natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
This is because, in accordance with Article 17(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69, compensation paid pursuant to that Regulation is exempted from the preliminary information procedure laid down in Article 108(3) of the Treaty and thus from notification.
Vprašanje, ali je člen 17(2) Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 v tem primeru dejansko izvzel italijanske organe iz obveznosti predhodne priglasitve, je zato odvisno od tega, ali je regija družbi Buonotourist dejansko enostransko naložila obveznost javne službe in ali nadomestilo, plačano v skladu s to obveznostjo, izpolnjuje zahteve Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69.
However, it follows from the Combus judgment that the concept of ‘public service compensation’ within the meaning of that provision must be interpreted in a very restrictive manner.
Komisija bo proučila obe vprašanji v ustreznem zaporedju.
The exemption from notification provided by Article 17(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 covers only compensation for PSOs imposed unilaterally on an undertaking pursuant to Article 2 of that Regulation that is calculated using the method described in Articles 10 to 13 of the same Regulation (the common compensation procedure), and not public service contracts as defined by Article 14 of the Regulation.
Enostransko naložena obveznost javne službe
Compensation paid pursuant to a public service contract as defined by Article 14 of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 which entails State aid must be notified to the Commission before it is put into effect.
Komisija poudarja, da ji niti italijanski organi niti družba Buonotourist niso predložili nobenega akta o pooblastitvi, ki bi se nanašal na obravnavano obdobje.
Failure to do so will result in that compensation being deemed to be unlawfully implemented aid in accordance with Article 108 of the Treaty.
Družba Buonotourist ji je predložila le pogodbe, ki so bile izvedene od leta 2003.
The question of whether Article 17(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 indeed released the Italian authorities from prior notification in the present case thus depends, first, on whether a PSO was in fact unilaterally imposed on Buonotourist by the Region and, second, on whether the compensation paid pursuant to that obligation complies with the requirements of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69.
Italijanski organi trdijo, da je vzorčna koncesijska pogodba, ki so jo predložili in se je nanašala na drugo podjetje, standardna pogodba, ki se je uporabljala v regiji v obravnavanem obdobju.
The Commission will examine both questions in turn.
Vendar je vzorčna koncesijska pogodba veljala le od aprila 1972 do decembra 1973, kar je več kot 20 let pred obravnavanim obdobjem in pred začetkom veljavnosti zakona št. 151/1981, ki je bil konsolidiran z regionalnim zakonom št. 16/1983, na podlagi katerega je družba Buonotourist prejela nadomestilo.
PSO unilaterally imposed
Čeprav se zdi, da vzorčna koncesijska pogodba določa nekatere obveznosti, ki bi se lahko uvrščale med obveznosti javne službe (npr. v točkah 2, 9 in 10), vključno z obveznostjo uporabe popustov za študente, delavce, učitelje ter zaposlene v zasebnem in javnem sektorju ter obveznostjo zagotavljanja brezplačnega prevoza za nekatere kategorije potnikov, Komisija zaradi odsotnosti akta o pooblastitvi nima dokazov, da so navedene obveznosti v obravnavanem obdobju dejansko veljale za družbo Buonotourist.
The Commission notes that neither the Italian authorities nor Buonotourist were able to provide it with any entrustment act related to the period under review.
Glede na to, da so bile opravljane storitve del rednega linijskega prevoza, je bilo treba v predpisih o koncesijah, ki so družbi Buonotourist dale izključno pravico do opravljanja teh storitev, vnaprej določiti ureditev storitev, ki se bodo opravljale.
Buonotourist only provided the Commission with contracts which were implemented as from 2003.
Družba Buonotourist ni predložila dokazov, da ji je to ureditev enostransko naložila regija, namesto da bi jo predlagal izvajalec v zameno za izključno pravico do opravljanja storitev, regija pa bi jo pozneje odobrila.
The Italian authorities claim that the sample concession contract provided by them — which concerned another undertaking — was the standard one in use in the Region during the period under review.
Metodologija, ki jo je sodni strokovnjak, ki ga je imenovalo sodišče Consiglio di Stato, uporabil za izračun domnevnega nezadostnega nadomestila, se v vsakem primeru ne nanaša na navedene obveznosti.
However, the sample concession contract was only valid from April 1972 to December 1973, which is more than 20 years before the period under review, and before the entry into force of Law No 151/1981, as enacted by Regional Law No 16/1983, on which basis Buonotourist was compensated in the first instance.
