natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
The activities of the health insurance companies managing the compulsory health insurance scheme are subject to the overall control of the State, exercised in particular through the regulatory authority — the HSA, which has a monitoring and supervisory role in the health system.
Veriteľ je bila leta 2003 ustanovljena kot nova državna agencija za konsolidacijo dolgov v zdravstvu [27], ki ji je slovaška vlada naložila nalogo izvajanja projekta, namenjenega oprostitvi dolga zdravstvenih ustanov in zdravstvenih zavarovalnic pred preoblikovanjem vseh obstoječih zavodov za zdravstveno zavarovanje v delniške družbe do 30. septembra 2005.
The HSA supervises whether health insurance companies and providers adhere to this legislative framework and intervenes when violations occur.
Postopek oprostitve dolga je bil izveden v skladu z resolucijami slovaške vlade.
THE 2006 CAPITAL INCREASE IN SZP
To je bilo izvedeno tako, da je SZP Veriteľ s pogodbo odstopila terjatve in obresti iz naslova premij.
By letter dated 2 April 2007, the privately-owned health insurance company Dôvera lodged a complaint with the Commission against a capital injection by the Slovak Republic into the State-owned company SZP in amount of SKK 450 million (approximately EUR 15 million) made in three tranches between 28 November 2005 and 18 January 2006.
SZP je Veriteľ odstopila terjatve in obresti iz naslova premij v višini približno 929 milijonov SKK (od tega približno 343 milijonov SKK obresti).
That capital increase was associated with the reform of the healthcare sector and the 2004-2005 reform of the health insurance sector in the Slovak Republic.
V zameno je Veriteľ SZP zagotovila protivrednost v višini 840 milijonov SKK (približno 28 milijonov EUR) s poravnavo njenega dolga s prenosom na posebni račun za prerazporeditev premij [30].
In fact, at the time of its establishment as a joint-stock company in 2005, SZP, as the legal successor of a public institution [26],was required by law to take over not only the assets of the original insurance company, but also its liabilities, incurred before 2005, the amount of which caused an inadequate level of solvency, as set under the requirements of Section 14(1) of the Act on health insurance companies (Act 581/2004).
SUBVENCIJA ZA SZP LETA 2006
Those liabilities amounted to SKK 467,765 million (approximately EUR 15,5 million) on 31 December 2005.
Pritožnica navaja, da je bila ta subvencija namenjena poravnavi obveznosti SZP, ki so nastale še pred letom 2005, z izvajalci zdravstvenih storitev, čeprav ni bilo jasno, ali je ta dolg še vedno obstajal v času dodelitve subvencije.
THE DISCHARGE OF SZP'S DEBTS BY VERITEĽ
Vendar po mnenju slovaških organov finančni viri iz likvidacijske bilance Veriteľ niso bili zagotovljeni SZP, ampak zdravstvenim ustanovam, ki so bile takrat v državni lasti, za plačilo njihovih obveznosti (tj. prispevkov za zdravstveno zavarovanje zaposlenih) SZP.
The debt relief process was carried out pursuant to Slovak Government resolutions.
DOKAPITALIZACIJA VZP LETA 2010
In the period 2003 to 2005, Veriteľ settled debt in the health sector exceeding EUR 1100 million in accounting value at the cost of EUR 644 million in cash.
Slovaška republika je 1. januarja 2010 prek služb ministrstva za zdravje povečala delniški kapital v VZP.
Since the Ministry of Health announced that this was the last bail-out of the healthcare system, the agency Veriteľ was abolished in 2006 [28].
Povečanje osnovnega kapitala je znašalo približno 65,1 milijona EUR.
The complainant claims that the discharge by Veriteľ of EUR 52,7 million of SZP's debt, being higher than what the complainant itself had received [29], suggests unjustified discriminatory treatment in the debt-discharging process.
Po mnenju pritožnice je glede na to, da je bila zavarovalnica VZP blizu nesolventnosti, država tako ravnala, da bi premostila pomanjkanje prihodkov VZP.
