 25. marca 2009, da bi jih ta lahko komentirala; 7. maja 2009 je od francoskih organov prejela komentarje na pripombe prve pritožnice.
On 15 March 2011, the second complainant served notice on the Commission to implement ‘investigation measures’ for the purposes of verifying the conditions of application of the Sernam 2 Decision.
Druga pritožnica je Komisijo 15. marca 2011 pisno opomnila, naj izvede „preiskovalne ukrepe“, s katerimi bo preverila pogoje uporabe odločbe Sernam 2.
The Commission replied to this on 18 May 2011, indicating the investigation measures taken since the adoption of the opening decision.
Komisija je na opomin odgovorila 18. maja 2011 z navedbo preiskovalnih ukrepov, ki jih je sprejela od sprejetja odločitve o začetku postopka.
On 25 November 2009 and 29 November 2011, the Commission sent requests for information to the French authorities.
Komisija je 25. novembra 2009 in 29. novembra 2011 na francoske organe naslovila zahtevi za informacije.
Replies were received on 15 January 2010 and 25 January 2012 respectively.
Odgovora je prejela 15. januarja 2010 oziroma 25. januarja 2012.
NATIONAL PROCEDURAL CONTEXT
NACIONALNI POSTOPKOVNI OKVIR
On 3 January 2007, the Mory group company asked the French authorities to issue two repayment orders: (1) one against Sernam SA concerning the EUR 41 million aid declared to be incompatible with the common market by the Sernam 2 Decision and which, in its opinion, had not in fact been recovered by France and (2) the other against the (undesignated) beneficiary of aid for restructuring Sernam SA allegedly granted by France with a view to the Sernam SA asset transfer operation (for the details of this operation, see section 2.4 of the present decision).
Družba Mory Group je 3. januarja 2007 francoskim organom predlagala, naj izdajo dve odločbi o vračilu dolga do države: (1) eno zoper družbo Sernam SA v zvezi s pomočjo v višini 41 milijonov EUR, ki je bila z odločbo Sernam 2 razglašena za nezdružljivo s skupnim trgom in je Francija po mnenju zadevne družbe ni dejansko izterjala, ter (2) drugo zoper (nenavedenega) prejemnika pomoči za prestrukturiranje družbe Sernam SA, ki naj bi jih Francija podelila za izvedbo transakcije prenosa sredstev družbe Sernam SA (v zvezi s podrobnostmi te transakcije glej oddelek 2.4 tega sklepa).
The Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry rejected the requests made by the second complainant by letter.
Minister za gospodarstvo, finance in industrijo je pisno zavrnil predloge druge pritožnice.
The Mory group company appealed against this rejection decision on grounds of ulta vires before the Paris Administrative Court.
Zaradi te odločitve je družba Mory Group pri Tribunal administratif de Paris vložila tožbo zaradi prekoračitve pooblastil.
As far as the Commission knows, this litigation is still pending.
Po podatkih, s katerimi razpolaga Komisija, se ta spor še obravnava.
In addition, compulsory administration proceedings were brought on 31 January 2012 against the company Sernam Xpress (‘Sernam Xpress’).
Poleg tega je bil 31. januarja 2012 v zvezi z družbo Sernam Xpress uveden postopek prisilne uprave.
Sernam Xpress is the company which received the assets and non-financial liabilities from Sernam SA at the time of the Sernam SA asset transfer operation (for the details of this operation, see section 2.4).
Ta družba je med transakcijo prenosa sredstev družbe Sernam SA (za podrobnosti o tej transakciji glej oddelek 2.4) prejela sredstva in nefinančne obveznosti družbe Sernam SA.
The Nanterre Commercial Court ordered an observation period of six months and arranged a new hearing for 27 March 2012.
Tribunal de commerce de Nanterre je odredilo šestmesečno obdobje opazovanja in kot datum nove obravnave določilo 27. marec 2012.
SERNAM
PODJETJE SERNAM
Since it was set up in 1970 as part of SNCF, Sernam’s activities have consisted in mail and express parcel and pallet delivery services [8].
Podjetje Sernam od leta 1970, ko ga je skupina SNCF ustanovila kot notranjo službo, opravlja poštne dejavnosti ter dejavnosti hitrega prevoza paketov in palet. [8]
On 1 February 2000, all Sernam’s business activities were assigned to a subsidiary and SCS Sernam (limited partnership) was thereby formed.
