natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
However, for the reasons stated in recitals 120-143 the Commission considers that measures 3, 4, 5 and 6 constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty and will therefore assess their lawfulness and compatibility with the internal market.
Komisija je zato sklenila, da je bilo podjetje Estonian Air ob zagotovitvi ukrepov 3, 4, 5 in 6 podjetje v težavah in da izpolnjuje preostale zahteve iz smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 in smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2014 glede upravičenosti do pomoči za reševanje in/ali prestrukturiranje.
Legality of the aid
Združljivost ukrepa 3
Article 108(3) of the Treaty states that a Member State shall not put an aid measure into effect before the Commission has adopted a decision authorising the measure.
Komisija najprej ugotavlja, da niso izpolnjeni kumulativni pogoji za pomoč za reševanje iz točke 25 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004:
The Commission first observes that Estonia implemented measures 3, 4 and 5 without notifying them previously to the Commission for approval.
ukrep 3 je kapitalska injekcija v obliki denarnih sredstev (17,9 milijona EUR), zato ga ne sestavlja likvidnostna podpora v obliki jamstev za posojila ali posojil;
The Commission regrets that Estonia did not comply with the stand-still obligation and has therefore violated its obligation according to Article 108(3) of the Treaty.
Estonija ni predložila utemeljitve, na podlagi katere bi lahko Komisija sklepala, da je bil ukrep 3 zagotovljen zaradi resnih socialnih težav;
As regards measure 6, the Commission understands that the EUR 40,7 million capital injection has not yet been carried out.
Estonija Komisije ni obvestila o načrtu prestrukturiranja ali načrtu likvidacije šest mesecev po prvi izvedbi ukrepa;
Thus, Article 108(3) of the Treaty has been respected in relation to the notified restructuring measure.
ukrep 3 ni bil omejen na znesek, ki ga je podjetje Estonian Air potrebovalo za nadaljnje poslovanje v obdobju, med katerim se je odobrila pomoč.
Acceptability of the modified restructuring plan of 31 October 2014
Komisija je ocenila tudi, ali so izpolnjena merila glede združljivosti pomoči za prestrukturiranje.
Before analysing the compatibility of the aid measures identified described in Section 7.1, the Commission needs to establish on which of the submitted restructuring plans such analysis should be conducted.
Točka 34 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 določa, da mora biti dodelitev pomoči pogojena z izvajanjem načrta prestrukturiranja, ki ga mora v vseh primerih posameznih pomoči potrditi Komisija in ki mora obnoviti dolgoročno sposobnost preživetja podjetja v smiselnem časovnem okviru in na podlagi realističnih predvidevanj prihodnjih pogojev poslovanja.
Since the modified restructuring plan of October 2014 significantly extends the restructuring period from 5 years to 6 years and one month, moves backwards its start date by more than two years and includes additional aid measures, it cannot be considered as a simple development of the notified restructuring plan of June 2013.
Kot je pojasnjeno v uvodnih izjavah 123 in 124, je poslovni načrt iz leta 2010 temeljil na preveč ambicioznih napovedih rasti števila potnikov, analiza občutljivosti pa je bila nezadostna.
As described in Section 4.7, the extension of the restructuring period effectively means that three distinct and opposing business strategies would be combined into a single restructuring plan.
Navedene okoliščine bi same po sebi zadostovale za izključitev združljivosti ukrepa z notranjim trgom [50].
The strategy of Estonian Air in 2011 and at the beginning of 2012 was to expand operations (additional aircraft, routes, staff, etc.) with the aim of becoming a regional hub-and-spoke operator, while the strategy in 2012-2014 (developed by a newly appointed management team) was exactly the opposite — reduction of capacities and focus on point-to-point operations on a limited number of core routes.
Poleg tega estonski organi niso predlagali nobenih morebitnih ukrepov za preprečevanje neupravičenega izkrivljanja konkurence (izravnalnih ukrepov) in niso zagotovili prispevka podjetja Estonian Air k lastnemu prestrukturiranju.
