natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Reference is made to the assessment in section 8.5.
Podjetja, ki se ukvarjajo s predelavo in trženjem
The substantive changes compared to the previous period were related to the fact that the aid had to be in kind (by means of subsidised services) and that the aid had to be accessible to all those eligible in the area concerned, based on objectively defined conditions.
V skladu s točko 105 smernic za obdobje 2007–2013 lahko Komisija državno pomoč za zagotavljanje tehnične pomoči, dodeljene podjetjem, ki se ukvarjajo s predelavo in trženjem kmetijskih proizvodov, razglasi za združljivo s skupnim trgom v skladu s členom 87(3)(c) PES (zdaj člen 107(3)(c) PDEU), če izpolnjuje vse pogoje iz člena 5 Uredbe (ES) št. 70/2001.
The Austrian authorities have confirmed that these conditions were fulfilled.
V členu 43 Uredbe (ES) št. 800/2008, ki je nadomestila Uredbo (ES) št. 70/2001, je navedeno, da se vsa sklicevanja na Uredbo (ES) št. 70/2001 obravnavajo kot sklicevanja na Uredbo (ES) št. 800/2008 [100].
The aid for quality products for primary producers is therefore in line with the 2007-2013 Guidelines.
Glede pogojev iz člena 26 Uredbe (ES) št. 800/2008 in člena 5(a) Uredbe (ES) št. 70/2001 je naveden sklic na uvodno izjavo 315.
AID FOR UNDERTAKINGS ACTIVE IN PROCESSING AND MARKETING
OCENA TEHNIČNE PODPORE (PRIMARNI PROIZVAJALCI TER PREDELAVA IN TRŽENJE)
Pursuant to point 99 of the 2007-2013 Guidelines, the Commission could declare State aid to encourage the production and marketing of quality agricultural products granted to undertakings active in the processing and marketing of agricultural products compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 87(3)(c) EC (now: Article 107(3)(c) TFEU) if it fulfilled all the conditions set out in Article 5 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 [94].
Avstrijski organi so v zvezi s to točko poudarili, da je bila tehnična podpora celo v obdobju pred letom 2007 v obliki subvencioniranih storitev.
Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 was replaced by Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 [95] (2008-2013 GBER) which in its Article 43 states that any references to Regulation (EC) No 70/2001 should be construed as references to Regulation (EC) No 800/2008.
Naveden je sklic na oceno združljivosti iz oddelka 8.7.
According to its Article 45, Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 entered into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, i.e. on 29 August 2008.
Komisija zato meni, da je navedena pomoč združljiva s skupnim trgom.
Insofar as aid for consultancy services is concerned, those articles stipulate the same conditions: aid could be granted in favour of SMEs, the consultancy costs of services provided by outside consultants were eligible, the aid intensity could not exceed 50 % of the eligible costs of the services and the services concerned could not be a continuous or periodic activity nor relate to the undertaking's usual operating costs, such as routine tax consultancy services, regular legal services or advertising.
Iz informacij, ki so bile na voljo na stopnji sklepa o začetku postopka, ni bilo jasno, ali so avstrijski organi leta 2007 ukrepe za tehnično podporo, ki se preiskujejo, uskladili z navedenimi pogoji iz smernic.
Further, regarding both primary production and processing and marketing, pursuant to point 101 of the Guidelines, aid for investments necessary to upgrade production facilities, including investments necessary to manage the documentation system and perform process and product controls, could be granted only in accordance with the rules set out for investment aid in the 2007-2013 Guidelines.
Zato so bili pozvani, naj pošljejo dodatne informacije, s katerimi bi dokazali, da so bili ukrepi v obdobju od 1. januarja 2007 do 31. decembra 2008 skladni z novimi predpisi.
