natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
However, the company is still economically active.
Dežela Brandenburg se ni strinjala s prenosom okvirnega sporazuma o dostavi lesa iz državnega gozda dežele Brandenburg (kar je predmet tega sklepa) na novega lastnika, zato se je okrožje Barnim umaknilo iz prenosa.
The Landkreis Barnim (district of Barnim) was interested in purchasing HoKaWe's assets in order to continue operating the power plant; in May 2012 the asset transaction was approved in a meeting of HoKaWe's creditors and the sale was notarised.
Opis ukrepa
However, since the Land Brandenburg did not agree to transfer the framework agreement governing deliveries of wood from the Brandenburg State Forest (which is the subject of the present decision) to the new owner, the district of Barnim withdrew from the transaction.
Dežela Brandenburg in podjetje HoKaWe sta junija 2005 sklenila okvirni sporazum o dostavi lesa iz državnega gozda dežele Brandenburg.
Description of the measure
Zadevni sporazum določa količino ter pogoje za dostavo lesa [3] podjetju HoKaWe za obdobje 15 let, in sicer od 1. junija 2006 do 1. junija 2021.
In June 2005 the Land Brandenburg and HoKaWe concluded a framework agreement for the delivery of wood from the Brandenburg State Forest.
Sporazum se nanaša na letno prostornino 150000 kubičnih metrov lesa iz gozdov, ki se nahajajo največ 70 km od kraja Eberswalde.
The agreement at stake stipulates the quantity and the terms and conditions of wood [3] deliveries to HoKaWe for a period of 15 years, from 1 June 2006 to 1 June 2021.
Za izračun ustrezne prilagoditve je bila v sporazumu določena naslednja formula (v nadaljnjem besedilu: formula za prilagoditev cene ali formula):
In the agreement an initial reference price for the year 2004 of EUR 15,50/cubic meter was fixed.
Po trditvah Nemčije je treba klavzulo o prilagoditvi cene obravnavati kot prikaz namenov pogodbenic sporazuma.
In addition, the text of the agreement foresaw that yearly price adjustments would be agreed between the parties on the basis of the development of the industrial wood price index of the German Federal Statistical Office [4]; changes of the wood price compared to the initial reference price were to be borne 50 % by the seller and 50 % by the buyer (hereinafter: the ‘price adjustment clause’).
To trditev podpira interno sporočilo ministrstva dežele Brandenburg za kmetijstvo, okolje in regionalno načrtovanje z dne 1. oktobra 2003 o sestanku predstavnikov dežele Brandenburg in podjetja HoKaWe, iz katerega je jasno razvidno, da prilagoditev cene, ki sta jih pogodbenici predvideli med pogajanji, ustreza klavzuli o prilagoditvi cene.
For the purpose of the calculation of the corresponding price adjustment, the agreement furthermore laid down the following formula (hereinafter: the ‘price adjustment formula’ or ‘formula’):
To trditev podpira tudi sporočilo ministrstva dežele Brandenburg za gospodarske in evropske zadeve z dne 5. januarja 2011, v katerem je predlagana prilagoditev ali razlaga okvirnega sporazuma na način, ki bi upošteval besedilo sporazuma in tako izražal resnične namene pogodbenic.
It is therefore necessary to distinguish between the price adjustment clause as laid down in the text of the agreement and the price adjustment formula.
Vendar pa je bila formula napačna, kar je potrdila tako Nemčija kot dve strokovni mnenji, ki sta bili leta 2010 pripravljeni za deželo Brandenburg [5], rezultat pa ni bil enak namenom pogodbenic, kakor so bili izraženi v klavzuli o prilagoditvi cene.
According to the submissions by Germany, on the one hand, the price adjustment clause must be seen as the representation of the intentions of the parties to the agreement.
Po začetku veljavnosti sporazuma je bila cena prilagojena na podlagi formule.
This is supported by an internal note of the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Regional Planning of the Land Brandenburg of 1 October 2003 concerning a meeting between representatives of the Land Brandenburg and HoKaWe, which clearly shows that the price adjustment envisaged by the parties during the negotiations corresponded to the price adjustment clause.
V nasprotju z nameni, izraženimi v besedilu sporazuma, prilagoditve cen, izračunane s pomočjo formule, niso bile dosledne z dejanskim razvojem indeksa cen za industrijski les, zato so bile cene bistveno nižje od povprečne cene lesa iz državnega gozda dežele Brandenburg.
It is also supported by a note from the Ministry of Economic and European Affairs of the Land Brandenburg of 5 January 2011, which recommended to adjust or interpret the framework agreement in a way that would respect the text of the agreement in order to reflect the true intentions of the parties.
