natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Even in the alternative scenario — namely if the Commission would have concluded that the costs arising due to the military's presence could be covered by the State as falling within the public policy remit —, it would still have to be observed that the public funding of the airport's non-economic activity of catering to the military should not be allowed to lead to a cross-subsidisation of the airport's economic activities.
Na eni strani si konkurirajo letališča, da bi pridobila letalske prevoznike in ustrezen zračni promet (potniški in tovorni), po drugi strani pa upravljavci letališč, da bi lahko upravljali zadevno letališče.
In particular, it would not be possible to consider the entire investment into assets also used by the military (runway etc.) or fixed operating costs as falling within the public policy remit.
Poleg tega, še zlasti v zvezi z nizkocenovnimi prevozniki in operatorji čarterskega zračnega prevoza, si lahko letališča, ki niso v istih zaledjih in so celo v različnih državah članicah, medsebojno konkurirajo, da bi pritegnila navedene letalske prevoznike.
State resources and imputability to the State
Kot je navedeno v točki 40 smernic za letalski sektor iz leta 2005 in potrjeno v točki 45 smernic za letalski sektor iz leta 2014, ni mogoče s področja uporabe člena 107(1) Pogodbe izvzeti niti malih letališč.
The concept of State aid applies to any advantage granted through State resources by the State itself or by any intermediary body acting by virtue of powers conferred on it [45].
Letališče Zweibrücken trenutno oskrbi približno 242000 potnikov na leto, v preteklosti pa jih je oskrbelo tudi že približno 340000.
Resources of local authorities are, for the application of Article 107 of the Treaty, State resources [46].
Po študiji o napovedi zračnega prometa, ki jo je zagotovila Nemčija, povprečno 15 % potnikov, ki uporabljajo letališče Zweibrücken, izvira iz drugih držav članic (Francije in Luksemburga).
In this case, the relevant measures — namely direct investment grants to FZG and annual capital injections in favour of FGAZ/FZG — were granted directly from the budget of the local authorities.
Letališče Zweibrücken zagotavlja mednarodne lete na destinacije, kot sta Mallorca ali Antalija.
The investment grants came directly from the Land Rhineland-Palatinate, while the capital injections were co-financed by the Land and the ZEF, an association of local public territorial entities.
Vzletno-pristajalna steza letališča Zweibrücken je dovolj dolga (3000 m) in letalskim prevoznikom omogoča mednarodne lete na srednje dolgih progah.
Thus, the Commission considers that they are financed through State resources and are also imputable to the State.
Glede na ta dejstva je treba upoštevati, da javno financiranje družb FGAZ/FZG izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljalo konkurenco in bi lahko vplivalo na trgovino med državami članicami.
Economic advantage
Ob teh splošnih ugotovitvah Komisija meni tudi, da med letališčema Zweibrücken in Saarbrücken obstaja ali je obstajala neposredna konkurenca.
An advantage within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty is any economic benefit which an undertaking would not have obtained under normal market conditions, that is to say, in the absence of State intervention [47].
Prvič, ne sme se spregledati dejstva, da je letalski prevoznik TUIFly, ki je bil prej največja stranka letališča Saarbrücken, slednjega zapustil in se leta 2007 preselil na letališče Saarbrücken.
Only the effect of the measure on the undertaking is relevant, not the cause nor the objective of the State intervention [48].
Drugič, kar nekaj časa so bili leti v Berlin na voljo tako z letališča Zweibrücken (Germanwings) kot z letališča Saarbrücken (Air Berlin in Luxair), kar kaže na konkurenco med letališčema in letalskimi prevozniki.
Whenever the financial situation of the undertaking is improved as a result of State intervention, an advantage is present.
Pogodba o letaliških storitvah med družbo FZG in letalskim prevoznikom Germanwings je predvidevala tudi, da se družbi FZG plačajo višje pristojbine za storitve, če letalski prevoznik Air Berlin preneha zagotavljati svoje storitve prevoza v Berlin z letališča Saarbrücken.