The restructuring plan would thus combine several radically different business strategies based on different business plans and prepared by different management teams with totally different business objectives.
Zato je ukrep 3 državna pomoč, ki je nezdružljiva z notranjim trgom.
It is evident that originally (in November 2010 when the third measure was granted) the strategies described in Section 4.7 were not considered as one continuous restructuring plan.
Združljivost ukrepa 4
Further, their differences are such that they cannot be considered as mere adaptations to the original plan notified in June 2013 reacting to developments during its implementation.
V zvezi z ukrepom 4 se smiselno uporabljajo ugotovitve glede ukrepa 3, opisane v uvodnih izjavah 177 do 180.
Their combination into one plan is made ex post with the sole apparent aim of including within restructuring aid the measures of the State in the period 2010-2012 (namely measures 3 and 4), in an attempt to avoid a breach of the ‘one time, last time’ principle for the originally notified restructuring aid.
Dokapitalizacija v višini 30 milijonov EUR zlasti ne izpolnjuje zahtev glede pomoči za reševanje iz točke 15 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004, saj (a) ni sestavljena iz likvidnostne podpore v obliki jamstev za posojila ali posojil, (b) Estonija ni predložila utemeljitve, na podlagi katere bi lahko Komisija sklepala, da je bil ukrep 3 zagotovljen zaradi resnih socialnih težav, (c) Estonija Komisije ni obvestila o načrtu prestrukturiranja ali načrtu likvidacije šest mesecev po prvi izvedbi ukrepa in (d) ukrep 3 ni bil omejen na znesek, ki ga je podjetje Estonian Air potrebovalo za nadaljnje poslovanje v obdobju, med katerim se je pomoč odobrila.
In addition, accepting the modified restructuring plan would lead to an absurd situation where part of the assessed restructuring aid was used in 2011/2012 to expand Estonian Air’s capacity and operations while another part of the restructuring aid was subsequently used to reduce its capacities and operations as of 2013.
Poleg tega estonski organi niso predlagali niti lastnega prispevka podjetja Estonian Air niti ustreznih izravnalnih ukrepov.
No single restructuring plan would have included both of these mutually incompatible strategies.
Prav nasprotno se je dokapitalizacija uporabila za razširitev dejavnosti podjetja Estonian Air in uvedbo novih prog.
Moreover, the Commission notes that if Estonia had notified — and the Commission had authorised — measures 3 and 4 as restructuring aid, the fact that new aid in 2013 would have been in breach of the ‘one time, last time’ principle would be undisputable.
Komisija tudi ugotavlja, da v skladu z načelom enkratnosti pomoči iz oddelka 3.3 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004, „če je od dodelitve pomoči za reševanje ali od konca obdobja prestrukturiranja ali od ustavitve izvajanja načrta prestrukturiranja preteklo manj kot 10 let (upošteva se tisto, kar je bilo najkasneje), Komisija ne dovoli dodelitve nadaljnje pomoči za reševanje ali prestrukturiranje“.
Thus, if the Commission accepted the modified restructuring plan, which — due to the backward extension of the restructuring period — includes measures 3 and 4, Estonia would be better off by not notifying the aid than if it had notified it.
Če je bil ukrep 3 (nezakonita in nezdružljiva pomoč za reševanje) podjetju Estonian Air odobren novembra 2010, bi odobritev kapitalske injekcije (ukrep 4) kršila načelo enkratnosti pomoči.
In the past, the Commission has accepted the existence of restructuring continuums based on a single restructuring strategy, with some amendments and developments over time but never with totally opposing business strategies as in this case.
Od morebitnih izjem od tega načela bi se lahko v skladu s točko 73 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 uporabljala le izjema (c) („izjemn[e] in nepredvidljiv[e] okoliščin[e], za katere podjetje ni odgovorno“).
For instance in the Varvaressos case [44], the Commission considered that the measures granted to this firm between 2006 and 2009 were to be assessed as part of a restructuring continuum on the basis of a restructuring plan dated 2009 (covering the period 2006-2011).
