natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
This was because the aid scheme was not about facilitating the access of the potential beneficiaries to finance, as Germany itself had recognised [29].
Zmanjšanje zmogljivosti ali celo selitev obratov pa bi zaradi tesnega sodelovanja in medsebojne odvisnosti s panogami na koncu proizvodne verige (zlasti avtomobilsko industrijo in sektorjem elektronike) vseeno močno vplivala na druge gospodarske panoge.
As for the Guidelines on national regional aid for 2007-2013 [30], the Commission took the view that, for the time being, the aid scheme did not appear to be covered by these Guidelines [31].
Nemčija trdi, da obstaja tveganje, da bi se zaradi krize nepreklicno izgubile celotne vrednostne verige.
It is clear from its objective that the notified scheme is not intended to alleviate handicaps specific to the regions in which the beneficiaries are set (such as a particularly low living standard or low population density).
Zainteresirane strani so ponovile pripombe Nemčije in posvarile pred izgubo zmogljivosti proizvodnje neželeznih kovin.
Neither Germany, nor interested parties have submitted any additional information on the possible application of Regulation (EC) No 800/2008, the Community guidelines on State aid for environmental protection, the Temporary Framework or the Guidelines on national regional aid for 2007-2013, and the Commission therefore has no reason to depart from its initial assessment.
Tako […] opozarja na težave pri oskrbi z redkimi zemeljskimi elementi iz Kitajske, s katerimi se srečuje evropska industrija, in navaja, da se bodo morda panoge na koncu proizvodne verige, ki potrebujejo neželezne kovine, srečale s podobnimi težavami, če se proizvodna zmogljivost ne bo ohranila v Uniji.
Since the opening decision, the Commission has issued the ETS Guidelines [32].
Zainteresirane strani, kot je […], so poudarile tudi tesno sodelovanje med proizvajalci neželeznih kovin in njihovimi odjemalci s konca proizvodne verige pri razvoju novih proizvodov in spodbujanju inovacij.
Section 3.1 of these Guidelines sets out the conditions under which Member States may grant State aid for the partial compensation of ETS costs passed on in electricity prices (‘indirect ETS costs’).
Bojijo se, da bi se lahko ta inovacijski potencial brez podpore za proizvodnjo neželeznih kovin nepreklicno izgubil.
However, recital 6 of the Guidelines defines the scope of application as follows: ‘Since the provisions introduced by Directive 2009/29/EC will apply as from 1 January 2013, State aid cannot be deemed necessary to lessen any burden resulting from this Directive before that date.
Komisija je leta 2009 sprejela začasni okvir [34].
Consequently, the measures covered by these Guidelines may only be authorised for costs incurred on or after 1 January 2013’.
Kot je navedeno v uvodni izjavi 45, je z njim priznala, da je finančna kriza pomenila resno motnjo v gospodarstvu držav članic, ki sta jo sestavljala neposredni vpliv krize na bančni sektor in posredni vpliv na realno gospodarstvo, zaradi katerih so imela podjetja težave pri iskanju cenovno sprejemljivega dostopa do financiranja.
The scope of the Guidelines is limited to the third ETS trading period (‘ETS-3’), which starts in 2013, given that, on the one hand, the Commission had not received any clear evidence of the existence of carbon leakage already before that period while, on the other hand, evidence gathered and the studies undertaken indicated that such a risk might materialise with the tightening of the cap on ETS allowances and with the increased shift from free allocation to auctioning.
Vendar pa to ni motnja, ki jo je Nemčija nameravala obravnavati s svojo shemo.
Therefore, the Commission concludes that the scheme does not fall within the scope of any guidelines.
Formalni postopek preiskave v zvezi z vprašanjem, ali lahko gospodarski položaj proizvajalcev neželeznih kovin v drugi polovici leta 2009 pomeni resno motnjo v smislu člena 107(3)(b) PDEU, ni privedel do elementov, ki bi dokazovali takšno motnjo.