The Commission further recalls that ‘capital placed directly or indirectly at the disposal of an undertaking by the State in circumstances which correspond to normal market conditions cannot be regarded as State aid’ [49].
Poleg teh kazalnikov konkurence med letališčema Zweibrücken in Saarbrücken obstajajo tudi dokazi, da so – kljub uradnim navedbam Nemčije, da navedeni letališči nista nikoli menili, da sta v neposredni konkurenci – uradniki zvezne dežele Porenje-Pfalška jasno zaznavali obstoj konkurence.
In this case, in order to determine whether the public financing of Zweibrücken Airport grants FGAZ/FZG an advantage that it would not have received under normal market conditions, the Commission has to compare the conduct of the public authorities providing the direct investment grants and capital injections to that of a MEO who is guided by prospects of profitability in the long-term [50].
V dveh internih obvestilih vlade zvezne dežele Porenje-Pfalška iz leta 2003 so avtorji zagovarjali stališče, da takrat sodelovanje med letališčema Zweibrücken in Saarbrücken ni bilo mogoče/priporočljivo.
The assessment should leave aside any positive repercussions on the economy of the region in which the airport is located, since the Court has clarified that the relevant question for applying the MEO principle is whether ‘in similar circumstances a private shareholder, having regard to the foreseeability of obtaining a return and leaving aside all social, regional-policy and sectoral considerations, would have subscribed the capital in question’ [51].
V enem od obvestil je bilo celo pojasnjeno, da dokler je v obratovanje letališča Saarbrücken vključena družba FRAPORT AG, si bosta letališči konkurirali [56].
In Stardust Marine the Court stated that, ‘[…] in order to examine whether or not the State has adopted the conduct of a prudent investor operating in a market economy, it is necessary to place oneself in the context of the period during which the financial support measures were taken in order to assess the economic rationality of the State's conduct, and thus to refrain from any assessment based on a later situation.’ [52].
V obvestilih je nadalje navedeno, da „je z vidika zvezne dežele Porenje-Pfalška mogoče pričakovati, da bo dolgoročno v tej tekmi prevladalo letališče Zweibrücken“ [57].
Furthermore, the Court declared in the EDF case that, ‘[…] for the purposes of showing that, before or at the same time as conferring the advantage, the Member State took that decision as a shareholder, it is not enough to rely on economic evaluations made after the advantage was conferred, on a retrospective finding that the investment made by the Member State concerned was actually profitable, or on subsequent justifications of the course of action actually chosen.’ [53].
Iz teh izjav je razvidno, da sta bili letališči vsaj leta 2003 v vidnem konkurenčnem razmerju.
In order to be able to apply the MEO principle, the Commission has to place itself at the time when each decision to provide public funds to FGAZ/FZG was taken.
Glede na navedeno je treba za javno financiranje, odobreno družbama FGAZ/FZG, šteti, da bi lahko izkrivljalo konkurenco in vplivalo na trgovino med državami članicami.
The Commission must also base its assessment on the information and assumptions which were at the disposal of the relevant local authorities at the time when the decision regarding the financial arrangements of the infrastructure measures at stake was taken.
Komisija glede na ugotovitve iz uvodnih izjav 173–239 meni, da javno financiranje, odobreno družbama FGAZ/FZG v obliki neposrednih nepovratnih sredstev za naložbe in letnih kapitalskih injekcij v obdobju 2000–2009, pomeni državno pomoč v smislu člena 107(1) Pogodbe.
Direct investment grants
ZAKONITOST POMOČI
The Commission notes that the direct investment grants covered a portion of the investment costs incurred by FGAZ/FZG in the context of its economic activity.
Država članica mora v skladu s členom 108(3) Pogodbe priglasiti vse načrte za dodelitev ali spremembo pomoči, pri čemer predlaganih ukrepov ne sme izvajati, dokler v postopku priglasitve ni sprejet dokončen sklep.