Vendar Estonija ni predložila nobenih utemeljitev, na podlagi katerih bi lahko Komisija sklepala, da se je ukrep 4 podjetju Estonian Air zagotovil na podlagi izjemnih in nepredvidljivih okoliščin.
The 2009 restructuring plan of Varvaressos was considered as an evolution of a ‘strategic and business plan’ dating from 2006 and was based on the same business strategy with basically the same restructuring measures which started as of 2006 and continued to be implemented till 2009 and beyond.
Zato je Komisija sklenila, da je ukrep 4 prav tako državna pomoč, nezdružljiva z notranjim trgom.
The facts in the Varvaressos case were thus significantly different from the current case where the business model has radically changed twice throughout the extended restructuring period.
Združljivost ukrepa 5
For those reasons, the Commission considers that the modified restructuring plan of October 2014 cannot be accepted as a basis for assessing the notified restructuring aid.
V sklepih o začetku postopka v zvezi s pomočjo za reševanje je Komisija navedla, da je ukrep 5 izpolnjeval večino meril glede pomoči za reševanje iz oddelka 3.1 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004, vendar je izrazila pomisleke, ali se je upoštevalo načelo enkratnosti pomoči.
The assessment of the aid will thus be based on the originally notified restructuring plan of June 2013.
Ker sta ukrepa 3 in 4 nezdružljiva in nezakonita pomoč za reševanje, je Komisija sklenila, da je bilo načelo enkratnosti pomoči iz točke 70 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2014 kršeno tudi pri ukrepu 5.
The Commission also notes that even if, hypothetically, it were to accept the modified restructuring plan as a basis for assessment of the restructuring aid (quid non), significant compatibility issues would remain (such as the unusually long restructuring period of more than six years [45], the apparent lack of adequate compensatory measures which, despite an increase in the total amount of aid, are even less significant than in the June 2013 restructuring plan).
Zato ni treba proučiti, ali so bila izpolnjena tudi druga merila iz smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2014.
Finally, the privatisation of Estonian Air through the sale by the State of […] % of its shares to Infortar for a negative price without any tendering procedure could lead to additional concerns about possible aid to Infortar.
Zato je Komisija sklenila, da je ukrep 5 prav tako pomoč za reševanje, nezdružljiva z notranjim trgom.
Despite an independent expert study provided by the Estonian authorities indicating the total equity value of Estonian Air at the time of Infortar’s acquisition of those shares within a range of EUR […] million, Infortar would not actually pay anything to the State for that shareholding.
Združljivost ukrepa 6
Compatibility of the aid
V zvezi z načrtovano pomočjo za prestrukturiranje v višini 40,7 milijona EUR (ukrep 6) pomisleki Komisije glede sklepa o začetku postopka v zvezi s pomočjo za prestrukturiranje med formalnim postopkom preiskave niso bili odpravljeni.
Insofar as measures 3, 4, 5 and 6 constitute State aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) of the Treaty, their compatibility must be assessed in the light of the exceptions laid down in paragraphs 2 and 3 of that Article.
V skladu s točko 34 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 mora biti dodelitev pomoči pogojena z izvajanjem načrta prestrukturiranja, ki ga mora v vseh primerih posameznih pomoči potrditi Komisija.
According to the case-law of the Court of Justice, it is up to the Member State to invoke possible grounds of compatibility and to demonstrate that the conditions for such compatibility are met [46].
V točki 35 je pojasnjeno, da mora načrt prestrukturiranja, katerega trajanje mora biti čim krajše, obnoviti dolgoročno sposobnost preživetja podjetja v smiselnem časovnem okviru in na podlagi realističnih predvidevanj prihodnjih pogojev poslovanja.
The Estonian authorities are of the view that measures 5 and 6 entail State aid and have therefore provided arguments for assessing their compatibility Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty, and in particular with the 2004 R&R Guidelines.