However, the complainant's main concern is that, additionally, on 30 November 2005 (therefore after the transformation), Veriteľ further discharged approximately EUR 28 million of further debt that SZP had to the special premium redistribution account.
Pritožnica prav tako trdi, da država nikakor ni upala, da bo dosegla donosnost naložb v razumnem časovnem okviru, zlasti ker je Slovaška šele uvedla zakon, ki zdravstvenim zavarovalnicam prepoveduje razdeljevanje dobička.
This was done through the assignment by SZP to Veritel' of premium claims and interest.
Po mnenju slovaških organov je bila ta dokapitalizacija VZP leta 2010 izvedena za odpravo učinkov finančne krize in podporo VZP, da bi se uprla pritisku povečevanja stopnje zadolženosti z vedno večjim povpraševanjem po zdravstvenem varstvu.
SZP assigned to Veritel' approximately SKK 929 million in claims of premium and interests (of this about SKK 343 million in interest).
IZRAVNALNA SHEMA
In return, Veritel' provided consideration of SKK 840 million (approximately EUR 28 million) to SZP by setting off its debt to the special premium redistribution account [30].
Komisija je med predhodno oceno ugotovila tudi, da financiranje zdravstvenih zavarovalnic v Slovaški republiki vključuje mehanizem združevanja in prilagajanja tveganj – izravnalno shemo.
THE 2006 SUBSIDY TO SZP
Izravnalna shema [31] se v celoti uporablja za vse zdravstvene zavarovalnice, ki zagotavljajo obvezno zdravstveno zavarovanje v Slovaški republiki.
In the second half of 2006, a further subsidy was granted to SZP by the Ministry of Health using part of the liquidation balance of Veriteľ, which was dissolved in July 2006.
Čeprav prispevke za obvezno zdravstveno zavarovanje neposredno pobirajo zdravstvene zavarovalnice od delodajalcev, samozaposlenih, samoplačnikov (prostovoljno nezaposlenih), države in plačnikov dividend, je porazdelitev prihodkov in odhodkov med zdravstvenimi zavarovalnicami neenaka zaradi drugačne strukture zavarovanih prebivalcev.
According to the complainant, the amount of the subsidy was approximately EUR 7,6 million.
Da bi ublažili finančno breme zdravstvenih zavarovalnic s portfeljem višjega tveganja in zmanjšali možnost izbire tveganja, se prispevki med zdravstvenimi zavarovalnicami prerazporejajo v okviru izravnalne sheme na podlagi izračuna, ki ga je določil HSA [32].
The complainant alleges that this subsidy was provided to settle SZP's liabilities with healthcare providers dating from before 2005, although it was not clear whether those debts continued to exist at the time of the grant.
Parametri, ki se uporabljajo v okviru izravnalne sheme, so starost, spol in od leta 2010 stanje ekonomske aktivnosti zavarovanih oseb.
However, according to the Slovak authorities, the financial resources from the liquidation balance of Veriteľ were not provided to SZP but to medical facilities, which at the time were owned by the State, for payment of their liabilities (i.e. health insurance contributions for their employees) to SZP.
PRENOSI PORTFELJEV NA SZP IN VZP
Consequently, according to the Slovak authorities, no subsidy was involved, but rather a normal payment of existing undisputed liabilities by the State — unpaid premiums for health insurance.
Komisija je med predhodno oceno ugotovila, da obstaja tudi ukrep v obliki več neposrednih prenosov portfeljev drugih zdravstvenih zavarovalnic (zlasti z zavarovalnice Družstevná zdravotná poisťovňa na VZP ter z zavarovalnice Európská zdravotná poisťovňa na SZP), ki so bile sčasoma likvidirane, na SZP in VZP s posredovanjem države.
THE 2010 CAPITAL INCREASE IN VZP
Po mnenju Dôvere je bil portfelj EZP prenesen neposredno na SZP, čeprav so bili na trgu tudi drugi zainteresirani izvajalci, omejitve in pogoji prenosa pa so bili nejasni.
The increase in share capital amounted to approximately EUR 65,1 million.
