natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Finally, France contests STIM’s argument that that contribution is a guarantee given to the private buyers that SNCM has indeed been awarded the public service delegation to operate services to Corsica.
Nazadnje, francoski organi menijo, da prenos nadzora nad družbo SNCM za negativno prodajno ceno 158 milijonov EUR tudi na podlagi shematske analize, ki jo je določilo Splošno sodišče s svojo sodbo z dne 15. septembra 2012, ne vključuje elementov državne pomoči.
The French authorities submit that the capital increase is prudent and independent of the undertaking’s performance and that the award of the public service delegation to SNCM does not serve to improve the return expected on that investment.
Trdijo, da ima Komisija na voljo vse potrebne informacije, da se odzove na kritiko Sodišča.
As regards the EUR 38,5 million of social measures, France repeats the argument that those measures are aid to individuals and that their payment by the State cannot be regarded as providing an indirect advantage to the undertaking since they are in addition to SNCM’s statutory and contractual obligations.
Komisija se s tem ne strinja.
Moreover, France points out that those measures do not permit the departure of staff who, without the measures, would remain the responsibility of SNCM.
V skladu s sodbo Splošnega sodišča [122] lahko izplačilo dodatnih odpravnin načeloma glede na okoliščine primera pomeni legitimno in primerno prakso, s ciljem spodbujanja mirnega socialnega dialoga in ohranitve ugleda družbe ali skupine družb.
Contrary to CFF’s argument, the French authorities point out that the EUR 38,5 million does not correspond to the implementation of the staff reductions provided for in the 2003 social plan because those reductions have, despite the delay, already been implemented.
V skladu z načelom enakega obravnavanja zasebnega in javnega sektorja imajo države članice tako možnost izplačevanja dodatnih odpravnin v primeru likvidacije javnega podjetja, čeprav njihove obveznosti načeloma ne smejo presegati zakonskega in pogodbenega minimuma.
The new social plan is therefore in addition to the first social measures of 2003.
Vendar Sodišče navaja, da „prevzem dodatnih stroškov zaradi legitimnih perečih vprašanj ne sme slediti izključno socialnemu oziroma političnemu cilju, saj bi se sicer prestopil okvir preizkusa zasebnega vlagatelja […] Če ni nobene – niti dolgoročne – gospodarske racionalnosti, je treba upoštevanje stroškov, ki presegajo stroge zakonske in pogodbene obveznosti, šteti za državno pomoč v smislu člena 87(1) ES“ [123].
On compatibility with the guidelines
Sodišče v zvezi s trditvijo francoskih organov o varstvu ugleda države meni, da „varstvo ugleda države članice kot globalnega vlagatelja v tržnem gospodarstvu ne sme pomeniti – če ne gre za posebne okoliščine in brez posebno prepričljive obrazložitve – zadostne upravičitve za izkaz dolgoročne gospodarske racionalnosti prevzema dodatnih stroškov, kakršni so dodatne odpravnine“ [124].
France considers that, in the light of the foregoing, the amount of aid to be assessed is EUR 15,81 million.
V tej zadevi ni takšnih posebnih okoliščin.
Contrary to the contentions of CFF, the French authorities consider that, having regard to point 11 of the 2004 guidelines, the first recapitalisation, while enabling SNCM to reconstitute its capital, did not remove its status as an undertaking in difficulty in so far as that recapitalisation was intended to ensure the continuation of the company’s activities.
Komisija v zvezi z ugledom družbe CGMF navaja, da razen družbe SNCM ni imela drugih sredstev v sektorju pomorskega prevoza.
France refutes CFF’s contentions that it should not have had to re-inject money into the undertaking, given that SNCM could have had recourse to bank credit.
Zato tega argumenta zanjo ni mogoče uporabiti.
In that regard, the French authorities note that, on 24 August 2005, the banks had refused to grant new cash lines to SNCM and that the only conceivable alternatives were therefore privatisation or liquidation of the undertaking.
Francoski organi so v zvezi z ugledom države kot delničarke trdili, da je v podjetjih pod državnim nadzorom veliko tveganje socialnih nemirov, ki lahko prizadenejo ne samo navedena podjetja, ki so v bližini obratov družbe SNCM, ampak vse sektorje, zlasti prometni sektor.
France contests the arguments put forward by CFF and STIM concerning the failure of the 2002 restructuring plan which, despite some delay, was implemented and made it possible to achieve the objectives in 2005.