The operator of an airport normally has to bear all the costs related to the construction and operation of the airport (with the exception of those costs that fall within the public policy remit and do not generally have to be borne by the airport operator under the applicable legal framework), including the investment costs, so that covering a part of those costs relieves the FGAZ/FZG of a burden it would normally have to bear.
Ker so bila sredstva družbama FGAZ/FZG že dana na voljo, Komisija meni, da Nemčija ni upoštevala prepovedi iz člena 108(3) Pogodbe [58].
Germany did not explicitly argue that the direct investment grants complied with the MEO principle.
ZDRUŽLJIVOST
It rather submitted that closing the airport was never a realistic option for the local authorities and that, given the need to operate the airport, it was economically sensible to also open it to commercial aviation.
Uporaba smernic za letalski sektor iz leta 2014 in iz leta 2005
At other points, Germany argued that the investments in the airport were motivated by the will to economically invigorate the region, and that public subsidies were necessary since the revenue generated by the commercial exploitation of the airport would not be sufficient to cover the related costs.
Člen 107(3) Pogodbe dopušča nekatera odstopanja od splošnega pravila iz člena 107(1) Pogodbe, v skladu s katerim državna pomoč ni združljiva z notranjim trgom.
Germany also stressed that the infrastructure is necessary to create jobs (about 5000 in all of Land Rhineland-Palatinate, out of which 2708 jobs depend directly and indirectly on the airport), save social costs (EUR 25 million per year) and create tax income.
Zadevna pomoč se lahko oceni na podlagi člena 107(3)(c) Pogodbe, ki navaja:
Germany also submitted that two expert opinions underline the importance of the airport for the regional economy [54].
„pomoč za pospeševanje razvoja določenih gospodarskih dejavnosti ali določenih gospodarskih območij, kadar takšna pomoč ne spreminja trgovinskih pogojev v obsegu, ki bi bil v nasprotju s skupnimi interesi“ se lahko šteje za združljivo z notranjim trgom.
However, social and regional considerations cannot be taken into account when conducting the MEO test.
V zvezi s tem smernice za letalski sektor iz leta 2014 zagotavljajo okvir, na podlagi katerega se lahko oceni, ali se pomoč letališčem lahko šteje za združljivo v smislu člena 107(3)(c) Pogodbe.
Moreover, even if the Commission were to take those social and regional considerations into account, the studies submitted by Germany show that, in June 2012, FZG only provided 115 jobs, at Zweibrücken Airport itself.
Komisija v skladu s smernicami za letalski sektor iz leta 2014 meni, da se obvestilo Komisije o določitvi veljavnih pravil za ocenjevanje nezakonite državne pomoči uporablja za nezakonito pomoč za naložbe letališčem [59].
Those studies confirm that the commercial area around the converted airport provides a total of 2708 direct and indirect jobs.
Pri tem bo Komisija, če je bila nezakonita pomoč za naložbe dodeljena pred 4. aprilom 2014, uporabila pravila o združljivosti, ki so veljala v času dodelitve nezakonite pomoči za naložbe.
However, out of those, only 7,8 %, so 210 jobs, are concerned with transport and storage, that is to say, activities which are directly connected to the presence of the airport.
V skladu s tem bo za nezakonito pomoč za naložbe, ki je bila letališčem dodeljena pred 4. aprilom 2014, uporabila načela, določena v smernicah za letalski sektor iz leta 2005 [60].
While it could, in principle, be accepted that even non-repayable grants to a company that is entirely owned by the State could qualify as market-conform investments, Germany has not presented a business plan or ex ante calculations regarding the expected profitability of the investment grants.
Komisija je v uvodni izjavi 242 že sklenila, da neposredne in letne kapitalske injekcije pomenijo nezakonito državno pomoč, dodeljeno pred 4. aprilom 2014.
The only projections that were presented are a study from 2003 outlining which commercial aviation passenger numbers could lead to profitability and the 2010 projection of expected annual results between 2011 and 2015.
