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PARALLEL TEXTS
Il diritto dell’unione fissa limiti al diritto esclusivo concesso alla società per azioni OPAP di organizzare e gestire giochi d’azzardo in Grecia
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-7_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-7_it.htm
Data documento: 24-01-2013
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EU law precludes OPAP from having an exclusive right to organise and operate games of chance in Greece
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Il diritto dell’unione fissa limiti al diritto esclusivo concesso alla società per azioni OPAP di organizzare e gestire giochi d’azzardo in Grecia
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If, however, the State finds that the liberalisation of that market is incompatible with the level of consumer protection and the preservation of order in society which it intends to uphold, it may undertake reforms of the monopoly inter alia by making it subject to effective and strict controls
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Se tuttavia lo Stato ritiene che la liberalizzazione di tale mercato non sia compatibile con il livello di tutela dei consumatori e dell’ordine sociale che intende assicurare, può limitarsi a riformare il monopolio, assoggettandolo, in particolare, ad un controllo stretto ed effettivo
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In Greece, the organisation and operation of games of chance and betting forms are entrusted for a 20-year period, until 2020, to the public limited company OPAP (Organismos prognostikon agonon podosfairou AE – organisation for football betting), listed on the Athens Stock Exchange.
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In Grecia, l’organizzazione e la gestione dei giochi d’azzardo e delle schedine per scommesse sono assegnate per un periodo di venti anni – ovvero fino al 2020 – alla società per azioni OPAP (Organismos prognostikon agonon podosfairou – Ente pronostici sulle partite di calcio), quotata alla Borsa di Atene.
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The Greek State approves the regulations governing OPAP’s activities and monitors the procedure applied in order to organise the games, whilst currently being a minority shareholder (34%).
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Lo Stato greco approva i regolamenti riguardanti le attività dell’OPAP e vigila sulla procedura di svolgimento dei giochi, pur essendo attualmente azionista di minoranza (34 %).
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OPAP fixes the maximum amount of the bet and winnings per form (and not by player) and may use up to 10% of the advertising space in stadia and gymnasia free of charge.
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L’OPAP fissa l’importo massimo delle scommesse e delle vincite per schedina (e non per giocatore) e ha il diritto di utilizzare gratuitamente fino al 10 % degli spazi pubblicitari negli stadi e nelle palestre.
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It has also expanded its activities abroad, in particular in Cyprus.
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Esso ha altresì esteso le sue attività all’estero, in particolare a Cipro.
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The companies Stanleybet, William Hill and Sportingbet have their registered office in the United Kingdom, where they hold licences to organise games of chance under English law.
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Le società Stanleybet, William Hill e Sportingbet hanno sede nel Regno Unito, dove sono autorizzate ad organizzare i giochi d’azzardo conformemente alla normativa inglese.
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They brought an action before the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Council of State, Greece) against the Greek authorities’ tacit rejection of their applications to be granted permission to provide sport betting services in Greece.
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Esse hanno agito dinanzi al Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Consiglio di Stato, Grecia) contro i rifiuti taciti delle autorità greche di concedere loro l’autorizzazione ad organizzare in Grecia scommesse sportive.
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The Greek court then made a reference to the Court of Justice, asking whether EU law, particularly the principles of the fundamental freedoms (freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services), preclude national legislation which grants the exclusive right to operate games of chance to a single entity.
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Il giudice greco ha quindi chiesto alla Corte di giustizia se il diritto dell’Unione e in particolare i principi sulle libertà fondamentali (di stabilimento e di prestazione di servizi) ostino alla normativa nazionale che concede ad un organismo unico il diritto esclusivo di gestione dei giochi d’azzardo.
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It observes that, whilst the objective of the national legislation is to restrict the supply of games of chance and to support the effort to combat criminality linked to games of chance, OPAP pursues a commercial policy of expansion.
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Esso osserva che, sebbene l’obiettivo della normativa nazionale consista nel limitare l’offerta dei giochi e nel favorire la lotta alla criminalità ad essi connessa, l’OPAP persegue una politica commerciale espansionistica.
