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PARALLEL TEXTS
La Corte di giustizia respinge il ricorso con cui la Commissione ha chiesto di infliggere sanzioni pecuniarie alla Germania a causa della legge Volkswagen
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-138_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-138_it.htm
Data documento: 22-10-2013
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The Court of Justice dismisses the action brought by the Commission seeking to have financial penalties imposed on Germany in relation to the Volkswagen Law
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La Corte di giustizia respinge il ricorso con cui la Commissione ha chiesto di infliggere sanzioni pecuniarie alla Germania a causa della legge Volkswagen
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Germany complied in full with the initial judgment of the Court delivered in 2007
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La Germania si è pienamente conformata alla sentenza della Corte del 2007
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The German motor vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen was turned into a public limited company in 1960 by a federal Law, the ‘Volkswagen Law’.
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Il produttore di automobili tedesco Volkswagen è stato trasformato in società per azioni nel 1960 con una legge federale, cd.«legge Volkswagen» .
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At the time that Law was adopted, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land of Lower Saxony were the two main shareholders in Volkswagen, each holding 20% of its capital.
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Al momento dell'adozione di detta legge, la Repubblica federale e il Land della Bassa Sassonia, detenendo ciascuno il 20% del capitale, erano i due principali azionisti della Volkswagen.
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While the Federal Republic of Germany is today no longer a shareholder in Volkswagen, the Land of Lower Saxony still retains a shareholding of approximately 20%.
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Mentre la Repubblica federale non figura più, attualmente, tra gli azionisti, il Land della Bassa-Sassonia conserva ancora una partecipazione del 20%.
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Initially, the Volkswagen Law allowed the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land of Lower Saxony each to appoint two members to the supervisory board on condition that the Federal Republic and that Land held shares in the company.
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Inizialmente, la legge Volkswagen ha autorizzato la Repubblica federale e il Land della Bassa-Sassonia a designare ciascuno due membri del consiglio di sorveglianza, purché la Repubblica federale e detto Land possedessero azioni della società .
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That law also capped the voting rights of any shareholder to the number of votes conferred by a 20% shareholding in the share capital.
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Inoltre, limitava i diritti di voto di ciascun azionista al numero di voti conferiti da una partecipazione pari al 20% del capitale sociale.
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In addition, the Volkswagen Law provided for a lower blocking minority which enabled a minority holding of only 20% of the share capital to oppose important resolutions of the company, whereas the German law on public limited companies requires 25%.
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Infine, prevedeva una minoranza di blocco ridotta che consentiva a una minoranza pari, soltanto, al 20% del capitale sociale di opporsi a rilevanti decisioni della società, mentre la legge tedesca sulle società per azioni esige il 25%. |
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Taking the view that those three provisions of the Volkswagen Law were contrary to, inter alia, the free movement of capital guaranteed by EU law, the Commission brought an action against Germany for failure to fulfil obligations before the Court of Justice in 2005.
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La Commissione, ritenendo che tali tre disposizioni della legge Volkswagen fossero incompatibili in particolare con la libera circolazione dei capitali, garantita dal diritto dell'Unione, ha presentato un ricorso per inadempimento contro la Germania dinanzi alla Corte di giustizia nel 2005.
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By judgment delivered in 2007, the Court held that, by maintaining in force the provision in the Volkswagen Law relating to the appointment, by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land of Lower Saxony, of members to the supervisory board, and the provision on the capping of voting rights in conjunction with the provision on the lower blocking minority, Germany had acted contrary to the free movement of capital.
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La Corte, con sentenza emanata nel 2007 , ha constatato che, mantenendo in vigore la disposizione della legge Volkswagen relativa alla designazione, da parte della Repubblica federale e del Land della Bassa-Sassonia, di membri del consiglio di sorveglianza, e la disposizione sul limite massimo ai diritti di voto in combinato disposto con la disposizione sulla minoranza di blocco ridotta, la Germania ha violato la libera circolazione dei capitali.
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Following that judgment, Germany repealed the first two provisions, but maintained the provision on the lower blocking minority.
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A seguito di tale sentenza, la Germania ha abrogato le prime due disposizioni, ma ha mantenuto quella relativa alla minoranza di blocco ridotta.
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The Commission took the view that it followed from the 2007 judgment that each of those three provisions constituted an independent infringement of the free movement of capital and that, consequently, the provision on the lower blocking minority should also have been repealed.
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La Commissione ha ritenuto che dalla sentenza del 2007 discendesse che ciascuna di tali tre disposizioni costituiva una violazione autonoma della libera circolazione dei capitali e che, di conseguenza, anche quella sulla minoranza di blocco ridotta avrebbe dovuto essere abrogata.
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It therefore brought the matter before the Court again and requested that financial penalties be imposed on Germany because of its failure to comply in full with the 2007 judgment.