In this respect, in the opening decision the Commission expressed certain doubts regarding the fulfilment of those conditions which differed from the requirements stipulated in the 2000-2006 Guidelines.
razlikovanje med primarno proizvodnjo ter predelavo in trženjem kmetijskih proizvodov,
In particular, the Commission drew the attention of the Austrian authorities to the following substantive modifications:
glede slednjega se lahko kot združljiva v skladu s smernicami za obdobje 2007–2013 razglasi le pomoč za MSP, področje uporabe upravičenih stroškov se je omejilo na storitve svetovanja ter udeležbo na sejmih in razstavah, intenzivnost pomoči pa se je zmanjšala na 50 %.
special attention was further drawn to the requirements stipulated in Article 14(5) and (6) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
Komisija je v zahtevi po informacijah z dne 19. februarja 2014 Avstrijo ponovno pozvala, naj predloži potrebne informacije o tej točki.
According to these articles, the services had to be provided in kind and based on objectively identified conditions to all undertakings eligible in the area concerned;
Avstrijski organi so v odgovoru z dne 30. aprila 2014 ponovili stališče, izraženo v prejšnjem dopisu iz leta 2012, in niso poslali dodatnih informacij za oceno združljivosti.
another major modification as compared to the 2000-2006 Guidelines concerns the differentiation between primary production and the processing and marketing of agricultural products.
Naveden je sklic na obrazložitev iz uvodnih izjav 322 do 326, ki se nanaša tudi na vrsto pomoči iz tega oddelka.
As regards processing and marketing, only aid for SMEs could be granted as of 2007, the scope of the eligible costs was reduced to consultancy and other services and the aid intensity was reduced to 50 %.
Komisija zaradi navedenih razlogov in, v kolikor pomoč za tehnično podporo, dodeljena podjetjem, ki so se v obdobju od 1. januarja 2007 do 31. decembra 2008 ukvarjala s predelavo in trženjem kmetijskih proizvodov, ni izpolnjevala novih pogojev, določenih za to kategorijo pomoči v smernicah za obdobje 2007–2013 (in sicer pomoč za velika podjetja, pomoč za prvo udeležbo na sejmih, stopnja pomoči, ki presega 50 %, za vsako storitev, ki ni storitev svetovanja, ter udeležba na sejmih, ki presega 50 % ali subvencionirano storitev) (uvodna izjava 350), meni, da taka pomoč ni bila združljiva s skupnim trgom v skladu s členom 87(3)(c) EC (zdaj člen 107(3)(c) PDEU).
Furthermore, regarding primary production aid to large companies could not be declared compatible.
Zato so ti ukrepi združljivi.
From the information available at the stage of the preliminary examination procedure it was unclear whether in 2007 the Austrian authorities brought the measures under examination in line with the above conditions of the 2007-2013 Guidelines.
PARAFISKALNE DAJATVE IN NAMEMBNOSTNA VEZ POMOČI
The Austrian authorities were therefore invited to submit additional information in order to prove that in the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007 the quality support measures complied with the new rules applicable as of 1 January 2007.
Ker se ukrepi, na katere se nanaša ta sklep, financirajo s parafiskalno dajatvijo, mora Komisija proučiti financirane ukrepe, tj. dejansko dodeljeno pomoč, in način njihovega financiranja.
In their submission of 14 September 2012 the Austrian authorities argued that the obligation to adapt to the new State aid rules applied as from 1 January 2008 and not from 1 January 2007, as noted by the Commission (see also recitals 172-173).
V skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso Sodišča mora Komisija, če je način financiranja pomoči, zlasti kadar gre za obvezne prispevke, sestavni del ukrepa pomoči, pri proučevanju pomoči nujno upoštevati navedeni način financiranja [102].
Therefore, the Austrian authorities provided no further information for the compatibility assessment.
Da bi lahko bila taksa ali njen del, sestavni del ukrepa pomoči, morata biti taksa in pomoč na podlagi upoštevne nacionalne zakonodaje nujno neločljivo vsebinsko povezani, in sicer tako, da so prihodki od takse nujno namenjeni financiranju pomoči [103], ter znesek takse bi moral neposredno vplivati na višino državne pomoči [104].
In the request for information of 19 February 2014, the Commission again invited the Austrian authorities to provide the necessary information on this point.