Komisija je ocenila tudi, ali je obveznost javne službe razvidna iz regionalnega zakona št. 16/1983, ki sta ga tako regija kot tudi družba Buonotourist opredelili kot pravno podlago za nadomestilo, dodeljeno družbi v obravnavanem obdobju (glej uvodni izjavi 23 in 40).
Although the sample concession contract would seem to provide for some obligations that could qualify as PSOs (e.g. at points 2, 9 and 10), including the duty to apply discounts for students, workers, teachers, and private and public employees and the duty to transport certain categories of passengers for free, the Commission has no evidence that the same obligations were actually applicable to Buonotourist during the period under review because of the absence of an entrustment act.
V zvezi s tem je treba poudariti, da navedeni regionalni zakon določa, da lahko javne prispevke prejmejo le subjekti in javna ali zasebna podjetja, ki opravljajo storitve lokalnega javnega prevoza v okviru koncesijske ureditve.
Rather, considering that the services provided were regular scheduled services, it was necessary for the concession regulations, which granted Buonotourist an exclusive right to provide those services, to specify in advance the arrangements for the services to be provided.
V členu 2 regionalnega zakona je navedeno, da se „[v]sakršna morebitna izguba ali primanjkljaj, ki ni krit z regionalnimi prispevki, kot je določeno zgoraj [v členu 2], […] še naprej obračunava v breme posameznih podjetij“.
Buonotourist has not provided evidence to show that those arrangements were unilaterally imposed by the Region, instead of being proposed by the operator, in return for the right to provide services on an exclusive basis, and subsequently authorised by the Region.
Komisija nadalje poudarja, da so bile v regionalnih aktih, ki jih je predložila družba Buonotourist (glej uvodno izjavo 40), omenjene nekatere pogodbene obveznosti, ki so v obravnavanem obdobju veljale med družbo Buonotourist in regijo.
In any case, the methodology used by the court-appointed expert to calculate the alleged undercompensation does not refer to those obligations.
Vendar v teh aktih niso jasno opredeljene obveznosti, ki bi se lahko uvrščale med obveznosti javne službe, čeprav ti akti kažejo na morebiten obstoj takih obveznosti.
The Commission has also assessed whether a PSO could be inferred from Regional Law No 16/1983, it being the legal basis identified by both the Region and Buonotourist for the compensation granted to the company in the period under review (see recitals 23 and 40).
Poleg tega obstoj pogodbenih obveznosti izključuje enostransko naložitev obveznosti javne službe družbi Buonotourist.
In this respect, it must be noted that that Regional Law only provides that entities and public or private undertakings providing public local transport services under a concession regime could receive public contributions.
Kar zadeva morebitni obstoj tarifne obveznosti, Komisija nima dokazov, da so bile take obveznosti dejansko enostransko naložene družbi Buonotourist, čeprav je strokovnjak, ki ga je imenovalo sodišče Consiglio di Stato, dodatno nadomestilo izračunal na podlagi člena 11 Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69.
Article 2 of the Regional Law clearly states that: ‘any possible loss or deficit not covered by the regional contributions as determined above [in Article 2] remains chargeable to the individual undertakings’.
V skladu s členom 2(5) Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 so tarifne obveznosti „obveznosti, ki so uvedene za prevozna podjetja, da zlasti za določene skupine potnikov, določene skupine blaga ali na določenih voznih poteh uporabljajo tarife, ki jih določi ali odobri državni organ in so v nasprotju s poslovnimi interesi podjetja ter so posledica uvedbe posebnih tarifnih določb ali posledica zavrnitve spremembe le-teh“.
The Commission further notes that the Regional acts provided by Buonotourist (see recital 40) mentioned some contractual obligations in place between Buonotourist and the Region during the period under review.
V nasprotju s tem se opredelitev tarifnih obveznosti „ne [uporablja] za obveznosti, ki izhajajo iz splošnih ukrepov cenovne politike, ki velja za celotno gospodarstvo, ali ki izhajajo iz ukrepov na področju cen in splošnih pogojev prevoza, sprejetih z namenom vzpostavitve trga prometnih storitev ali njegovega dela“.
However, those acts do not clearly identify obligations that could qualify as PSOs, despite being an indicator of their possible existence.
Komisija priznava, da so v točki 27 vzorčne koncesijske pogodbe iz leta 1972/1973 določene tarife, ki so se uporabljale za izvajalca, zajetega s to pogodbo, vendar opozarja, da v zvezi z družbo Buonotourist za obravnavano obdobje ni prejela nobenega podobnega koncesijskega akta ali akta o pooblastitvi, na podlagi katerega bi lahko sklepala o naložitvi takih obveznosti podjetju.
Moreover, the existence of contractual obligations excludes a PSO being unilaterally imposed on Buonotourist.