Vse dejavnosti podjetja Sernam so bile 1. februarja 2000 dodeljene podružnici, ob čemer je bila ustanovljena družba SCS Sernam (komanditna družba).
On 17 October 2005, Sernam Xpress received the assets and non-financial liabilities of Sernam SA on the transfer of Sernam SA’s activities to Financière Sernam (for the details of this operation, see section 2.4).
Družba Sernam Xpress je ob prenosu dejavnosti z družbe Sernam SA na družbo Financière Sernam 17. oktobra 2005 prejela sredstva in nefinančne obveznosti družbe Sernam SA (za podrobnosti o tej transakciji glej oddelek 2.4).
Sernam Xpress was at the time a wholly-owned subsidiary of Financière Sernam.
Družba Sernam Xpress je bila takrat v 100-odstotni lasti družbe Financière Sernam.
During 2006, BCP took a 51,8 % stake in the capital of Sernam Xpress.
V letu 2006 je sklad BCP dosegel 51,8-odstotni delež v kapitalu družbe Sernam Xpress.
At the same time, Sernam Xpress acquired the company Coulonge, a transport firm established in Limoges.
Hkrati je družba Sernam Xpress kupila družbo Coulonge, prevozno podjetje s sedežem v Limogesu.
During 2011, the companies Financière Sernam and Sernam Xpress found themselves obliged to recapitalise before the end of the financial year.
V letu 2011 je bilo družbama Financière Sernam in Sernam Xpress naloženo, da morata pred koncem poslovnega leta dopolniti svoj lastniški kapital.
Since BCP did not contribute the necessary capital, two operations were undertaken.
Ker sklad BCP ni zagotovil potrebnega kapitala, sta bili izvedeni dve transakciji.
Firstly, in May 2011, Sernam Xpress contributed the Sernam brand to its operating subsidiary, Sernam Services (this contribution is valued at EUR 15 million).
Prvič, družba Sernam Xpress je leta 2011 prenesla znamko Sernam na svojo operativno podružnico Sernam Services (vrednost tega prenosa se ocenjuje na 15 milijonov EUR).
Secondly, on 30 June 2011, the company Sernam Xpress was wound up and the company Financière Sernam, the sole partner, absorbed its assets and liabilities (an operation referred to as the ‘transfer of all assets and liabilities’).
Drugič, družba Sernam Xpress je bila 30. junija 2011 razpuščena, družba Financière Sernam pa je kot edina družbenica prevzela njeno premoženje (tako imenovani „prenos vsega premoženja“).
Consequently, the Sernam group now consists of Financière Sernam and the subsidiaries of the ex-Sernam Xpress, which are Sernam Services, already mentioned, and the company Aster (‘Aster’).
Tako skupino Sernam danes sestavljajo družba Financière Sernam ter podružnici nekdanje družbe Sernam Xpress, to je že navedena družba Sernam Services in družba Aster.
Aster is the former company Sernam Transport Route.
Družba Aster je nekdanja družba Sernam Transport Route.
Sernam Xpress had sold this subsidiary in December 2005, and had granted a turnover guarantee to the purchaser.
Družba Sernam Xpress jo je decembra 2005 prodala, kupcu pa je podelila poroštvo na promet.
In March 2008, Sernam Xpress repurchased the company, which in the meantime had changed its name to Aster.
Družba Sernam Xpress je marca 2008 ponovno odkupila to družbo, ki se je medtem preimenovala v družbo Aster.
In December 2011, Financière Sernam, which in the meantime had taken over Sernam Xpress (see recital 22), recapitalised the company ASTER by making over EUR 5599998, entered in its current account.
Družba Financière Sernam, ki je medtem prevzela družbo Sernam Xpress (glej uvodno izjavo 22), je decembra 2011 dokapitalizirala družbo Aster tako, da ji je prepustila 5599998 EUR sredstev, položenih na tekoči račun.
Since the financial situation of the Sernam group continued to deteriorate, compulsory administration proceedings were initiated on 31 January 2011 against the companies Financière Sernam and Sernam Services.
Ker se je finančni položaj skupine Sernam še naprej slabšal, je bil 31. januarja 2011 v zvezi z družbama Financière Sernam in Sernam Services začet postopek prisilne uprave.
On 3 February 2011, the subsidiary Aster was put into liquidation with temporary continuation of business.
V zvezi s podružnico Aster je bil 3. februarja 2011 začet postopek likvidacije z začasnim nadaljevanjem poslovanja.
