natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Non-profit association that carries out anti-doping tests that are fully funded by the parent companies
Nepridobitno združenje, ki izvaja ukrepe protidopinške kontrole, ki jo v celoti financirata matični družbi.
Non-profit association that implements occupational training and social welfare initiatives in the horse racing sector and that receives 60 % of its funding from the parent companies.
Nepridobitno združenje, ki se ukvarja s strokovnim usposabljanjem in socialnimi ukrepi za zaposlene na področju konjskih dirk, za kar 60 % sredstev zagotavljata matični družbi.
Organisation composed of the national harness racing federations in 19 European countries
Organizacija, ki združuje nacionalne kasaške zveze iz 19 evropskih držav.
Federation of 18 authorities belonging to the horse racing sector, 14 of which are European, whose objective is to promote horse racing.
Zveza 18 organov iz sektorja konjskih dirk (od tega jih je 14 evropskih), katere namen je promocija konjskih dirk.
France Galop represents France in this federation.
Francijo v tej zvezi zastopa France Galop.
Opposed to the aid measure
Proti ukrepu
Non-profit association, governed by Belgian law, composed of European operators in the gambling sector
Nepridobitno združenje belgijskega prava, ki združuje evropske subjekte s področja iger na srečo.
Anonymous
Anonimen
N/A
NI PODATKA
On 12 April 2011 the Commission sent a request for information to the French authorities.
Komisija je 12. aprila 2011 francoskim organom poslala zahtevo za informacije.
On 4 May 2011 a working meeting took place between the Commission's departments and the French authorities.
Službe Komisije in francoski organi so se 4. maja 2011 sestali na delovnem sestanku.
Working meetings between the Commission's departments and the French authorities were held on 11 July and 9 December 2011.
Delovna sestanka služb Komisije in francoskih organov sta potekala 11. julija 2011 in 9. decembra 2011.
France submitted a draft amendment to its initial notification on 14 December 2011.
Francija je 14. decembra 2011 predložila osnutek spremembe prvotne priglasitve.
On 16 December 2011 the Commission sent questions to France regarding the new measure being put forward.
Komisija je 16. decembra 2011 Franciji poslala vprašanja o predloženem novem mehanizmu.
The French authorities replied on 1 March 2012.
Francoski organi so odgovorili 1. marca 2012.
A working meeting between the Commission's departments and the French authorities was held on 30 March 2012, based on the new measure proposed by the French authorities.
Delovni sestanek služb Komisije in francoskih organov je potekal 30. marca 2012 v zvezi z novim mehanizmom, ki so ga predvideli francoski organi.
Following requests from the Commission for adjustment of this new measure, the French authorities provided additional information on 6 December 2012 and 21 January and 27 February 2013.
Francoski organi so 6. decembra 2012, 21. januarja 2013 in 27. februarja 2013 na zahteve Komisije po prilagoditvi tega novega mehanizma zagotovili dodatne informacije.
On 29 April 2013, the French authorities officially submitted to the Commission an amendment to the notification of 13 April 2010 containing the new measure discussed with the Commission's departments.
Francoski organi so 29. aprila 2013 Komisiji uradno predložili spremembo priglasitve z dne 13. aprila 2010, v kateri je povzet novi mehanizem, o katerem so razpravljali s službami Komisije.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE AS IT APPEARED IN THE INITIAL NOTIFICATION
2 OPIS PRVOTNO PRIGLAŠENEGA UKREPA
Background: opening-up to competition of the gambling sector
Ozadje: odprtje sektorja iger na srečo konkurenci
France opened up the online gambling sector to competition by Law No 2010-476 of 12 May 2010 on the opening-up to competition and regulation of the online gambling sector (hereinafter referred to as 'the Law of 12 May 2010').
Francija je sektor spletnih iger na srečo konkurenci odprla z zakonom št. 2010-476 z dne 12. maja 2010 o odprtju sektorja spletnih iger na srečo konkurenci in o njegovi ureditvi (v nadaljnjem besedilu: zakon z dne 12. maja 2010).