Razlikovanje med pomočjo za naložbe in pomočjo za tekoče poslovanje
The latter expected that the FZG would become profitable only in 2015, assuming that the passenger numbers would rise to more than 500000 passengers per annum.
Komisija mora ob upoštevanju določb iz smernic za letalski sektor iz leta 2014, navedenih v uvodnih izjavah 245 in 246, ugotoviti, ali zadevni ukrep pomeni nezakonito pomoč za naložbe ali za tekoče poslovanje.
Despite the inherent and significant uncertainties related to the project, such as its long-term nature, there was neither an ex ante business plan, nor a sensitivity analysis of any underlying profitability assumptions.
Poleg tega se v skladu s točko 25(r) zadevnih smernic pomoč za tekoče poslovanje lahko nanaša na vnaprejšnje plačilo (to pomeni, da vnaprej pokrije stroške naložb) in na pomoč, izplačano v obliki periodičnih obrokov (za pokritje stroškov investicijskega vzdrževanja v smislu letne amortizacije in stroškov financiranja).
This is not in line with the type of analysis that a prudent investor would have undertaken for such a project.
Pomoč za tekoče poslovanje po drugi strani pomeni pomoč, s katero se pokrijejo v celoti ali delno stroški poslovanja, opredeljeni kot „osnovni stroški za zagotavljanje letaliških storitev, vključno s kategorijami, kot so stroški za zaposlene, pogodbene storitve, komunikacije, odpadke, energijo, vzdrževanje, najem in upravljanje itd., vendar ne vključujejo stroškov investicijskega vzdrževanja, podpore za trženje ali vseh drugih spodbud, ki jih letalskim prevoznikom dodeli letališče, ter stroškov, ki spadajo na področje javne politike“ [62].
Finally, the Commission notes that since 2000, FGAZ/FZG have generated losses every year, with an increasing tendency since 2005.
Glede na te opredelitve se lahko šteje, da neposredne kapitalske injekcije, ki so bile vse povezane s posebnimi naložbenimi projekti, pomenijo pomoč za naložbe v korist družb FGAZ/FZG.
Firstly, the direct investment grants were non-repayable in nature and did not yield a return on investment.
Nasprotno letne kapitalske injekcije, uporabljene za kritje letnih izgub iz poslovanja [63] družb FGAZ/FZG, brez stroškov, vključenih v dobiček pred obrestmi, davki in amortizacijo, ki spadajo v pristojnost javne politike, kot je bilo ugotovljeno v uvodnih izjavah 198 do 200, ter stroški, ki so nastali pred 12. decembrom 2000, pomenijo pomoč za tekoče poslovanje v korist družb FGAZ/FZG.
Secondly, Germany has not presented any evidence that the investment grants were put at the disposal of FZG on market terms.
Del letnih kapitalskih injekcij, s katerimi se krijejo izgube družb FGAZ/FZG, ki še niso vključene v dobiček pred obrestmi, davki in amortizacijo (tj. letna amortizacija sredstev, stroški financiranja itd.), brez stroškov, ki spadajo v pristojnost javne politike, kot je bilo ugotovljeno v uvodnih izjavah 198 do 200, ter stroški, ki so nastali pred 12. decembrom 2000, pomenijo pomoč za naložbe.
Thirdly, Germany does not rely on the MEO principle.
Združljivost pomoči za naložbe
The Commission therefore finds that the direct investment grants by the Land in favour of FZG granted after 12 December 2000 conferred an economic advantage on FZG (to the extent that the investment grants were not purely related to public policy remit activities as concluded in recitals 198 to 200).
Komisija mora v skladu z odstavkom 61 smernic za letalski sektor iz leta 2005 proučiti, ali so izpolnjeni naslednji kumulativni pogoji:
Annual capital injections
Poleg tega mora državna pomoč letališčem, da bi bila združljiva z notranjim trgom, tako kot vsi drugi ukrepi državne pomoči imeti spodbujevalni učinek ter biti potrebna in sorazmerna z legitimnim zastavljenim ciljem.