Article 107(3)(b) of the TFEU
Komisija pravzaprav meni, da je treba določbo člena 107(3)(b) PDEU razlagati ozko v smislu, da je namenjena obravnavanju obsežnejših motenj, ki vplivajo na številne gospodarske panoge ali panoge, katerih delovanje je ključnega pomena za gospodarstvo kot celoto, ker imajo sistemsko vlogo.
Pursuant to Article 107(3)(b) TFEU, the Commission may declare compatible with the internal market aid ‘to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State’.
V zvezi s tem je Splošno sodišče razsodilo, da mora motnja vplivati na celotno gospodarstvo zadevne države članice in ne le na gospodarstvo ene od njenih regij ali delov ozemlja [35].
A serious disturbance in the economy is any economic disturbance which results in serious economic and social difficulties and affects the whole of the economy of the Member State concerned, and not merely that of one of its regions or parts of its territory.
Komisija je zato odločila, da se huda gospodarska motnja ne odpravi s pomočjo, s katero se „rešujejo težave le enega prejemnika […], ne pa pereče težave vseh subjektov v panogi“ [36].
As an exception, the provision is to be interpreted narrowly [33].
Ta sodna praksa kaže, da se člen 107(3)(b) PDEU uporablja za razmeroma velike motnje.
Germany invoked the economic crisis of 2008 which led to falling non-ferrous metal prices at the London Metal Exchange (LME), while the electricity costs charged to industry remained constantly high, notably because of the ETS.
Doslej ni bilo dokazano, da je huda motnja prizadela precejšen del nemškega gospodarstva.
Accordingly, the non-ferrous metal producers are described as price takers in the sense that they had no ability to either influence the LME prices or to pass on higher production costs to their customers.
Prav tako ni jasno, kako naj bi se huda motnja v gospodarstvu države članice ublažila z dodelitvijo državne pomoči samo 11 upravičencem.
However, owing to their close cooperation and interdependence with downstream industries (notably the automotive and electronic sectors), capacity reductions or even the relocation of plants would have a considerable impact on other economic sectors.
Trditev, da bi zmanjševanje proizvodnje neželeznih kovin v Nemčiji hudo prizadelo panoge na koncu proizvodne verige, je deloma v nasprotju z navedbo zainteresiranih strani: eden od proizvajalcev neželeznih kovin je opozoril na intenzivnost trgovine v proizvodnji neželeznih kovin v Nemčiji in Evropi, tako da je poudaril, da so imeli evropski proizvajalci zaradi bližine odjemalcev doslej še vedno prednost pred čezmorskimi konkurenti.
Germany alleges that there is the risk of a crisis-induced and irreversible loss of whole value chains.
Medtem ko so morali slednji za oskrbovanje evropskega trga vlagati v skladiščenje, so lahko prvi zaradi bližine proizvodnih obratov svojih odjemalcev proizvajali na zahtevo.
Interested parties have echoed Germany's remarks and have cautioned against a loss of non-ferrous metal production capacity.
Vendar pa se je proizvajalec, ki je to navedel, bal, da bi lahko ta prednost kmalu izginila zaradi vse višjih stroškov električne energije pri razmeroma nizkih dodatnih stroških za odjemalce.
For instance, […] points to the difficulties European industry has experienced in the supply of rare earths from China and states that, for downstream industries that require non-ferrous metals, similar difficulties may lie ahead if the Union-based production capacity was not preserved.
Če bi se stroški električne energije v Evropi še bolj povišali, bi za odjemalce lahko dejansko postalo privlačneje, da bi neželezne kovine kupovali od čezmorskih proizvajalcev (ki bi svoje proizvode prevažali v Evropo in jih skladiščili v skladiščih), kot da bi ostali odvisni od proizvajalcev s sedežem v Uniji.