The purpose of the Law of 12 May 2010 was to put a stop to the growing illegal gambling offer on the Internet.
Zakon z dne 12. maja 2010 je v skladu s ciljem, da se ustavi nezakonita ponudba iger na srečo, ki se razširja na spletu.
Three types of game, chosen for their popularity with gamblers and reduced risk in terms of addiction, were opened up to competition: online horse-race betting, sports betting and poker games.
Konkurenci so odprte tri vrste iger, izbrane po priljubljenosti med igralci in manjši nevarnosti glede zasvojenosti: stave na konjske dirke, športne stave in spletni poker.
Online gambling and betting operators must be in possession of an authorisation, issued for a term of five years and under certain conditions by the French regulatory authority for online gambling (ARJEL), an independent administrative authority created by the Law of 12 May 2010.
Ponudniki spletnih iger ali stav morajo imeti dovoljenje, ki ga za pet let in pod nekaterimi pogoji izda regulativni organ za spletne igre (ARJEL), neodvisni upravni organ, ustanovljen z zakonom z dne 12. maja 2010.
Following the opening-up of online gambling to competition on 24 November 2010, the Commission brought to a close [4] the infringement proceedings instituted against France.
Komisija je po odprtju spletnih iger konkurenci 24. novembra 2010 končala [4] postopek za ugotavljanje kršitev, uveden zoper Francijo.
These infringement proceedings [5] had been instituted in 2006 because the Commission considered that the restrictions imposed by France on the services provided by foreign operators were disproportionate.
Ta postopek za ugotavljanje kršitev [5] je bil uveden leta 2006, ker so bile po mnenju Komisije ovire, ki jih je Francija določila za storitve, ki jih opravljajo tuji ponudniki, nesorazmerne.
Within the context of these infringement proceedings, the Commission had issued a reasoned opinion in 2007 [6].
Komisija je v okviru tega postopka za ugotavljanje kršitev leta 2007 izdala obrazloženo mnenje. [6]
Prior to the opening-up to competition, the monopoly of horse-race betting conducted outside race courses was held by the PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain), an economic interest grouping [7] formed by two horse racing parent companies [8] and 49 provincial horse racing companies (hereinafter jointly referred to as 'the horse racing companies'), both for online bets placed via the Internet and for brick-and-mortar bets placed in the PMU's sales network or bets placed at race courses.
Monopol nad stavami na konjske dirke, ki se sprejemajo zunaj hipodromov, je imel pred odprtjem konkurenci PMU (Pari mutuel urbain), tj. gospodarsko interesno združenje, [7] ki ga sestavljajo dve matični družbi za konjske dirke [8] in 49 regionalnih družb za prirejanje konjskih dirk (v nadaljnjem besedilu skupaj: družbe za prirejanje konjskih dirk), in sicer za spletne stave, ki se sprejemajo prek spleta, in fizične stave, ki se sprejemajo v prodajni mreži združenja PMU, ali stave, ki se sprejemajo na hipodromih.
At the time of the notification in 2010, the stakes collected on horse races by the PMU, the leading totalisator betting operator in Europe and the second largest in the world, came to EUR 9342 million.
Vložki za stave na konjske dirke, ki jih je pobralo združenje PMU, prvi ponudnik stav z nagradnim skladom v Evropi in drugi na svetu, so ob priglasitvi leta 2010 znašali 9,342 milijona EUR. Združenje PMU je leta 2010 8,5 % [9] prometa ustvarilo prek spleta.