V skladu s točko 36 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 morajo biti v načrtu prestrukturiranja opisane okoliščine, ki so privedle do težav podjetja, ter upoštevano sedanje stanje in pričakovane tržne napovedi v prihodnosti ter zajeti najbolj optimistični, najbolj pesimistični in osnovni scenariji.
As stated in the rescue aid opening decisions, the Commission considers that the exceptions laid down in Article 107(2) of the Treaty are not applicable in view of the nature of measures 3 and 4.
Kot je navedeno v sklepu o začetku postopka, je imela Komisija pomisleke, ali je bil načrt prestrukturiranja iz junija 2013 dovolj trden za ponovno doseganje dolgoročne rentabilnosti podjetja Estonian Air.
This is so despite the fact that Estonian Air is located in an assisted area and could be eligible for regional aid.
Poleg tega je analiza občutljivosti pokazala, da bi bila lahko zaradi razmeroma majhnih sprememb posameznih predpostavk potrebna dodatna finančna sredstva.
Therefore, it appears that the compatibility of measures 3 and 4 can only be assessed under Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty, which states that aid can be authorised where it is granted to promote the development of certain economic sectors and where this aid does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
Dejstvo, da je bila uspešnost podjetja Estonian Air leta 2013 na splošno v skladu z napovedmi, ni pomembno za predhodno oceno načrta prestrukturiranja.
In particular, the compatibility of measures 3 and 4 should be assessed in the light of the 2004 R&R Guidelines [48], also bearing in mind the provisions of the 1994 Aviation guidelines.
Poleg tega to ni več veljalo leta 2014, saj so bili prihodki in dobiček nižji od napovedi iz načrta prestrukturiranja.
In view of the disbursement of the remaining part of the rescue loan facility on 28 November 2014, measure 5 needs to be assessed under Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring non-financial undertakings in difficulty (2014 R&R Guidelines) [49].
V zvezi z ukrepi za omejevanje neupravičenega izkrivljanja konkurence (izravnalni ukrepi) načrt prestrukturiranja predvideva sprostitev slotov na treh koordiniranih letališčih (London Gatwick, Helsinki in Dunaj) ter ukinitev 12 prog, ki bi predstavljale 18 % zmogljivosti podjetja Estonian Air pred prestrukturiranjem.
Recital 10 of the 2004 R&R Guidelines clarifies that a limited liability company is regarded as being in difficulty where more than half of its registered capital has disappeared and more than one quarter of that capital has been lost over the preceding 12 months, or where it fulfils the criteria under its domestic law for being the subject of collective insolvency proceedings.
„Marža stopnje kritja 1“ je opredeljena kot skupni prihodki, zmanjšani za variabilne stroške, povezane s potniki, rezultat pa se nato deli s skupnimi prihodki, „stopnja donosnosti“ pa vključuje fiksne stroške (fiksne stroške vzdrževanja, stroške posadke in stroške, povezane s floto), vendar ne drugih režijskih stroškov.
Recital 11 of the 2004 R&R Guidelines adds that, even if the conditions in recital 10 are not satisfied, a firm may be considered to be in difficulty in particular where the usual signs of a firm being in difficulty are present, such as increasing losses, diminishing turnover, growing stock inventories, excess capacity, declining cash flow, mounting debt, rising interest charges and falling or nil net asset value.
V skladu s prakso Komisije v številnih zadevah v zvezi s pomočjo prestrukturiranja v letalskem sektorju se proge štejejo za donosne, če so imele pozitivno stopnjo kritja C1 v letu pred njihovo ukinitvijo [51].
The Commission first notes that Estonian Air has continuously registered significant losses since 2006:
Stopnja kritja C1 upošteva stroške leta, potnikov in distribucije (tj. spremenljive stroške), ki jih je mogoče pripisati posamezni progi.
Table 6
Stopnja kritja C1 je ustrezen podatek, saj upošteva vse stroške, ki so neposredno povezani z zadevno progo.
Net results of Estonian Air since 2006
Proge s pozitivno stopnjo kritja C1 krijejo spremenljive stroške proge in poleg tega prispevajo h kritju fiksni stroškov podjetja.