OBDOBJE OD LETA 1995 DO LETA 2001
In their reply of 30 April 2014, the Austrian authorities maintained the view expressed in their previous submission and provided no further information for the compatibility assessment.
V skladu z uvodno izjavo 235 sklepa o začetku postopka je uporaba teh meril za ukrepe, ki se proučujejo, Komisijo vodila do naslednjih predhodnih ugotovitev: zdi se, da je prvo merilo izpolnjeno, saj so bili po trditvah avstrijskih organov do pobranih prispevkov upravičeni izključno tisti ukrepi pomoči, ki jih zajema odločba (glej uvodno izjavo 53).
In the request for information of 17 December 2014, the Commission again asked the Austrian authorities to provide the information for a compatibility assessment of the quality measures.
Komisija glede vprašanja, ali znesek prispevkov neposredno vpliva na znesek državne pomoči, na stopnji sklepa o začetku postopka ni imela vseh potrebnih informacij, da bi ocenila, ali je bilo to merilo izpolnjeno.
The Austrian authorities reiterated that the obligation to adapt to the new State aid rules applied as from 1 January 2008 and not from 1 January 2007.
Zato so bili avstrijski organi pozvani, naj pojasnijo, ali je bil zadevni znesek pomoči neposredno povezan s prihodki od prispevkov, in sicer, ali je bil določen vnaprej ali je bil odvisen od dejanskih potreb trženja organa AMA.
The Commission would like to point out that, contrary to what the Austrian authorities maintain, the obligation to adapt the scheme to the new rules applied as of 1 January 2007 and not as of 1 January 2008.
Komisija je tudi navedla, da če bi morala po predložitvi potrebnih informacij ugotoviti, da so prispevki osrednji del ukrepa pomoči, bi morala proučiti, ali se pri financiranju sheme razlikuje med uvoženimi proizvodi in proizvodi, proizvedenimi v Avstriji [105], ali med izvoženimi nacionalnimi proizvodi in nacionalnimi proizvodi, ki se tržijo na domačem trgu [106] (uvodna izjava 236 sklepa o začetku postopka).
At the time of the entrance into force of the new rules (i.e. 1 January 2007), the Court Case T-375/04 (see recital 22) which led to the annulment of Commission Decision NN 34A/2000 of 30 June 2004 was pending.
Avstrijski organi so bili pozvani, naj pošljejo informacije o teh točkah.
The subsequent annulment of the Commission decision on 18 November 2009 had a retroactive effect.
Pozvani so bili zlasti, naj navedejo, ali je člen 21c(2) zakona o organu AMA, v skladu s katerim je blago s poreklom zunaj Avstrije oproščeno plačila prispevkov (glej uvodno izjavo 58), veljal že leta 1995 ali je bil vstavljen s poznejšo spremembo zakona.
Therefore, Austria could not rely on this decision to consider the aid as an existing aid scheme within the meaning of point 196 of the 2007-2013 Guidelines.
Nadalje je bila država članica pozvana, naj pojasni, ali bi lahko bili proizvodi avstrijskega porekla, ki se tržijo zunaj Avstrije, upravičeni do ukrepa v enakem obsegu kot proizvodi, ki se tržijo v Avstriji.
Furthermore, according to settled jurisprudence
Komisija je v uvodni izjavi 237 sklepa o začetku postopka poudarila, da je morala preveriti tudi, ali zaračunavanje prispevka ni bilo v nasprotju s cilji skupne ureditve trga v kmetijskem sektorju.
‘in essence, (…) a positive decision of the Commission cannot give rise to a legitimate expectation on the part of the aid recipient, first, where that decision has been challenged in due time before the Community judicature, which annulled it, or, secondly, so long as the period for bringing an action has not expired or, where an action has been brought, so long as the Community judicature has not delivered a definitive ruling’ [96].(326) Although the measures covered under this section had been declared compatible by Commission Decision NN 34A/2000 of 30 June 2004, no legitimate expectations were created based on this decision, be it at the level of the beneficiaries or at the level of the Member State.