Objective of the measure as it appeared in the initial notification
Cilj prvotno priglašenega ukrepa
Given the importance of the PMU in the financing of the horse racing and equine industry, the French authorities were concerned that the sustainability of the industry would be under threat if the opening-up to competition of the online gambling sector resulted in a significant drop in the PMU's revenues due to the following potential causes:
Ob upoštevanju pomena združenja PMU za financiranje konjeniške dejavnosti so se francoski organi bali, da bi bila sposobnost preživetja te dejavnosti ogrožena, če bi se zaradi odprtja spletnih iger na srečo konkurenci bistveno zmanjšali prihodki združenja PMU, kar bi bilo lahko posledica:
competition from other operators authorised to offer online bets on horse races;
konkurence drugih ponudnikov, pooblaščenih za ponujanje spletnih stav na konjske dirke;
the fact that, by virtue of the legalisation of online sports betting, there could be a shift in the market from horse race bets to sports bets, which would result in a change in the market's structure.
dejstva, da bi se lahko nekateri vplačniki stav na konjske dirke zaradi legalizacije spletnih športnih stav preusmerili na športne stave, kar bi spremenilo strukturo trga.
Consequently, France decided to introduce a parafiscal levy on online horse-race betting in favour of the horse racing and equine industry to prevent the economic destabilisation of the sector as a result of the opening-up to competition and its potentially harmful consequences.
Francija se je zato odločila uvesti parafiskalno dajatev na spletne stave na konjske dirke v korist konjeniške dejavnosti, da bi preprečila njeno morebitno gospodarsko oslabitev zaradi odprtja spletnih stav konkurenci in neugodnih posledic, ki bi jih to lahko prineslo.
According to the French authorities, the parafiscal levy on online horse-race betting would finance a service of general economic interest (hereinafter referred to as 'SGEI') entrusted to the horse racing companies (see Chapter 2.3).
Po navedbah francoskih organov naj bi se s parafiskalno dajatvijo na spletne stave na konjske dirke financirala storitev splošnega gospodarskega pomena (v nadaljnjem besedilu: SSGP), zaupana družbam za prirejanje konjskih dirk (glej poglavje 2.3).
The entire revenue from the levy collected from all online horse-race betting stakes, including stakes placed on the PMU's website, would be paid to the horse racing parent companies (in proportion to the bets placed on each speciality: harness, flat and jump racing), which would then distribute the corresponding total among the various beneficiaries [11].
Prihodki od dajatve, ki bi se pobirala za vsa vplačila spletnih stav na konjske dirke, vključno s stavami, vplačanimi na spletni strani združenja PMU, naj bi se v celoti prenesli na matični družbi za konjske dirke (sorazmerno z vložki za posamezno disciplino, tj. kas, galop in zapreke), ti pa naj bi nato ustrezen znesek porazdelili med različne upravičence.
The revenue would be in addition to the funding from bets placed in the PMU's physical network of sales outlets (hereinafter referred to as 'brick-and-mortar bets').
S temi prihodki naj bi se dopolnilo financiranje iz stav, vplačanih v fizični mreži prodajnih mest združenja PMU (v nadaljnjem besedilu: fizične stave).
On the basis of the financial data for the year 2010, it was estimated that the levy could yield about EUR 64 million.
Na podlagi finančnih podatkov za leto 2010 je bilo ocenjeno, da bi bilo mogoče z dajatvijo zaslužiti približno 64 milijonov EUR.
The proposed rate of the levy for the year 2010 was 8 % of the stakes placed in online horse-race betting calculated using the financial data from the year 2008, and corresponded to the ratio between the costs of the public service obligations and the total of all online and brick-and-mortar horse-race betting stakes.
Stopnja dajatve, predlagana za leto 2010, je bila 8 % vplačil spletnih stav na konjske dirke. Izračunana je bila na podlagi finančnih podatkov za leto 2008 ter je ustrezala razmerju med stroški obveznosti javne službe in skupnim zneskom vseh vplačil spletnih in fizičnih stav na konjske dirke.
The aim of the tax rate was therefore to place the same financial burden for the funding of the public service activities on the PMU and the other horse-race betting operators.
Namen te stopnje dajatve je bil, da se pri financiranju dejavnosti javne službe enako obremenijo združenje PMU in drugi ponudniki stav na konjske dirke.