The annual capital injections by the Land Rhineland-Palatinate and ZEF served to cover FGAZ's annual losses, which were in turn almost entirely brought about by the annual losses of FZG (see Table 4).
Nemčija je trdila, da je pomoč za naložbe v korist družb FGAZ/FZG v skladu z vsemi merili o združljivosti iz smernic za letalski sektor iz leta 2005.
In the end, the annual capital injections therefore served to cover a part of the normal investment and operating expenses of FGAZ/FZG, thereby relieving the undertaking of an economic burden it would normally have to bear.
Prispevek k natančno opredeljenemu cilju skupnega interesa
For the same reason as outlined in recitals 222 to 228 with respect to the direct investment grants to FZG, the Commission also finds that the annual capital injections in favour of FGAZ/FZG were not provided under normal market conditions.
Komisija opozarja, da smernice za letalski sektor iz leta 2005 ne določajo natančnih meril, na podlagi katerih se bo ocenilo, ali pomoč za naložbe letališču prispeva k natančno opredeljenemu cilju skupnega interesa.
Notably, Germany has not submitted that the capital injections were normal market investments.
Vendar se ne more šteti, da se cilj skupnega interesa izpolni zgolj s podvojitvijo obstoječe letališke infrastrukture.
Germany has not presented any evidence demonstrating ex ante profitability considerations, nor has it explained why a MEO would continue injecting capital into an undertaking that constantly generates losses.
Zato mora Komisija najprej oceniti, ali letališče Zweibrücken podvaja obstoječo letališko infrastrukturo v regiji.
In this light, the annual capital injections must be qualified as granting an economic advantage to FGAZ/FZG.
Podvajanje:
Conclusion
prekrivanje letališč Zweibrücken in Saarbrücken
In view of the foregoing, the Commission considers that in the absence of an ex ante business plan or other sensible profitability studies, a MEO would not have taken the decision to embark on the investment project in question and to cover, on a continuous annual basis, increasing losses of FGAZ/FZG.
Komisija opozarja, da se letališče Zweibrücken nahaja v neposredni bližini letališča Saarbrücken.
Therefore, the decision of Land Rhineland-Palatinate and ZEF to grant those measures confers an economic advantage on FGAZ/FZG which it would not have obtained under normal market conditions.
Linearna razdalja med njima je približno 20 kilometrov, kar je približno 39 kilometrov po cesti.
Selectivity
Potovalni čas z avtomobilom med letališčema je približno 30 minut.
To fall within the scope of Article 107(1) of the Treaty, a State measure must favour ‘certain undertakings or the production of certain goods’.
Poleg tega je vsaj šest drugih letališč od letališča Zweibrücken oddaljenih manj kot 2 uri potovalnega časa z avtomobilom.
Hence, only those measures favouring undertakings which grant an advantage in a selective way fall under the notion of State aid.
Tako velika bližina med letališčema pomeni, da obe dejansko oskrbujeta ista zaledja.
In the case at hand, the direct investment grants and the annual capital injections only benefit FGAZ/FZG.
Različne raziskave Nemčije v tej zadevi [64] in v vzporednem postopku uradne preiskave o letališču Saarbrücken [65] potrjujejo, da večina potnikov, ki uporablja ti letališči, prihaja iz zahodnega Porenja-Pfalške in Posarja.
Both measures are thus selective by definition within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty.
Profila letališč Saarbrücken in Zweibrücken sta si prav tako razmeroma podobna.
When aid granted by a Member State strengthens the position of an undertaking compared with other undertakings competing in the internal market, the latter must be regarded as affected by that aid [55].
Ko se je na letališču Zweibrücken leta 2006 začelo komercialno letalstvo, je bila prva stranka letalski prevoznik Germanwings, ki je z njega opravljal lete na ruti v Berlin.
