natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Autostrada Wielkopolska points out that in the case N 462/2009, the Commission found State aid granted to Autostrada Wielkopolska for the construction and operation of the section Swiecko — Nowy Tomysl of the A2 Motorway (i.e. the adjacent part of the A2 motorway) to be compatible with the internal market.
Po mnenju Poljske bi zasebni vlagatelj vedel, da bi podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska lahko zahtevalo odškodnino le v znesku, potrebnem za povrnitev izgube (kar bi v tem primeru pomenilo nadomestilo za doseganje […]-odstotne interne stopnje donosnosti), in ne bi sklenil dogovora o dodelitvi višje odškodnine nasprotni stranki.
According to Autostrada Wielkopolska, State aid granted under Annex 6 would therefore have to be compatible as well, for similar reasons.
Poljska odločno nasprotuje trditvi podjetja Autostrada Wielkopolska, da je bila Poljska med pogajanji pod pritiskom zaradi tveganja, da bi morala država podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska nadomestiti izgubo.
In addition, Autostrada Wielkopolska states that since the A2 motorway is located in a region covered by the derogation set out in Article 107(3)(a) TFEU, the aid could also be found compatible with the internal market under this article.
Po mnenju Poljske bi lahko državna zakladnica ob prekinitvi pogodbe s podjetjem Autostrada Wielkopolska sama upravljala avtocesto ali poiskala zamenjavo, vendar po veliko nižjih stroških.
The Commission's Regional Aid Guidelines permit operating aid to be granted in region covered by the derogation set out in Article 107(3)(a) TFEU provided that two criteria are satisfied: (i) it is justified in terms of its contribution to regional development and its nature and (ii) it is proportionate.
Študija WSA o prometu in prihodkih iz leta 2004
Autostrada Wielkopolska submits that the contributions of the motorway to regional development are multiple (e.g. the development of the logistical companies around Poznan and Konin, higher employment, etc.).
Poljska poudarja, da v nasprotju s trditvijo podjetja Autostrada Wielkopolska ni samovoljno izbrala ene od razpoložljivih študij o prometu in prihodkih ter da tega, da ni obvestila Komisije o drugih, domnevno alternativnih študijah, ni storila namerno.
For the criterion of proportionality, AW S.A explains that […].
Poleg tega želi spomniti, da je predložila mnenje svetovalca za promet, tj. družbe Scott Wilson, v katerem so bile upoštevane vse razpoložljive študije o prometu in prihodkih ter navedeno, da bi bilo treba uporabiti študijo WSA iz leta 2004.
Autostrada Wielkopolska describes that in case of a negative decision, the EIB loan could not be refinanced and the EIB would invoke the State guarantee.
Po navedbah Poljske bi bilo treba leta 2005 uporabiti študijo WSA iz leta 2004, saj je bila to najnovejša študija.
As the State would then claim the amount from Autostrada Wielkopolska, which it would not be able to pay, Autostrada Wielkopolska would be forced into bankruptcy and its investors would not have any profit whatsoever.
Študija je bila pripravljena na zahtevo podjetja Autostrada Wielkopolska in je bila posodobljena različica študije iz leta 1999, uporabljene kot osnova za oceno interne stopnje donosnosti projekta na datum zaključnega finančnega obračuna.
Therefore, the Commission was not correct, in Autostrada Wielkopolska's view, to assume that the investors were benefitting from the compensation payments – rather the money was all spent on the motorway.
Poljska se ne strinja s trditvijo podjetja Autostrada Wielkopolska, da se študija WSA iz leta 2004 ne bi smela uporabiti, ker so napovedi po navadi oblikovane za petletno obdobje in ne za obdobje 30 let.
COMMENTS FROM POLAND ON THE INTERESTED PARTY COMMENTS
Poleg tega ugotavlja, da medtem ko študija WSA iz leta 2004 zajema 30-letno obdobje, študija iz leta 1999, ki jo je podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska uporabilo kot osnovo za izračun interne stopnje donosnosti, zajema 35-letno obdobje.