The rate of the levy could be reviewed in the light of changes in the costs of the public service obligations and the bets placed on horse races using the following formula as a rule:
Stopnjo te dajatve je bilo mogoče spremeniti glede na gibanje stroškov obveznosti javne službe in vplačil stav na konjske dirke, običajno po naslednji formuli:
Levy rate
Stopnja dajatve
Cost of public service obligations year N
stroški obveznosti javne službe leto N
Horse-race betting stakes year N
vplačila stav na konjske dirke leto N
However, the notification specified that this rate should remain between 7 % and 9 %.
V priglasitvi je bilo sicer predvideno, da naj bi ta stopnja ostala v razponu [7–9 %].
The above formula would result in a rate of 8 % for the year 2012 based on the financial data from the year 2010 (see recital (113)).
Z zgornjo formulo bi za leto 2012 na podlagi finančnih podatkov za leto 2010 dobili 8-odstotno stopnjo (glej točko 113 obrazložitve tega sklepa).
In addition to the revenue from bets collected in the PMU's physical network and from the parafiscal levy, it should be noted that the horse racing companies also benefit from the revenue generated by online sports and poker betting, for which the PMU also received an authorisation following the opening-up to competition of the online gambling sector.
Poleg prihodkov od stav, pobranih v fizični mreži združenja PMU, in parafiskalne dajatve je treba upoštevati, da imajo družbe za prirejanje konjskih dirk koristi tudi od prihodkov, ustvarjenih s športnimi stavami in spletnim pokrom, za katere je združenje PMU po odprtju spletnih iger na srečo konkurenci prav tako dobilo dovoljenje.
When the measure was notified, this parafiscal levy on online horse-race betting was to be added to the ordinary general taxation that applied to all brick-and-mortar and online horse-race betting.
Ob priglasitvi ukrepa je bilo predvideno, da bo ta parafiskalna dajatev na spletne stave na konjske dirke dodana sistemu obdavčitve po splošnem pravu, ki velja za vse fizične in spletne stave na konjske dirke.
In this regard, the French general tax code specified that horse-race betting operators had to pay a levy of 5,7 % on stakes [13].
Splošni davčni zakonik je namreč določal, da morajo ponudniki stav na konjske dirke plačevati davek v višini 5,7 % vplačil. [13]
The horse racing companies' public service mission
Naloga javne službe družb za prirejanje konjskih dirk
According to the notification by the French authorities, the horse racing companies provided a public service made up of the following elements:
Glede na priglasitev francoskih organov naj bi družbe za prirejanje konjskih dirk opravljale nalogo javne službe, ki naj bi vključevala:
improving the equine species
plemenitev konj;
promoting horse breeding
spodbujanje vzreje;
personnel training in the horse racing and horse breeding sector
usposabljanje v sektorju konjskih dirk in konjereje;
rural development.
razvoj podeželja.
This mission entrusted generally to the horse racing companies conferred a special role on the horse racing parent companies, which played a central part in organising races and in the entire horse racing and equine industry [14].
S to nalogo, ki bi bila na splošno zaupana družbam za prirejanje konjskih dirk, naj bi posebno vlogo dobili matični družbi, ki imata osrednjo vlogo pri prirejanju konjskih dirk in v celotni konjeniški dejavnosti.
In particular, Le Cheval Français and France Galop had key responsibilities in the following areas:
Družbi Cheval Français in France Galop imata med drugim ključne odgovornosti na naslednjih področjih:
drawing up and enforcing horse racing codes of conduct
priprava pravilnikov o konjskih dirkah in zagotavljanje njihovega upoštevanja;
organising horse races
organizacija konjskih dirk;
conditions for awarding and sharing out prize money
pogoji podelitve in razdelitve nagrad;
regulating horse races and the horse racing and equine industry
ureditev konjskih dirk in konjeniške dejavnosti;
facilities needed to organise horse races
oprema, potrebna za prirejanje konjskih dirk;
selecting horses
selekcija konjev;
occupational training.
poklicno usposabljanje.