Source:
Komisija ugotavlja, da je „stopnja prispevka DOC“ v večji meri enakovredna stopnji kritja C1.
Annual reports of Estonian Air, available at http://estonian-air.ee/en/info/about-the-company/financial-reports/.
Na podlagi navedenega Komisija ugotavlja, da bi bili le dve progi (Benetke in Kuressaare), ki skupaj predstavljata približno le 1 % zmogljivosti podjetja v smislu ASK, dejansko donosni in bi se lahko šteli za ustrezna izravnalna ukrepa.
From 2006 to 2010 the annual reports of Estonian Air are expressed EEK.
Estonija trdi, da bi bile lahko te proge zaradi povečanja donosa v okviru nove strategije, predvidene v načrtu prestrukturiranja, donosne v novem omrežju in bi lahko koristile drugim letalskim prevoznikom, saj bi si lahko zagotovili marginalen donos od potnikov, ki so v preteklosti potovali z Estonian Air.
The conversion rate used is EUR 1 = EEK 15,65.
Vendar Estonija ni predložila posebnih izračunov v zvezi z morebitno stopnjo donosnosti v okviru novega poslovnega modela.
(in EUR thousands)
Prav nasprotno, v načrtu prestrukturiranja je jasno navedeno, da te proge „trenutno niso niti donosne niti ne morejo prispevati k stroškom letal“.
The significant losses of Estonian Air constitute a first indication of the airline’s difficulties.
Zato se v skladu z ustaljeno prakso Komisije deset od dvanajstih predlaganih prog ne more sprejeti za izravnalne ukrepe.
In addition, it appears that some of the usual signs of a firm being in difficulty were also present.
Komisija je sklenila, da sprostitev slotov na treh koordiniranih letališčih in ukinitev dveh donosnih prog, ki predstavljata približno 1 % zmogljivosti letalskega prevoznika, ne odtehtata škodljivega učinka pomoči za prestrukturiranje za podjetje Estonian Air.
For instance, it appears that Estonian Air’s interest expenses have been constantly increasing since 2008:
Predlagani lastni prispevek podjetja Estonian Air v skladu z načrtom prestrukturiranja sestavljajo 27,8 milijona EUR od načrtovane prodaje treh letal leta 2015, 7,5 milijona EUR od prodaje poslovne stavbe letališču v Talinu, 2 milijona EUR od prodaje neključnih sredstev in 0,7 milijona EUR od novega posojila, ki ga je zagotovil […].
Interest expenses of Estonian Air since 2006
Vendar je Estonija predložila verodostojno vrednotenje prima facie svetovalnega podjetja, v katerem je bila ocenjena morebitna prodajna cena za tip zadevnega letala.
(in EUR)
Poleg tega je Estonija navedla, da letalski prevoznik s potencialnimi partnerji razpravlja o prodaji in povratnem najemu.
Estonian Air’s return on assets and return on equity have consistently been negative since 2006, while the debt-to-equity ratio constantly increased between 2006 and 2008, when it reached [80-90] %.
Na podlagi navedenega in ob upoštevanju predhodnih zadev v zvezi z letalskimi prevozniki Komisija meni, da je predlagani lastni prispevek v višini 36,44 milijona EUR (od skupnih stroškov prestrukturiranja v višini 78,7 milijona EUR (glej uvodno izjavo 55), ki predstavlja 46,3 % stroškov prestrukturiranja, sprejemljiv, če se upošteva dejstvo, da je Estonija območje, ki prejema pomoč.
The reason why this ratio went down in 2009 and 2010 is due to the capital increases that took place in those years and not because Estonian Air’s debt was reduced.
Čeprav se lastni prispevek zdi sprejemljiv, ima Komisija še vedno pomisleke o ponovnem doseganju dolgoročne rentabilnosti in izravnalnih ukrepih.
In addition, between 2010 and 2011, the net debt of Estonian Air exploded, passing from EUR [5-10] million to EUR [40-50] million.
