natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
(Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Audiencia Provincial de Madrid)
(Predlog za sprejetje predhodne odločbe, ki ga je vložilo Audiencia Provincial de Madrid)
Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber), 11 September 2008 . . . . . . . . .
Mengozzija, predstavljeni 13. marca 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Agreements between undertakings — Meaning — Agreement for the exclusive distribution of motor­vehicle and other fuels concluded between a supplier and a service­station operator
Konkurenca – Omejevalni sporazumi – Sporazumi med podjetji – Pojem – Ekskluzivna distribucijska pogodba za goriva za motorna vozila in druga goriva med dobaviteljem in imetnikom bencinske postaje
(Art. 81(1) EC)
(člen 81(1) ES)
SUMMARY — CASE C-279/06
POVZETEK – ZADEVA C-279/06
Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Prohibited — Block exemption — Exclusive purchasing agreements — Regulation No 1984/83 — Agreement for the exclusive distribution of motor­vehicle and other fuels concluded between a supplier and a service­station operator — Maximum duration — Conditions
Konkurenca – Omejevalni sporazumi – Prepoved – Skupinska izjema – Sporazumi o izključni nabavi – Uredba št. 1984/83 – Ekskluzivna distribucijska pogodba za goriva za motorna vozila in druga goriva med dobaviteljem in imetnikom bencinske postaje – Najdaljše trajanje – Pogoji
(Commission Regulation No 1984/83, as amended by Regulation No 1582/97, Arts 10 and 12(1)(c))
(Uredba Komisije št. 1984/83, kot je bila spremenjena z Uredbo št. 1582/97, člena 10 in 12(1)(c))
Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Prohibited — Block exemption — Exclusive purchasing agreements — Agreement concluded under Regulation No 1984/83 — Provisions applicable after the entry into force of Regulation No 2790/1999
Konkurenca – Omejevalni sporazumi – Prepoved – Skupinska izjema – Sporazumi o izključni nabavi – Sporazum, sklenjen na podlagi Uredbe št. 1984/83 – Veljavne določbe po začetku veljavnosti Uredbe št. 2790/1999
(Commission Regulations No 1984/83, as amended by Regulation No 1582/97, and No 2790/1999, Arts 3(1), 5(a), and 12)
(uredbi Komisije št. 1984/83, kot je bila spremenjena z Uredbo št. 1582/97, in št. 2790/1999, členi 3(1), 5(a) in 12)
Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Prohibited — Block exemption — Exclusive purchasing agreements — Regulation No 1984/83 — Agreement for the exclusive distribution of motor­vehicle and other fuels concluded between a supplier and a service­station operator — Fixing of retail price by the supplier — Not included
Konkurenca – Omejevalni sporazumi – Prepoved – Skupinska izjema – Sporazumi o izključni nabavi – Uredba št. 1984/83 – Ekskluzivna distribucijska pogodba za goriva za motorna vozila in druga goriva med dobaviteljem in imetnikom bencinske postaje – Določitev maloprodajnih cen s strani dobavitelja – Izključitev
(Commission Regulations No 1984/83, as amended by Regulation No 1582/97, Arts 10, 11, 12 and 13, and No 2790/1999)
(uredbi Komisije št. 1984/83, kot je bila spremenjena z Uredbo št. 1582/97, členi 10, 11, 12 in 13, in št. 2790/1999)
Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Prohibited — Block exemption — Vertical agreements — Regulation No 2790/1999 — Fixing of a maximum sale price — Conditions
Konkurenca – Omejevalni sporazumi – Prepoved – Skupinska izjema – Vertikalni sporazumi – Uredba št. 2790/1999 – Določitev maksimalne prodajne cene – Pogoji
(Commission Regulation No 2790/1999, Arts 2 and 4(a)) all the other conditions for the application of that provision are satisfied.
