natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
In this respect, the Norwegian authorities stated that for undertakings in the manufacturing sector, the exposure to competition was examined on the basis of regional data on exports and imports.
V tej povezavi so norveške oblasti navedle, da je bila izpostavljenost konkurenci za podjetja v proizvodnem sektorju preučena na podlagi regijskih podatkov o izvozu in uvozu.
The Norwegian authorities clarified that the ECON report did not presuppose that the analysis of these figures may be sufficient to identify economic sectors not affected by competition from undertakings in other EEA States but sufficient to confirm that aid to a certain sector may actually affect trade.
Norveške oblasti so pojasnile, da poročilo ECON ni predpostavilo, da bi analiza teh številk lahko zadostovala za opredelitev gospodarskih sektorjev, ki niso izpostavljeni konkurenci podjetij v drugih državah EGP, lahko pa bi zadostovala za potrditev, da bi pomoč nekaterim sektorjem dejansko lahko vplivala na trgovino.
As regards the undertakings in the service sectors, the Norwegian authorities argued that the exposure to competition was examined mainly on the basis of the knowledge of the market situation in the different business sectors and on interviews with a sample of enterprises.
Glede na podjetja v storitvenem sektorju so norveške oblasti trdile, da je bila izpostavljenost konkurenci preučena predvsem na podlagi poznavanja razmer na trgu v različnih gospodarskih sektorjih in razgovorih z vzorcem podjetij.
To be classified as a purely local activity, one condition was that undertakings in the relevant service sector itself did not participate in cross-border activities.
Podjetja v ustreznem gospodarskem sektorju se lahko uvrstijo med izključno lokalne dejavnosti, če ne sodelujejo v čezmejnih dejavnostih.
However, this was not applied as a sufficient condition.
Vendar ta pogoj ni zadostoval.
The ECON report also evaluated whether the specific service activity located in a given region was capable of attracting customers from another location or EEA State.
Poročilo ECON je obenem ocenilo, ali določena storitvena dejavnost v dani regiji lahko privablja stranke iz drugih krajev ali držav EGP.
As regards a possible future situation, the interviewed firms were asked what they considered would be the effect on their customers’ trade patterns if the price of the service rendered locally were to be increased by a specified percentage or if the price for the same service offered by firms located in the neighbouring Nordic countries were to be increased.
Intervjuvana podjetja so v zvezi z morebitnim prihodnjim stanjem vprašali, kaj bi po njihovem mnenju vplivalo na trgovinske tokove njihovih strank, če bi se cena krajevne storitve zvišala za določen odstotek ali če bi se zvišala cena za enako storitev, ki jo ponujajo podjetja v sosednih nordijskih državah.
Fourthly, the Norwegian authorities considered that it was for the Authority to assess whether any of the sectors or beneficiaries covered by the notified measure may be granted aid that does not affect trade between the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement.
Norveške oblasti so upoštevale, da je naloga Organa oceniti, ali se kateremu od sektorjev ali upravičencev, zajetih v priglašeni ukrep, lahko dodeli pomoč, ki ne vpliva na trgovino med pogodbenicami Sporazuma EGP.
The notified measure has not been put into effect.
Priglašeni ukrep ni bil sprejet.
Hence, the Norwegian authorities have respected their obligations pursuant to Article 1(3) in Part I of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement.
Norveške oblasti so zato izpolnile svoje obveznosti na podlagi člena 1(3) dela I Protokola 3 k Sporazumu o nadzornem organu in sodišču.
The Norwegian authorities have notified their ‘intention to continue as from 1 January 2005 the scheme of differentiated social security contributions applicable before 1 January 2004for sectors not exposed to competition from undertakings in other EEA States.’ No concrete draft proposal for regulations or laws governing the application of the measure has been notified.
Norveške oblasti so priglasile svojo „namero, da od 1. januarja 2005 naprej nadaljujejo shemo prispevkov za socialno varnost, ki se razlikujejo po regijah in ki so jih pred 1. januarjem 2004 uporabljali za sektorje, ki niso izpostavljeni konkurenci podjetij iz drugih držav EGP.“ Priglašen ni bil noben dejanski osnutek predloga za uredbe ali zakone, ki urejajo uporabo ukrepa.
The Norwegian authorities have notified a report on the basis of which they intend to reintroduce the old scheme of regionally differentiated and reduced rates of social security contributions in favour of certain sectors.
Norveške oblasti so priglasile poročilo, na podlagi katerega nameravajo v korist nekaterih sektorjev ponovno uvesti staro shemo znižanih prispevkov za socialno varnost in prispevkov, ki se razlikujejo po regijah.
