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PARALLEL TEXTS
L’Italia è venuta meno al proprio obbligo di recuperare gli aiuti di Stato concessi all’Alcoa sotto forma di tariffa agevolata per l’elettricità
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-136_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-136_it.htm
Data documento: 17-10-2013
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Italy has failed to fulfil its obligation to recover State aid granted to Alcoa in the form of a preferential electricity tariff
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L’Italia è venuta meno al proprio obbligo di recuperare gli aiuti di Stato concessi all’Alcoa sotto forma di tariffa agevolata per l’elettricità
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Alcoa Trasformazioni srl is an undertaking governed by Italian law forming part of the Alcoa group.
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L’Alcoa Trasformazioni srl è una società di diritto italiano appartenente al gruppo Alcoa.
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It produces primary aluminium in Italy.
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Essa produce alluminio primario in Italia.
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From 1996 it enjoyed a preferential tariff for electricity used at two production sites, one in Sardinia (Portovesme) and the other in the Veneto region (Fusina), as a result of a contract with the electricity supplier (ENEL).
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Dal 1996 essa ha beneficiato di una tariffa agevolata per l’elettricità destinata a due stabilimenti di produzione, uno in Sardegna (Portovesme) e l’altro in Veneto (Fusina), grazie a un contratto con il fornitore di energia elettrica (ENEL).
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That tariff, initially set for a period of ten years, was authorised by the Commission, which found that the measure did not constitute aid since, at the time in question, it was an ordinary commercial transaction concluded on market terms.
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Tale tariffa, inizialmente fissata per un periodo di dieci anni, era stata autorizzata dalla Commissione, la quale aveva ravvisato l’insussistenza di un aiuto di Stato in quanto, all’epoca, si trattava di un’operazione commerciale ordinaria conclusa alle condizioni di mercato.
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The tariff was extended twice – initially until June 2007 and, subsequently, until 2010 – without being adjusted to take account of market trends.
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La tariffa è stata prorogata a due riprese – dapprima fino al giugno 2007, poi fino al 2010 – senza essere adattata all’evoluzione del mercato.
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In 2009, the tariff was subsidised by a levy charged to electricity consumers and no longer reflected market conditions.
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Nel 2009, la tariffa era sovvenzionata da una tassa imposta ai consumatori di elettricità e non corrispondeva più alle condizioni del mercato.
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The amount was equal to the difference between the contract price concluded with the electricity supplier (ENEL) and the preferential price.
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L’importo equivaleva alla differenza tra il prezzo contrattuale pattuito con il fornitore di energia elettrica (ENEL) e il prezzo agevolato.
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In 2009, the Commission took the view that the purpose of those extensions was to reduce Alcoa’s operating costs, thus conferring on it an advantage vis-à-vis its competitors.
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Nel 2009 la Commissione ha ritenuto che tali proroghe fossero volte a ridurre i costi operativi dell’Alcoa, procurandole quindi un vantaggio rispetto ai suoi concorrenti.
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They thus constituted State aid incompatible with the common market, which Italy was obliged to recover, together with interest.
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Dette proroghe costituivano pertanto aiuti di Stato incompatibili con il mercato comune, che l’Italia doveva recuperare, interessi compresi .
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Italy was also required to cancel all future payments and communicate the total amount of aid to be recovered, the measure already taken to comply with the decision and documentation to show that the beneficiary had been ordered to reimburse the aid.
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L’Italia doveva inoltre annullare tutti i pagamenti futuri e comunicare l’importo complessivo dell’aiuto da recuperare, le misure già adottate per conformarsi alla decisione nonché i documenti attestanti che era stato imposto al beneficiario di provvedere al rimborso dell’aiuto.
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According to Italy, the amount to be recovered is approximately €295 million, including €38 million in interest.
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Secondo l’Italia, l’importo da recuperare ammontava all’incirca ad EUR 295 milioni, di cui EUR 38 milioni di interessi.
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Taking the view that Italy had failed to comply with the duty to provide information and the duty to recover the aid, the Commission brought the present action for failure to fulfil obligations before the Court of Justice.
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La Commissione, ritenendo che l’Italia non avesse rispettato né l’obbligo d’informazione né l’obbligo di recupero, ha proposto ricorso per inadempimento dinanzi alla Corte di giustizia.
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In today’s judgment, the Court points out first of all that a Member State to which a decision requiring recovery of illegal aid is addressed is obliged to take all measures necessary to ensure implementation of that decision and actually recover the sums owed.
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Nella sua odierna sentenza, la Corte ricorda anzitutto che lo Stato membro destinatario di una decisione che gli impone di recuperare aiuti illegali è tenuto ad adottare ogni misura idonea ad assicurarne l’esecuzione e deve giungere a un effettivo recupero delle somme dovute.
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Recovery must be effected without delay, and recovery after the prescribed time limits have expired will not satisfy the requirements of the Treaty.
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Il recupero va effettuato senza indugio e un recupero successivo ai termini impartiti non può soddisfare i requisiti del Trattato.