Poland informs that it does not agree with comments made by Autostrada Wielkopolska and that this disagreement relates both to the facts and to the legal assessment.
Poljska tudi poudarja, da medtem ko so bili ob pripravi študije iz leta 2004 podatki o dejanskih prometnih tokovih na voljo le za del avtoceste, se ob pripravi študije iz leta 1999 ni uporabljal noben odsek avtoceste.
On the Relevance of the Arbitral Award
Zato bi bilo po navedbah Poljske ustrezneje uporabiti študijo iz leta 2004 kot študijo iz leta 1999.
Poland remarks that the Arbitral Award is irrelevant to the State aid proceedings by the European Commission because: (i) it concerned only the validity of Annex 6, (ii) only the European Commission is authorised to evaluate whether a measure constitute State aid or not.
Ocena združljivosti
On the economic advantage
Poleg tega je državna pomoč, ki jo je pridobilo podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska, vplivala le na dobičkonosnost projekta, ni pa imela vpliva na spodbujanje kakršnih koli gospodarskih dejavnosti ali gospodarskih območij.
On Autostrada Wielkopolska's right to compensation
Zato se člen 107(3)(c) PDEU za ta primer ne uporablja.
Poland repeats that Autostrada Wielkopolska had a right to seek compensation for the losses incurred due to the legislative amendment releasing HGVs from paying tolls.
Po mnenju Poljske pomoči ni mogoče razglasiti za združljivo državno pomoč v skladu s smernicami o regionalni pomoči, saj ni prispevala k regionalnemu razvoju.
However, the compensation could not put the Concession Holder in a better position than it would have been without the Amendment Act.
OCENA UKREPA
On the light vehicles traffic
Ocena Komisije je v obravnavanem primeru omejena na nadomestilo, ki ga je Poljska dodelila podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska v skladu s Prilogo 6 h koncesijskemu sporazumu za izključitev težkih tovornih vozil iz obveznosti plačevanja cestnine za uporabo avtoceste A2 med krajema Nowy Tomysl in Konin od 1. septembra 2005 do 30. junija 2011.
In reply to Autostrada Wielkopolska's argument that the light vehicles traffic had to be updated because it depends on HGVs traffic which increase was difficult to predict when the shadow toil was introduced in 2005, Poland argues that the real data did not confirm that this dependence indeed existed (i.e. while there was a sharp increase of HGVs traffic observed, the light vehicles traffic was stable in the same period).
Obstoj državne pomoči
Nevertheless, Poland maintains its position that including light vehicles traffic was necessary because ‘the adopted methodology required that the financial model covers the project as a whole’.
Člen 107(1) PDEU določa, da je „vsaka pomoč, ki jo dodeli država članica, ali kakršna koli vrsta pomoči iz državnih sredstev, ki izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco z dajanjem prednosti posameznim podjetjem ali proizvodnji posameznega blaga, nezdružljiva z notranjim trgom, kolikor prizadene trgovino med državami članicami“.
In Poland's view, it was not possible to calculate the IRR for the project taking into account the HGVs traffic only.
Merila iz člena 107(1) PDEU so kumulativna.
In reply to Autostrada Wielkopolska's argument that an update of traffic for other than HGVs was necessary because the concession holder was obliged to carry out works in function of exceeding traffic thresholds (e.g. third lane on the bypass of Poznan), Poland argues that this is irrelevant since the expected increased costs were already considered in the assumptions to the vignette financial model at the signing of Annex No 6 and they do not have any impact on the light vehicle traffic numbers.
Za določitev, ali zadevni ukrep pomeni državno pomoč v smislu člena 107(1) PDEU, morajo biti torej izpolnjeni vsi naslednji pogoji.
