natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
However, the Commission expressed doubts on several aspects of this line of reasoning:
V zvezi s tem je imela Komisija pomisleke glede tega, ali je mogoče preprečevanje izgube delovnih mest obravnavati kot cilj skupnega interesa, ali bi bile panoge na koncu proizvodne verige dejansko tako resno prizadete in ali je državna pomoč primeren instrument za dosego tega cilja [10].
It was unclear whether the aid was necessary and appropriate, since, on the basis of the information submitted by Germany, the carbon leakage risk could not be established.
PRIPOMBE ZAINTERESIRANIH STRANI
In particular, the Commission had no information on the beneficiaries' costs.
Komisija je med 3. in 13. majem 2011 prejela pripombe dvanajstih zainteresiranih strani:
Moreover, some of the beneficiaries appeared to be profitable throughout the period concerned, which made it unclear whether they were really under pressure to relocate.
šestih proizvajalcev neželeznih kovin, ki so zaprosili za pomoč ([…], […], […], […], […]) ali imeli v lasti hčerinsko družbo, ki je bila potencialna upravičenka ([…]).
Finally, it had not been established that there was a real risk of relocations to countries outside the Union or the EEA [6].It was also unclear whether the aid, which was limited to the second half of 2009, would have the incentive effect on the beneficiaries to maintain their production sites in Germany [7].The Commission also questioned the proportionality of the scheme, since Germany had not provided sufficient information showing that overcompensation would be avoided [8].Finally, the Commission had doubts on the balance of interests affected by the scheme, since it could not be excluded that the aid would lead to serious distortions of competition, in particular to the detriment of non-ferrous metal producers in other EU/EEA Member States, in particular those who enjoyed a natural location advantage due to cheaper electricity [9].(23) In a second line of reasoning, Germany claimed that the scheme constituted aid to facilitate the development of certain economic activities or of certain economic areas, within the meaning of Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, in order to prevent job losses in the non-ferrous metal industry and downstream industries.
[…], […] in […] so proizvajalci aluminija.
In this respect, the Commission doubted whether the prevention of job losses could be considered an objective of common interest, whether downstream industries would actually be as severely affected, and whether State aid was the appropriate instrument to achieve this objective [10].
[…] proizvaja baker, […] pa cink;
COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES
petih panožnih združenj: treh na nemški ravni, ki zastopajo kemično industrijo (Verband der chemischen Industrie – VCI), industrijske porabnike energije (Verband der Industriellen Energie- und Kraftwirtschaft – VIK) in industrijo neželeznih kovin (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Metalle – WVM); in dveh na evropski ravni, ki zastopata kovinsko industrijo (Euroalliages, Eurométaux);
Between 3 May and 13 May 2011, the Commission received observations from twelve interested parties:
enega nemškega sindikata – Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IG BCE).
Six of them were non-ferrous metal producers who had applied for aid ([…], […], […], […], […]) or who owned a subsidiary that was a potential beneficiary ([…]).
Vse zainteresirane strani so bile shemi pomoči [11] načeloma naklonjene.
[…], […] and […] are aluminium producers.
Zatrjevale so, da je tveganje selitve virov CO2 v zakonodaji Unije že priznano in da ga zato ni treba dokazovati.
[…] produces copper and […] zinc.
Čeprav je bil zahtevan dokaz, so zavzele stališče, da je obstoj takšnega tveganja za industrijo neželeznih kovin dokazan, glede na to, da se je ta industrija prilagajala cenam na svetovnem trgu in da so dobavitelji električne energije stroške CO2 prenašali že pred letom 2013 (tj. pred začetkom veljavnosti smernic za nekatere ukrepe državne pomoči v okviru sistema za trgovanje s pravicami do emisije toplogrednih plinov po letu 2012 („smernice za državno pomoč v okviru ETS“)).
Five of them were trade associations: three at the German level representing the chemical industry (Verband der chemischen Industrie — VCI), the industrial users of energy (Verband der Industriellen Energie- und Kraftwirtschaft — VIK) and the non-ferrous metal industry (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Metalle — WVM); and two at the European level representing the metal industry (Euroalliages, Eurométaux).
Trdile so tudi, da ima shema spodbujevalni učinek, saj je že sama najava ukrepa nekatere proizvajalce spodbudila k nadaljevanju proizvodnje.
One submission was made by a German trade union, the Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IG BCE).
Nazadnje so poudarile, da pomoč ne izkrivlja konkurence, ampak odpravlja precejšnje izkrivljanje konkurence, povezano z ETS, v primerjavi s proizvajalci v državah zunaj EU/EGP.