Interested parties such as […] have also underlined the close cooperation between non-ferrous metal producers and their downstream customers in the development of new products and in promoting innovation.
Panoge na koncu proizvodne verige bi lahko tako načelno pridobivale surovine s svetovnega trga, ne da bi ogrozile svoj obstoj.
They fear that this innovative potential could be irreversibly lost if non-ferrous metal production was not supported.
Že sama možnost selitve proizvajalcev na začetku proizvodne verige nakazuje, da bi se panoge na koncu proizvodne verige povsem lahko oprle na dobavitelje zunaj Nemčije.
In 2009, the Commission adopted the Temporary Framework [34].
Vsekakor nemški organi niso predložili zadostnih dokazov, da so gospodarske težave zadevnih treh sektorjev tolikšne ali da bi tako vplivale na povezane sektorje, da bi okoliščine, ki so predmet preiskave, pomenile resno motnjo v gospodarstvu države članice v smislu člena 107(3)(b) PDEU.
As stated in recital 45, with that Framework, the Commission recognised that the financial crisis constituted a serious disturbance of the economy of the Member States, the disturbance consisting of the immediate impact of the crisis on the banking sector as well as the indirect impact on the real economy to the extent that companies had problems finding an affordable access to finance.
Člen 107(3)(c) PDEU
This, however, is not the disturbance Germany intended to address with its scheme.
Člen 107(3)(c) PDEU določa, da se „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,“ lahko šteje za združljivo z notranjim trgom.
On the question whether the economic situation of the non-ferrous metal producers in the second half of 2009 may constitute a serious disturbance within the meaning of Article 107(3)(b) TFEU, the formal investigation procedure has not produced any elements that would establish such a disturbance.
Na podlagi sodne prakse Sodišča lahko Komisija državno pomoč razglasi za združljivo z notranjim trgom, če prispeva k doseganju cilja skupnega interesa [37], je nujna za doseganje tega cilja [38] in ne spreminja trgovinskih pogojev v obsegu, ki bi bil v nasprotju s skupnimi interesi.
Indeed, the Commission takes the view that the provision of Article 107(3)(b) TFEU has to be interpreted narrowly, in the sense that it is intended to address large-scale disturbances affecting numerous sectors of the economy, or sectors whose functioning is vital for the economy as a whole because they play a systemic role.
V skladu z ustaljeno prakso Komisije [39] se ukrepi lahko razglasijo za združljive neposredno na podlagi člena 107(3)(c) PDEU, če so nujni in sorazmerni ter če pozitivni učinki za skupni cilj odtehtajo negativne učinke na konkurenco in trgovino.
In this context, the Court of First Instance of the European Union has ruled that the disturbance must affect the whole of the economy of the Member State concerned, and not merely that of one of its regions or parts of its territory [35].
V skladu s tem Komisija meni, da je treba oceniti naslednja vprašanja:
The Commission has consequently decided that a serious economic disruption is not remedied by an aid that ‘resolve[s] the problems of a single recipient …, as opposed to the acute problems facing all operators in the industry’ [36].
Ali je ukrep pomoči namenjen natančno opredeljenemu cilju skupnega interesa?
This case-law shows that Article 107(3)(b) requires disturbance of a certain magnitude.
Ali je pomoč oblikovana tako, da zagotovi dosego cilja skupnega interesa?
So far, it has not been demonstrated that a significant part of the German economy suffered from a serious disturbance.
Zlasti:
Moreover, it is unclear how a serious disturbance of a Member State economy should be alleviated by granting State aid to only 11 beneficiaries.
Ali je ukrep pomoči ustrezen in nujen instrument oziroma ali obstajajo drugi ustreznejši instrumenti?
The argument that a declining non-ferrous metal production in Germany would severely impact downstream industries is to some extent contradicted by a point made by interested parties: one non-ferrous metal producer highlighted the trade intensity of non-ferrous metal production in Germany and Europe by stressing that so far, European producers still had the advantage of customer proximity over their overseas competitors.