(Uredba Komisije št. 2790/1999, člena 2 in 4(a))
An exclusive supply contract for petroleum products between a servicestation operator and a supplier is capable of falling within the scope of Article 81(1) EC where, first, it constitutes an agreement between undertakings because the servicestation operator assumes, in a nonnegligible proportion, one or more financial and commercial risks linked to the sale of those products to third parties, so that he is regarded as an independent economic operator and where, second, that contract contains clauses capable of infringing competition, such as that relating to the fixing of the retail price, which is explicitly prohibited by Article 81(1)(a) EC, to the extent to which
Pogodba o izključni dobavi naftnih proizvodov med imetnikom bencinske postaje in dobaviteljem lahko spada na področje uporabe člena 81(1) ES, prvič, kadar je to sporazum med podjetji, kajti imetnik bencinske postaje v nezanemarljivem delu prevzame enega ali več finančnih in poslovnih tveganj, povezanih s prodajo teh proizvodov tretjim osebam, in sicer tako, da se �teje za samostojni gospodarski subjekt, in, drugič, kadar pogodba vsebuje klavzule, zaradi katerih so lahko kr�ena pravila konkurence in kakr�na je ta o določanju maloprodajnih cen, ki je izrecno prepovedana
If the servicestation operator does not assume such risks or assumes only a negligible share of them, he does not become an independent economic operator when selling fuel to third parties,
Kadar imetnik bencinske postaje ne prevzame tak�nih tveganj ali prevzame le njihov zanemarljivi del, ne postane samostojen gospodarski subjekt pri prodaji goriva tretjim osebam, saj je
CEPSA advantages which contribute to an improvement in distribution, facilitate the establishment or modernisation of the service station and lower the distribution costs.
CEPSA zameno za izključnost dodeli pomembne gospodarske prednosti, ki prispevajo k izbolj�anju distribucije, pospe�evanju namestitve ali modernizacije bencinske postaje in zniževanju stro�kov distribucije.
since the relationship between the operator and the supplier is then identical to that between an agent and his principal.
(Glej točke 49, 54, 60 in točko 2 izreka.) razmerje med imetnikom in dobaviteljem enako razmerju med zastopnikom in njegovim naročiteljem.
In that hypothesis, only the obligations imposed on the servicestation operator concerning the sale of the goods to third parties on behalf of the supplier, including the fixing of the retail price, fall outside the scope of Article 81(1) EC.
V tem primeru le obveznosti, ki so naložene imetniku bencinske postaje v okviru prodaje tretjim osebam na račun dobavitelja in med katerimi je določanje maloprodajne cene, ne spadajo pod člen 81(1) ES.
By contrast, the obligations imposed on the operator in the context of services as an intermediary offered by the operator to the supplier, which concern their relationship as independent economic operators, are capable of falling within the scope of that provision.
Nasprotno lahko na področje uporabe tega člena spadajo obveznosti, ki so naložene imetniku v okviru storitev posrednika, ki jih ponuja dobavitelju, in ki se nana�ajo na razmerja med njima kot samostojnima gospodarskima subjektoma.
That is the case with exclusivity and non-competition clauses, which are capable of infringing the competition rules in so far as they entail locking up the market concerned.
Tako je v primeru klavzul o izključnosti in prepovedi konkurence, zaradi katerih so kr�ena pravila konkurence, ker povzročajo zaporo zadevnega trga.
(see paras 35, 40-42, 44, operative part 1)
(Glej točke 35, od 40 do 42, 44 in točko 1 izreka.)
If the period of performance of an exclusive purchasing agreement concluded under Regulation No 1984/83 extends beyond the expiry date of that regulation, on 31 December 1999, the exemption provided for in that regulation continues to apply until 31 May 2000 pursuant to Regulation No 2790/1999 on the application of Article 81(3) EC to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices.
Za pogodbo o izključni dobavi naftnih proizvodov med imetnikom bencinske postaje in dobaviteljem lahko velja skupinska izjema, kot je določena v Uredbi �t.