Slovaški organi trdijo, da so druge zdravstvene zavarovalnice izrazile zanimanje za ta portfelj, vendar pod pogoji, ki bi nesorazmerno podaljšali postopek likvidacije.
According to the complainant, given that VZP was close to insolvency, it appears that the State acted in this way to bridge VZP's revenue deficit.
Poleg tega po mnenju slovaških organov prejemnicama VZP in SZP ni bila dodeljena nobena ugodnost, saj je prenos portfeljev zadeval vse terjatve in obveznosti likvidiranih zavarovalnic.
The complainant also claims the State had absolutely no hope of receiving a return on its investment within a reasonable time-frame, particularly given that Slovakia had just introduced a law preventing health insurance companies from distributing their profits.
RAZLOGI ZA ZAČETEK FORMALNEGA POSTOPKA PREISKAVE
According to the Slovak authorities, this 2010 capital increase in VZP was made to eliminate the impacts of the financial crisis and to support VZP in withstanding the pressure to increase the level of indebtedness with growing demand for healthcare.
Komisija je v sklepu o začetku postopka izrazila dvome v zvezi z določitvijo gospodarske ali negospodarske narave zadevne dejavnosti in navedla, da so ob upoštevanju posebnosti primera SZP/VZP in druge zavarovalnice, ki zagotavljajo zdravstveno zavarovanje v okviru obveznega sistema v Slovaški republiki, morda izvajale gospodarsko dejavnost od 1. januarja 2005.
THE RISK EQUALISATION SCHEME (RES)
Komisija je menila, da je zaradi mešanice gospodarskih in negospodarskih značilnosti slovaškega sistema osnovnega zdravstvenega zavarovanja treba opraviti poglobljeno analizo različnih elementov in njihovega pomena v shemi, da se ugotovi, ali je dejavnost obveznega zdravstvenega zavarovanja glede na obliko njene organizacije in izvajanja na Slovaškem treba obravnavati kot gospodarsko (od 1. januarja 2005) ali negospodarsko.
During its preliminary assessment, the Commission also discovered that the funding of health insurance companies in the Slovak Republic includes a pooling and risk adjustment mechanism — a Risk Equalisation Scheme (RES).
Komisija je prav tako navedla, da v primeru, če bi bilo treba dejavnost obravnavati kot gospodarsko, nima dovolj razpoložljivih informacij, da bi ugotovila, ali zadevni ukrepi zagotavljajo SZP/VZP selektivno prednost.
The RES [31] applies fully to all health insurance companies providing compulsory health insurance in the Slovak Republic.
Ko je Komisija sklenila, da zaradi pomanjkanja posebnih argumentov ali jasnih dokazov o združljivosti ukrepov z notranjim trgom v tej fazi ni mogoče izključiti obstoja državne pomoči, je tudi izrazila dvome v zvezi s tem, ali bi se lahko ti ukrepi šteli za združljive z notranjim trgom v skladu s členom 106(2) ali členom 107(3)(c) Pogodbe, če bi ugotovila, da ti ukrepi pomenijo državno pomoč.
While contributions to the compulsory health insurance are collected directly by health insurance companies from employers, the self-employed, self-payers (voluntarily unemployed), the State and the payers of dividends, the distribution of revenues and expenditures among the health insurance companies is unequal due to the different structure of their insured populations.
V zvezi s tem je Komisija poudarila, da bi se lahko končne ugotovitve v zvezi s tem, ali je dejavnost obveznega zdravstvenega zavarovanja v Slovaški republiki dejansko gospodarska ali negospodarska, ali državni ukrepi izpolnjujejo vse ostale pogoje, da bi se šteli za državno pomoč, in, v primeru pritrdilnega odgovora, ali so ti ukrepi združljivi z notranjim trgom, preoblikovale v končni sklep, ki ga bo treba sprejeti po koncu formalne preiskave, šele po tem, ko bodo zbrane vse razpoložljive informacije (vključno z nadaljnjimi pripombami države članice in tretjih strani) in ko bo izvedena poglobljena ocena vseh informacij.