Ali obstaja spodbujevalni učinek, tj. ali pomoč spremeni ravnanje podjetij?
While the latter had to invest in warehousing to supply the European market, the former could produce on demand, being close to the production sites of their customers.
Ali je ukrep pomoči sorazmeren, tj. ali bi bila lahko enaka sprememba v ravnanju dosežena z manj pomoči?
However, the producer who raised this point feared that this advantage could soon be wiped out by rising electricity costs, at relatively low additional costs for customers: Indeed, if electricity costs in Europe were to rise even more, it could become more interesting for customers — rather than to rely on Union-based producers — to purchase non-ferrous metals from overseas producers (who would ship their products to Europe and stock them in warehouses).
Ali so izkrivljanje konkurence in učinki na trgovino omejeni, tako da je skupni učinek pozitiven?
According to this view, the downstream industries would in principle be able to source from the world market without being threatened in their existence.
Nemčija je združljivost pomoči na podlagi člena 107(3)(c) PDEU utemeljila z dvema argumentoma: prvič, trdila je, da je pomoč nujna za preprečevanje zapiranja obratov v Nemčiji zaradi selitve v tretje države, ki niso vključene v ETS in nimajo primerljivih stroškov CO2 (preprečevanje selitve virov CO2).
Rather, the very possibility that upstream producers could relocate shows that downstream industries could perfectly rely on suppliers from outside Germany.
Drugič, zatrjevala je, da je pomoč nujna za preprečevanje selitve nemških obratov v tretje države, kar bi škodovalo industrijski strukturi in zaposlovanju (preprečevanje izgube delovnih mest).
In any event, the German authorities have not submitted sufficient evidence that the economic difficulties of the three sectors in question are of such a scope or would impact related sectors to such an extent that the situation under investigation would constitute a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State within the meaning of Article 107(3)(b) TFEU.
Preprečevanje selitve virov CO2
Article 107(3)(c) of the TFEU
Cilj skupnega interesa
Article 107(3)(c) TFEU states that ‘aid to facilitate the development of certain economic activities or of certain economic areas, where such aid does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest’ may be considered to be compatible with the internal market.
Varstvo okolja je priznani cilj skupnega interesa.
According to the Court's case-law, the Commission may declare State aid compatible with the internal market if the State aid pursues an objective of common interest [37], if it is necessary to reach this objective [38], and if it does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
Glede na to, da bi okoljska zakonodaja v Uniji lahko povzročila selitev emisij CO2 v druge dele sveta, kjer bi še vedno predstavljale okoljsko tveganje, je mogoče preprečevanje takšne selitve virov CO2 obravnavati kot del cilja varstva okolja.
It is established Commission practice [39] that measures may be declared compatible directly under Article 107(3)(c) TFEU if they are necessary and proportionate and if the positive effects for the common objective outbalance the negative effects on competition and trade.
To je jasno navedeno v zakonodaji Unije, in sicer v Direktivi 2009/29/ES [40], katere uvodna izjava 27 določa:
In this regard, the Commission considers it appropriate to assess the following questions:
„Države članice lahko menijo, da je treba določenim napravam, za katere je bilo določeno, da so izpostavljene visokemu tveganju premestitve emisij CO2, začasno nadomestiti izgube, povezane z emisijami toplogrednih plinov, katerih stroški so bili vključeni v ceno električne energije.
Is the aid measure aimed at a well-defined objective of common interest?
Takšna podpora bi se morala dodeliti le, kjer je potrebno in sorazmerno, in bi morala zagotoviti, da se ohranijo pobude sistema Skupnosti za varčevanje energije in spodbujanje sprememb v povpraševanju iz „sive“ na „zeleno“ električno energijo.“
Is the aid well designed to deliver the objective of common interest?