THE SERNAM 1 DECISION OF 23 MAY 2001
ODLOČBA SERNAM 1 Z DNE 23. MAJA 2001
In its Sernam 1 decision, the Commission authorised aid totalling EUR 503 million for restructuring SCS Sernam.
Komisija je v odločbi Sernam 1 odobrila pomoč v višini 503 milijone EUR za prestrukturiranje družbe SCS Sernam.
The authorisation of this aid was based in particular on a commitment by France to sell the undertaking.
Ta pomoč je bila odobrena zlasti na podlagi zaveze Francije, da bo podjetje prodala.
60 % of SCS Sernam’s capital was to be taken over by Géodis SA [9], a transport and logistics company under general law quoted on the second market of the Paris Stock Exchange.
Družba Géodis SA [9], občepravna družba za prevoz in logistiko, ki kotira na drugem trgu pariške borze, bi morala namreč prevzeti družbo SCS Sernam v vrednosti 60 % njenega kapitala.
In this way, Géodis SA should have become entirely liable for SCS Sernam’s debts without limitation [10] and covered the additional costs of Sernam’s restructuring up to EUR 67 million. In turn, SCS Sernam undertook to reduce the number of its operating sites from 107 to 72 over the period from 1999 to 2004, reduce its turnover by 18 %, reduce its staff and implement restructuring with the above-mentioned budget and within the prescribed timeframe, i.e. before the beginning of 2004.
Družba Géodis SA bi tako morala postati popolnoma in neomejeno odgovorna za dolgove družbe SCS Sernam [10] in pokriti dodatne stroške prestrukturiranja v vrednosti 67 milijonov EUR. Po drugi strani se je družba SCS Sernam zavezala, da bo v obdobju od leta 1999 do 2004 zmanjšala število obratovalnih lokacij s 107 na 72, zmanjšala promet za 18 %, zmanjšala število zaposlenih ter izvedla prestrukturiranje z zgoraj navedenim proračunom ter v določenem času, to je pred začetkom leta 2004.
THE SERNAM 2 DECISION OF 20 OCTOBER 2004
ODLOČBA SERNAM 2 Z DNE 20. OKTOBRA 2004
In its Sernam 2 Decision, the Commission found that the aid amounting to EUR 503 millions authorised under the Sernam 1 Decision, was paid out on conditions differing from those provided for in the Sernam 1 Decision, in particular the takeover by Géodis of 15 % (instead of the envisaged 60 %) of the shares in SCS Sernam.
Komisija je v odločbi Sernam 2 ugotovila, da je bila pomoč v višini 503 milijone EUR, ki je bila odobrena na podlagi odločbe Sernam 1, izplačana pod drugačnimi pogoji, kot so bili določeni v odločbi Sernam 1, in sicer zlasti zato, ker je družba Géodis prevzela le 15 % deležev družbe SCS Sernam (namesto predvidenih 60 %).
Géodis also renounced contributing itself to the restructuring costs of the undertaking to the amount of EUR 67 million.
Poleg tega družba Géodis ni prispevala 67 milijonov EUR iz lastnih sredstev za kritje stroškov prestrukturiranja.
In the light of these factors, the Commission imposed conditions on the authorisation of the EUR 503 million of restructuring aid paid to Sernam SA.
Komisija je ob upoštevanju navedenega postavila pogoje za odobritev pomoči za prestrukturiranje v višini 503 milijone EUR, ki je bila izplačana družbi Sernam SA.
Article 3 of the Sernam 2 Decision, which contains these conditions, is worded as follows:
Člen 3 odločbe Sernam 2, v katerem so navedeni ti pogoji, določa:
Subject to paragraph 2, the following conditions shall be complied with:
Ob upoštevanju odstavka 2[…] se morajo upoštevati naslednji pogoji:
Sernam may develop only its activities to carry mail by railway in accordance with the Train Bloc Express (TBE) concept.
Sernam lahko razvije le svoje dejavnosti prevoza pošte po železnici [v skladu] s konceptom […] hitrega [blok]vlaka[…].
In this regard, SNCF guarantees that it will offer to any other operator who so requests the same conditions as those granted to Sernam to develop TBE freight transport by rail.
V tem pogledu SNCF vsakemu operaterju, ki bi to zahteval, zagotavlja enake pogoje[,] kot veljajo za Sernam za razvoj železniškega prevoza tovora, [to je v skladu s konceptom hitrega blokvlaka].