To alleviate the financial burden on health insurance companies with a higher-risk portfolio and to reduce the potential for risk selection, contributions are redistributed among the health insurance companies using the RES, by virtue of a calculation designated by the HSA [32].
PRIPOMBE ZAINTERESIRANIH STRANI
Parameters applied in the RES are the age, gender and, since 2010, economic activity status of the insured.
Komisija je prejela pripombe zainteresiranih strani, kot je povzeto v nadaljevanju:
The Slovak authorities consider the RES not to be a form of State aid but rather a matter of equalising funds in accordance with applicable RES criteria f or insured persons, i.e. it is a case of solidarity between insured persons and therefore not State aid.
Pritožnica Dôvera je kot odgovor na sklep o začetku postopka predložila dodatne informacije o sistemu zdravstvenega zavarovanja in dodatne argumente, zlasti da bi podprla svoje stališče, da sta SZP in VZP podjetji, za kateri se uporablja konkurenčno pravo, in da sta prejeli nezdružljivo državno pomoč.
THE TRANSFERS OF PORTFOLIOS TO SZP AND VZP
Dôvera poudarja, da SZP/VZP konkurirata zasebnim zdravstvenim zavarovalnicam, ki zagotavljajo enake storitve, vendar z namenom ustvarjanja dobička, ter se sklicuje na svoje prejšnje pripombe o gospodarski naravi dejavnosti in najnovejšo sodno prakso Sodišča [33].
Another measure which has come to the Commission's attention during its preliminary assessment is the existence of several direct transfers, by intervention of the State, to SZP and VZP of portfolios of other health insurance companies (in particular of the company Družstevná zdravotná poisťovňa to VZP, and of the company Európská zdravotná poisťovňa to SZP) which were liquidated over time.
V zvezi s tem Dôvera trdi, da več elementov, ki jih je predložila Slovaška republika in ki so navedeni v sklepu o začetku postopka, ker naj bi izražali negospodarsko naravo dejavnosti VZP/SZP, ne vzdrži preskusa.
According to the Dôvera, the EZP portfolio was transferred directly to SZP even though there were other interested operators on the market, whereas the limits and conditions of the transfer were unclear.
Po mnenju Dôvere je bila reforma v obdobju 2004–2005 namenjena ustvarjanju konkurenčnega trga, ki ga je priznalo in potrdilo slovaško sodstvo (tj. slovaško ustavno sodišče), pa tudi slovaški organi.
The Slovak Republic argues that the decision of the HSA to transfer EZP's portfolio to SZP without any consideration is in line with the provisions of Act No 581/2004 while respecting the right of the insured to choose a health insurance company.
V zvezi s tem Dôvera prav tako poudarja dejstvo, da se zavarovalnice potegujejo za izvajalce zdravstvenih storitev s selektivnim sklepanjem pogodb in pogajanji o ceni in kakovosti storitev, navaja pa tudi tržne kampanje zdravstvenih zavarovalnic, da bi ohranile in privabile stranke.
They claim that other insurance companies have expressed an interest in this portfolio, but with conditions that would have disproportionately prolonged the liquidation process.
Poleg tega Dôvera zanika izključno socialno naravo sistema in navaja, da imajo zdravstvene zavarovalnice možnost pridobivanja in razdeljevanja dobička, zasebni vlagatelji pa so pripravljeni vlagati v izvajalce, ki so dejavni v slovaškem sektorju obveznega zdravstvenega zavarovanja.
Furthermore, according to the Slovak authorities, since the transfer of portfolios concerned all the claims and all the liabilities of the liquidated companies, no advantage was granted to the recipients VZP and SZP.
Ob sklicevanju na prejšnje pripombe, ki jih je posredovala Komisiji pred sklepom o začetku postopka, Dôvera nadalje navaja, da bi bilo treba vse ukrepe, opredeljene v tem sklepu, obravnavati kot nezakonito pomoč, saj so bili izpolnjeni vsi ostali elementi iz člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
GROUNDS FOR INITIATING THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE
Po njenem mnenju ni mogoče trditi, da je Slovaška republika delovala kot vlagateljica v tržnem gospodarstvu, ko je leta 2006 dokapitalizirala SZP, leta 2010 pa VZP.