On the traffic studies – Internal Rate Return
In sicer za finančno podporo velja, da:
Poland does not agree with Autostrada Wielkopolska's opinion that the amount of compensation negotiated in September 2005 should have been determined so as to allow Autostrada Wielkopolska to achieve the IRR assumed in 2000.
mora biti dodeljena podjetju (njegovi gospodarski dejavnosti);
Poland points out that firstly, the IRR expected at the time of the financial closure, as specified by Autostrada Wielkopolska, was based on the concession holder's estimates and, secondly, under the Concession Agreement, Poland did not guarantee that any rate of return would be achieved by the non-public party.
mora biti financirana iz državnih sredstev in jo je mogoče pripisati državi;
Secondly, during the negotiations preceding the conclusion of Annex 6, Autostrada Wielkopolska did not make known any expectation as to the achievement of the rate of return which was expected on the date of the financial closure in 2000.
mora dajati gospodarsko prednost;
Poland is of the opinion that the economic situation of Autostrada Wielkopolska that existed immediately before the entry into force of the Amendment Act should be taken as a benchmark for determining the amount of damages payable to Autostrada Wielkopolska
mora biti selektivna;
In Poland's view Autostrada Wielkopolska is inconsistent because on the one hand it argues that it was entitled to seek compensation securing the IRR at the time of the financial closure ([…] %), while on the other hand it voluntarily consented to the compensation securing the IRR (in 2005) at the level of ‘merely’ […] % and finally (following the 2007 Verification Report) at the level of […] %.
mora izkrivljati ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco in mora vplivati na trgovino med državami članicami.
For Poland, it is interesting that: Autostrada Wielkopolska has never raised any claims for compensation for loss of Revenue from Operation relating to the difference between the compensated IRR level ([…] %) and the allegedly guaranteed IRR level of […] %.
Gospodarska dejavnost in pojem podjetje
In Poland's view: ‘This should be explained by the fact that in 2005 the expected rate of return calculated on the basis of the data available at that time stood at the level of […] %, which was significantly lower than the IRR level of […] % resulting from the compensation disbursements’.
V skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso mora Komisija najprej ugotoviti, ali je podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska podjetje v smislu člena 107(1) PDEU.
In response to the London Underground argumentation, Poland agrees that the original Concession Agreement is free of State aid.
Pojem podjetje zajema vse subjekte, ki opravljajo gospodarsko dejavnost, ne glede na njihov pravni status in način financiranja.
However Poland objects to Autostrada Wielkopolska's argument that an improvement of Autostrada Wielkopolska's business situation, due to compensation, can only be seen in the […] % (i.e. difference between […] % - IRR expected at financial closure in 2000 and […] % - IRR included in Annex 6), as, according to Poland, improvement lies in the difference between the actual situation of Autostrada Wielkopolska (IRR of […] %) in 2004 and the agreed IRR in Annex 6 ([…] %).
Ponujanje blaga ali storitev na določenem trgu je gospodarska dejavnost.
Poland also does not agree that IRR of […] % is the market rate for motorway projects in Poland as the Commission once approved […] % to be the market rate.
Iz tega sledi, da podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska ponuja storitve na trgu in pomeni podjetje v smislu člena 107(1) PDEU.
Poland argues that the market rate is ‘what actually happens’ and should be determined for ‘each case individually’.
Državna sredstva in pripisljivost državi
The market rate for Autostrada Wielkopolska therefore should be […] %.
Pojem državne pomoči se uporablja za vsako prednost, ki jo iz državnih sredstev dodeli država sama ali posrednik, ki deluje na podlagi dodeljenih pooblastil.
Poland supports its argumentation that Autostrada Wielkopolska enjoyed a material improvement compared to its financial situation both before and after the period of application of the shadow toll by providing three graphs.
V obravnavanem primeru je bilo nadomestilo podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska izplačano iz nacionalnega sklada za ceste.
These graphs show that application of the shadow toll led to revenues for Autostrada Wielkopolska considerably higher than the revenues originally projected and, furthermore, that Autostrada Wielkopolska's revenues returned to the originally projected level after the end of the shadow toll.