All interested parties took a generally favourable view on the aid scheme [11].
Nekateri potencialni upravičenci in eno panožno združenje so v podporo zadevni trditvi navedli, da se cene električne energije v Uniji zbližujejo in da torej ne bi prihajalo do selitev znotraj Unije, ampak v države zunaj nje.
They argued that the carbon leakage risk had already been recognised by Union legislation, so that it was not necessary to prove it.
Druge zainteresirane strani, kot je nemški sindikat, pa so očitno nakazovale, da morajo proizvajalci v Nemčiji plačevati višje posredne stroške zaradi ETS kot proizvajalci v drugih državah članicah Unije, kjer so cene zaradi dolgoročnih pogodb nižje.
Even if proof was required, they took the view that the existence of such a risk for the non-ferrous metal industry was established, given that the industry was a price taker on the world market and given that the electricity suppliers passed on the CO2 costs already before 2013 (that is to say before the Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme post-2012 (‘ETS Guidelines’) would be applicable).
PRIPOMBE NEMČIJE
They also contended that the scheme had an incentive effect, as the mere announcement of the measure had prompted some of the producers to keep production going.
Nemčija je v pripombah k sklepu o začetku postopka znova potrdila, da bi bila priglašena shema združljiva z notranjim trgom.
They finally insisted that the aid did not distort competition, but remedied a significant, ETS-related distortion of competition in comparison with producers in countries outside the EU/EEA.
Obe utemeljitvi sheme, in sicer finančna in gospodarska kriza ter nadomestilo za sektorje in dele sektorjev, ki so izpostavljeni tveganjem za selitev virov CO2, naj bi Unija priznala kot dejavnika, ki ju je treba upoštevati pri nadzoru državne pomoči.
To support that statement, some potential beneficiaries and one trade association have indicated that electricity prices in the Union were converging so that relocations would not take place within the Union but outside.
Nemčija je predvsem znova poudarila stališče, da je bil obstoj tveganja selitve virov CO2 za upravičence v letu 2009 potrjen že z veljavno zakonodajo Unije, in sicer Direktivo 2009/29/ES Evropskega parlamenta in Sveta [12] in Sklepom Komisije 2010/2/EU [13], ter da je Nemčija vsekakor že predložila zadostne dokaze za obstoj takšnega tveganja.
Other interested parties, however, such as the German trade union, seemed to indicate that the producers in Germany were hit harder by indirect ETS costs than producers in other Union Member States, where long-term contracts kept prices down.
Tega naj bi dokazovalo tudi nedavno zapiranje obratov v Nemčiji in Združenem kraljestvu.
COMMENTS FROM GERMANY
Nemčija je poleg tega trdila, da bi bila shema pomoči primeren instrument za preprečevanje selitve virov CO2, saj naj alternative, ki jih je Komisija omenila v sklepu o začetku postopka, ne bi bile tako učinkovite.
In its comments on the opening decision, Germany reaffirmed that the notified scheme would be compatible with the internal market.
Nemčija je tudi znova poudarila stališče, da bi bila pomoč sorazmerna, zlasti zaradi kratkega šestmesečnega obdobja.
The two rationales of the scheme — namely the financial and economic crisis as well as the compensation for sectors and subsectors threatened by carbon leakage — were said to have been recognised by the Union as factors to be taken into account in State aid control.
Priznala je sicer, da bi shema lahko povzročila čezmerno nadomestilo, vendar je poudarila, da bi za njegovo preprečitev določala 10-odstotni odbitek in osnovno zadržanje izplačila (enakovredno posrednim stroškom za 1 GWh porabljene električne energije).
In particular, Germany reiterated its view that the existence of a carbon leakage risk for the beneficiaries in 2009 was already established by existing Union legislation, namely Directive 2009/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council [12] and Commission Decision 2010/2/EU [13], and that in any case Germany had already submitted sufficient evidence to prove the existence of such a risk.
Nemčija je poleg tega izrazila pripravljenost, da izračun zneskov pomoči spremeni na podlagi ustreznega predloga Komisije.
This would also be demonstrated by recent plant closures in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Nazadnje se je sklicevala na Sporočilo Komisije Svetu in Evropskemu parlamentu o konkurenčnosti industrij kovin – Prispevek k strategiji EU za rast in delovna mesta z dne 22. februarja 2008 in na še eno sporočilo Komisije Evropskemu parlamentu, Svetu, Evropskemu ekonomsko-socialnemu odboru in Odboru regij z dne 28. oktobra 2010 z naslovom „Celostna industrijska politika za dobo globalizacije – Konkurenčnost in trajnost v središču pozornosti“, v katerih je Komisija poudarila pomen ohranjanja konkurenčnosti industrije kovin in energetsko intenzivnih industrij na splošno [14].