In its opening decision, the Commission expressed doubts about determining the economic or non-economic nature of the activity concerned and indicated that, in light of the particularities of the case, SZP/VZP and the other companies offering health insurance in the compulsory system in the Slovak Republic may have been engaged in an economic activity as from 1 January 2005.
V zvezi s tem navaja, da je Komisija morda napačno obvestila slovaške organe o veljavnem pravnem okviru za ta prenos portfelja.
It considered that the mixture of economic and non-economic features of the Slovak compulsory health insurance system made it necessary to perform an in-depth analysis of its different elements and their respective importance within the scheme to determine whether the activity of compulsory health insurance, in the way it is organised and carried out in Slovakia, is to be considered as economic (as from 1 January 2005) or non-economic in nature.
Dôvera trdi še, da slovaški organi niso dokazali, da je zagotavljanje obveznega zdravstvenega zavarovanja storitev splošnega pomena, in tako postavlja pod vprašaj celotno zasnovo analize v skladu s sodno prakso v zadevi Altmark [34] in svežnjem SSGP Komisije.
The Commission also indicated that — in case the activity would need to be considered as economic in nature — it did not have enough information at its disposal to determine whether the measures under scrutiny provide SZP/VZP with a selective advantage.
ZDRAVSTVENA ZAVAROVALNICA UNION
Having concluded that it could therefore not exclude the existence of State aid at that stage, in the absence of specific arguments or clear indications as to their compatibility with the internal market, the Commission also expressed doubts as to whether those measures could be considered compatible with the internal market under Article 106(2) or Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty, in the event it would conclude that those measures qualify as State aid.
Ugotovitve v zvezi s sklepom o začetku postopka, ki jih je predložila Zdravstvena zavarovalnica Union, druga zasebna konkurentka SZP/VZP, so na splošno usklajene s pripombami, ki jih je predložila Dôvera, in sicer da sta SZP in VZP podjetji v smislu člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES
Šesti ukrep, izravnalna shema, bi lahko po mnenju Zdravstvene zavarovalnice Union izpolnjeval pogoje za nadomestilo za javne storitve v skladu s sodno prakso v zadevi Altmark ali bi lahko bil združljiv z notranjim trgom v skladu s členom 106(2) Pogodbe, vendar bi bilo treba dodatno raziskati njegov morebitni diskriminacijski pristop v korist neto prejemnice iz izravnalne sheme, tj. SZP/VZP.
The Commission received the following comments from interested parties, as summarised below:
HPI, INEKO IN ZZP
In response to the opening decision, Dôvera, the complainant, provided additional information about the health insurance system and additional argumentation in particular to substantiate its view that SZP/VZP are undertakings subject to competition law and have benefitted from incompatible State aid.
Ugotovitve v zvezi s sklepom o začetku postopka, ki so jih predložile druge tri tretje strani, tj. HPI, INEKO in ZZP, zlasti podpirajo stališče Dôvere in Zdravstvene zavarovalnice Union, da je zadevna dejavnost gospodarske narave in da ukrepi vključujejo državno pomoč, saj so SZP/VZP zagotovili selektivno prednost, kar izraža njihovo prepričanje, da zdravstvene zavarovalnice delujejo v konkurenčnem okolju (z različnimi načini za privabljanje strank) in da je država prednostno obravnavala državne zdravstvene zavarovalnice.
Dôvera points out that SZP/VZP compete with private health insurance companies offering the same service while seeking profit, referring to its previous submissions on the economic nature of the activity and to recent case-law of the Court [33].
PRIPOMBE V ZVEZI S SKLEPOM O ZAČETKU POSTOPKA IN DODATNE PRIPOMBE SLOVAŠKE REPUBLIKE
In this context, Dôvera claims that the several elements presented by the Slovak Republic listed in the opening decision as pointing to the non-economic nature of VZP/SZP activities do not withstand scrutiny.
Slovaška republika je predložila svoje ugotovitve v zvezi s sklepom o začetku postopka in pripombe glede ugotovitev tretjih strani.