Although it states that the identification of competition interfaces could be used to draft a proposal for rules, the ECON report does neither contain any proposal for rules as would normally be the case for an aid scheme nor is such a proposal made in the notification.
Čeprav poročilo ECON navaja, da bi opredelitev konkurenčnih vmesnikov lahko uporabili za izdelavo osnutka predloga pravil, ne vsebuje nobenega predloga pravil, kar je sicer v navadi za shemo pomoči. Tudi v priglasitvi ni takšnega predloga.
Based on the complementory information submitted by the Norwegian authorities in the notification and during the formal investigation procedure, it seems that the Norwegian authorities want to continue (or reintroduce) the old system of regionally differentiated and reduced rates of social security contributions, but to limit its application to the sectors listed in the ECON report.
Na podlagi redkih informacij, ki so jih norveške oblasti predložile v priglasitvi in med formalnim postopkom preiskave se zdi, da želijo norveške oblasti nadaljevati (ali ponovno uvesti) stari sistem znižanih prispevkov za socialno varnost in prispevkov, ki se razlikujejo po regijah, vendar bi njegovo uporabo omejili na sektorje, naštete v poročilu ECON.
The Authority sees no reason why the notified measure should not be classified as a scheme, although its scope of application has been narrowed down.
Organ ne vidi razloga, zakaj priglašeni ukrep ne bi bil opredeljen kot shema, čeprav je bil obseg njegove uporabe zmanjšan.
Following the definition laid down in Article 1(d) in Part II of Protocol 3 to the Surveillance and Court Agreement, an aid scheme is any act on the basis of which, without further implementing measures being required, individual aid awards may be made to undertakings defined within the act in a general and abstract manner.
Glede na opredelitev, določeno v členu 1(d) dela II Protokola 3 k Sporazumu o nadzornem organu in sodišču, je shema pomoči vsak akt, na podlagi katerega je mogoče brez nadaljnjih izvedbenih ukrepov dodeliti individualno pomoč podjetjem, opredeljenim v aktu na splošen in abstrakten način.
It also encompasses any act on the basis of which aid which is not linked to a specific project may be awarded to one or several undertakings for an indefinite period of time and/or for an indefinite amount.
Obsega tudi vsak akt, na podlagi katerega je mogoče dodeliti pomoč, ki ni povezana z določenim projektom, enemu ali več podjetjem za nedoločen čas in/ali v nedoločenem znesku.
The notified measure refers to the application of regionally differentiated rates of social security contributions to any undertaking active in a number of sectors (more than 200 sectors are covered by the proposal) with respect to its employees residing in Zones 2, 3 and 4 in Norway.
Priglašeni ukrep velja za uporabo prispevkov za socialno varnost, ki se razlikujejo po regijah, za zaposlene v vsakem podjetju, ki deluje v številnih sektorjih (ta predlog zajema več kot 200 sektorjev), ki prebivajo v conah 2, 3 in 4 na Norveškem.
The application of reduced rates of social security contributions is not an individual award of aid to a single undertaking but a reoccurring event on a regular basis during an indefinite period of time in favour of an undefined number of beneficiaries.
Uporaba prispevkov za socialno varnost, ki se razlikujejo po regijah, ni individualna pomoč za eno podjetje, ampak primer, ki se v korist številnih upravičencev redno ponavlja v časovno neomejenem obdobju.
Hence, the notified measure has to be qualified as a scheme.
Zato je treba priglašeni ukrep opredeliti kot shemo.
The scope of the present Decision
Obseg trenutne odločbe
The following assessment only applies to the activities which are covered by the EEA Agreement.
Naslednja ocena velja za dejavnosti, zajete v Sporazum EGP.
The Authority cannot assess any activities which fall outside the scope of the Agreement such as, for instance, NACE Code 75.220 defence activities.
Organ ne more oceniti dejavnosti zunaj obsega Sporazuma, kot je na primer obramba s kodo NACE 75.220.
Furthermore, the Authority has no competence to scrutinise aid to undertakings exclusively carrying out activities related to products not covered by the EEA Agreement such as agricultural or fisheries products [32].
Poleg tega Organ ni pristojen za temeljito preučevanje pomoči podjetjem, ki opravljajo izključno le dejavnosti, povezane s proizvodi, ki niso zajeti v Sporazumu EGP, kot so kmetijski ali ribiški proizvodi [32].
Amongst other examples, this is the case of NACE Code 01.300, growing of crops combined with farming of animals (mixed farming).