Komisija v vsakem primeru poudarja, da je bilo v skladu s členom 2 regionalnega zakona št. 16/1983 letno nadomestilo podjetjem, ki opravljajo storitve javnega prevoza, izračunano naknadno kot razlika med prihodki iz uporabe minimalnih tarif in t. i. „standardnimi stroški“ (glej uvodno izjavo 23).
On the possible existence of a tariff obligation, although the calculation of additional compensation by the court-appointed expert was made on the basis of Article 11 of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69, the Commission has no evidence that such obligations were in fact unilaterally imposed on Buonotourist.
Zato je sklenila, da je regionalni zakon določal minimalne tarife, kar hkrati izključuje obstoj splošne tarifne obveznosti.
According to Article 2(5) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69, tariff obligations are ‘obligation[s] imposed on transport undertakings to apply, in particular for certain categories of passenger, for certain categories of goods, or on certain routes, rates fixed or approved by any public authority which are contrary to the commercial interests of the undertaking and which result from the imposition of, or refusal to modify, special tariff provisions’.
V vsakem primeru se zdi, da morebitna obveznost javne službe, ki bi jo družba Buonotourist morala opravljati, slednji ni bila enostransko naložena.
By contrast, the definition of tariff obligations ‘shall not apply to obligations arising from general measures of price policy applying to the economy as a whole or to measures taken with respect to transport rates and conditions in general with a view to the organisation of the transport market or of part thereof’.
Komisija v zvezi s tem poudarja, da je družba Buonotourist prevzela pobudo, ko je zahtevala obnovo koncesij za vseh sedem let obravnavanega obdobja.
The Commission acknowledges that Point 27 of the sample concession contract from 1972/73 lays down applicable tariffs for the operator it covers, but recalls that it has received no similar concession or entrustment act concerning Buonotourist for the period under review from which it could establish the imposition of such obligations on the undertaking.
Trditev družbe Buonotourist, da so bili izvajalci na podlagi obveznosti javne službe dolžni upravljati proge, čeprav je regija večkrat znižala standardne stroške, in da bi se zoper izvajalce, ki bi dejansko prenehali s svojimi dejavnostmi, sprejeli pravni ukrepi zaradi prekinitve javne službe, ni bila podprta z dokazi, zato je v tem primeru ni mogoče uporabiti v podporo ugotovitvi o enostransko naloženih obveznostih javne službe.
In any event, the Commission notes that, under Article 2 of Regional Law No 16/1983, the annual compensation to undertakings providing public transport services was calculated ex ante as the difference between the revenues deriving from the application of minimum tariffs and the so-called ‘standard cost’ (see recital 23).
Skladnost nadomestila z enotnim postopkom za plačilo nadomestila
The Commission therefore concludes that the Regional Law provided for minimum tariffs, which also excludes the existence of a general tariff obligation.
Tudi če bi bilo v tem primeru dokazano, da so bile obveznosti javne službe družbi Buonotourist enostransko naložene, kar ne drži, bi moralo biti nadomestilo za opravljanje zadevnih storitev še vedno v skladu z enotnim postopkom za plačilo nadomestila iz Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 (oddelek IV), da bi bilo izvzeto iz obveznosti predhodne priglasitve v skladu s členom 17(2) navedene uredbe.
In any event, it does not appear that any PSO Buonotourist might have been required to carry out was unilaterally imposed on it.
Komisija meni, da ta pogoj ni izpolnjen.
The Commission notes in this respect that Buonotourist took the initiative in requesting the renewal of concessions for all seven years during the period under review.
Prvič, Komisija ugotavlja, da enotni postopek za plačilo nadomestila iz Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 določa metodo za izračun višine nadomestila, ki se dodeli za finančne obremenitve zaradi naložitve obveznosti javne službe.
Buonotourist’s argument that the operators were duty bound to operate the routes under PSOs, even if the Region repeatedly reduced the amount of the standard cost, and that legal action would have been taken against them for interrupting a public service if they did indeed stop their activities, has not been backed up by any evidence, so it cannot be used to support the finding of unilaterally imposed PSOs in the present case.
V skladu s členom 1(5)(a) Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 morajo prevozna podjetja, ki ne izvajajo samo storitev javne službe, temveč opravljajo tudi druge dejavnosti, od 1. julija 1992 izvajati javne službe kot ločene dejavnosti, pri čemer: (i) so poslovni računi za vsako dejavnost ločeni, delež sredstev za vsako od teh dejavnosti pa se uporablja v skladu z veljavnimi računovodskimi pravili, in (ii) izdatki se izravnajo s prihodki iz poslovanja in s plačili javnih organov brez možnosti prenosa iz enega ali v drugi sektor dejavnosti podjetja.