According to Dôvera, the 2004-2005 reform was meant to create a competitive market, which has been recognised and confirmed by the Slovak judiciary (i.e. the Slovak Constitutional Court) as well as the Slovak authorities themselves.
Slovaški organi so v svojih pripombah zagotovili pojasnila in dodatne argumente, da bi utrdili svoje stališče, da se za sistem obveznega zdravstvenega zavarovanja ne uporabljajo pravila konkurence, saj ne vključuje gospodarske dejavnosti.
In this context, Dôvera also points to the fact that insurers compete for healthcare providers through selective contracting and negotiations on price and quality of services, and it also mentions marketing campaigns by health insurance companies to retain and attract clients.
Trdijo, da slovaškega obveznega zdravstvenega zavarovanja ni mogoče obravnavati kot gospodarske dejavnosti v skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso Sodišča [35], predvsem iz naslednjih razlogov:
Dôvera also denies the exclusively social nature of the system, referring to the possibility for health insurers to make and distribute profits and the willingness of private investors to invest in operators active in the Slovak compulsory health insurance sector.
Sistem ima socialni cilj.
Referring to its previous submissions to the Commission before the opening decision, Dôvera further submits that all measures identified in that decision should be qualified as unlawful aid since all the other elements of Article 107(1) of the Treaty have been fulfilled.
Temelji na solidarnosti, zlasti kar zadeva naslednje:
In its view, the Slovak Republic cannot be considered to have acted as a market economy investor when increasing SZP's capital in 2006 and VZP's capital in 2010.
obvezen vpis za prebivalce Slovaške;
Dôvera also argues that the Slovak Republic discriminated between SZP/VZP and private insurance companies by a more favourable treatment of SZP in the 2003-2005 debt discharge process as well as by the introduction of two new parameters in the RES in 2009 and 2012.
vsem zavarovanim osebam se zagotavlja enaka minimalna raven prejemkov;
As regards the transfer of portfolios, Dôvera's comments focus on the transfer of EZP's insurance portfolio, as it has no information on a previous portfolio transfer to VZP.
prispevki niso povezani s prejemki na individualni ravni, saj so prispevki zakonsko določeni (brez cenovne konkurence);
In this respect, it states that the Commission may have been misinformed by the Slovak authorities about the applicable legal framework for that portfolio transfer.
med zavarovalnicami obstaja solidarnost na področju tveganja: izravnalna shema in enotno ocenjevanje.
Dôvera finally argues that the Slovak authorities have failed to demonstrate that the provision of compulsory health insurance is a service of general interest and thereby questions the very basis of an analysis under the Altmark case-law [34] and the Commission's SGEI package.
Vzpostavljen je natančen regulativni okvir, ki ga nadzoruje država: status, pravice in obveznosti vseh zdravstvenih zavarovalnic so določeni z zakonom.
UNION HEALTH INSURANCE
Slovaška republika izpodbija domnevo, da se je slovaški zdravstveni sistem zaradi zakonodajnih sprememb leta 2005 preoblikoval v tržni sistem, in trdi, da sistem ni nikoli izgubil svoje javne negospodarske narave.
The observations on the opening decision submitted by Union Health Insurance, the other privately-owned competitor of SZP/VZP, are broadly in line with the comments provided by Dôvera, arguing that SZP and VZP are undertakings within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty.
Slovaški organi prav tako usmerjajo pozornost na dejstvo, da je slovaški sistem zdravstvenega zavarovanja del sistema socialne varnosti, in poudarjajo odgovornosti držav članic v skladu s členom 168(7) Pogodbe za organizacijo in izvajanje zdravstvenih storitev.
Union Health Insurance submits that five of the six measures described in Section 3 of this Decision qualify as State aid and are incompatible with the internal market.
Slovaški organi navajajo tudi, da reforma zdravstvenega zavarovanja ni nadomestila javnega zdravstvenega zavarovanja z zasebnim, prav tako ni zasebnim zavarovalnicam zagotovila kritja tveganja, povezanega z obveznim socialnim varstvom.