V zvezi s tem je bilo treba oceniti, ali prispevki niso vplivali na cene končnih proizvodov ter ali je zaradi tega prihajalo do razlikovanja med domačimi in uvoženimi proizvodi.
Therefore, due to the pending action for annulment the Austrian authorities should have applied the 2007-2013 Guidelines starting with 1 January 2007.
Poleg tega so bili pozvani, naj pojasnijo, ali so cene zadevnih proizvodov večinoma tržno usmerjene.
As shown above, the rules concerning undertakings active in the processing and marketing of agricultural products have changed in substance in the 2007-2013 Guidelines.
V dopisu, predloženem 14. septembra 2012, so Komisijo obvestili, da so bili tuji proizvodi oproščeni plačila prispevkov v skladu s členom 2c(2) zakona o organu AMA.
Since the Austrian authorities made no adaptation, the measures on organic products, large undertakings and the measure other than services in kind (as described in recital 318) were not in line with the 2007-2013 Guidelines.
Ta oprostitev je začela veljati s 1. januarjem 1994 in je torej veljala v celotnem obdobju, ki se ocenjuje.
Therefore, the Commission considers these aid measures to be incompatible with the common market.
Glede odnosa s cilji skupne ureditve trga v kmetijskem sektorju so avstrijski organi v dopisu z dne 14. septembra 2012 navedli, da zaradi dejstva, da sta cene oblikovala ponudba in povpraševanje na zadevnih trgih ter da organi niso posredovali, ni bilo mogoče izračunati odstotka prodajnih cen, kolikor je znašal prispevek.
The other measures (i.e. in so far as they do not concern organic products, large undertakings and the measure other than services in kind [97]) complied with the 2007-2013 Guidelines and therefore compatible with the common market.
V istem dopisu so trdili, da znesek prispevkov ni imel neposrednega vpliva na znesek državne pomoči.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY 2000 TO 31 DECEMBER 2006
Poleg prihodka od prispevka organa AMA so obstajali dodatni viri financiranja.
According to point 14.1 of those Guidelines such aids were considered by the Commission as ‘soft aids’ which contributed to the long term viability of agriculture in the Community while producing only very limited effects on competition.
Avstrijski organi so dejansko pokazali, da se financiranje ukrepov organa AMA deloma ni krilo s prispevki [107], zaradi česar znesek porabljene pomoči (ki pa je vplival na obseg dejansko izvedenih ukrepov) ni bil odvisen izključno od prihodka od prispevkov; poleg tega prihodki od prispevkov niso bili dodeljeni izključno za financiranje pomoči [108].
Aid could be granted for up to 100 % of the costs to cover among others the following activities: the organisation of competitions, exhibitions and fairs, including support for the costs incurred by participating in such events; and other activities for the dissemination of knowledge relating to new techniques, such as reasonable small scale pilot projects or demonstration projects.
Zato Komisija meni, da merilo namembnostne vezi v smislu sodne prakse v obdobju od leta 1995 do leta 2001 ni bilo izpolnjeno.
The total amount of support granted could not exceed EUR 100000 over any 3-year period per beneficiary or, in the case of SMEs, 50 % of the eligible costs, whichever was greater (point 14.3 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines).
OBDOBJE OD LETA 2002 DO LETA 2008
Such aid had to be available to all those eligible in the area concerned based on objectively defined conditions (point 14.2 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines).
Avstrijski organi so bili tudi pozvani, naj navedejo potrebne informacije, na podlagi katerih bo lahko Komisija ocenila, ali je parafiskalno financiranje ukrepa (prispevki) sestavni del ukrepov pomoči za obdobje od leta 2002 do leta 2008 (uvodna izjava 238 sklepa o začetku postopka).
TECHNICAL AID FOR THE QUALITY AND THE BIO LABEL IN THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY 2000 TO 31 DECEMBER 2006
Komisija zaradi navedenega in ob upoštevanju, da se viri financiranja niso spreminjali, meni, da tudi v obdobju od leta 2002 do leta 2008 ni obstajala namembnostna vez med prispevki in ukrepi državne pomoči.