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In its judgment today, the Court notes, firstly, that national legislation which grants a monopoly to OPAP and prohibits providers established in another Member State from offering the same games of chance on Greek territory constitutes a restriction on the freedom to provide services or on the freedom of establishment.
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La Corte, nella sua sentenza odierna, rileva anzitutto che la normativa nazionale che sancisce il monopolio dell’OPAP e vieta ai concorrenti stabiliti in un altro Stato membro di offrire gli stessi giochi nel territorio greco comporta una restrizione alla libera prestazione dei servizi o alla libertà di stabilimento.
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It then examines whether such a restriction may be allowed as a derogation on grounds of public policy, public security or public health or justified by overriding reasons in the public interest.
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Essa verifica quindi se una restrizione siffatta possa essere ammessa a titolo derogatorio, per motivi di ordine pubblico, di pubblica sicurezza, di sanità pubblica o per ragioni imperative di interesse generale.
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Next, the Court observes that the legislation on games of chance is one of the areas in which there are significant moral, religious and cultural differences between the Member States and that, in the absence of Community harmonisation in the field, it is for each Member State to determine in those areas, in accordance with its own scale of values, what is required in order to ensure that the interests in question are protected.
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La Corte ricorda inoltre che la disciplina dei giochi d’azzardo rientra nei settori in cui sussistono tra gli Stati membri divergenze considerevoli di ordine morale, religioso e culturale e, in assenza di armonizzazione comunitaria, ogni Stato membro deve valutare, alla luce della propria scala di valori, le esigenze che la tutela degli interessi in gioco implica.
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Thus, as already recognised by its case-law, restricting the supply of games of chance and combating criminality linked to those games may justify restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
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Pertanto, come già riconosciuto dalla sua giurisprudenza, la limitazione dell’offerta dei giochi d’azzardo e la lotta alla criminalità ad essi connessa possono giustificare restrizioni alle libertà fondamentali.
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The Court emphasises, however, that restrictive measures imposed by Member States must satisfy the conditions of proportionality and non-discrimination, whilst actually ensuring attainment of the objectives pursued in a consistent and systematic manner.
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La Corte sottolinea, tuttavia, che le restrizioni imposte dagli Stati membri devono soddisfare le condizioni di proporzionalità e di non discriminazione, garantendo al contempo effettivamente la realizzazione degli obiettivi addotti,in modo coerente e sistematico.
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It is thus for the national court to ensure that the national legislation genuinely meets the concern to reduce opportunities for gambling and to combat the criminality to which it gives rise.
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Spetta pertanto al giudice nazionale verificare che la normativa nazionale persegua effettivamente l’obiettivo di ridurre le occasioni di gioco d'azzardo e di lottare contro la criminalità connessa a tali giochi.
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The Court nevertheless suggests that the national court take account, in relation to the first objective, of the various features of the legislative framework governing OPAP and the manner in which it operates in practice, such as the fact that OPAP enjoys certain rights and privileges for advertising, or the fact that the maximum bet is fixed per form (and not per player).
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Cionondimeno, la Corte suggerisce al giudice nazionale di tener conto, riguardo al primo obiettivo, dei diversi elementi del quadro normativo e del funzionamento pratico dell’OPAP, quali i diritti e i privilegi di cui esso dispone per la pubblicità dei giochi e la fissazione della scommessa massima per schedina (e non per giocatore).
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As regards the second objective, the national court will have to verify the effectiveness of the State controls, bearing in mind that a measure as restrictive as a monopoly must be subject to strict control, whilst the Greek State’s supervision of OPAP, a listed public limited company, would appear to be merely superficial.
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Quanto al secondo obiettivo, il giudice nazionale dovrà verificare che il controllo statale sia effettivamente attuato, tenendo conto del fatto che una misura tanto restrittiva come un monopolio deve essere soggetta ad uno stretto controllo, mentre l’OPAP, società per azioni quotata in Borsa, sarebbe sottoposto a vigilanza solo superficiale dello Stato greco.