Komisija je tako kot pri ukrepih 4 in 5 sklenila, da je bilo načelo enkratnosti pomoči kršeno tudi pri ukrepu 6.
The net debt continued to grow further in 2012 (EUR [50-60] million), 2013 (EUR [50-60] million) and 2014 (EUR [60-70] million).
V obdobju 2010–2014 je bilo podjetju v težavah Estonian Air odobrenih več ukrepov pomoči (ukrepi 3, 4 in 5).
In addition, the Estonian authorities explained that at the end of November 2011, the airline had only EUR 3,1 million in cash, and was set to breach a cash covenant to […] at the end of the year, meaning the airline would have been in default of its loans to […].
Poleg tega se izjeme iz točke 73 smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 ne uporabljajo.
Also, Estonian Air stopped paying some major suppliers in November 2011 and by the end of that month the working capital was not in balance: the accounts receivable were EUR 5,5 million, while the accounts payable were EUR 10,6 million.
Zaradi nesprejemljivosti spremenjenega načrta prestrukturiranja z dne 31. oktobra 2014 se pomoč za prestrukturiranje ne more šteti za pomoč, ki je sledila dodelitvi pomoči za reševanje kot del enotnega ukrepa za prestrukturiranje (pogoj (a) točke 73).
Default of payment is a typical sign of a firm in difficulty.
Zato pomoč za prestrukturiranje (ukrep 6), predvidena v načrtu prestrukturiranja iz junija 2013, ne izpolnjuje meril iz smernic za reševanje in prestrukturiranje iz leta 2004 in je nezdružljiva državna pomoč.
The Commission also notes that more than half of the airline’s equity disappeared between 2010 and 2011.
IZTERJAVA
In that period, the airline lost more than one quarter of its capital.
V skladu s Pogodbo in ustaljeno sodno prakso Sodišča je Komisija pristojna za sprejetje odločitve, da mora zadevna država članica ukiniti ali spremeniti pomoč [52], ko ugotovi, da je nezdružljiva z notranjim trgom.
Therefore, the criterion of recital 10(a) of the 2004 R&R Guidelines also seems to be fulfilled.
Sodišče se je dosledno držalo stališča, da je obveznost države članice, da ukine pomoč, za katero Komisija meni, da je nezdružljiva z notranjim trgom, namenjena ponovni vzpostavitvi predhodnega stanja [53].
Despite the capital injections in December 2011 and March 2012 (measure 4), the airline’s financial situation deteriorated in 2012 and by the end of July 2012, Estonian Air had reached a state of technical bankruptcy under Estonian law (see recital 25 above).
V tem okviru je Sodišče ugotovilo, da je cilj dosežen, ko prejemnik povrne zneske, dodeljene na podlagi nezakonite pomoči, in tako izgubi prednost, ki jo je imel pred konkurenti na trgu, in ko se ponovno vzpostavijo razmere pred izplačilom pomoči [54].
Therefore, as from this point in time, Estonian Air could also be considered a firm in difficulty on the basis of recital 10(c) of the 2004 R&R Guidelines.
V skladu z navedeno sodno prakso člen 16 Uredbe Sveta (EU) 2015/1589 [55] navaja, 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“.
Therefore, the Commission concludes that Estonian Air would qualify as a firm in difficulty under recital 11 of the 2004 R&R Guidelines since at least 2009.
Ker se obravnavani ukrepi štejejo za nezdružljivo pomoč, jo je treba izterjati, da se ponovno vzpostavijo razmere na trgu, kakršne so bile pred dodelitvijo pomoči.
In addition, Estonian Air would also fulfil the requirements of recitals 10(a) and 10(c) of the 2004 R&R Guidelines at later points in time.
Izterjava se izvede od datuma, ko je upravičenec pridobil prednost, tj. ko mu je bila pomoč dana na voljo, pri čemer se temu znesku prištejejo obresti izterjave do datuma dejanske izterjave pomoči.