Komisija meni, da francoski organi niso dokazali, da obstaja resnično tveganje širitve na vsa javna podjetja, in da niso dokazali, da je plačilo dodatnih nadomestil prispevalo k preprečitvi nadaljnjih stavk.
The deterioration in SNCM’s economic and financial situation owing to factors external to the undertaking itself then made it necessary to extend the plan notified in 2002 and to introduce new measures.
Nazadnje, Komisija meni, da trditev države, da je bilo plačilo dodatnih nadomestil izvršeno le zaradi socialnih razlogov, ne zadostuje za izključitev prisotnosti državne pomoči.
France takes the view that SNCM has good prospects for recovery and that the measures contemplated by the new shareholders, in particular the implementation of the social plan, the reinstatement of routes and the renewal of certain vessels, will enable the undertaking to return to viability.
Komisija še meni, da francoski organi niso predložili dovolj objektivnih in preverljivih podatkov, ki bi lahko pokazali, da je izplačilo dodatnih odpravnin v podobnih okoliščinah ustaljena praksa med zasebnimi podjetniki.
% of SNCM’s turnover) and in view of the level of fixed costs and the difficulties in redeploying the 6 vessels used on the Marseille-Corsica route, the public service delegation constitutes an essential element of the undertaking’s strategy and its viability.
Poleg tega tabela, ki so jo predložili francoski organi v dopisu z dne 16. maja 2013 in ki vsebuje seznam socialnih načrtov, podrobno predstavlja šest načrtov, ki so se začeli izvajati po privatizaciji družbe SNCM in zato ne morejo utemeljiti upoštevanja dodatnih odpravnin.
On the limitation of the aid to the minimum, France believes that it limited to the strict minimum the restructuring costs necessary to enable the restructuring to be carried out.
Komisija navaja, da se dva od petih zadevnih načrtov nanašata na družbo SNCM, eden izmed njiju pa je predmet tega sklepa.
To that effect, the French authorities note that, as the Commission recognised in its 2003 decision, the undertaking itself has contributed sufficiently to the restructuring plan from its own resources by virtue of the sale of assets for the amount of EUR 30,2 million.
Teh dveh načrtov ni mogoče uporabiti za objektivne primerjave zaradi dveh razlogov:
In addition, having regard to other sales made by SNCM for the amount of EUR 12,2 million, the total of the undertaking’s own contribution comes to EUR 42,38 million.
prvič, pretekle prakse družbe SNCM na tem področju ne pomenijo zadostne osnove za utemeljitev ustaljenega značaja prakse in, drugič, socialni načrt iz leta 2002 se nanaša na obdobje, ko je bila SNCM še pod javnim nadzorom, medtem ko je Splošno sodišče kot merilo za primerjavo določilo zasebna podjetja, ki opravljajo dejavnosti na istem področju.
France considers that that amount is much higher than the amount of own contributions necessary to approve the restructuring aid, which finally amounts to EUR 15,81 million, since the other measures are not State aid.
Glede na to Komisija navaja, da socialnega načrta za pristanišče Marseille ni mogoče upoštevati, ker je bilo leta 2004 v javni lasti in ne zasebni.
On the conditions imposed by the Commission decision of 2003 and the possible new compensatory measures
Poleg tega Komisija v zvezi z zadnjima navedenima socialnima načrtoma, to sta socialna načrta za Air Lib in Eurostar, ugotavlja, da sta to načrta za prestrukturiranje, in ne za likvidacijo.
Contrary to the contentions of STIM and CFF, the French authorities state that they complied with all of the conditions imposed by the 2003 decision, to which they were bound until the end of 2006, in particular the maintenance of the fleet of 11 vessels and the application of fares lower than those of competitors.
Nazadnje, Komisija ugotavlja, da je povprečna dodatna odpravnina, predvidena v teh dveh načrtih, za več kot 50 % nižja od povprečne dodatne odpravnine, ki jo je plačala družba SNCM.
Indeed, France considers that, under the new final decision, the level of compensatory measures to be imposed on SNCM must be adapted because the amount of restructuring aid was henceforth EUR 15,81 million rather than EUR 69,3 million.
Končno, Komisija navaja, da francoski organi niso dokazali, da je bilo ravnanje francoske države motivirano z razumno verjetnostjo, da bo s preprečitvijo zaostritve socialnih nemirov v družbi imela posredno materialno korist, čeprav dolgoročno, glede na to, da bi družba propadla v primeru likvidacije.
In that respect, France contests STIM’s observations concerning the possibility that the Commission may require SNCM to sell its shareholding in CMN as a compensatory measure.