Regarding the bio and the quality labels, aid was granted for general information projects, PR-activities to disseminate general knowledge about the labels and for quality competitions (see recitals 100-103).
SKLEPNA UGOTOVITEV O OBSTOJU POMOČI IN ZDRUŽLJIVOSTI
These measures do not induce customers to buy a given product.
Zaradi navedenih razlogov in ne glede na uvodno izjavo 378 ukrepi trženja organa AMA pomenijo državno pomoč.
The information measures fall under the dissemination of knowledge relating to new techniques.
Drugi ocenjeni ukrepi so združljivi z notranjim trgom.
By definition, such general measures benefit all producers using the labels.
Šteje se, da vsako nadomestilo, ki je ob dodelitvi izpolnjevalo pogoje iz uredbe o pomoči de minimis [109], ne pomeni državne pomoči.
Aid to cover the costs for technical support measures falls under point 14.1 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines.
Vsaka pomoč, ki je ob dodelitvi izpolnjevala pogoje skupinske izjeme ali odobrene sheme pomoči, je združljiva z notranjim trgom do največje stopnje intenzivnosti pomoči, ki se uporablja za navedeno vrsto pomoči.
In the information provided relating to the aid scheme NN 34A/2000 the Austrian authorities specified that such aid would never exceed EUR 100000 per beneficiary in a 3-year period (see recital 109).
VRAČILO
In the opening decision the Austrian authorities were invited to provide information to prove that the above assurances were indeed complied with.
Komisija je v skladu s Pogodbo in ustaljeno sodno prakso Sodišča pristojna za odločanje, ali mora zadevna država članica ukiniti ali spremeniti pomoč [110], ko ugotovi, da ni združljiva z notranjim trgom.
Furthermore, they were asked to indicate whether the requirements laid down in points 14.2 and 14.3 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines were fulfilled also in respect of the period 2000-2001 [98].
Sodišče je dosledno trdilo tudi, da je namen obveznosti države, da ukine pomoč, za katero Komisija meni, da ni združljiva z notranjim trgom, ponovna vzpostavitev prejšnjih razmer [111].
In their submission of 14 September 2012, the Austrian authorities confirmed that aid for these measures never exceeded the EUR 100000 threshold per beneficiary in a 3-year period.
V zvezi s tem je Sodišče navedlo, da je ta cilj dosežen, ko prejemnik povrne zneske, ki so mu bili dodeljeni z nezakonito pomočjo, in s tem izgubi prednost, ki jo je imel pred konkurenti na trgu, ter se vzpostavi stanje pred plačilom pomoči [112].
The condition of point 14.3 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines was therefore met.
Na podlagi navedene sodne prakse je v členu 16 Uredbe Sveta (EU) 2015/1589 [113] (v nadaljnjem besedilu: postopkovna uredba) določeno, da „[č]e se v primerih nezakonite pomoči sprejmejo negativni sklepi, Komisija odloči, da mora zadevna država članica sprejeti vse potrebne ukrepe, da upravičenec vrne pomoč“.
As regards the conditions of point 14.2 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines, the Commission asked the Austrian authorities, in a new request for information of 17 December 2014, to provide the information necessary for carrying out a compatibility assessment.
V skladu s členom 17 postopkovne uredbe imajo pooblastila Komisije zahtevati vračilo nezdružljive pomoči desetletni zastaralni rok.
In their reply of 25 February 2015 the Austrian authorities confirmed that the scheme was open to all those eligible in the area concerned based on objectively defined conditions.
Ta rok začne teči na dan, ko je bila nezakonita pomoč dodeljena upravičencu.
The condition of point 14.2 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines was therefore met.
Kakršen koli ukrep glede nezakonite pomoči, ki ga sprejme Komisija, prekine zastaralni rok.