Moreover, Germany claimed that the aid scheme would be an appropriate instrument to prevent carbon leakage, as the alternatives mentioned by the Commission's opening decision would not be as effective.
Nemčija je glede pripomb zainteresiranih strani navedla, da nobena ni izrazila pomislekov glede morebitnega izkrivljanja konkurence na notranjem trgu, ampak da, nasprotno, vse, zlasti pa panožna združenja, ki zastopajo morebitne konkurente upravičencev na nacionalni in evropski ravni, pomoč podpirajo.
Germany also reiterated their view that the aid would be proportional, given in particular the short period of six months.
Navedla je tudi, da so zainteresirane strani predložile dodatne informacije in argumente, s katerimi so po njenem mnenju potrdile obstoj tveganja selitve virov CO2 v industriji neželeznih kovin v drugi polovici leta 2009.
While they conceded that the scheme might entail overcompensation, Germany highlighted that, in order to remedy this, the scheme provided for a 10 % deduction and a basic retention (equivalent to indirect costs of 1 GWh of consumption).
OCENA POMOČI
In reply to the submissions made by interested parties, Germany noted that none raised concerns about possible distortions of competition within the internal market, but that, rather, all of the interested parties, and notably the trade associations representing possible competitors of the beneficiaries at national and European level, were supporting the aid.
Drugič, financira jo država ali pa se financira prek državnih sredstev.
Germany also noted that the interested parties provided additional information and arguments which, in their view, underlined the existence of a carbon leakage risk for the non-ferrous metal industry in the second half of 2009.
Tretjič, izbranim podjetjem ali gospodarskim dejavnostim daje prednost.
ASSESSMENT OF THE AID
Četrtič, lahko vpliva na trgovino med državami članicami in izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco na notranjem trgu.
The Commission has examined the notified measure in the light of Articles 107 et seq.
Kot je Komisija navedla v sklepu o začetku postopka, shema izpolnjuje vse te pogoje [16]: pomoč izhaja iz državnih sredstev, saj bi se financirala iz nemškega zveznega proračuna.
TFEU and Articles 61 et seq. of the EEA Agreement [15].
Z ublažitvijo „stroškov, ki so običajno vključeni v proračun podjetja“ [17] (tj. stroškov električne energije), bi prejemnikom dajala prednost.
After considering the comments submitted by Germany and by interested parties, the Commission finds that its analysis of the notified scheme made in the opening decision remains valid, subject to the explanation provided in the following, as no new elements have been brought forward that could change this assessment.
Je selektivna, saj bi se dodeljevala le upravičencem v določenih predhodno opredeljenih sektorjih (sektorjih aluminija, bakra in cinka), znotraj katerih bi bila še dodatno omejena na velike končne porabnike električne energije (ki je letno porabijo več kot 10 GWh).
PRESENCE OF STATE AID
Lahko vpliva na trgovino med državami članicami in izkrivlja konkurenco, saj so upravičenci dejavni v sektorjih, ki so izpostavljeni konkurenci znotraj Unije.
A measure constitutes State aid caught by Article 107(1) TFEU if the following four conditions are met: first, it confers an advantage on the recipients.
Proizvajalci Unije si ne glede na to, ali so med državami članicami vzpostavljeni dejanski trgovinski tokovi na področju nekaterih neželeznih kovin, konkurirajo na svetovnem trgu, zato bi lahko prednost, podeljena enemu od njih, povzročila zmanjšanje prodaje pri drugih ali pri njih ovirala rast prodaje.
Secondly, it is financed by the State or through State resources.
Priglašeni ukrep tako pomeni državno pomoč v skladu s členom 107(1) PDEU.
Thirdly, it favours selected undertakings or economic activities.
Nemčija in zainteresirane strani tega ne izpodbijajo.
Finally, it has the potential to affect trade between Member States and to distort or threaten to distort competition in the internal market.
ZAKONITOST POMOČI
As the Commission held in its opening decision, the scheme fulfils all of these conditions [16]: the aid stems from State resources since it would be financed by the German federal budget.
V osnutku zakona, s katerim se izvaja priglašena shema, je navedeno, da mora izplačilo pomoči odobriti Evropska komisija.
It would confer an advantage on the beneficiaries by mitigating ‘the charges which are normally included in the budget of an undertaking’ [17] (that is to say electricity costs).
Zato je Nemčija s priglasitvijo ukrepa pomoči pred njegovim izvajanjem izpolnila svojo obveznost v skladu s členom 108(3) PDEU.