In practice, the performance of the public service mission entrusted to the horse racing companies was fulfilled by the following activities:
Naloga javne službe, ki bi bila zaupana družbam za prirejanje konjskih dirk, naj bi se v praksi uresničevala z naslednjimi dejavnostmi:
the distribution of premiums and allowances to the breeders, owners and jockeys associated with the horses placed in horse races by the horse racing companies;
razdeljevanjem premij in nadomestil rejcem, lastnikom in džokejem za konje, ki jih družbe za prirejanje konjskih dirk uvrščajo na dirke;
the organisation of races by the horse racing companies, including the maintenance and building of race courses;
prirejanjem konjskih dirk s strani družb za prirejanje konjskih dirk, vključno z vzdrževanjem in gradnjo hipodromov;
drug testing in horse races by the French horse racing laboratory (LCH);
protidopinško kontrolo na konjskih dirkah, ki jo izvaja Laboratoire des Courses Hippiques (LCH);
training courses provided by the association for occupational training and social welfare initiatives in horse racing (AFASEC), covering the entire horse racing profession (jockeys, drivers, trainers, etc.).
dejavnostmi usposabljanja, ki jih zagotavlja Association de Formation et d’Action Sociale des Sociétés de Courses (AFASEC) in zajemajo vse poklice, povezane s konjskimi dirkami (džokeji, vozniki, trenerji itd.).
Breakdown of the costs of the public service mission (2010 figures)
Porazdelitev stroškov naloge javne službe (podatki za leto 2010)
Drug testing 1,29 %
Protidopinška kontrola 1,29 %
Training and social welfare 3,61 %
Usposabljanje in socialni ukrepi 3,61 %
Organisation of races 31,48 %
Prirejanje konjskih dirk 31,48 %
Premiums and allowances 63,61 %
Premije in nadomestila 63,61 %
In 2010, the lion's share of the ‘public service’ costs mentioned in the notification (see Figure 1) was accounted for by premiums and allowances paid to breeders, owners and jockeys (EUR 493 million, corresponding to approximately 63,6 % of the total cost).
Največji delež tako imenovanih stroškov javne službe, navedenih v priglasitvi (glej sliko 1), so leta 2010 pomenili premije in nadomestila za rejce, lastnike in džokeje (493 milijonov EUR, kar je približno 63,6 % skupnih stroškov).
The second-largest cost item was horse-race organisation costs (EUR 244 million, corresponding to approximately 31,48 % of the total cost).
Drugi največji delež stroškov je ustrezal stroškom prirejanja konjskih dirk (244 milijonov EUR, kar je približno 31,48 % skupnih stroškov).
The total cost of the public service mission described by France in the notification was said to be fully funded by the horse racing companies' revenues from online bets collected by the PMU via the Internet, brick-and-mortar bets collected in the PMU's sales network, bets collected at race courses, and other own resources of the horse racing companies (such as admission charges to race courses).
Skupni stroški naloge javne službe, ki jo je Francija opisala v priglasitvi, naj bi se v celoti financirali s prihodki družb za prirejanje konjskih dirk, ustvarjenimi s spletnimi stavami, ki jih prek spleta sprejema združenje PMU, fizičnimi stavami, vplačanimi v prodajni mreži združenja PMU, stavami, vplačanimi na hipodromih, ter drugimi sredstvi družb za prirejanje konjskih dirk (kot so vstopnine za konjske dirke).
GROUNDS FOR INITIATING THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
3 RAZLOGI ZA UVEDBO FORMALNEGA POSTOPKA PREISKAVE
The Commission considered that the aid measure had all the constituent elements of state aid.
Komisija je menila, da so bili prisotni vsi elementi pojma državna pomoč.
Having examined the options allowed by the applicable rules, the Commission did not identify a clear way forward for establishing the compatibility of the notified measure with the internal market.
Po preučitvi možnosti, ki jih ponujajo veljavni predpisi, ni ugotovila jasnega načina, ki bi omogočal potrditev združljivosti priglašenega ukrepa z notranjim trgom.