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The Court then answers that EU law precludes national legislation which grants the exclusive right for games of chance to a single entity, without genuinely reducing opportunities for gambling where it does not either limit activities in that domain in a consistent and systematic manner or ensure strict control of the expansion of the sector of games of chance solely in so far as is necessary to combat criminality.
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Di conseguenza, la Corte risponde che il diritto dell’Unione osta ad una normativa nazionale che concede il monopolio sui giochi d’azzardo ad un organismo unico, senza ridurre realmente le occasioni di gioco, qualora, da un lato, essa non limiti le attività in tale settore in modo coerente e sistematico e, dall’altro, non garantisca uno stretto controllo sull’espansione dei giochi d’azzardo, soltanto nella misura necessaria alla lotta alla criminalità.
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The Court further states that, by reason of the primacy of directly-applicable EU law, national legislation which comprises restrictions that are incompatible with the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services cannot continue to apply during a transitional period. Consequently, during that period, national authorities may not refrain from considering applications.
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Inoltre, la Corte precisa che, per effetto del primato del diritto dell’Unione direttamente applicabile, una normativa nazionale che comporti restrizioni incompatibili con la libertà di stabilimento e la libera prestazione dei servizi non può continuare ad applicarsi per un periodo transitorio, nel corso del quale, di conseguenza, le autorità nazionali non possono astenersi dall’esaminare le domande di autorizzazione.
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In that situation of incompatibility, the Greek State has two possible courses of action.
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In questa situazione di incompatibilità, lo Stato greco ha due possibilità.
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If it finds that the liberalisation of the market for games of chance is incompatible with the level of consumer protection and the preservation of order in society which it intends to uphold, the State may instead undertake reforms of the monopoly and make it subject to effective and strict controls by the public authorities.
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Se dovesse ritenere che la liberalizzazione del mercato dei giochi d’azzardo non sia compatibile con il livello di tutela dei consumatori e dell’ordine sociale che esso intende assicurare, lo Stato potrebbe limitarsi a riformare il monopolio e ad assoggettarlo ad un effettivo e stretto controllo da parte delle autorità pubbliche.
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If, on the other hand, the State opts to liberalise the market – which it is not necessarily obliged to do under EU law – it must observe the principles of equal treatment and of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality, as well as the obligation of transparency.
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Per contro, se lo Stato dovesse optare per la liberalizzazione del mercato – cui non è necessariamente obbligato dal diritto dell’Unione – esso dovrà rispettare i principi di parità di trattamento e di non discriminazione in base alla nazionalità, nonché l’obbligo di trasparenza.
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The introduction of an administrative permit scheme, for instance, must be based on objective, non-discriminatory criteria, so that the national authorities’ discretion is not used arbitrarily.
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L’istituzione di un regime di previa autorizzazione amministrativa dovrà quindi essere fondata su criteri oggettivi e non discriminatori, per evitare che il potere discrezionale delle autorità nazionali possa essere utilizzato in modo arbitrario.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law or the validity of a European Union act.
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Il rinvio pregiudiziale consente ai giudici degli Stati membri, nell'ambito di una controversia della quale sono investiti, di interpellare la Corte in merito all’interpretazione del diritto dell’Unione o alla validità di un atto dell’Unione.
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The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
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La Corte non risolve la controversia nazionale.
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It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised. |
Spetta al giudice nazionale risolvere la causa conformemente alla decisione della Corte. Tale decisione vincola egualmente gli altri giudici nazionali ai quali venga sottoposto un problema simile. |
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
EU law precludes OPAP from having an exclusive right to organise and
operate games of chance in Greece
If, however, the State finds that the liberalisation of that market
is incompatible with the level of consumer protection and the preservation of
order in society which it intends to uphold, it may undertake reforms of the
monopoly inter alia by making it subject to effective and strict controls
In Greece, the organisation and operation of games of chance and
betting forms are entrusted for a 20-year period, until 2020, to the public
limited company OPAP (Organismos prognostikon agonon podosfairou AE –
organisation for football betting), listed on the Athens Stock Exchange.