Nacionalni sklad za ceste je državni sklad, ustanovljen v okviru Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (v nadaljnjem besedilu: banka BGK) – poljske državne razvojne banke.
Poland states that a private investor would only pay damages he is legally obliged to pay.
Glavni vir financiranja nacionalnega sklada za ceste so prihodki iz dajatve na gorivo (davkom podobna dajatev), uvedene za motorna goriva in plin, dane na poljski trg (ki so jo plačevali proizvajalci in uvozniki motornih goriv), in cestnine, ki jo je neposredno pobiral GDDKiA – osrednji upravni organ, pristojen za nacionalni cestni sistem.
The damages in this scenario come to the amount Autostrada Wielkopolska was missing to achieve the IRR it would have achieved without the Amendment Act.
Zato Komisija meni, da so bila nadomestila podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska financirana iz državnih sredstev.
According to Poland, a private investor would know that Autostrada Wielkopolska could only claim damages limited to the amount necessary to repair the loss (which in this case would be compensation to achieve an IRR of […] %) and would not have entered into a settlement granting higher damages to the counter party.
Poljski parlament je v zakonu o spremembi določil nacionalni sklad za ceste kot vir izplačila nadomestil.
Poland strongly rejects Autostrada Wielkopolska's argument that Poland was under pressure during the negotiations arising from the risk that the State would have to replace Autostrada Wielkopolska.
Poleg tega je bilo v zakonu o spremembi določeno, da je treba nadomestila iz nacionalnega sklada za ceste podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska izplačati na zahtevo generalnega direktorata za državne ceste in avtoceste.
In Poland's view, if the contract with Autostrada Wielkopolska would have been terminated, the State Treasury could have managed the motorway itself or would have sought a replacement but against much lower costs.
Zato Komisija meni, da je mogoče nadomestila podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska pripisati državi.
The 2004 WSA Traffic and Revenue study
V tem oddelku je Komisija najprej proučila in priznala pravico koncesionarja do nadomestila zaradi zakonodajne spremembe.
Poland stresses that it did not, contrary to Autostrada Wielkopolska's claim, arbitrarily select one of the available traffic and revenue studies, nor did it intentionally fail to make known to the Commission other, allegedly alternative studies.
Komisija priznava, da samo prekomerno nadomestilo daje koncesionarju neupravičeno prednost.
Poland reminds that it had submitted the opinion of traffic advisor Scott Wilson, which took into account all available traffic and revenue studies and indicated that the 2004 WSA study should be used.
Drugič, Komisija je obravnavala modele, ki sta jih pogodbenici predstavili med pogajanji.
According to Poland, the 2004 WSA study should have been used in 2005 as it was the most up-to-date study.
Tretjič, Komisija je ugotovila, da je uporaba zastarele študije o prometu pripeljala do prekomernega nadomestila.
The study had been prepared at the request of Autostrada Wielkopolska and was an updated version of the study from 1999, used as the basis for estimating the IRR applicable to the project on the date of the financial closure.
Poleg tega so bile obravnavane nekatere pripombe koncesionarja.
Poland does not accept Autostrada Wielkopolska's argument that the 2004 WSA study should not be used because the forecasts are usually formulated in the perspective of five rather than 30 years.
Na koncu je bil ugotovljen obstoj gospodarske prednosti.
Poland notes that while the 2004 WSA study covers 30-year period, the study from 1999, which Autostrada Wielkopolska took as basis for calculating the IRR, covers a 35-year time horizon.
Pravica do nadomestila
Poland also points out that although at the time the 2004 study was prepared there was only data on actual traffic flows for a part of the motorway available, at the time the 1999 study was prepared, there were no sections of the motorway in use at all.
Komisija najprej ugotavlja, da so bile cestnine glavni vir prihodkov koncesionarja.