It is selective since it would be granted only to the beneficiaries in specified sectors (aluminium, copper and zinc) defined ex ante, and — within those sectors — it would be further limited to large electricity end-users (those consuming more than 10 GWh per year).
ZDRUŽLJIVOST Z NOTRANJIM TRGOM
It has the potential to affect trade between Member States and to distort competition because the beneficiaries are active in sectors which are exposed to intra-Union competition.
Ker shema pomeni državno pomoč, mora Komisija oceniti, ali je združljiva z notranjim trgom.
Even irrespective of whether there are actual trade flows of certain non-ferrous metals between Member States, Union producers compete on the world market and an advantage granted to one of them would potentially result in sales reductions for others or in hampering sales increases.
Z odstopanjem od splošne prepovedi državne pomoči iz člena 107(1) PDEU je mogoče pomoč razglasiti za združljivo, če spada v eno od kategorij, določenih v členu 107(3) PDEU.
The notified measure thus constitutes State aid pursuant to Article 107(1) TFEU.
Nemčija meni, da je shema združljiva pomoč, in trdi, da je namenjena odpravljanju resnih motenj v gospodarstvu države članice v smislu člena 107(3)(b) PDEU.
This is undisputed by Germany and by the interested parties.
Meni tudi, da je pomoč združljiva na podlagi člena 107(3)(c) PDEU, saj bi morala pospeševati razvoj določenih gospodarskih dejavnosti ali določenih gospodarskih območij.
LAWFULNESS OF THE AID
Komisija ima načelno pri zadevah, ki spadajo na področje uporabe člena 107(3) PDEU [18], široko diskrecijsko pravico ter je izdala smernice in obvestila, ki določajo merila, po katerih se lahko nekatere vrste pomoči razglasijo za združljive z notranjim trgom.
The draft law implementing the notified scheme states that the payment of the aid is subject to approval by the European Commission.
V skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso Komisijo zavezujejo smernice in obvestila, ki jih izda na področju nadziranja državne pomoči, kolikor ne odstopajo od predpisov iz Pogodbe in jih države članice priznavajo [19].
Therefore Germany has fulfilled its obligation according to Article 108(3) TFEU by notifying the aid measure before its implementation.
Že na samem začetku je treba navesti, da je mogoče državno pomoč, ki jo namerava Nemčija dodeliti nemškim proizvajalcem neželeznih kovin, razvrstiti kot pomoč za tekoče poslovanje, tj. „pomoč, katere namen je podjetje razbremeniti stroškov, ki bi jih običajno moralo nositi v okviru svojega rednega poslovanja ali običajnih dejavnosti“ [20].
COMPATIBILITY WITH THE INTERNAL MARKET
Sodišče je ugotovilo, da takšna pomoč „spreminja trgovinske pogoje v obsegu, ki je v nasprotju s skupnimi interesi,“ [21] in je načelno ni mogoče obravnavati kot združljivo.
Since the scheme constitutes State aid, the Commission needs to assess whether it is compatible with the internal market.
Ne glede na to so jasno opredeljeni primeri, ko je pomoč za tekoče poslovanje izjemoma mogoče dodeliti.
By way of derogation from the general prohibition of State aid laid down in Article 107(1) TFEU, aid may be declared compatible if it is covered by one of the categories laid down in Article 107(3).
Komisija bo torej ocenila združljivost predlaganih ukrepov.
Germany views the scheme as compatible aid and has argued that the aid scheme is intended to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State within the meaning of Article 107(3)(b) TFEU.
Najprej je treba oceniti, ali priglašena pomoč spada na področje uporabe enih ali več smernic ali enega ali več obvestil.
Germany further holds the aid to be compatible on the basis of Article 107(3)(c) TFEU, as the scheme should facilitate the development of certain economic activities or of certain economic areas.
V tem primeru je Komisija z zadevnimi smernicami ali obvestili zavezana k izvajanju svoje diskrecijske pravice v skladu s členom 107(3) PDEU.
In principle, the Commission has wide discretion in matters falling under Article 107(3) TFEU [18], and it has issued guidelines and notices setting forth criteria for declaring certain types of aid compatible with the internal market.
V nasprotnem primeru pa mora preveriti, ali je mogoče pomoč razglasiti za združljivo z notranjim trgom neposredno na podlagi člena 107(3)(b) PDEU in/ali člena 107(3)(c) PDEU.
It is settled case-law that the Commission is bound by the guidelines and notices that it issues in the area of supervision of State aid inasmuch as they do not depart from the rules in the Treaty and are accepted by the Member States [19].