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Di conseguenza, essa ha nuovamente adito la Corte e ha chiesto l’irrogazione di sanzioni pecuniarie alla Germania a motivo dell'incompleta esecuzione della sentenza del 2007.
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The Commission requested that, from the date on which judgment is delivered in the present case until the date of compliance with the 2007 judgment, a daily penalty payment in the amount of €282 725.10 be imposed for the delay in complying with the 2007 judgment.
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La Commissione ha chiesto che fosse irrogata una penalità giornaliera di EUR 282 725,10, per il ritardo nell’esecuzione della sentenza del 2007, a decorrere dalla pronuncia della sentenza nella presente causa fino all’esecuzione della sentenza del 2007.
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In addition, the Commission requested that, from the date of the 2007 judgment until the date on which judgment is delivered in the present case or the date on which that Member State puts an end to the infringement, a lump sum be imposed in an amount calculated by multiplying a daily amount of €31 114.72 by the number of days over which the infringement has continued.
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Essa ha altresì chiesto l’imposizione di una somma forfettaria il cui importo risultasse dalla moltiplicazione di un importo giornaliero di EUR 31 114,72 per il numero di giorni durante i quali l’infrazione si è protratta, compresi tra la pronuncia della sentenza del 2007 e quella della sentenza adottata nella presente causa o la data in cui tale Stato membro ha posto fine all’infrazione.
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By today’s judgment, the Court dismisses that action.
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Con l'odierna sentenza, la Corte respinge tale ricorso.
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According to the Court, it is apparent from both the operative part of the 2007 judgment, which contains the decision of the Court, and the grounds for that decision that the Court did not establish that there had been a failure to fulfil obligations resulting from the provision relating to the lower blocking minority, considered in isolation, but established that there had been such a failure solely as regards the combination of that provision with the provision relating to the cap on voting rights.
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Secondo la Corte, emerge sia dal dispositivo della sentenza del 2007 che contiene la decisione della Corte sia dai motivi che la Corte non aveva rilevato un inadempimento nella disposizione relativa alla minoranza di blocco ridotta, considerata isolatamente, ma esclusivamente nel combinato disposto di tale disposizione con quella relativa al limite massimo dei diritti di voto.
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Consequently, by repealing both the provision of the Volkswagen Law relating to the appointment, by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land of Lower Saxony, of members to the supervisory board and the provision relating to the cap on voting rights, thereby putting an end to the combination between that latter provision and the provision relating to the lower blocking minority, Germany did fulfil, within the period prescribed, the obligations that follow from the 2007 judgment.
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Pertanto, avendo abrogato, la disposizione della legge Volkswagen relativa alla designazione, da parte della Repubblica federale e del Land della Bassa-Sassonia, di membri del consiglio di sorveglianza e la disposizione sul limite massimo ai diritti di voto, ponendo fine in tal modo al combinato disposto con quest'ultima disposizione della minoranza di blocco ridotta, la Germania si è conformata, nei termini prescritti, agli obblighi risultanti dalla sentenza del 2007.
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The Court, moreover, rejects as inadmissible the Commission’s complaint that Germany should also have amended Volkswagen’s Articles of Association, which still contain a clause relating to the lower blocking minority, which is essentially analogous to that in the Volkswagen Law, on the ground that the 2007 judgment related exclusively to the compatibility of certain provisions of the Volkswagen Law with EU law and did not relate to that company’s Articles of Association.
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La Corte dichiara, inoltre, irricevibile la censura della Commissione secondo cui la Germania avrebbe dovuto modificare anche lo statuto della Volkswagen che conterrebbe ancora una clausola relativa alla minoranza di blocco ridotta, in sostanza, analoga a quella della legge Volkswagen. Infatti, la sentenza del 2007 verteva esclusivamente sulla compatibilità con il diritto dell’Unione di talune disposizioni della legge Volkswagen e non già sullo statuto di detta società.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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An action for failure to fulfil obligations directed against a Member State which has failed to comply with its obligations under European Union law may be brought by the Commission or by another Member State.
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La Commissione o un altro Stato membro possono proporre un ricorso per inadempimento diretto contro uno Stato membro che è venuto meno ai propri obblighi derivanti dal diritto dell’Unione.
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If the Court of Justice finds that there has been a failure to fulfil obligations, the Member State concerned must comply with the Court’s judgment without delay.
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Qualora la Corte di giustizia accerti l’inadempimento, lo Stato membro interessato deve conformarsi alla sentenza senza indugio.
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Where the Commission considers that the Member State has not complied with the judgment, it may bring a further action seeking financial penalties.
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La Commissione, qualora ritenga che lo Stato membro non si sia conformato alla sentenza, può proporre un altro ricorso chiedendo sanzioni pecuniarie.