Such an agreement then benefits from the exemption provided for in Regulation No 2790/1999 from its date of application, on 1 June 2000, on condition that the market share held by the supplier does not exceed 30% of the relevant market on which it sells the contract goods or services and that the duration of the direct or indirect noncompete obligations is not indefinite or does not exceed five years, since a noncompete obligation which is tacitly renewable beyond a period of five years is to be deemed to have been concluded for an indefinite duration.
1984/83 o uporabi člena 85(3) Pogodbe (postal člen 81(1) ES) za skupine sporazumov o izključni naba -vi, kot je bila spremenjena z Uredbo �t.
However, a transitional period, during which the prohibition laid down in Article 81(1) EC does not apply, runs until 31 December 2001 in respect of agreements in force on 31 May 2000 which satisfied the conditions for exemption provided for in Regulation No 1984/83, but
1582/97, če spo�tuje najdalj�e trajanje desetih let iz člena 12(1)(c) in če dobavi -telj imetniku bencinske postaje v
SUMMARY — CASE C-279/06 not those provided for in Regulation No 2790/1999.
POVZETEK – ZADEVA C-279/06 treba preučiti pogoje glede na veljavno zakonodajo na dan tak�ne spremembe.
(see paras 63, 65, 67, 68, 75, 76, operative part 3)
(Glej točke 63, 65, 67, 68, 75, 76 in točko 3 izreka.)
(see paras 56-60)
(Glej točke od 56 do 60.)
The exemption provided for in Article 2 of Regulation No 2790/1999 on the application of Article 81(3) EC to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices is not to apply, according to Article 4(a) of that regulation, to vertical agreements which have as their object the restriction of the buyer’s ability to determine its sale price, without prejudice to the possibility of the supplier’s imposing a maximum sale price or recommending a sale price, provided that they do not amount to a fixed or minimum sale price as a result of pressure from, or incentives offered by, any of the parties.
Izjema iz člena 2 Uredbe �t. 2790/1999 o uporabi člena 81(3) ES za skupine vertikalnih sporazumov in usklajena ravnanja skladno s členom 4(a) te uredbe ne velja za vertikalne sporazume, katerih cilj je omejitev možnosti kupca, da določi svojo prodajno ceno, brez poseganja v možnost dobavitelja, da določi maksimalno prodajno ceno ali priporoči prodajno ceno, pod pogojem, da to ne vodi k fiksnim ali minimalnim prodajnim cenam zaradi pritiska ali spodbud katere koli pogodbene stranke.
The questions whether, first, it is possible for the supplier to amend unilaterally the clause governing the fixing of the price in order to bring it into line with the competition rules and, second, whether, in that case, the contract may become valid, are matters to be decided under the national law applicable to such a contract.
Vpra�anji, prvič, ali je mogoče, da dobavitelj enostransko spremeni določilo, ki ureja določanje cene, da bi postalo skladno s pravili konkurence, in, drugič, ali lahko v tem primeru pogodba postane veljavna, spadata v nacionalno pravo, ki velja za tak�no pogodbo.
If a unilateral amendment is permissible, the conditions for exemption must be examined in the light of the
Če je enostranska sprememba dopustna, je
As regards the fixing of a maximum sale price, it is for the referring court to examine whether it is genuinely possible for the reseller to lower that sale price, taking account of all the contractual obligations in their economic and legal context, and the conduct of the parties to the main proceedings.
Glede določitve maksimalne prodajne cene predložitveno sodi�če ob upo�tevanju vseh pogodbenih obveznosti v njihovem gospodarskem in pravnem okviru ter ravnanja strank v postopku v glavni stvari preuči, ali ima preprodajalec resnično možnost, da zniža prodajne cene.
In particular, it is necessary to ascertain whether the retail price is not, in reality, fixed by indirect or concealed means, such as the fixing of the margin of the reseller,
Zlasti je treba preveriti, ali ni v resnici tak�na maloprodajna cena določena s posrednimi in prikritimi načini, kakr�ni so določitev marže preproda-
CEPSA threats, intimidation, warnings, penalties or incentives.