Posebne smernice, okviri in predpisi
It must be stated from the outset that the State aid which Germany proposes to grant to German non-ferrous metal producers can be classified as operating aid, that is to say, ‘aid intended to relieve an undertaking of the expenses which it would normally have had to bear in its day-to-day management or its usual activities’ [20].
Vendar pa so s področja uporabe [23] sheme pomoči, ki jo je priglasila Nemčija, izrecno izključena podjetja, ki so v postopku zaradi nesolventnosti ali predlagajo začetek postopka v primeru nesolventnosti, Nemčija pa ni trdila, da bi bilo treba potencialne upravičence sheme kako drugače obravnavati kot podjetja v težavah v smislu teh smernic.
Such aid has been found by the Court of Justice ‘[to affect] trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest’ [21] and cannot in principle be considered compatible.
Komisija je izključila tudi uporabo Uredbe Komisije (ES) št. 800/2008 [24].
The Commission will therefore assess the proposed measures as regards compatibility.
Kar zadeva smernice Skupnosti o državni pomoči za varstvo okolja [26], je Komisija ugotovila, da ne vsebujejo določb, ki bi se nanašale posebej na selitev virov CO2 [27].
It is necessary to assess first whether the notified aid falls into the scope of application of one or more guidelines or notices.
Tako v navedenih smernicah ni zajeta možnost, da bi država članica dodelila pomoč za preprečevanje selitve virov CO2.
If this is the case, the Commission is bound for the exercise of its discretion under Article 107(3) TFEU by the relevant guidelines or notices.
Kar zadeva smernice o državni regionalni pomoči za 2007–2013 [30], je Komisija zavzela stališče, da trenutno ni videti, da bi bila shema pomoči zajeta z njimi [31].
If this is not the case, the Commission needs to verify whether the aid can be declared directly compatible with the internal market based on Article 107(3)(b) and/or Article 107(3)(c) TFEU.
Iz cilja priglašene pomoči je jasno razvidno, da ni namenjena ublažitvi posebnih razvojnih problemov v regijah upravičencev (kot sta posebno nizek življenjski standard ali majhna gostota prebivalstva).
Specific Guidelines, Frameworks and Regulations
Nemčija in zainteresirane strani niso predložile dodatnih informacij o morebitni uporabi Uredbe (ES) št. 800/2008, smernic Skupnosti o državni pomoči za varstvo okolja, začasnega okvira ali smernic o državni regionalni pomoči za 2007-2013, zato Komisija nima razloga, da bi odstopila od svoje prvotne ocene.
This was true for the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty [22], which apply to undertakings in difficulties, and notably to undertakings which fulfil the criteria under their domestic law for being the subject of collective insolvency proceedings.
Zato Komisija ugotavlja, da shema ne spada na področje uporabe nobenih smernic.
However, the aid scheme notified by Germany expressly excludes undertakings in insolvency proceedings or applying for insolvency from its scope [23], and Germany has not argued that the potential beneficiaries of the scheme should otherwise be considered to be undertakings in difficulties within the meaning of these Guidelines.
Člen 107(3)(b) PDEU
The Commission also excluded the application of Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 [24].
Komisija lahko v skladu s členom 107(3)(b) PDEU za združljivo z notranjim trgom razglasi pomoč „za odpravljanje resne motnje v gospodarstvu države članice“.
While Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 provides a framework for certain types of investment of employment aid, the notified scheme was not covered by any of the exemptions of that Regulation [25].
Resna motnja v gospodarstvu je kakršna koli motnja, ki povzroča resne gospodarske in socialne težave ter vpliva na celotno gospodarstvo zadevne države članice in ne le na gospodarstvo ene od njenih regij ali delov ozemlja.
Therefore, the possibility for a Member State to grant aid in order to prevent carbon leakage is not covered by those Guidelines.
Nemčija se je sklicevala na gospodarsko krizo v letu 2008, ki je povzročila padec cen neželeznih kovin na Londonski borzi kovin (LME), medtem ko so stroški električne energije, ki so se zaračunavali industriji, ostali nespremenjeno visoki, zlasti zaradi ETS.
Finally, the Commission held that the aid scheme did not fall within the scope of the Temporary Community framework for State aid measures to support access to finance in the current financial and economic crisis (‘Temporary Framework’) [28] designed ‘to unblock bank lending to companies and thereby guarantee continuity in their access to finance’.
Zato so proizvajalci neželeznih kovin opisani kot panoga, ki se prilagaja ceni (price taker), v smislu, da niso mogli ne vplivati na cene LME ne prenesti višjih proizvodnih stroškov na svoje odjemalce.