The Greek State approves the regulations governing OPAP’s activities
and monitors the procedure applied in order to organise the games, whilst
currently being a minority shareholder (34%).
OPAP fixes the maximum amount of the bet and winnings per form (and not
by player) and may use up to 10% of the advertising space in stadia and gymnasia
free of charge.
It has also expanded its activities abroad, in particular in Cyprus.
The companies Stanleybet, William Hill and Sportingbet have their registered
office in the United Kingdom, where they hold licences to organise games of
chance under English law.
They brought an action before the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias (Council of
State, Greece) against the Greek authorities’ tacit rejection of their
applications to be granted permission to provide sport betting services in
Greece.
The Greek court then made a reference to the Court of Justice, asking
whether EU law, particularly the principles of the fundamental freedoms (freedom
of establishment and freedom to provide services), preclude national legislation
which grants the exclusive right to operate games of chance to a single entity.
It observes that, whilst the objective of the national legislation is
to restrict the supply of games of chance and to support the effort to combat
criminality linked to games of chance, OPAP pursues a commercial policy of
expansion.
In its judgment today, the Court notes, firstly, that national
legislation which grants a monopoly to OPAP and prohibits providers established
in another Member State from offering the same games of chance on Greek
territory constitutes a restriction on the freedom to provide services or on the
freedom of establishment.
It then examines whether such a restriction may be allowed as a
derogation on grounds of public policy, public security or public health or
justified by overriding reasons in the public interest.
Next, the Court observes that the legislation on games of chance is one
of the areas in which there are significant moral, religious and cultural
differences between the Member States and that, in the absence of Community
harmonisation in the field, it is for each Member State to determine in those
areas, in accordance with its own scale of values, what is required in order to
ensure that the interests in question are protected.
Thus, as already recognised by its case-law, restricting the supply of
games of chance and combating criminality linked to those games may justify
restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
The Court emphasises, however, that restrictive measures imposed by
Member States must satisfy the conditions of proportionality and
non-discrimination, whilst actually ensuring attainment of the objectives
pursued in a consistent and systematic manner.
It is thus for the national court to ensure that the national
legislation genuinely meets the concern to reduce opportunities for gambling and
to combat the criminality to which it gives rise.
The Court nevertheless suggests that the national court take account,
in relation to the first objective, of the various features of the legislative
framework governing OPAP and the manner in which it operates in practice, such
as the fact that OPAP enjoys certain rights and privileges for advertising, or
the fact that the maximum bet is fixed per form (and not
As regards the second objective, the national court will have to verify the
effectiveness of the State controls, bearing in mind that a measure as
restrictive as a monopoly must be subject to strict control, whilst the Greek
State’s supervision of OPAP, a listed public limited company, would appear to be
merely superficial.
The Court then answers that EU law precludes national legislation which
grants the exclusive right for games of chance to a single entity, without
genuinely reducing opportunities for gambling where it does not either limit
activities in that domain in a consistent and systematic manner or ensure strict
control of the expansion of the sector of games of chance solely in so far as is
necessary to combat criminality.
The Court further states that, by reason of the primacy of
directly-applicable EU law, national legislation which comprises restrictions
that are incompatible with the freedom of establishment and the freedom to
provide services cannot continue to apply during a transitional period.
Consequently, during that period, national authorities may not refrain from
considering applications.
In that situation of incompatibility, the Greek State has two possible
courses of action.
If it finds that the liberalisation of the market for games of chance
is incompatible with the level of consumer protection and the preservation of
order in society which it intends to uphold, the State may instead undertake
reforms of the monopoly and make it subject to effective and strict controls by
the public authorities.
If, on the other hand, the State opts to liberalise the market – which
it is not necessarily obliged to do under EU law – it must observe the
principles of equal treatment and of non-discrimination on grounds of
nationality, as well as the obligation of transparency.
The introduction of an administrative permit scheme, for instance, must
be based on objective, non-discriminatory criteria, so that the national
authorities’ discretion is not used arbitrarily.
NOTE:
A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the
Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer
questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law
or the validity of a European Union act.
The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in
accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other
national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised. |