Therefore, the aid for technical support complied with the conditions stipulated in the 2000-2006 Guidelines and the Commission considers that the aid was compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 87(3)(c) EC (now: Article 107(3)(c) TFEU).
Zastaranje se zadrži tako dolgo, dokler je sklep Komisije v postopku pred Sodiščem EU.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR GENERIC PRODUCTS IN THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY 2000 TO 31 DECEMBER 2004 [99]
Pritožba, ki je sprožila ta postopek, je bila prejeta 21. septembra 1999 (glej uvodno izjavo 4) in Komisija je shemo leta 2000 evidentirala kot nepriglašeno pomoč (glej uvodno izjavo 8).
Aid to cover the costs for technical support measures regarding generic products as described in recitals 104-107 fall under point 14.1 (fourth indent) of the 2000-2006 Guidelines.
Navedena dejanja (razdelitev postopka, priznanega z odločbo iz leta 2004) in dopis (avstrijska zahteva z dne 8. marca 2004) prekinjajo dogodke v smislu člena 17 Uredbe Sveta (EU) 2015/1589.
As regards the conditions of points 14.2 and 14.3, at the time of the opening decision the Commission did have no information for this period on the basis of which it could assess whether those conditions were fulfilled.
To pomeni, da ima Komisija pooblastilo, da zahteva vračilo od 1. januarja 1995, tj. datuma pristopa Avstrije k Evropski uniji.
The Austrian authorities were thus invited to submit the necessary information.
V skladu s tretjim stavkom člena 15(2) Uredbe (ES) št. 659/1999 je bil zastaralni rok torej prekinjen od 30. junija 2004 do 27. oktobra 2011.
As regards the condition of point 14.2 of the 2000-2006 Guidelines on aid available to all eligible in the area concerned, the Commission notes that this condition is fulfilled since the technical support measures concerned generic information on products.
Zaradi navedenih razlogov se desetletni zastaralni rok za vračilo v zvezi z ukrepi, ocenjenimi v tem sklepu, ni iztekel.
Therefore, the conditions of the 2000-2006 Guidelines on aid to provide technical support were met.
Zato morajo avstrijski organi zahtevati vračilo nezdružljive državne pomoči iz uvodne izjave 374.
Therefore, the Commission considers that this aid was compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 87(3)(c) EC (now: Article 107(3)(c) TFEU).
V členu 16(1) postopkovne uredbe je natančno določeno, da, „če se v primerih nezakonite pomoči sprejmejo negativni sklepi, Komisija odloči, da mora zadevna država članica sprejeti vse potrebne ukrepe, da upravičenec vrne pomoč“.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY 2007 TO 31 DECEMBER 2008
V členu 16(3) postopkovne uredbe je natančno določeno, da „se vračilo izvede nemudoma in skladno s postopki, določenimi v nacionalnem pravu zadevne države članice, če omogočajo takojšnje in učinkovito izvajanje sklepa Komisije“.
Aid for primary agricultural producers
To pomeni da je treba v skladu z nacionalnim pravom, ki so ga določile države članice, sklep o vračilu v celoti izvesti z izbranimi ukrepi.
Pursuant to point 103 of the 2007-2013 Guidelines, the Commission could declare State aid for the provision of technical support granted to primary producers compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 87(3)(c) EC (now: Article 107(3)(c) TFEU) if it fulfilled all the conditions of Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
Zato je nujno, da nacionalni ukrepi držav članic zagotovijo učinkovito in takojšnje izvajanje odločbe Komisije.
Under Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006, aid was deemed compatible with the common market within the meaning of Article 87(3)(c) EC (now: Article 107(3)(c) TFEU) if it was granted towards the eligible costs of the technical support activities listed in Article 15(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006 and fulfilled the conditions set out in Article 15(3) and (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1857/2006.
V skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso se lahko v primeru negativnih sklepov za nepriglašeno pomoč, zlasti kadar je poteklo precej časa, Komisija zateče k približni oceni glede določitve zneska, za katerega naloži izterjavo [114].