Poleg tega je bilo preprečevanje selitve virov CO2 priznano za okoljski cilj v smernicah za državno pomoč v okviru ETS [41], zlasti v točkah 7 in 8:
In particular:
V skladu s členom 10a(6) direktive o ETS lahko države članice odobrijo državno pomoč v korist sektorjev ali delov sektorjev, ki veljajo za izpostavljene visokemu tveganju premestitve emisij CO2 zaradi stroškov, povezanih z emisijami toplogrednih plinov, vključenih v ceno električne energije, z namenom, da se ti stroški nadomestijo v skladu s pravili o državni pomoči.
Is the aid measure an appropriate and necessary instrument, i.e. are there other, better-suited instruments?
V teh smernicah „premestitev emisij CO2“ opisuje predvidevanja v zvezi s povečanji globalnih emisij toplogrednih plinov, kadar podjetja preselijo proizvodnjo v države zunaj Unije, ker ne morejo prenesti večjih stroškov, ki izvirajo iz EU ETS, na svoje stranke brez znatne izgube tržnega deleža.
Is there an incentive effect, i.e. does the aid change the behaviour of firms?
Ob odsotnosti zavezujočega mednarodnega sporazuma za zmanjšanje emisij toplogrednih plinov je omejitev tveganja za premestitev emisij CO2 okoljski cilj, saj je pomoč namenjena preprečevanju povečanja globalnih emisij toplogrednih plinov zaradi preselitve proizvodnje zunaj Unije.
Is the aid measure proportional, i.e. could the same change in behaviour be obtained with less aid?
Hkrati pa lahko pomoč za posredne stroške emisij negativno vpliva na učinkovitost EU ETS.
Are the distortions of competition and the effect on trade limited, so that the overall balance is positive?
Ciljno slabo usmerjena pomoč bi upravičence razbremenila njihovih posrednih stroškov emisij, kar bi zmanjšalo spodbude za zmanjšanje emisij in inovacije v sektorju.
Germany has relied on two lines of reasoning to justify the compatibility of the aid under Article 107(3)(c) TFEU: First, Germany has argued that the aid was necessary to prevent the closure of plants in Germany due to the relocation to third countries which were not part of the ETS and had no comparable CO2 costs (prevention of carbon leakage).
Posledično bi morali stroške zmanjšanja emisij nositi predvsem drugi sektorji gospodarstva.
Secondly, it has argued that the aid was necessary to prevent a relocation of German plants to third countries that would be damaging both in terms of industrial structure and of employment (prevention of loss of employment).
Poleg tega bi taka državna pomoč lahko povzročila znatno izkrivljanje konkurence na notranjem trgu, zlasti kadar se v različnih državah podjetja v istem sektorju obravnavajo različno zaradi različnih proračunskih omejitev.
The prevention of carbon leakage
Zato morajo biti te smernice namenjene doseganju treh specifičnih ciljev: zmanjšanju tveganja premestitve emisij CO2, ohranjanju cilja EU ETS glede stroškovno učinkovite dekarbonizacije in zmanjšanju izkrivljanja konkurence na notranjem trgu na najmanjšo možno raven.“
Objective of common interest
Preprečevanje selitve virov CO2 je torej mogoče povezati s ciljem skupnega interesa glede ohranjanja okolja in zlasti podnebja.
Environmental protection is recognised to constitute an objective of common interest.
Nujnost in ustreznost
Given that environmental legislation in the Union could result in a relocation of CO2 emissions to other parts of the world where they would still constitute an environmental risk, the prevention of such carbon leakage can be considered as being part of the objective of environmental protection.
Dodeljena pomoč mora biti ustrezen in nujen instrument za doseganje predvidenega cilja.
This has been made clear by Union legislation, namely the Directive 2009/29/EC [40], which states, in its recital 27:
Instrument je ustrezen in nujen, če ni mogoče doseči enakih rezultatov z drugimi, manj izkrivljajočimi instrumenti.