CEPSA jalca, grožnje, zastra�evanje, opozorila, kazni ali spodbude.
its entirety only if the clauses which are incompatible with Article 81(1) EC are not severable from the contract itself.
nezdružljiva z odstavkom 1 istega člena, niso ločljiva od same pogodbe.
Otherwise, the consequences of the nullity, in respect of all the other parts of the contract, are not a matter for Community law.
V nasprotnem primeru posledice ničnosti glede drugih delov pogodbe ne spadajo v pravo Skupnosti.
(see paras 69-71)
(Glej točke od 69 do 71.)
The automatic nullity provided for in Article 81(2) EC affects a contract in
Ničnost, določena v členu 81(2) ES, vpliva na celotno pogodbo, le ko določila,
(see paras 78-80, operative part 4)
(Glej točke od 78 do 80 in točko 4 izreka.)
OPINION OF ADVOCATE GENERALMENGOZZI delivered on 13 March 2008 1
SKLEPNI PREDLOGI GENERALNEGA PRAVOBRANILCAPAOLA MENGOZZIJA, predstavljeni 13. marca 2008 1
Regulation No 1984/83 excludes from the scope of Article 85(1) of the Treaty certain categories of exclusive purchasing agreements and concerted practices regarded as normally satisfying the conditions laid down in paragraph 3 of that article, on the ground that they lead in general to an improvement in distribution.
Uredba �t. 1984/83 s področja uporabe člena 85(1) Pogodbe izključuje določene skupine sporazumov o izključni nabavi in usklajena ravnanja, ki praviloma izpolnjujejo pogoje, določene v odstavku 3 tega člena, ker na splo�no izbolj�ujejo distribucijo proizvodov.
By decision of 16 June 2006, the Audiencia Provincial de Madrid (Provincial Court, Madrid) (Spain) submitted to the Court a request for a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of Article 85(1) of the EC Treaty (now Article 81(1) EC) and of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1984/83 of 22 June 1983 on the application of Article 85(3) of the Treaty to categories of exclusive purchasing agreements. 2
Audiencia Provincial de Madrid (Španija) je z odločbo z dne 16. junija 2006 Sodi�ču postavilo vpra�anji za predhodno odločanje o razlagi člena 85(1) Pogodbe (postal člen 81(1) ES) in Uredbe Komisije (EGS) �t. 1984/83 z dne 22. junija 1983 o uporabi člena 85(3) Pogodbe za skupine sporazumov o izključni nabavi 2.
Under Article 3(d) of that regulation, that exemption does not apply where the agreement in question is concluded for an indefinite duration or for a period of more than five years.
V skladu s členom 3(d) navedene uredbe se ta izjema ne uporablja, če je sporazum sklenjen za nedoločen čas oziroma za več kot pet let.
Regulation No 1984/83 contains, in Articles 10 to 13, special provisions for servicestation agreements.
V Uredbi �t. 1984/83 so v členih od 10 do 13 posebne določbe za sporazume o bencinskih postajah.
As provided in Article 10 of that regulation:
Člen 10 navedene uredbe določa:
That request has been submitted in proceedings between CEPSA Estaciones de Servicio SA (‘CEPSA’), appellant in the main proceedings, and the servicestation operator LV Tobar e Hijos SL (‘Tobar’), respondent in the main proceedings, regarding a restriction on competition alleged against CEPSA and arising from the exclusive purchasing agreement concluded between the parties.
Predlog je bil vložen v okviru spora med družbo CEPSA, Estaciones de Servicio SA (v nadaljevanju: CEPSA), predlagateljico v glavni stvari, in imetnikom bencinske postaje, LV Tobar e Hijos, SL (v nadaljevanju: Tobar), toženo stranka v glavni stvari, zaradi omejevanja konkurence, ki se očita CEPSI in ki naj bi izhajalo iz pogodbe o izključni nabavi, sklenjeni med strankama.