In return, Sernam shall, in the next two years as from the day on which this Decision is notified, fully replace its own road transport resources and services by road transport resources and services of one or more companies that are legally and economically independent of SNCF and are chosen in accordance with an open, transparent and non-discriminatory procedure.
V [zameno] bo moral Sernam v naslednjih dveh letih od datuma uradne objave te odločbe v celoti zamenjati svoj[a] lastna sredstva in storitve cestnega prevoza z enim ali več podjetji, pravno in gospodarsko neodvisni[mi] od SNCF ter izbranimi z odprtim, preglednim in nediskriminacijskim postopkom.
Sernam’s own road transport resources and services means all of the road resources — i.e. road transport vehicles — of the Sernam company of which it has full ownership or which it leases or rents.
Lastna sredstva in storitve cestnega prevoza Sernama zadevajo celoto cestnih sredstev – in sicer vozila za cestni prevoz – v popolni lasti družbe Sernam ali v l[iz]ingu/najemu.
The companies that take over Sernam’s road activities shall perform the road transport services using their own resources.
Podjetja, ki bodo prevzela cestne dejavnosti Sernama, bodo morala zagotoviti celotne storitve cestnega prevoza s svojimi lastnimi sredstvi.
In the event that Sernam sells its assets en bloc by 30 June 2005 at market price, through a transparent and open procedure, to a company that has no legal link with SNCF, the conditions of paragraph 1 shall not be applicable.’
V primeru, da Sernam svoja sredstva proda v svežnju do 30. junija 2005 po tržni ceni ter družbi, ki nima pravne povezave s SNCF, s pomočjo preglednega in odprtega postopka, se pogoji iz odstavka 1 ne uporabljajo.“
In the Sernam 2 Decision, the Commission also pointed out that the French authorities had paid additional aid amounting to EUR 41 million to Sernam. It considered this aid to be incompatible with the internal market and ordered its recovery by France.
Komisija je v odločbi Sernam 2 še navedla, da so francoski organi družbi Sernam izplačali še dodatno pomoč v višini 41 milijonov EUR. Menila je, da ta pomoč ni združljiva z notranjim trgom, zato je Franciji naložila njeno izterjavo.
THE TRANSFER OF THE ACTIVITIES OF SERNAM SA TO FINANCIÈRE SERNAM
PRENOS DEJAVNOSTI DRUŽBE SERNAM SA NA DRUŽBO FINANCIÈRE SERNAM
For the purposes of implementing the Sernam 2 Decision, France claims to have respected the condition provided for in Article 3(2).
Francija trdi, da je ob izvajanju odločbe Sernam 2 upoštevala pogoj iz člena 3(2).
It explains that SNCF, in a press release [11], invited any interested party to contact Bank ABN AMRO.
Pojasnila je, da je skupina SNCF v obvestilu za javnost [11] vse zainteresirane strani pozvala, naj se obrnejo na banko ABN Amro.
Thirty-four industrial groups, financial groups or consortiums were allegedly invited to examine the file.
Spis naj bi bil v preučitev predložen 34 skupinam podjetij, finančnim skupinam ali konzorcijem.
The letters of invitation for the first round, sent by ABN AMRO to the parties which had requested the file, contain a call for tenders concerning the takeover of all the assets of Sernam SA.
Povabila za sodelovanje v prvem krogu, ki jih je stranem, ki so se zanimale za spis, poslala banka ABN Amro, vsebujejo poziv k predložitvi ponudb za prevzem vseh sredstev (ker je dopis v angleščini, je uporabljen izraz „assets“) družbe Sernam SA.
According to the French authorities, Sernam’s economic situation failed to elicit any proposals based on a positive valuation.
Francoski organi so navedli, da zaradi gospodarskega položaja družbe Sernam ni bilo mogoče dobiti predlogov, osnovanih na pozitivni oceni njene vrednosti.
Apparently, all the offers submitted under this procedure concluded that the value was very negative:
Vse ponudbe, predložene v tem postopku, naj bi vsebovale zelo negativno vrednost:
[candidate 1] (preliminary offer): EUR -120 million;
(ponudnik 1) (predhodna ponudba): –120 milijonov EUR;
[candidate 2] (preliminary offer): EUR -90,4 million;
(ponudnik 2) (predhodna ponudba): –90,4 milijona EUR;
[candidate 3] (preliminary offer): EUR -90,4 million;
(ponudnik 3) (predhodna ponudba): –90,4 milijona EUR;