Poleg tega s formulo ni bila dosežena predvidena enakomerna porazdelitev tveganja nihanj cene med državo in podjetjem HoKaWe.
The formula on the other hand was flawed, as confirmed by Germany and by two expert opinions prepared in 2010 for the Land Brandenburg [5], and did not lead to a result that corresponded to the intentions of the parties as expressed in the price adjustment clause.
Do tega je prišlo, ker je bila formula napačna, kot je navedeno v uvodni izjavi 16, in matematično ni izražala namenov pogodbenic v skladu s klavzulo o prilagoditvi cene [6].
After the agreement entered into force, the price was adjusted on the basis of the formula.
Poleg tega je iz dopisa Nemčije z dne 28. februarja 2013 razvidno, da sta v času veljavnosti sporazuma pogodbenici vedno znova izvajali svojo diskrecijsko pravico glede parametrov, uporabljenih za izračun prilagoditve cene s pomočjo formule [7].
Contrary to the intentions expressed in the text of the agreement, the price adjustments calculated in accordance with the formula did not follow the actual development of the industrial wood price index and led to prices that were significantly lower than the average price for wood from the Brandenburg State forests.
Nemški organi so Komisijo obvestili, da razlogi za takšno ravnanje iz dokumentov niso razvidni.
Moreover, the formula did not lead to the envisioned result of sharing the risk of price fluctuations evenly between the State and HoKaWe.
V strokovnih mnenjih, ki sta bili leta 2010 pripravljeni za deželo Brandenburg (glej uvodno izjavo 16), je bilo podano opozorilo glede morebitnih težav zaradi državne pomoči in priporočilo glede spremembe sporazuma s spremembo formule.
This was due to fact that, as pointed out above in recital (16), the formula was flawed and did not mathematically reflect the intentions of the parties as laid down in the price adjustment clause [6].
Od navedenega datuma formula ni bila več del sporazuma in je torej ni bilo mogoče več uporabljati.
In addition, the submission by Germany of 28 February 2013 shows that, during the course of the agreement the parties repeatedly exercised their discretion as regards the parameters actually used for the calculation of the price adjustment pursuant to the formula [7].
Poleg tega se je dežela Brandenburg odločila, da pogodbe ne bo nadaljevala s prihodnjimi vlagatelji, ki so prevzeli sredstva podjetja HoKaWe.
The two expert opinions carried out for the Land Brandenburg in 2010 (see paragraph (16)) pointed to possible State aid problems and recommended to amend the agreement by changing the formula.
Komisija se je 19. decembra 2012 odločila, da začne formalni postopek preiskave v skladu s členom 108(2) PDEU (v nadaljnjem besedilu: sklep o začetku postopka).
Following negotiations between HoKaWe and the Land Brandenburg, the parties therefore signed a modified version of the agreement on 26 August 2011, with effect from 1 July 2011.
V sklepu o začetku postopka je Komisija predhodno menila, da je izvajanje okvirnega sporazuma med deželo Brandenburg in podjetjem HoKaWe vključevalo državno pomoč.
This modified version remedied the problems outlined in recitals (12) to (19) by laying down that from 1 July 2011 onwards prices had to be adjusted in accordance with the price adjustment clause and, thereby, in accordance with the original intentions of the parties.
Komisija je dvomila, da bi zasebni prodajalec na trgu s predhodnega vidika sprejel nadomestilo, izračunano na podlagi formule za prilagoditev cene.
Thus, from that date onwards the formula ceased to be part of the agreement and could, therefore, not be applied anymore.
Tudi ob predpostavki, da se pogodbenici nista zavedali, da je formula napačna, ima Komisija še vedno resne pomisleke v zvezi s tem, ali je Nemčija v fazi izvajanja sporazuma ravnala v skladu s tržnimi razmerami.
Furthermore, the Land Brandenburg decided not to continue the contract with future investors taking over HoKaWe's assets.
Ti pomisleki so se pojavili zaradi gibanja cene lesa, prodanega v okviru sporazuma, saj je iz tega gibanja razvidno, da je bila cena, izračunana s pomočjo formule, bistveno nižja od povprečne cene za les v deželi Brandenburg.
Grounds for initiating the procedure
Preudaren zasebni prodajalec v podobnem položaju bi nemudoma uporabil vsa sredstva za spremembo metode prilagoditve.
On 19 December 2012 the Commission decided to open a formal investigation procedure in accordance with Article 108(2) TFEU (‘the opening decision’).