‘Pursuant to Article 85(3) of the Treaty and subject to Articles 11 to 13 of this Regulation,
„V skladu s členom 85(3) Pogodbe in s pogoji iz členov od 11 do 13 te uredbe, člen 85(1)
(c) the obligation to advertise goods supplied by other undertakings within or outside the service station designated in the agreement only in proportion to the share of these goods in the total turnover realised in the service station; it is hereby declared that Article 85(1) of the Treaty shall not apply to agreements to which only two undertakings are party and whereby one party, the reseller, agrees with the other, the supplier, in consideration for the according of special commercial or financial advantages, to purchase only from the supplier, an undertaking connected with the supplier or another undertaking entrusted by the supplier with the distribution of his goods, certain petroleumbased motorvehicle fuels or certain petroleumbased motorvehicle and other fuels specified in the agreement for resale in a service station designated in the agreement.’
CEPSA spu�čanje olj ali druge naprave za oljenje motornih vozil; c) obveznost, da proizvode, ki jih dobavljajo tretja podjetja, ogla�uje znotraj in izven bencinske postaje samo sorazmerno z deležem, ki ga ti proizvodi pomenijo v skupnem prometu bencinske postaje; navedene pogodbe ne velja za sporazume, v katerih sta udeleženi le dve podjetji in v katerih se eno, preprodajalec, nasproti drugemu, dobavitelju, v zameno za dodelitev posebnih gospodarskih ali finančnih prednosti zaveže, da bo nabavljal samo pri njem, pri podjetju, ki je z njim povezano, ali pri tretjem podjetju, ki ga je zadolžilo za distribucijo njegovih proizvodov, z namenom nadaljnje prodaje na bencinski postaji, določeni v sporazumu, nekaterih goriv za motorna vozila in drugih goriv na osnovi naftnih proizvodov, ki so natančno določeni v sporazumu.“
‘Apart from the obligation referred to in Article 10, no restriction on competition shall be imposed on the reseller other than:
Člen 11 navedene uredbe določa: d) obveznost, da skladi�čne naprave ali naprave za distribucijo naftnih proizvodov, ki so njegova last ali jih financira dobavitelj ali z njim povezano podjetje, nadzira le dobavitelj ali podjetje, ki ga ta določi.“
(a) the obligation not to sell motorvehicle fuel and other fuels which are supplied by other undertakings in the service station designated in the agreement;
„Razen obveznosti iz člena 10 preprodajalcu ni mogoče naložiti nobene druge omejitve konkurence kot: a) obveznost, da na bencinski postaji, določeni v sporazumu, ne preprodaja goriv za motorna vozila ali drugih goriv, ki jih dobavljajo tretja podjetja;
Article 12 of Regulation No 1984/83 sets out the clauses and contractual obligations which preclude the application of Article 10, including the condition that the contract may not be concluded for an indefinite duration or for a period exceeding 10 years.
Člen 12 Uredbe �t. 1984/83 na�teva klavzule in pogodbene zaveze, ki preprečujejo uporabo člena 10, med njimi pogoj, da pogodba ne sme biti sklenjena za nedoločen čas oziroma za več kot deset let.
(b) the obligation not to use lubricants or related petroleumbased products which are supplied by other undertakings within the service station designated in the agreement where the supplier or a connected undertaking has made available to the reseller, or financed, a
b) obveznost, da na bencinski postaji, določeni v sporazumu, ne uporablja maziv ali povezanih naftnih proizvodov, ki jih ponujajo tretja podjetja, če je dobavitelj ali z njim povezano podjetje dalo preprodajalcu na voljo ali financiralo opremo za
Article 13 of that regulation provides that Articles 2(1) and (3), 3(a) and (b), 4 and 5 are to apply mutatis mutandis to servicestation agreements.
Člen 13 te uredbe predvideva uporabo členov 2(1) in (3), 3(a) in (b), 4 in 5 te uredbe za sporazume o bencinskih postajah po analogiji.
Recital 13 in the preamble to Regulation No 1984/83 states: or indirectly, in isolation or in combination with other factors under the control of the parties, have as their object the ‘restriction of the buyer’s ability to determine its sale price, without prejudice to the possibility of the supplier’s imposing a maximum sale price or recommending a sale price, provided that they do not amount to a fixed or minimum sale price as a result of pressure from, or incentives offered by, any of the parties’.