Med drugim to velja za primer kode NACE 01.300, pridelava kmetijskih rastlin v kombinaciji z rejo živine (mešano kmetijstvo).
Activities in sectors which fall outside the competence of the Authority to assess the existence of state aid are not subject to this decision [33].
Dejavnosti v sektorjih zunaj pristojnosti Organa za oceno obstoja državne pomoči niso zajete v tej odločbi [33].
The presence of State aid within the meaning of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement
Prisotnost državne pomoči v smislu člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP
‘Save as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any aid granted by EC Member States, EFTA States 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, insofar as it affects trade between Contracting Parties, be incompatible with the functioning of this Agreement.’
„Razen če ta sporazum ne določa drugače, je vsaka pomoč, ki jo dodeli država članica ES, država Efte, ali kakršna koli vrsta pomoči iz državnih sredstev, ki izkrivlja ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco z dajanjem prednosti določenim podjetjem ali proizvodnji določenega blaga, če to vpliva na trgovino med pogodbenicami, nezdružljiva z delovanjem tega sporazuma.“
According to settled caselaw, the classification as aid requires that all the four conditions set out in Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement are fulfilled [34]: (1) there must be an intervention by the State or through state resources; (2) it must confer a selective advantage on the recipients; (3) this intervention must distort or threaten to distort competition and (4) in order to be caught by the prohibition of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement, the aid measure must affect trade between the Contracting Parties.The Norwegian scheme of reduced rates of social security contributions has been subject to several decisions taken by the Authority [35].
V skladu z ustaljeno sodno prakso opredelitev pomoči zahteva izpolnitev vseh štirih pogojev iz člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP [34]: 1) obstajati mora državna intervencija ali pomoč iz državnih sredstev; 2) prejemnikom mora omogočiti selektivno prednost; 3) ta intervencija mora izkrivljati ali bi lahko izkrivljala konkurenco in 4) da bi spadal v prepovedi iz člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP, mora ukrep pomoči vplivati na trgovino med pogodbenicami.Norveška shema znižanih prispevkov za socialno varnost je bila obravnavana v več odločbah Organa [35].
The EFTA Court also assessed the scheme [36] and came to the conclusion that such a scheme constituted State aid.As mentioned above, the current proposal intends to reintroduce the former scheme, the only difference being that the proposed scheme is narrowed down to certain sectors.
Shemo je ocenilo tudi Sodišče EFTA [36] in ugotovilo, da je takšna shema državna pomoč.Kot je omenjeno zgoraj, namerava trenutni predlog ponovno uvesti prejšnjo shemo z edino razliko v tem, da je obseg predlagane sheme zmanjšan na le nekatere sektorje.
It is the Authority’s view that the Authority’s conclusions and EFTA Court’s findings with regard to the classification of the former scheme under Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement apply equally to the present notified scheme with regard to three of the four cumulative criteria.
Po mnenju Organa odločbe Organa in ugotovitve sodišča EFTA glede opredelitve prejšnje sheme na podlagi člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP veljajo enako za trenutno priglašeno shemo v povezavi s tremi od štirih skupnih meril.
Thus, the notified scheme involves a consumption of state resources by way of income foregone by the State with the application of reduced rates of social security contributions.
Priglašena shema tako vključuje porabo državnih sredstev s prihodkom, ki ga država določi z uporabo znižanih stopenj prispevkov za socialno varnost.
Further, the scheme confers a direct competitive advantage on undertakings in the favoured sectors and regions compared to undertakings located elsewhere or not covered by the notified sectors.
Poleg tega shema omogoča neposredno konkurenčno prednost podjetjem v ugodnejših sektorjih in regijah v primerjavi s podjetji, ki delujejo drugje ali niso zajeta v priglašene sektorje.
In this context, the Authority would like to underline that a measure can only constitute state aid in as far as it concerns an undertaking which carries out an economic activity, that is, an activity consisting of offering goods and services in competition on a given market [37].
S tem v zvezi Organ želi poudariti, da je ukrep državna samo, dokler zadeva podjetje, ki izvaja gospodarsko dejavnost, torej dejavnost ponujanja blaga in storitev, in je konkurenčno na danem trgu [37].
The case law defines undertaking as ‘every entity engaged in an economic activity, regardless of the legal status of the entity and the way in which it is financed’ [38].
Sodna praksa opredeljuje podjetje kot „vsako pravno ali fizično osebo, ki opravlja gospodarsko dejavnost, ne glede na njen pravni status in način, na katerega se financira“ [38].
Therefore, no State aid can be involved in non-economic activities such as purely state administrative activities, justice and judicial activities or in compulsory social security activities, amongst other examples.