The economic advantage granted by the direct investment grants and the annual capital injections in this case to the airport operator strengthen its economic position, as the airport operator was able to set up its business without bearing all of the inherent investment and operating costs.
Na isti ruti je z letališča Saarbrücken opravljal lete letalski prevoznik Luxair in od leta 2007 naprej tudi letalski prevoznik Air Berlin.
As assessed in recital 173 et seq., the operation of an airport is an economic activity.
Druga velika stranka letališča Zweibrücken je bil letalski prevoznik TUIFly, ki je opravljal lete na različne počitniške destinacije, zlasti v Sredozemlje.
Competition takes place, on the one hand, between airports to attract airlines and the corresponding air traffic (passengers and freight), and, on the other hand, between airport managers, which may compete between themselves to be entrusted with the management of a given airport.
Pred tem pa je bil eden največjih strank letališča Saarbrücken.
Moreover, in particular with respect to low cost carriers and charter operators, airports that are not located in the same catchment areas and even in different Member States can also be in competition with each other to attract those airlines.
Letališče Zweibrücken se je poskušalo še bolj uveljaviti na nizkocenovnem trgu, tako da je sklenilo pogodbo z letalskim prevoznikom Ryanair, ki pa je lete na ruti London-Stansted opravljal manj kot leto.
Furthermore, point 45 of the 2014 Aviation Guidelines explicitly states that ‘the relatively small size of the undertaking which receives public funding does not, as such, exclude the possibility that trade between Member States might be affected.’
Počitniški čarterski leti so se opravljali in se opravljajo tudi z letališča Saarbrücken.
Zweibrücken Airport currently serves approximately 242000 passengers per year, and has served as many as approximately 340000 passengers per year in the past.
Pomembno je, da se leti na glavne destinacije, ki se opravljajo z letališča Zweibrücken, pogosto opravljajo tudi z letališča Saarbrücken.
The forecast provided by Germany established that passenger numbers could rise to more than 1 million passengers per year in 2025.
Razpored letov poleti 2014 na primer kaže, da sta najpogostejši destinaciji, na katere se opravljajo leti z letališča Zweibrücken, Antalija in Palma de Mallorca, kar znaša 70 % tedenskih letov.
As observed in recital 21, Zweibrücken Airport is located in the immediate vicinity of Saarbrücken Airport (39 kilometres) and within two hours' drive from six other airports.
Hkrati se leti na obe destinaciji opravljajo tudi z letališča Saarbrücken s podobno pogostostjo:
According to the air traffic projection study provided by Germany, on average 15 % of passengers using Zweibrücken Airport originate from other Member States (France and Luxembourg).
v tednu med 16. junijem 2014 in 23. junijem 2014 je bilo v Antalijo in Palmo de Mallorco 16 poletov z letališča Zweibrücken in 18 poletov z letališča Saarbrücken.
There are international flights from Zweibrücken airport to destinations such as Mallorca or Antalya.
zmogljivost, število potnikov in letni rezultati
The runway at Zweibrücken is of sufficient length (3000 m) and allows airlines to serve medium-haul international destinations.
Glede na to, da lahko tudi letališče Saarbrücken trenutno oskrbi 700000 potnikov na leto, je takrat izkoristilo samo 50–75 % svoje zmogljivosti.
In the light of these facts, it must be considered that public funding to FGAZ/FZG distorts or threatens to distort competition and has at least a potential effect on trade between Member States.
V zvezi s tem je treba poudariti, da bi lahko letališče Saarbrücken oskrbelo več potnikov (in sicer 750000–800000 potnikov na leto), če ga ne bi omejevalo število varnostnih pregledov potnikov, ki jih lahko izvede v eni uri.
Apart from these general considerations, the Commission also considers that Zweibrücken Airport is or has been in direct competition with Saarbrücken Airport.
Ta omejitev je posledica dejstva, da ima letališče Saarbrücken trenutno na voljo samo dva telesna skenerja.