V trinajsti uvodni izjavi te uredbe je navedeno: ali v kombinaciji z drugimi dejavniki pod nadzorom pogodbenih strank „omejitev možnosti kupca, da določi svojo prodajno ceno, brez poseganja v možnost dobavitelja, da določi maksimalno prodajno ceno ali priporoči prodajno ceno, pod pogojem, da to ne vodi k fiksnim ali minimalnim prodajnim cenam zaradi pritiska ali spodbud katere koli pogodbene stranke“.
‘… these agreements are generally distinguished by the fact that, on the one hand, the supplier confers on the reseller special commercial or financial advantages by contributing to his financing, granting him or obtaining for him a loan on favourable terms, equipping him with a site or premises for conducting his business, providing him with equipment or fittings, or undertaking other investments for his benefit and that, on the other hand, the reseller enters into a longterm exclusive purchasing obligation which in most cases is accompanied by a ban on dealing in competing products’.
„[…] za te sporazume je na splo�no značilno, da, dobavitelj preprodajalcu nakloni �e posebej pomembne gospodarske in finančne ugodnosti, s tem da mu izplača denarne zneske za izgubljena sredstva, mu nudi oziroma ga oskrbuje s posojili pod ugodnimi pogoji, mu da na voljo zemlji�če oziroma prostore za obratovanje […] bencinske postaje, s tem da lahko preprodajalec uporablja tehnične naprave oziroma drugo opremo oziroma jamči za druge naložbe v korist preprodajalca, in da, preprodajalec sprejme dolgoročno zavezo o izključni nabavi od dobavitelja, na splo�no skupaj s prepovedjo konkurence.“
Under Article 5 of that regulation, the exemption provided for in Article 2 does not apply to any direct or indirect noncompete obligation, the duration of which is indefinite or exceeds five years.
V skladu s členom 5 te uredbe izjema, predvidena v členu 2, ne velja za nobeno obveznost o neposredni ali posredni prepovedi konkurence, katere trajanje je nedoločeno ali dalj�e od petih let.
A noncompete obligation which is tacitly renewable beyond a period of five years is to be deemed to have been concluded for an indefinite duration.
Šteje se, da je bila prepoved konkurence, ki se molče podalj�a po preteku petih let, dogovorjena za nedoločen čas.
Article 4(a) of Regulation No 2790/1999 provides that the exemption from the prohibition laid down in Article 81(1) EC does not apply to vertical agreements which, directly
Člen 4(a) Uredbe �t. 2790/1999 določa, da izjema, predvidena v členu 81(1) ES, ne velja za vertikalne sporazume, katerih namen je, neposredno ali posredno, samostojno
III — The main proceedings and the questions referred for a preliminary ruling down by that supplier.
III – Spor o glavni stvari in vprašanji za predhodno odločanje dobavitelj.
That obligation was entered into for a period of 10 years, which could be extended for successive fiveyear periods by express agreement in writing on notice of at least six months.
Ta obveznost je bila dogovorjena za deset let, z možnostjo podalj�anja za zaporedna obdobja petih let z izrecnim pisnim soglasjem s predhodnim obvestilom najmanj �estih mesecev.
Tobar was thus prohibited from undertaking sales or promotion campaigns for competing products and from participating in such campaigns, both inside the service station and in the surrounding area.
Tobarju so bili prepovedani tudi prodaja in ogla�evanje konkurenčnih proizvodov in sodelovanje pri teh dejavnostih, na bencinski postaji in v njeni okolici.
On 7 February 1996, the parties to the main proceedings concluded a ‘contract with a service station for use of brand name and image, technical and commercial assistance and supply on a commission-agent basis’.
Stranki v glavni stvari sta 7. februarja 1996 sklenili „pogodbo o pravici do uporabe blagovne znamke, tehnični in trgovinski podpori ter oskrbi po sistemu imetnik komisionar bencinske postaje“.