Nobena državna pomoč torej ne more biti vključena v negospodarske dejavnosti, kot so med drugim izključno državne upravne dejavnosti, pravne in sodne dejavnosti ali obvezne dejavnosti socialne varnosti.
Thus this decision does not cover such activities.The remaining question is therefore whether aid granted under the notified scheme, which is applicable to a certain number of sectors allegedly not exposed to competition from undertakings in other EEA States, has an effect on trade between the Contracting Parties.
Ta odločba zato torej ne zajema takšnih dejavnosti.Ostane torej vprašanje, ali pomoč, dodeljena v okviru priglašene sheme, namenjene določenemu številu sektorjev, ki domnevno niso izpostavljeni konkurenci podjetij iz drugih držav EGP, vpliva na trgovino med pogodbenicami.
Does the aid affect trade within the meaning of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement?
Ali pomoč vpliva na trgovino v smislu člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP?
In order to be caught by the prohibition of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement, the aid measure must be liable to affect trade between the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement.
Ukrep pomoči mora vplivati na trgovino med pogodbenicami Sporazuma EGP, da ga zajema prepoved iz člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP.
This provision does not distinguish between causes or objectives but defines state aid in relation to the effects [39].In the following, the Authority will assess whether the limitations of the notified scheme to certain sectors hinders the aid from being capable of affecting trade between the Contracting Parties and hence brings it outside the scope of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement.
Ta določba ne razlikuje med vzroki ali cilji, ampak opredeljuje državno pomoč glede na njene vplive [39].V nadaljevanju bo Organ ocenil, ali omejitve priglašene sheme na nekatere sektorje ovirajo pomoč, da ne more vplivati na trgovino med pogodbenicami, in jo s tem izključijo iz obsega člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP.
The legal standard
Zakonski standard
According to the jurisprudence [40], whenever state financial aid strengthens the position of an undertaking compared with other undertakings competing in intra-EEA trade, the latter must be regarded as affected by that aid.There is no threshold or percentage below which it may be considered that trade between the Contracting Parties is not affected [41].
Kadar koli državna finančna pomoč okrepi položaj podjetja v primerjavi z drugimi podjetji, ki so konkurenčna v trgovini znotraj EGP, se glede na sodno prakso [40] upošteva, da je pomoč vplivala na trgovino.Prag ali odstotek, za katerega bi se upoštevalo, da nižje od njega ni vpliva na trgovino med pogodbenicami, ne obstaja [41].
According to settled caselaw, the relatively small amount of aid or the relatively small size of the undertaking which receives it does not, as such, exclude the possibility that intra-EEA trade might be affected [42].
Sorazmerno majhen znesek pomoči ali sorazmerna majhnost podjetja, ki jo prejme, glede na ustaljeno sodno prakso sama po sebi ne izključujeta možnosti vpliva na trgovino znotraj EGP [42].
Aid may also affect trade within the EEA even if the recipient undertaking does not itself participate in cross-border activities [44].The character of the aid does not depend on the local or regional character of the services supplied or on the scale of the field of activity concerned [45].
Pomoč lahko vpliva tudi na trgovino znotraj EGP, čeprav upravičeno podjetje samo ne sodeluje pri čezmejnih dejavnostih [44].Vloga pomoči ni odvisna od krajevnega ali regionalnega značaja ponujenih storitev ali od obsega zadevnega področja [45].
The local character of the activities of the beneficiaries of a measure constitutes one of the features to be taken into account in the assessment of whether there is an effect on trade but it is not sufficient to prevent the aid from having an effect on trade [46].
Krajevni značaj dejavnosti upravičencev iz ukrepa je ena od značilnosti, ki jih je treba upoštevati pri oceni obstoja vpliva na trgovino, vendar ne zadostuje za preprečitev vpliva pomoči na trgovino [46].
This is because the granting of state support to an undertaking may lead to the internal supply being maintained or increased, with the consequence that the opportunities for other undertakings to penetrate the market of the EEA States concerned are reduced [47].In the assessment of the effect on trade, the Authority is not required to determine the actual effect of an aid scheme but to examine whether it is liable to affect trade within the EEA [48].
Dodelitev državne pomoči podjetju namreč lahko vodi do vzdrževanja ali povišanja notranje ponudbe, posledično pa se zmanjšajo možnosti drugih podjetij za prodor na trg zadevnih držav EGP [47].V oceni vpliva na trgovino Organ ni dolžan opredeliti dejanskega vpliva sheme pomoči, ampak mora preučiti, ali shema lahko vpliva na trgovino znotraj EGP [48].