Compliance of the compensation with the common compensation procedure
Komisija nadalje ugotavlja, da v skladu s sodbo Sodišča v zadevi Antrop zahteve iz navedenega postopka niso izpolnjene, kadar na podlagi zanesljivih računovodskih podatkov podjetja ni mogoče določiti razlike med stroški, ki se pripišejo njegovi dejavnosti na področju, na katerem ima koncesijo, in ustreznimi prihodki ter zato ni mogoče izračunati povečanja stroškov, ki nastanejo zaradi izpolnjevanja obveznosti iz javne službe s strani tega podjetja.
Even if the PSOs were shown to have been unilaterally imposed on Buonotourist in this instance, which is not the case, the compensation for those services would still need to comply with the common compensation procedure (Section IV) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 to be exempted from prior notification under Article 17(2) of that Regulation.
Komisija meni, da nadomestilo, dodeljeno družbi Buonotourist, ne izpolnjuje teh zahtev.
The Commission does not consider this to be the case.
Družba Buonotourist je potrdila, da je poleg domnevnih obveznosti javne službe opravljala tudi storitve oddajanja.
First, the Commission notes that the common compensation procedure under Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 sets out a method for calculating the amount of compensation to be granted in respect of the financial burdens resulting from the imposition of a public service obligation.
Poleg tega regija trdi, da je družba Buonotourist opravljala tudi druge dejavnosti, tj. storitve medregionalnega in mednarodnega avtobusnega prevoza (glej uvodne izjave 50 do 52).
With effect from 1 July 1992, Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69, by virtue of Article 1(5)(a) thereof, required transport undertakings, which operate not only services subject to PSOs but also engage in other activities, to operate the public services as separate divisions whereby: (i) the operating accounts corresponding to each of those activities are separate and the proportion of the assets pertaining to each is used in accordance with the accounting rules in force, and (ii) expenditure is balanced by operating revenue and payments from public authorities, without any possibility of transfer from or to another sector of the undertaking’s activity.
Vendar niti italijanski organi niti družba Buonotourist niso dokazali obstoja pravilno ločenih računovodskih izkazov za te dejavnosti.
The Commission further notes that, according to the Court of Justice in the Antrop judgment, the requirements set out by that procedure are not fulfilled where it is not possible to ascertain on the basis of reliable data from the relevant accounts the difference between the costs imputable to the part of its activities in the area covered by the concession and the corresponding income and, consequently, where it is not possible to calculate the additional cost deriving from the performance of public service obligations by that undertaking.
Zdi se, da to posredno potrjuje tudi družba Buonotourist, ko trdi, da so zneski iz „obrazcev E“, ki so bili vsako leto poslani regiji, vključevali tudi prihodke za proge, ki niso bile zajete s koncesijami (glej uvodno izjavo 45).
The Commission considers that the compensation awarded to Buonotourist does not comply with these requirements.
Komisija meni, da trditev družbe Buonotourist, da je zahteva po hrambi celovite računovodske in upravne dokumentacije za obravnavano obdobje prenehala veljati, ni pomembna za naknadno utemeljitev dodatnega nadomestila na podlagi induktivnega pristopa.
Buonotourist confirmed that, in addition to its alleged PSO activities, it also engaged in rental services activities.
V vsakem primeru taka zahteva, ki izhaja iz nacionalnega prava, če bi bilo dokazano, da obstaja, ne more ogroziti obveznosti, ki izhaja iz sodne prakse Sodišča ali Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 in za katero je treba dokazati, da je izpolnjena, preden se lahko izvajalcu prevoza plača nadomestilo za opravljanje javne službe.
In addition, the Region alleges that Buonotourist also engaged in other activities — in interregional and international bus services (see recitals 50 to 52).
Drugič, Komisija ugotavlja, da mora v skladu s členom 13 Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69 uprava vnaprej določiti višino nadomestila.
However, neither the Italian authorities nor Buonotourist demonstrated that proper separate accounts were kept for these activities.
Izračun dodatnega nadomestila na podlagi naknadne ocene, kot to določa sodišče Consiglio di Stato, je v nasprotju z navedeno določbo, kot je že pojasnjeno v uvodnih izjavah 62 in 63.
This seems to be implicitly confirmed by Buonotourist when it asserts that the amounts indicated in the ‘E forms’ sent each year to the Region also included revenues for routes that were not subject to concessions (see recital 45).