Ni dovolj dokazov, ki bi podprli domnevo, da so zaposleni v drugih javnih podjetjih prejeli višja izplačila.
France contests STIM’s argument that the definition of strategic assets was called into question in the 2004 guidelines in relation to the 1999 guidelines.
To stališče hkrati podpira dejstvo, da tudi z vidika globalnega vlagatelja, kot predpostavljajo francoski organi, velja, da bo izplačilo zelo visokih odpravnin zaposlenim v podjetju verjetno otežilo vsako prihodnje prestrukturiranje drugih podjetij, ki so v lasti zadevnega vlagatelja.
ASSESSMENT OF THE MEASURES
Komisija ugotavlja, da francoski organi niso zagotovili dokazov za to tveganje niti niso pojasnili, zakaj bi zasebni delničar upošteval trajanje likvidacijskega postopka.
EXISTENCE OF AID WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 107(1) OF THE TFEU
Zadeve Frucona Košice [125], na katero se sklicujejo francoski organi, ni mogoče prenesti na obravnavani primer, saj se nanaša na merilo zasebnega upnika.
Article 107(1) of the TFEU provides:
Trajanje likvidacijskega postopka je pomembno pri ugotavljanju, ali si je država kot upnica družbe Frucona Košice zagotovila čim večjo izterjavo svojih dolgov s tem, ko je privolila v takojšnje delno vračilo, ali pa bi bilo bolje, da bi počakala na izid likvidacije podjetja.
‘Save as otherwise provided in this Treaty, any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the internal market’.
V obravnavanem primeru so okoliščine drugačne, saj je država delničarka družbe SNCM, in ne zasebna upnica.
The classification of a national measure as State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU requires the following cumulative conditions to be fulfilled, namely:
Glede na to, da v primeru likvidacije družbe SNCM očitno ne bi bilo na voljo dovolj sredstev, da bi se pokrile vse obveznosti, država ne bi mogla izterjati svojega vložka.
the measure in question confers a selective economic advantage;
Trajanje likvidacijskega postopka zato ni pomembno v obravnavanem primeru.
that advantage is financed via state resources;
Francoski organi torej niso utemeljili, zakaj je država v vlogi zasebnega vlagatelja v okviru likvidacije prevzela stroške teh dodatnih odpravnin.
that advantage distorts or threatens to distort competition and, finally, (4) that advantage has an effect on trade between Member States [105].
Na tej stopnji analize mora Komisija določiti likvidacijsko vrednost družbe SNCM brez dodatnih odpravnin.
The Commission notes that SNCM received state resources totalling EUR 274,54 million [106] via CGMF, which is wholly owned by the State.
O likvidacijski vrednosti družbe SNCM
The fact that the cabotage market to the Mediterranean islands was, until 1 January 1999, temporarily exempt from the application of Regulation (EEC) No 3577/92 does not exclude prima facie that the subsidies granted for operating cabotage routes to the Mediterranean islands under a public service delegation could affect trade between Member States and distort competition.
Da bi ugotovila primanjkljaj sredstev v obravnavanem primeru, je Komisija ob pomoči svojega strokovnjaka [126] potrdila, kot je pojasnjeno zgoraj, da na dan 30. septembra 2005 vrednost sredstev družbe SNCM ni zadostovala za poplačilo prednostnih in neprednostnih upnikov.
In any event, even if subsidies granted for operating cabotage routes could not affect trade between Member States or distort competition before 1 January 1999, the situation changed after that date since, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 3577/92, cabotage activities were from then on open to all operators in the European Union.
Komisija meni, da se metoda ocene čiste vrednosti premoženja pogosto uporablja za podjetja iz sektorja pomorskega prometa.
In addition, it should be stressed that SNCM does not carry on only cabotage transport but also operates in the international maritime market, which was liberalised by Council Regulation (EEC) No 4055/86 [107].
Poleg tega meni, da je zadevna metoda še posebej ustrezna za primer družbe SNCM, saj je edina alternativa prodaji, ki jo ima referenčni delničar, likvidacija družbe.
Accordingly, the Commission considers that in the present case the last three criteria of Article 107(1) TFEU cited in recital 205 of this decision are fulfilled.
Kar zadeva druge metode ocen, zlasti metodo „sedanje vrednosti prostih denarnih tokov“, Komisija meni, da navedena metoda v obravnavanem primeru ni uporabna, ker se z njo oceni družba, ki redno posluje, kar ne bi držalo za družbo SNCM v primeru njene likvidacije.