Therefore, according to Poland, it was more appropriate to use the study from 2004 than the one from 1999.
Koncesionar je lahko po lastni presoji določal cene cestnin v okviru omejitev, določenih s koncesijskim sporazumom.
Compatibility assessment
Poljska in podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska navajata, da je bila s koncesijskim sporazumom koncesionarju podeljena pravica do nadomestila izgub, nastalih zaradi zadevne zakonodajne spremembe.
In reply to AW S.A's arguments that in the case in question the compatibility assessment would be in general the same as for the case – N 462/09 (positively assessed by the Commission in the past), Poland notes that the aid in that case was granted to facilitate the construction of the road infrastructure while in the present case the motorway had been already constructed and opened in 2004, i.e. before the adoption of the Amendment Act in 2005.
V koncesijskem sporazumu je jasno navedeno, da mora država koncesionarju plačati nadomestilo, če mu ukrepi države onemogočajo spremembo ali prilagoditev cen cestnin (glej člen 12.6 koncesijskega sporazuma, citiran v uvodni izjavi 51).
Hence, Poland argues, the incentive effect is missing.
Zakon o spremembi je koncesionarja prikrajšal ne le za možnost prilagajanja cen cestnin za težka tovorna vozila (v okviru določenih omejitev), temveč tudi za pravico zaračunavanja cestnin težkim tovornim vozilom za uporabo avtoceste.
Moreover, State aid obtained by Autostrada Wielkopolska affected only the profitability of the project and it had no effect on the promotion of any economic activities or economic areas.
Glede na navedeno Komisija meni, da je bil koncesionar v posebnih okoliščinah obravnavanega primera (med drugim, dejstvo, da je bila koncesija predmet razpisa) upravičen do nadomestila zaradi spremembe zakonodaje, ki ga je močno prikrajšala za pravico zaračunavanja cestnin.
Therefore, Article 107(3)(c) TFEU does not apply to the present case.
Komisija tudi priznava, da nadomestilo, ki zgolj izniči učinke zakonodajne spremembe, kot tako ne pomeni državne pomoči.
In Poland's view since the aid did not contributed to regional development, it cannot also be declared compatible State aid under the Regional Aid Guidelines.
Vendar Komisija meni, da nadomestilo, ki presega tisto, kar je po navadi potrebno za izničenje učinkov zakonodajne spremembe, zagotavlja selektivno prednost podjetju.
ASSESSMENT OF THE MEASURE
V zadevnem primeru pravica do nadomestila zaradi učinkov zakonodajne spremembe pomeni pravico koncesionarja, da od države prejme nadomestilo za ponovno vzpostavitev njegovega pričakovanega finančnega položaja tik pred zakonodajno spremembo.
The Commission's assessment in the present case is limited to the compensation granted by Poland to Autostrada Wielkopolska under Annex 6 of the Concession Agreement for excluding heavy goods vehicles from the obligation to pay toll for using the A2 motorway between Nowy Tomysl and Konin from 1 September 2005 to 30 June 2011.
Vendar če je predvideno nadomestilo izboljšalo pričakovani finančni položaj koncesionarja, ker je presegalo nadomestilo, povezano z neposrednimi učinki zakonodajne spremembe, je koncesionar pridobil neupravičeno prednost, ki vključuje državno pomoč v smislu člena 107(1) PDEU.
Existence of State aid
Modeli, uporabljeni za določitev nadomestila
Under Article 107(1) TFEU ‘any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the internal market.’
Da bi Komisija ocenila, ali je višina nadomestila, izplačanega podjetju Autostrada Wielkopolska, pomenila neupravičeno prednost, ker je izboljšala njegov finančni položaj v primerjavi s položajem, ki bi obstajal brez zadevne zakonodajne spremembe, je podrobno proučila postopek, s katerim so bila določena plačila nadomestil, pa tudi finančne modele, uporabljene v ta namen.
The criteria provided for in Article 107(1) TFEU are cumulative.