According to the Norwegian authorities, the notified scheme covers approximately 75 % of the service sectors examined in the ECON report and a small part of the manufacturing sectors plus several sectors in the area of construction.
Norveške oblasti ocenjujejo, da priglašena shema zajema približno 75 % storitvenih sektorjev, preučenih v poročilu ECON, majhen del proizvodnih sektorjev in nekaj sektorjev s področja gradbeništva.
According to the notification, these more than 200 economic sectors, with certain qualifications for 13 of them, are not exposed to any intra-EEA trade.
Glede na priglasitev teh več kot 200 gospodarskih sektorjev, z nekaterimi omejitvami za 13 izmed njih, ni izpostavljenih kakršni koli trgovini znotraj EGP.
For this reason, in the opinion of the Norwegian authorities, the notified scheme does not qualify as state aid within the meaning of Article 61(1) of the EEA Agreement.
S tem razlogom priglašena shema po mnenju norveških oblasti ni opredeljena kot državna pomoč v smislu člena 61(1) Sporazuma EGP.
The ECON report and the method used to chose the economic sectors covered by the scheme
Poročilo ECON in metoda za izbiro gospodarskih sektorjev, zajetih v shemo
The notified scheme for regionally differentiated rates of social security contributions builds on the ECON report, attached to the notification.
Priglašena shema prispevkov za socialno varnost, ki se razlikujejo po regijah, gradi na tako imenovanem poročilu ECON, priloženem k priglasitvi.
However, according to the report, the purpose of the report is not to assess whether the scheme of regionally differentiated rates of social security contributions is in compliance with the EEA Agreement, but to assess the competition interfaces [50].The Norwegian authorities have neither made further assessments in the notification nor have they presented any more precise definitions of conditions of competition in relation to other Contracting Parties.
Glede na poročilo namen poročila kljub temu ni oceniti, ali je shema prispevkov za socialno varnost, ki se razlikujejo po regijah, v skladu s Sporazumom EGP, ampak ocenjuje konkurenčne vmesnike [50].Norveške oblasti v priglasitvi niso dale nadaljnjih ocen, prav tako pa niso predstavile natančnejše opredelitve konkurenčnih pogojev v povezavi z drugimi pogodbenicami.
They have merely stated that the original rates of differentiated social security contributions shall be applied to undertakings in sectors deemed in the ECON report not to have any competition interfaces.
Izjavile so samo, da se izvorne stopnje različnih prispevkov za socialno varnost uporabijo za podjetja v sektorjih, za katere na podlagi poročila ECON velja, da so brez konkurenčnih vmesnikov.
They have not presented a legal text with provisions governing the application of the reduced rates of social security contributions.
Niso predložile pravnega besedila z določbami, ki bi urejale uporabo znižanih stopenj prispevkov za socialno varnost.
The Norwegian authorities accept that potential misalignments in the information in the ECON report may occur in the evaluation of individual economic sectors which can ‘most likely be equalised on an aggregate level’ [51].
Norveške oblasti soglašajo, da se morebitne napake v podatkih poročila ECON lahko pojavijo v vrednotenju posameznih gospodarskih sektorjev, ki so lahko „najverjetneje izenačeni na skupni ravni“ [51].
However, the Authority cannot endorse this approach.
Vendar Organ ne more odobriti takšnega pristopa.
An aid scheme must be precise enough to ensure that the application of its rules to any potential individual aid beneficiary does not infringe the rules of the EEA Agreement.In the Authority’s opinion, the method for choosing economic sectors supposedly not affected by inter-state trade does not ensure that aid would not be granted to undertakings engaged in activities that would affect trade within the EEA.
Shema pomoči mora biti dovolj natančna, da zagotovi, da uporaba njenih pravil za vsakega morebitnega upravičenca do pomoči ne krši pravil Sporazuma EGP.Po mnenju Organa metoda za izbiro gospodarskih sektorjev, na katere meddržavna trgovina domnevno ne vpliva, ne zagotavlja, da pomoč ne bi bila dodeljena podjetjem, vključenim v dejavnosti, ki bi vplivale na trgovino znotraj EGP.
The Authority questions the reliability of the information collected for the ECON report, which, in particular for the service sectors, was mainly based on the own knowledge of the market situation and on phone interviews with a selection of undertakings.
Organ dvomi o zanesljivosti informacij, zbranih za poročilo ECON, ki je zlasti za storitvene sektorje večinoma temeljilo na poznavanju razmer na trgu in telefonskih pogovorih z izbranimi podjetji.