‘Member States may deem it necessary to temporarily compensate certain installations which have been determined to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage for costs related to greenhouse gas emissions passed on in electricity prices.
Da se v obravnavani zadevi ugotovi, ali je pomoč, ki bi se izplačevala v okviru priglašene sheme, nujna in ustrezna, je treba najprej dokazati, da so bili upravičeni sektorji (nemška proizvodnja aluminija, bakra in cinka) v drugi polovici leta 2009 izpostavljeni tveganju selitve virov CO2.
Such support should only be granted where it is necessary and proportionate and should ensure that the Community scheme incentives to save energy and to stimulate a shift in demand from “grey” to “green” electricity are maintained.’
Nemčija je trdila, da je bilo tveganje selitve virov CO2 za leto 2009 že dokazano, in sicer z Direktivo 2010/2/EU [42].
Moreover, the prevention of carbon leakage has been acknowledged as an environmental objective in the ETS Guidelines [41], and in particular in points 7 and 8:
Tveganje naj bi obstajalo že v drugem obdobju trgovanja v okviru ETS (2008–2012, „ETS–2“), prehod v tretje obdobje trgovanja pa po mnenju Nemčije ne pomeni „kakovostnega preskoka“.
Under Article 10a(6) of the ETS Directive, Member States may grant State aid in favour of sectors or subsectors deemed to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage due to costs relating to greenhouse gas emissions passed on in electricity prices (hereinafter referred to as “indirect emission costs”), in order to compensate for those costs in accordance with State aid rules.
Komisija je poleg tega ugotovila, da v razpravi o tveganju selitve virov CO2 v drugem obdobju trgovanja v okviru ETS (2008–2012) obseg takšnega tveganja ni bil neizpodbitno opredeljen.
For the purposes of these Guidelines, “carbon leakage” describes the prospect of an increase in global greenhouse gas emissions when companies shift production outside the Union because they cannot pass on the cost increases induced by the EU ETS to their customers without significant loss of market share.
Iz novejše študije je razvidna možnost obstoja selitve virov CO2 leta 2009 v sektorju aluminija, ne pa v proizvodnji bakra in cinka.
Addressing the risk of carbon leakage serves an environmental objective, since the aid aims to avoid an increase in global greenhouse gas emissions due to shifts of production outside the Union, in the absence of a binding international agreement on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Zainteresirane strani so navedle enak argument kot Nemčija: da je bilo tveganje selitve virov CO2 za industrije neželeznih kovin priznano že v členu 10a(6) Direktive 2009/29/ES in Sklepu 2010/2/EU.
If poorly targeted, the aid would relieve the beneficiaries of the cost of their indirect emissions, thereby limiting incentives for emission reductions and innovation in the sector.
Nekatere od zainteresiranih strani so tudi vztrajale, da ocena ne bi smela biti prestroga: v zvezi z ugotovitvijo Komisije v sklepu o začetku postopka, da so bili glavni upravičenci donosni v celotnem obdobju, ki ga pokriva shema [46], so nekateri od teh proizvajalcev neželeznih kovin poudarili, da je bila donosnost njihovih nemških obratov pravzaprav razmeroma majhna, včasih pod sprejemljivo stopnjo donosa za to vrsto industrije, in da bi bila zato ocena, da je pomoč nujna in ima spodbujevalni učinek le, če upravičencu grozi uvedba postopka zaradi nesolventnosti, prestroga.
As a result, the costs of reducing emissions would have to be borne mainly by other sectors of the economy.
Poleg tega so nekateri proizvajalci, kot so […], […], […] in […], navedli, da pri selitvi virov CO2 ne gre le za vprašanje, ali se bo obrat nazadnje zaprl ali preselil v državo zunaj Unije.
The prevention of carbon leakage can therefore be related to the objective of common interest of preserving the environment and in particular the climate.
Vendar ti argumenti niso prepričljivi.