Glede na navedeno je Komisija sklenila, da dodatno nadomestilo, ki ga je treba po mnenju sodišča Consiglio di Stato plačati družbi Buonotourist, ni bilo izvzeto iz obveznosti predhodne priglasitve v skladu s členom 17(2) Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69.
The Commission considers that the argument put forward by Buonotourist that the legal requirement to keep full accounting and administrative documentation for the period under review has now expired is not relevant to justify ex post an additional amount of compensation via an inductive approach.
ZDRUŽLJIVOST POMOČI
In any event, such a requirement deriving from national law, were it to be shown to exist, cannot undermine an obligation deriving from the case-law of the CJEU or Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69, which must be shown to have been fulfilled before public service compensation can be paid to a transport operator.
Ker ni bilo dokazano, da je bil obravnavani ukrep izvzet iz obveznosti predhodne priglasitve v skladu s členom 17(2) Uredbe (EGS) št. 1191/69, bo treba preveriti združljivost plačila z notranjim trgom, saj pomeni državno pomoč v smislu člena 107(1) Pogodbe, kot je pojasnjeno v oddelku 6.1.
Second, the Commission notes that Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 requires the administration to fix the amount of the compensation in advance.
Člen 93 Pogodbe vsebuje pravila o združljivosti državne pomoči na področju usklajevanja prometa in obveznosti javne službe v prometnem sektorju ter pomeni lex specialis, kar zadeva člen 107(3) in člen 106(2), saj vsebuje posebna pravila o združljivosti državne pomoči.
The calculation of the additional compensation on the basis of an ex post assessment, as prescribed by the Consiglio di Stato, is at odds with that provision, as already explained in recitals 62 and 63.
Sodišče je razsodilo, da navedeni člen „dopušča, da so pomoči za prevoz združljive z notranjim trgom samo v natančno določenih primerih in če ne škodijo splošnim interesom [Unije]“.
In the light of these observations, the Commission concludes that the additional compensation the Consiglio di Stato considers due to Buonotourist was not exempted from compulsory prior notification pursuant to Article 17(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69.
Uredba (EGS) št. 1191/69 in Uredba Sveta (EGS) št. 1107/70 sta bili razveljavljeni z Uredbo (ES) št. 1370/2007, ki je začela veljati 3. decembra 2009.
COMPATIBILITY OF THE AID
Uredba (ES) št. 1370/2007 se uporablja za nadomestilo za obveznosti javne službe v zvezi z javnimi storitvami železniškega in cestnega potniškega prevoza.
Since it has not been shown that the measure under review was exempt from prior notification pursuant to Article 17(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69, the compatibility of the payment with the internal market will have to be examined, as they are considered to constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty, as explained in section 6.1.
Komisija meni, da bi bilo treba združljivost nepriglašenega ukrepa preveriti v skladu z Uredbo (ES) št. 1370/2007, saj je bila to zakonodaja, ki je veljala ob sprejetju tega sklepa.
Article 93 of the Treaty contains rules for the compatibility of State aid in the area of coordination of transport and PSOs in the field of transport and constitutes a lex specialis with respect to Article 107(3), as well as Article 106(2), as it contains special rules for the compatibility of State aid.
Poleg tega ugotavlja, da je bilo dodatno nadomestilo, ki ga je sodišče Consiglio di Stato dodelilo družbi Buonotourist, plačano 21. decembra 2012, tako da je na datum, ko so se pojavili učinki izplačane pomoči, Uredba (ES) št. 1370/2007 veljala že več kot tri leta.
The CJEU has ruled that that Article ‘acknowledges that aid to transport is compatible with the internal market only in well-defined cases which do not jeopardise the general interests of the [Union]’.
V členu 9(1) Uredbe (ES) št. 1370/2007 je navedeno: „[Z notranjim] trgom so združljiva nadomestila za opravljanje javne službe, namenjena opravljanju storitev javnega potniškega prevoza ali upoštevanju tarifnih obveznosti, ki so določene s splošnimi pravili in ki se plačujejo v skladu s to uredbo.
On 3 December 2009, Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 entered into force and repealed Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 and Regulation (EEC) No 1107/70 of the Council.
Ta nadomestila so oproščena obveznosti predhodnega obvestila iz člena [108(3)] Pogodbe.“
Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 applies to the compensation of PSOs concerning public passenger transport services by rail and by road.
Komisija iz razlogov, navedenih v nadaljevanju, meni, da priglašeno nadomestilo ni v skladu z Uredbo (ES) št. 1370/2007, zato ga ni mogoče razglasiti za združljivega z notranjim trgom v skladu s členom 9(1) navedene uredbe.