It must therefore examine in turn, in respect of each measure, the existence of a selective economic advantage, in accordance with the judgment of the General Court of 11 September 2012.
Komisija je kot referenčni datum za oceno družbe SNCM izbrala 30. september 2005, saj je bila na navedeni datum sprejeta odločitev glede izbire med sprejetjem ponudbe za prevzem ali likvidacijo družbe, odločitev o izbiri družbe BCP pa je bila sprejeta 27. septembra 2005.
Relevant period for the purposes of the assessment
O vrednosti sredstev družbe SNCM
In accordance with the case-law of the General Court [108], the Commission must, after the annulment of one of its decisions, base its new assessment only on the information that was available to it on the date of adoption of the annulled decision, in this case 8 July 2008.
Komisija navaja zlasti, da je delničar družbe SNCM v sodelovanju z družbo Ernst & Young izračunal stroške likvidacije podjetja (glej zgoraj navedeno poročilo CGMF) na dan 30. septembra 2005, pri čemer sta dopolnilno strokovno mnenje izdali družba Oddo Corporate Finance in odvetniška pisarna Paul Hastings.
Any events subsequent to 8 July 2008 must not, therefore, be taken into account.
Komisija navaja, da so bila v zgoraj navedenem poročilu Oddo-Hastings sredstva družbe SNCM ovrednotena na 190,3 milijona EUR.
Nor will the Commission consider the period of implementation of the restructuring plan from July 2008 onward [109].
Tabela 3
Similarly, the Commission is not under an obligation to start the investigation of the case afresh or even to supplement it by resorting to new technical expertise [110].
Scenariji vrednotenja sredstev družbe SNCM na dan 30. septembra 2005
The annulment of an act concluding an administrative procedure which comprises several stages does not necessarily entail the annulment of the entire procedure.
Viri:
Where, as in this case, in spite of the fact that investigation measures have been taken allowing an exhaustive analysis to be made of the compatibility of the aid, the analysis carried out by the Commission is incomplete, thus making the decision unlawful, the procedure for replacing that decision can be resumed at that point by means of a fresh analysis of the investigation measures taken previously [111].
Poročilo Oddo-Hastings in poročilo strokovnjaka Komisije.
Moreover, since the Commission is required to base its new analysis solely on information which was available to it in July 2008, information in respect of which both the French authorities and SNCM had already defined their position, it is unnecessary to consult them afresh [112].
Vrednost sredstev
Finally, with the publication of the decision to open the procedure in the Official Journal, the third parties concerned were ensured the right to submit their comments [113] and there is no provision in Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 requiring that that opportunity be made available to them again where the original restructuring plan has been amended during the investigation procedure [114].
v poročilu Oddo
This decision is therefore based, in the main, solely on the information available on 8 July 2008.
strokovnjaka Komisije
However, in the alternative, the Commission will demonstrate that it would not change its conclusions if account were taken of the note by the French authorities dated 16 May 2013 in relation to the facts referred to before 8 July 2008 and of the information submitted by SNCM on 27 August 2013.
Neopredmetena sredstva
In the present case, the Commission must examine whether the EUR 158 million capital contribution by the State prior to the sale of SNCM to private purchasers, that is, ultimately, the ‘negative sale price’ of the undertaking of exactly the same amount, does not contain elements of State aid.
Ladjevje v lasti družbe
An open, transparent and non-discriminatory public selection procedure at the end of which the State disposes of the undertaking after a prior recapitalisation (for an amount greater than the sale price) does not necessarily exclude the presence of aid, liable to benefit both the privatised undertaking and the purchaser of that undertaking [115].
Zgradbe [131]
In order to determine whether an undertaking has obtained an economic advantage from a capital contribution by the State, the Commission generally applies the principle of a ‘private investor operating in a market economy’ (‘the private investor principle’), provided that the beneficiary is not liable for the reimbursement of other forms of State aid and that the contribution is subject to analysis with reference to the said principle.
Naložbe [132]
The private investor principle is an expression of the principle of equal treatment of public and private sectors, pursuant to Article 345 TFEU.
Osnovna sredstva
According to that principle, capital made available to an undertaking by the State, directly or indirectly, in circumstances which reflect normal market conditions, cannot be classified as State aid [116].
Zaloge
To that end, the Commission may assess, inter alia, whether the provider of the resources has acted like a private investor pursuing structural policy — whether general or sectoral — and guided by the longer-term prospects of positive returns on the capital invested.
Predujmi in predplačila
The validity of this approach has been acknowledged by the European Union Courts in a number of cases [117].