Ta analiza je predstavljena v nadaljevanju.
Therefore, in order to determine whether the measure in question constitutes aid within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU, all of the following conditions need to be fulfilled.
Možen kazalnik finančnega položaja koncesionarja je interna stopnja donosnosti denarnih tokov, ki jo je koncesionar pričakoval tik pred zakonodajno spremembo.
Namely, the financial support must:
Poljska in podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska sta se v Prilogi 6 h koncesijskemu sporazumu dogovorila, da izmed uresničljivih kazalnikov interne stopnje donosnosti uporabita dejanski letni skupni donos lastniškega kapitala delničarjev in podrejeni dolg, izražen v EUR.
be granted to an undertaking (economic activity);
Za izračun interne stopnje donosnosti se uporablja splošno sprejeta standardna metodologija za določanje donosnosti naložb.
be financed through State resources and be imputable to the State;
Zato Komisija meni, da je uporaba tega kazalnika razumna in ji zato ne nasprotuje.
be selective;
To so osnovni model, model dejanskega cestninjenja in vinjetni model, predstavljen v uvodni izjavi 29.
distort or threaten to distort competition and affect trade between Member States.
Osnovni model predstavlja finančni položaj koncesionarja z […]-odstotno interno stopnjo donosnosti ob zaključnem finančnem obračunu leta 2000, kot je opisano v uvodni izjavi 29(a).
Economic activity and notion of undertaking
Vendar Komisija meni, da interna stopnja donosnosti, ki bi jo koncesionar lahko pričakoval na začetku koncesije, v obravnavanem primeru ni pomembna, saj koncesijski sporazum ne jamči kakršne koli interne stopnje donosnosti v obdobju koncesije, temveč prenaša tržna in finančna tveganja, pa tudi priložnosti na koncesionarja.
According to settled case law, the Commission must first establish whether Autostrada Wielkopolska is an undertaking within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU.
Zato je lahko pričakovana interna stopnja donosnosti v vsakem trenutku obdobja koncesije drugačna, odvisno od uresničitve tveganj in priložnosti.
The concept of undertaking covers any entity engaged in an economic activity, regardless of its legal status and the way in which it is financed.
V modelu dejanskega cestninjenja, kot je opisan v uvodni izjavi 29(b) (za več podrobnosti glej model 1 v preglednici 2), so uporabljene napovedi prometa in prihodkov iz študije WSA iz leta 1999 za obdobje napovedi (od leta 2005 do konca koncesije leta 2037).
Offering goods or services on a given market is an economic activity.
Model predstavlja finančni položaj koncesionarja na dan 31. decembra 2004 v hipotetičnih razmerah brez zakonodajne spremembe, tj. scenarij, v katerem bi koncesionar pobiral cestnine od vseh vozil, ki uporabljajo avtocesto A2, do konca koncesije.
In this regard, the Commission notes that the A2 motorway between Nowy Tomysl and Konin is operated on a commercial basis as any vehicle that can transit on motorways can use the A2 motorway against payment in the form of a toll that is income of the concession holder.
Po tem modelu je bila pričakovana interna stopnja donosnosti […]-odstotna.
It follows that Autostrada Wielkopolska is offering services on the market and constitutes an undertaking for the purposes of Article 107(1) TFEU.
Vinjetni model, opisan v uvodni izjavi 29(c) (za več podrobnosti glej model 2 v preglednici 2), predstavlja finančni položaj koncesionarja z zakonodajno spremembo, tj. scenarij, v katerem bi težka tovorna vozila brezplačno uporabljala avtocesto A2, država pa bi plačevala nadomestilo iz naslova prikritega cestninjenja v višini 70 % najvišjih dovoljenih cen cestnin.
State resources and imputability to the State
V tem modelu je podjetje Autostrada Wielkopolska uporabilo lastne predpostavke o prometu, da težka tovorna vozila z vinjeto brezplačno uporabljajo avtocesto A2.