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However, if measures transposing a directive have not been notified to the Commission, the Court of Justice can, on a proposal from the Commission, impose penalties at the stage of the initial judgment.
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Tuttavia, in caso di mancata comunicazione delle misure di attuazione di una direttiva alla Commissione, su domanda di quest’ultima, la Corte di giustizia può infliggere sanzioni pecuniarie, al momento della prima sentenza. |
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
The Court of Justice dismisses the action brought by the Commission
seeking to have financial penalties imposed on Germany in relation to the
Volkswagen Law
Germany complied in full with the initial judgment of the Court
delivered in 2007
The German motor vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen was turned into a public
limited company in 1960 by a federal Law, the ‘Volkswagen Law’.
At the time that Law was adopted, the Federal Republic of Germany and the
Land of Lower Saxony were the two main shareholders in Volkswagen, each holding
20% of its capital.
While the Federal Republic of Germany is today no longer a shareholder in
Volkswagen, the Land of Lower Saxony still retains a shareholding of
approximately 20%.
Initially, the Volkswagen Law allowed the Federal Republic of Germany and the
Land of Lower Saxony each to appoint two members to the supervisory board on
condition that the Federal Republic and that Land held shares in the company.
That law also capped the voting rights of any shareholder to the number of
votes conferred by a 20% shareholding in the share capital.
In addition, the Volkswagen Law provided for a lower blocking minority which
enabled a minority holding of only 20% of the share capital to oppose important
resolutions of the company, whereas the German law on public limited companies
requires 25%.
Taking the view that those three provisions of the Volkswagen Law were
contrary to, inter alia, the free movement of capital guaranteed by EU law, the
Commission brought an action against Germany for failure to fulfil obligations
before the Court of Justice in 2005.
By judgment delivered in 2007, the Court held that, by maintaining in force
the provision in the Volkswagen Law relating to the appointment, by the Federal
Republic of Germany and the Land of Lower Saxony, of members to the supervisory
board, and the provision on the capping of voting rights in conjunction with the
provision on the lower blocking minority, Germany had acted contrary to the free
movement of capital.
Following that judgment, Germany repealed the first two provisions, but
maintained the provision on the lower blocking minority.
The Commission took the view that it followed from the 2007 judgment that
each of those three provisions constituted an independent infringement of the
free movement of capital and that, consequently, the provision on the lower
blocking minority should also have been repealed.
It therefore brought the matter before the Court again and requested that
financial penalties be imposed on Germany because of its failure to comply in
full with the 2007 judgment.
The Commission requested that, from the date on which judgment is delivered
in the present case until the date of compliance with the 2007 judgment, a daily
penalty payment in the amount of €282 725.10 be imposed for the delay in
complying with the 2007 judgment.
In addition, the Commission requested that, from the date of the 2007
judgment until the date on which judgment is delivered in the present case or
the date on which that Member State puts an end to the infringement, a lump sum
be imposed in an amount calculated by multiplying a daily amount of €31 114.72
by the number of days over which the infringement has continued.
By today’s judgment, the Court dismisses that action.
According to the Court, it is apparent from both the operative part of the
2007 judgment, which contains the decision of the Court, and the grounds for
that decision that the Court did not establish that there had been a failure to
fulfil obligations resulting from the provision relating to the lower blocking
minority, considered in isolation, but established that there had been such a
failure solely as regards the combination of that provision with the provision
relating to the cap on voting rights.
Consequently, by repealing both the provision of the Volkswagen Law relating
to the appointment, by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land of Lower
Saxony, of members to the supervisory board and the provision relating to the
cap on voting rights, thereby putting an end to the combination between that
latter provision and the provision relating to the lower blocking minority,
Germany did fulfil, within the period prescribed, the obligations that follow
from the 2007 judgment.
The Court, moreover, rejects as inadmissible the Commission’s complaint that
Germany should also have amended Volkswagen’s Articles of Association, which
still contain a clause relating to the lower blocking minority, which is
essentially analogous to that in the Volkswagen Law, on the ground that the 2007
judgment related exclusively to the compatibility of certain provisions of the
Volkswagen Law with EU law and did not relate to that company’s Articles of
Association.
NOTE:
An action for failure to fulfil obligations directed against a Member State
which has failed to comply with its obligations under European Union law may be
brought by the Commission or by another Member State.
If the Court of Justice finds that there has been a failure to fulfil
obligations, the Member State concerned must comply with the Court’s judgment
without delay.
Where the Commission considers that the Member State has not complied with
the judgment, it may bring a further action seeking financial penalties.
However, if measures transposing a directive have not been notified to the
Commission, the Court of Justice can, on a proposal from the Commission, impose
penalties at the stage of the initial judgment.
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