In particular, the Commission expressed serious doubts about the SGEI status cited by France for the mission entrusted to the horse racing companies and, consequently, about the possibility of treating the proposed aid measure as public service compensation and basing its compatibility on Article 106(2) TFEU and on the Community framework for State aid in the form of public service compensation [16].
Komisija je zlasti izrazila resne pomisleke glede dejstva, da Francija nalogo, zaupano družbam za prirejanje konjskih dirk, opredeljuje kot SSGP, in posledično glede možnosti, da bi se predvideni ukrep pomoči obravnaval kot nadomestilo za opravljanje javne službe ter da bi se njegova združljivost utemeljila na členu 106(2) PDEU in Okviru Skupnosti za državne pomoči v obliki nadomestila za javne storitve. [16]
Moreover, following the preliminary investigation conducted by the Commission, no clear way forward in terms of compatibility emerged.
Poleg tega se po predhodni preučitvi, ki jo je opravila Komisija, ni pokazala jasna možnost združljivosti.
In the light of the information available to the Commission, the proposed aid seemed to meet neither the general compatibility conditions set out in Article 107(3)(c) TFEU nor the special conditions laid down by instruments such as the guidelines on regional aid [17] or the agricultural guidelines [18].
Glede na informacije, ki jih je imela Komisija, se namreč ni zdelo, da bi predvidena pomoč izpolnjevala splošne pogoje združljivosti, določene v členu 107(3)(c) PDEU, ali posebne pogoje, določene z akti, kot so smernice o državni regionalni pomoči [17] ali smernice za kmetijski sektor [18].
Furthermore, given the close link between the aid measure and the collection of the parafiscal levy, the compliance of the levy with some of the other principles of the Treaty should also have been fulfilled and the Commission continued to have doubts about the compatibility of the parafiscal levy with the principle of freedom to provide services set out in Article 56 TFEU and the principle of non-discrimination set out in Article 110 TFEU.
Poleg tega bi morala biti glede na tesno povezavo med ukrepom pomoči in dojemanjem parafiskalne dajatve zagotovljena tudi skladnost dajatve z drugimi načeli Pogodbe, Komisija pa je imela pomisleke glede združljivosti parafiskalne dajatve z načelom svobode opravljanja storitev iz člena 56 PDEU in načelom prepovedi diskriminacije iz člena 110 PDEU.
TRANSITIONAL MEASURES
4 PREHODNI UKREPI
In parallel with the introduction of this transitional measure, France reduced the level of general taxation on all online and brick-and-mortar horse-race betting.
Francija je sočasno z uvedbo tega prehodnega ukrepa znižala obdavčitev po splošnem pravu za vse fizične in spletne stave na konjske dirke.
The rate of this tax was reduced from 5,7 % to 4,6 % of stakes.
Stopnja tega davka se je znižala s 5,7 % na 4,6 % vplačil.
COMMENTS BY THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES
5 PRIPOMBE FRANCOSKIH ORGANOV
The French authorities sent their comments on the opening decision by letter dated 18 January 2011.
Francoski organi so z dopisom z dne 18. januarja 2011 poslali pripombe k odločitvi o začetku postopka.
On the existence of state aid
Obstoj državne pomoči
While the French authorities did not dispute the classification as state aid, being as it was in keeping with their notification, they did question the following points:
Francoski organi ne izpodbijajo opredelitve za državno pomoč, ki je v skladu z njihovo priglasitvijo, vseeno pa se sprašujejo glede naslednjih točk:
Existence of an advantage in favour of the horse racing companies
Obstoj prednosti v korist družb za prirejanje konjskih dirk
The French authorities questioned whether the measure could provide an advantage for the horse racing companies compared with the situation prior to the opening-up to competition of the online horse-race betting market.
Francoski organi dvomijo, da bi lahko ukrep pomenil prednost za družbe za prirejanje konjskih dirk v primerjavi s položajem pred odprtjem trga spletnih stav na konjske dirke konkurenci.