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As Italy was notified of Decision 2010/460 on 20 November 2009, the time limit expired on 20 March 2010.
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Poiché la decisione 2010/460 è stata notificata il 20 novembre 2009, il termine scadeva pertanto il 20 marzo 2010.
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By that date, the aid had not been recovered in its entirety.
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Orbene, a tale data, non era stato recuperato l’intero aiuto.
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On the contrary, the procedure for recovery of the aid was still ongoing after the present action was instigated, that is to say, more than two and a half years after notification of the decision.
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Al contrario, il procedimento di recupero era ancora aperto dopo la proposizione del suddetto ricorso, ossia più di due anni e mezzo dopo la notifica della decisione.
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It is settled case law that the only defence available to a Member State against an application by the Commission for a declaration that it has failed to fulfil its obligations is to plead that it was absolutely impossible for it properly to implement the decision in question.
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Secondo costante giurisprudenza, il solo mezzo di difesa che uno Stato membro può opporre ad un ricorso per inadempimento promosso dalla Commissione è quello dell’impossibilità assoluta di dare correttamente esecuzione alla decisione di cui trattasi.
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Neither in its relations with the Commission before the present action was brought nor in the proceedings before the Court has Italy claimed that it was absolutely impossible for it to implement the decision.
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Tanto nei suoi contatti con la Commissione prima della proposizione del suddetto ricorso quanto nell’ambito del procedimento dinanzi alla Corte, l’Italia non ha mai fatto valere un’impossibilità assoluta di esecuzione della decisione.
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It has simply alluded in its communications with the Commission to legal or practical difficulties and to its intention of achieving a negotiated solution with Alcoa.
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Essa si è limitata a comunicare alla Commissione difficoltà giuridiche o pratiche, nonché la propria intenzione di giungere a una soluzione negoziata con l’Alcoa.
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For those reasons, the Court declares that Italy has failed to fulfil its obligation to recover the State aid granted to Alcoa in the form of a preferential electricity tariff.
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Per tali motivi, la Corte dichiara che l’Italia è venuta meno al proprio obbligo di recuperare gli aiuti di Stato concessi all’Alcoa sotto forma di tariffa agevolata per l’elettricità.
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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
Italy has failed to fulfil its obligation to recover State aid granted to
Alcoa in the form of a preferential electricity tariff
Alcoa Trasformazioni srl is an undertaking governed by Italian law forming
part of the Alcoa group.
It produces primary aluminium in Italy.
From 1996 it enjoyed a preferential tariff for electricity used at two
production sites, one in Sardinia (Portovesme) and the other in the Veneto
region (Fusina), as a result of a contract with the electricity supplier (ENEL).
That tariff, initially set for a period of ten years, was authorised by the
Commission, which found that the measure did not constitute aid since, at the
time in question, it was an ordinary commercial transaction concluded on market
terms.
The tariff was extended twice – initially until June 2007 and, subsequently,
until 2010 – without being adjusted to take account of market trends.
In 2009, the tariff was subsidised by a levy charged to electricity consumers
and no longer reflected market conditions.
The amount was equal to the difference between the contract price concluded
with the electricity supplier (ENEL) and the preferential price.
In 2009, the Commission took the view that the purpose of those extensions
was to reduce Alcoa’s operating costs, thus conferring on it an advantage
vis-à-vis its competitors.
They thus constituted State aid incompatible with the common market, which
Italy was obliged to recover, together with interest.
Italy was also required to cancel all future payments and communicate the
total amount of aid to be recovered, the measure already taken to comply with
the decision and documentation to show that the beneficiary had been ordered to
reimburse the aid.
According to Italy, the amount to be recovered is approximately €295 million,
including €38 million in interest.
Taking the view that Italy had failed to comply with the duty to provide
information and the duty to recover the aid, the Commission brought the present
action for failure to fulfil obligations before the Court of Justice.
In today’s judgment, the Court points out first of all that a Member State to
which a decision requiring recovery of illegal aid is addressed is obliged to
take all measures necessary to ensure implementation of that decision and
actually recover the sums owed.
Recovery must be effected without delay, and recovery after the prescribed
time limits have expired will not satisfy the requirements of the Treaty.
As Italy was notified of Decision 2010/460 on 20 November 2009, the time
limit expired on 20 March 2010.
By that date, the aid had not been recovered in its entirety.
On the contrary, the procedure for recovery of the aid was still ongoing
after the present action was instigated, that is to say, more than two and a
half years after notification of the decision.
It is settled case law that the only defence available to a Member State
against an application by the Commission for a declaration that it has failed to
fulfil its obligations is to plead that it was absolutely impossible for it
properly to implement the decision in question.
Neither in its relations with the Commission before the present action was
brought nor in the proceedings before the Court has Italy claimed that it was
absolutely impossible for it to implement the decision.
It has simply alluded in its communications with the Commission to legal or
practical difficulties and to its intention of achieving a negotiated solution
with Alcoa.
For those reasons, the Court declares that Italy has failed to fulfil its
obligation to recover the State aid granted to Alcoa in the form of a
preferential electricity tariff.
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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