Nasprotno pa je Nemčija formulo še naprej uporabljala do leta 2011.
In the opening decision the Commission preliminarily considered that the implementation of the framework agreement entered into between the Land Brandenburg and HoKaWe involved State aid.
Na podlagi teh pomislekov je Komisija predhodno sklenila, da ni mogoče izključiti prednosti v korist podjetja HoKaWe in izključiti možnosti, da je državna pomoč obstajala za obdobje od datuma začetka veljavnosti sporazuma (1. junij 2006) do spremembe sporazuma (30. junija 2011).
The Commission questioned whether, from an ex ante perspective, a private vendor on the market would have accepted a remuneration as that resulting from the application of the described price adjustment formula.
Ker pravna podlaga za združljivost pomoči ni razvidna, prav tako pa Nemčija o njej ni podala navedb, je Komisija izrazila nadaljnje dvome o tem, ali bi se ukrep lahko štel za združljivega z notranjim trgom.
Moreover, even if the contracting parties would have been unaware of the flaws of the formula, the Commission expressed serious doubts as to whether Germany had acted in a market-conform manner during the implementation of the agreement.
PRIPOMBE ZAINTERESIRANIH STRANI
This followed from the price development for wood sold under the agreement, which showed that the price calculated on the basis of the formula led to significantly lower prices than the average wood price in the Land Brandenburg.
Komisija je med formalnim postopkom preiskave prejela pripombe dveh zainteresiranih tretjih strani in pritožnika.
A prudent private vendor placed in a similar situation would have immediately used all possibilities to modify the adjustment method.
Podobno je interno sporočilo iz marca 2004 vsebovalo opozorilo, da bo zaradi metode prilagoditve cene dežela Brandenburg nudila neprimeren popust, pri čemer je navedlo izrecno priporočilo za ponovno proučitev sporazuma ali pa ponovna pogajanja.
In contrast, Germany continued using the formula until 2011.
Pritožnik je trdil, da v takem primeru noben zasebni prodajalec ne bi sklenil takšnega sporazuma in da zasebni prodajalec, ko bi postalo jasno, da so cene nižje od cen na trgu, ne bi čakal pet let, temveč bi nemudoma ukrepal.
On the basis of these considerations the Commission came to the preliminary conclusion that an advantage in favour of HoKaWe and therefore the existence of State aid could not be excluded for the period from the date of coming into effect of the agreement (1 June 2006) until the amendment of the agreement (30 June 2011).
Glede prilagoditve cene pritožnik trdi, da dogovorjene cene niso izražale dejanskega razvoja na trgu lesa, zaradi česar je imelo podjetje HoKaWe neupravičeno prednost.
COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES
Poleg tega je Komisija prejela pripombe dveh družb za predelavo lesa iz dežele Brandenburg.
In the course of the formal investigation procedure the Commission received observations from two interested third parties as well as from the complainant.
Ti družbi sta trdili, da zaradi dolgoročnega sporazuma precejšen del lesa iz državnega gozda dežele Brandenburg ni končal na regionalnem trgu lesa, kar je privedlo do neupravičenega izkrivljanja konkurence in ogrozilo obstoj majhnih družb za predelavo lesa v deželi Brandenburg.
The complainant submitted internal notes of the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Regional Planning of the Land Brandenburg dated December 2003 and March 2004.
PRIPOMBE NEMČIJE
According to the complainant, these notes expressed, already prior to the conclusion of the agreement, concerns regarding several aspects of the agreement: Assessing the consequences of an agreement at the time, the note from December 2003 observed that, already for the year 2004, it would lead to a price well below the price for industrial wood at the time.
Nemčija je trdila, da je bil okvirni sporazum v skladu s tržnimi razmerami in torej ni vključeval državne pomoči.
Likewise, the internal note from March 2004 pointed out that the price adaptation method would lead to inappropriate price concessions by the Land Brandenburg and explicitly recommended reconsidering or renegotiating the agreement.
Nemčija je trdila, da v času podpisa sporazuma ni bilo trga za les, ki se uporablja za proizvodnjo energije (les za energijo, „Energieholz“), zato sta se pogodbenici dogovorili, da bo cena, ki jo bo plačevalo podjetje HoKaWe, temeljila na ceni industrijskega lesa, prilagoditve cene pa na razvoju indeksa za industrijski les.
The complainant argued that in such a situation no private vendor would have entered into such an agreement and, furthermore, that a private vendor would have reacted immediately when it became clear that the prices were below market prices and would not have waited for five years.