Terjatve
According to settled case-law, when injections of capital are made by a public investor without any prospect of profitability, even in the long term, the provision of such capital constitutes State aid [118].
Druge terjatve [133]
The European Union Courts have also held that a private investor pursuing a structural policy — whether general or sectoral — and guided by prospects of profitability in the long term could not reasonably allow itself, after years of continuous losses, to make a capital contribution which, in economic terms, proves not only costlier than selling the assets, but is, moreover, linked to the sale of the undertaking, which effectively removes any hope of profit, even in the longer term [119].
Čisti finančni tok
Specifically, in its Gröditzer judgment, the Court of Justice held that, in order to establish whether the privatisation of an undertaking for a negative sale price involves elements of State aid:
Aktivne časovne razmejitve
‘it is necessary to assess whether, in similar circumstances, a private investor of a dimension comparable to that of the bodies managing the public sector could have been prevailed upon to make capital contributions of the same size in connection with the sale of that undertaking or whether it would instead have chosen to wind it up’ [120].
Druga sredstva
In the light of the foregoing, in order to determine whether the measure in question constitutes aid, the Commission must ‘assess whether the solution chosen by the State is, both in absolute terms and compared with any other solution, including that of non-intervention, the least costly, which would lead, if that were the case, to the conclusion that the State has acted like a private investor’ [121].
Sredstva skupaj
In other words, the Commission must verify that the decision to make such a major capital contribution is indeed less costly than a liquidation.
Glede na zgornjo tabelo Komisija sklepa, da je ladjevje očitno glavni element pri vrednotenju podjetja.
On assessing the costs of liquidation
V zvezi s tem je strokovnjak Komisije po izvedbi primerjalne analize, kadar je to bilo mogoče, sklenil, da so bili popust, uporabljen za bruto tržno vrednost ladij, in previdnostni ukrepi v zvezi s pravno negotovostjo logični.
On taking account of the impact of the additional redundancy payments
Na podlagi tega je sklenil, da ni nobene utemeljitve za zavrnitev vrednosti ladjevja, kot jo je ocenila francoska vlada.
When quantifying the cost to the shareholder of liquidation, the French authorities hold the view that, in this day and age, large groups of undertakings cannot disregard the social consequences of their decisions to close sites or wind up subsidiaries.
Komisija v zvezi s popustom meni, da je njegova stopnja skladna s popusti, ki se uporabljajo pri prodajah ladij v primeru prisilne likvidacije.
Accordingly, they usually implement social plans which may include measures to retrain staff, help them find new jobs, redundancy payments, and possibly even local development measures, which go beyond the requirements of statutory provisions and collective agreements.
Strokovnjak je za primer navedel družbo Régie des Transports Maritimes (nacionalno belgijsko družbo, ki opravlja storitve na liniji Ostende–Ramsgate), ki je leta 1997 prodala dva trajekta s popustom, ocenjenim med 35–45 %.
In that respect, the French authorities consider that, on the basis of the 2005 social plan, itself based on the 2002 plan, the range should be from EUR [90000-100000] [60] Confidential information.
Nedavno je družba Festival Cruises prodala tri križarke s povprečnim popustom v višini 20 %.
to [120000-130000] per employee, i.e. a total amount of between EUR [200-210] [60] Confidential information.
Popusti, uporabljeni v podobnih primerih, so torej na ravni popustov, ki so jih francoski organi uporabili v obravnavanem primeru.
million and [250-260] [60] Confidential information.
V zvezi s pravno negotovostjo Komisija meni, da ker na trgu ni bilo nobene primerljive transakcije, so trditve, s katerimi se upravičuje uporaba pravne negotovosti, utemeljene glede na omejen trg za ladje določenega tipa, zasnovane za dokaj posebno uporabo.
million.
Komisija še navaja, da je njen neodvisni strokovnjak popravil vrednost naložb navzgor, zlasti vrednost deleža družbe SNCM v družbi CMN (z 21,8 milijona EUR na 28 milijonov EUR).
The French authorities point out that the lower limits of the abovementioned range take account of the fact that the costs of the reference social plan have been inflated due to the very large proportion of employees approaching retirement age, who leave under particularly advantageous conditions.
Ob upoštevanju ponudbe skupine Stef-TFE, da odkupi ta delež za 35,2 milijona EUR, o čemer je bila Komisija obveščena v okviru obravnavane preiskave, Komisija meni, da je ocenjena vrednost deleža družbe SNCM v družbi CMN v višini 28 milijonov EUR razumna v okviru likvidacije družbe.