Nemčija je trdila tudi, da je besedilo sporazuma izražalo načrtovan način ravnanja v zvezi s prilagoditvami cene, je pa priznala, da z uporabo formule ni bila dosežena načrtovana porazdelitev tveganja nihanj cene med pogodbenici.
As regards the price adaptation, the complainant alleges that the prices agreed did not reflect the actual development in the wood market and resulted in an undue advantage in favour of HoKaWe.
Nemčija je zato trdila, da je treba začetno referenčno ceno in klavzulo o prilagoditvi cene iz besedila sporazuma, skupaj s prilagoditvami cene na podlagi indeksa za industrijski les v Nemčiji in enakomerno porazdelitvijo tveganj nihanj cene med pogodbenici, obravnavati kot skladni s tržnimi razmerami v času podpisa sporazuma.
The complainant estimates the amount of the aid between 2006 and 2011 at EUR 7,3 million (taking into account the average wood price as agreed between the complainant and other suppliers).
Po navedbah Nemčije je bilo šele med reorganizacijo gozdarske uprave v deželi Brandenburg januarja 2009 ugotovljeno, da podjetje HoKaWe zaradi formule plačuje nižje cene kot druga podjetja.
In addition, the Commission received observations from two wood-processing undertakings in the Land Brandenburg.
Zato so odgovorni organi dežele Brandenburg leta 2010 pri zunanjem pravnem strokovnjaku, tj. družbi RAUE LLP, naročili oceno sporazuma, opravili pa so tudi interno pravno oceno sporazuma.
These undertakings alleged that due to the long-term agreement, a significant part of the wood produced in the Brandenburg State forest was withdrawn from the regional wood market which led to undue distortions of competition and endangered the existence of small wood-processing undertakings in the Land Brandenburg.
Obe strokovni mnenji sta opozorili na morebitne težave zaradi državne pomoči.
COMMENTS FROM GERMANY
Poleg tega je ministrstvo za gospodarske in evropske zadeve v pisni izjavi z dne 5. januarja 2011 navedlo ugotovitev, da je klavzula o prilagoditvi cene v skladu s tržnimi razmerami, prilagoditev cene na podlagi formule pa pomeni državno pomoč, zato je priporočilo spremembo sporazuma na način, ki bi izražal resnične namene, na primer s spremembo formule.
Germany maintained that the framework agreement was market-conform and therefore did not involve State aid.
Dežela Brandenburg je to priporočilo upoštevala avgusta 2011.
Germany stated that, at the time of signing of the agreement, no market for wood to be used in energy production (energy wood, ‘Energieholz’) existed and that, consequently, the parties agreed to base the price to be paid by HoKaWe on the price for industrial wood and the price adjustments on the development of the index for industrial wood.
Glede tega je Nemčija trdila, da je dežela Brandenburg, ko je leta 2011 prilagodila sporazum, ravnala v skladu s tržnimi razmerami in da ne bi mogla hitreje ukrepati, ker je treba izpolniti pogodbe ter ker je bilo mogoče sporazum spremeniti le s sporazumom med pogodbenicami.
Germany also submitted that the text of the agreement reflected the intended modus operandi for price adjustments but admitted that the application of the formula led to results that did not correspond to the intended sharing of the risk of price fluctuations between the parties.
Poleg tega je Nemčija trdila, da sporazum ne izkrivlja konkurence in ne vpliva na trgovino med državami članicami.
Germany, therefore, argued that the initial reference price as well as the price adjustment clause laid down in the text of the agreement, with price adjustments based on the index for industrial wood in Germany and an equal sharing of the risk of price fluctuations between the parties, must be regarded as being market-conform at the time of signing the agreement.
OCENA
According to Germany, it was only discovered in the course of a reorganisation of the forestry administration in the Land Brandenburg in January 2009 that the application of the formula had resulted in HoKaWe's paying lower prices than other companies.
Obstoj državne pomoči
Therefore, in 2010 the responsible authorities of the Land Brandenburg requested an assessment of the agreement by an external legal expert, RAUE LLP, and also carried out an in-house legal assessment of the agreement.
V skladu s členom 107(1) PDEU 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.
Both expertises pointed to possible State aid issues.
V skladu z ustaljeno prakso Komisije, ki jo potrjuje sodna praksa, je merilo za ocenjevanje, ali posel med javnim organom in gospodarskim subjektom pomeni državno pomoč, načelo vlagatelja v tržnem gospodarstvu.
Furthermore, the Ministry for Economic and European Affairs concluded in a written statement of 5 January 2011 that the price adjustment clause was market-conform but that a price adjustment on the basis of the formula constituted State aid and, therefore, recommended to amend the agreement in a way which would reflect the true intentions by, for example, modifying the formula.
Referenčni okvir za oceno, ali transakcija obsega državno pomoč, je, ali bi zasebni subjekt v podobnem položaju ravnal na podoben način, torej v tem primeru prodal sredstva, blago in storitve po enaki ceni (merilo zasebnega prodajalca).
The Land Brandenburg followed this recommendation in August 2011.
Pri uporabi tega načela negospodarski premisleki ne morejo biti razlogi za sprejetje nižje cene.
In this regard Germany argued that the Land Brandenburg acted in a market-conform manner by adjusting the agreement in 2011 and that it could not react faster, as contracts have to be fulfilled and since the agreement could only be amended by agreement between the parties.
To načelo je Komisija že večkrat uporabila, Sodišče pa ga je dosledno potrjevalo [8].
Moreover, according to Germany the agreement does neither distort competition nor affect trade between Member States.
Komisija mora torej v tej zadevi oceniti, ali bi zasebni prodajalec sklenil sporazum s primerljivim obdobjem trajanja, na podlagi primerljive začetne referenčne cene in s podobnim mehanizmom za prilagoditev cene.
Existence of aid
Poleg tega je bila v sporazumu določena formula za izračun te prilagoditve cene.
Article 107(1) TFEU provides that any aid granted by a Member State or through state resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the internal market.
Dolgo trajanje sporazuma
According to the settled practice of the Commission and as confirmed by the case law, the criterion for assessing whether a commercial transaction between a public body and an economic entity amounts to State aid is the market economy investor principle.
Pritožnik je trdil, da trajanje sporazuma, tj. 15 let, na trgu ni običajno.
It follows from this principle that, when the State acts in the market as a commercial operator, it must do so in a way comparable to a private operator.
Komisija nima nobenih dokazov, ki bi upravičili sklepanje, da trajanje sporazuma ni bilo v skladu s tržnimi razmerami.
If the State does not do so, State aid could be involved.
Sicer se zdi obdobje 15 let nekoliko dolgo, vendar ni nerazumno, da se prodajalec zaveže kupcu, če si, kot v zadevnem sporazumu, s tem zagotovi prodajo stalne količine lesa, ki poleg tega vsaj delno ne izpolnjuje zahtev glede kakovosti industrijskega lesa.
In other words, the benchmark for appreciating whether a transaction involves State aid is whether a private operator placed in a similar situation would have behaved in the same way, i.e. in the case at hand would have sold the assets, goods or service at the same price (private vendor test).
Ob upoštevanju tega dejstva in predvidene porazdelitve tveganja nihanj cene ni mogoče izključiti, da bi zasebni prodajalec sklenil sporazum s primerljivim obdobjem trajanja.
In applying this principle, non-economic considerations cannot be taken into account as reasons for accepting a lower price.
Dogovorjena začetna referenčna cena
This principle has been repeatedly applied by the Commission and constantly confirmed by the Court [8].
Podobno Komisija glede začetne referenčne cene v višini 15,50 EUR/kubični meter nima nobenih dokazov, da cena ni bila v skladu s tržnimi razmerami.
The Commission, therefore, has to assess in the present case whether a private vendor would have entered into an agreement with a comparable duration, on the basis of a comparable initial reference price and with a similar price adjustment mechanism.
Kot je trdila Nemčija, v času podpisa sporazuma ni bilo uveljavljene tržne cene lesa za energijo.
As stated in recitals (11) to (12), the framework agreement with a duration of 15 years stipulated that the prices should be adjusted yearly in accordance with the development of the industrial wood price index and that the corresponding changes to the initial reference price, which was set at EUR 15,50/cubic meter, should be borne 50 % by the State and 50 % by HoKaWe.
Pogodbenici sta zato okvirni sporazum sklenili na podlagi cene industrijskega lesa.
In addition, the agreement laid down a formula to be used for the calculation of this price adjustment.
V skladu s pregledom tržnih cen industrijskega lesa, ki ga je predložil pritožnik, se lahko cene med 15,50 EUR/kubični meter in 17,50 EUR/kubični meter za leto 2004 ter med 15,00 EUR/kubični meter in 17,00 EUR/kubični meter za leto 2005 štejejo za skladne s tržnimi razmerami.
Long duration of the agreement
Ob upoštevanju dejstva, da je bil sporazum dolgoročna pogodba z dogovorjeno ceno v višini 15,50 EUR/kubični meter, je bila začetna referenčna cena okvirnega sporazuma v okviru cen industrijskega lesa, skladnih s tržnimi razmerami.