INHALT

2012/485/EU: Commission Decision of 25 April 2012 on State aid SA.25051 (C 19/10) (ex NN 23/10) granted by Germany to the Zweckverband Tierkörperbeseitigung in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis and Landkreis Limburg-Weilburg (notified under document C(2012) 2557) Text with EEA relevance

COMMISSION DECISION
of 25 April 2012
on State aid SA.25051 (C 19/10) (ex NN 23/10) granted by Germany to the Zweckverband Tierkörperbeseitigung in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis and Landkreis Limburg-Weilburg
(notified under document C(2012) 2557)
(Only the German text is authentic)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2012/485/EU)
1.
THE PROCEDURE
2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE
2.1.
Legal background
2.1.1.
European legislation
2.1.2.
National legislation
2.2.
Zweckverband Tierkörperbeseitigung
2.3.
Disposal of fallen stock and slaughterhouse waste
2.3.1.
The ZT’s activities
2.3.2.
The ZT’s plant capacity
2.3.2.1.
Short-term spare operational capacity
2.3.2.2.
Long-term spare operational capacity
2.4.
Annual contribution and public task
2.5.
Approved State aid in connection with TSE tests, fallen stock and slaughterhouse waste
2.5.1.
Commission Decision of 29 January 2004 in aid case NN 33/03
2.5.2.
Commission Decision of 6 July 2004 in aid case N 15/04
2.5.3.
Relationship between the approved aid schemes NN 33/03 and N 15/04 and the annual contributions
3.
REASONS FOR INITIATING THE PROCEDURE
4.
NATIONAL COURT PROCEEDINGS
4.1.
First Altmark criterion
4.2.
Second Altmark criterion
4.3.
Third Altmark criterion
4.4.
Fourth Altmark-criterion
5.
COMMENTS FROM THE COMPLAINANT
5.1.
First Altmark criterion
5.2.
Second Altmark criterion
5.3.
Third Altmark Criterion
5.3.1.
Epidemic reserve covered out of operational spare capacity
5.3.2.
Total costs financed out of normal fee revenue
5.3.3.
The ZT’s actual use of the annual contributions
5.3.3.1.
Use of the alleged epidemic reserve for the purposes of the public task entrusted to it in North and Central Hessen
5.3.3.2.
Financing of unnecessary spare capacity
5.4.
Fourth Altmark-Criterion
5.5.
Distortion of competition on outside markets
5.5.1.
Below-cost bid by the ZT in the public tendering procedure in Northern and Central Hessen
5.5.2.
Below-cost fees charged by the ZT for disposal of category 3 material
6.
COMMENTS BY THE ZT
7.
COMMENTS BY GERMANY
7.1.
First Altmark criterion
7.2.
Second Altmark criterion
7.3.
Third Altmark criterion
7.3.1.
Study on the level of the epidemic reserve
7.3.1.1.
Short-term epidemics
7.3.1.2.
Long-term epidemics
7.3.1.3.
Conclusions arising from the studies submitted
7.3.2.
Cost of the epidemic reserve
7.3.3.
Financing the cost of the epidemic reserve through annual contributions
7.3.4.
Financing in other German states
7.4.
Fourth Altmark criterion
7.5.
No distortion to competition in external markets
7.5.1.
Disposal of uncontrolled goods by the ZT without cross-subsidisation
7.5.2.
Invitation to tender in Northern and Central Hessen
7.6.
Clean-up of contaminated sites
7.6.1.
Sprendling-Gensingen site
7.6.2.
Sohrschied site
8.
ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENCE OF AID UNDER ARTICLE 107(1) TFEU (WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE ALTMARK CRITERIA)
8.1.
Annual contribution financed from State resources
8.2.
Economic advantage for the ZT
8.3.
Distortion of competition and impairment of trade between the Member States
8.4.
Provisional conclusion on the existence of aid
9.
ASSESSMENT OF THE ALTMARK CRITERIA IN THE CONTEXT OF ARTICLE 107(1) TFEU
9.1.
First Altmark criterion
9.1.1.
Obligation to dispose of category 1 and 2 material
9.1.1.1.
Not a service of general economic interest
9.1.1.2.
In the alternative: compensation payments are not a requirement in any case
9.1.2.
Maintaining an epidemic reserve
9.1.3.
Disposal of category 3 material
9.1.4.
Summary
9.2.
Second Altmark criterion
9.2.1.
Period from 1979 to 2008
9.2.2.
Period from 2009 to 2012
9.3.
Third Altmark criterion
9.3.1.
Coverage of the prescribed epidemic reserve by the ZT’s unused operational capacity
9.3.2.
Available spare capacity exceeds the prescribed epidemic reserve
9.3.3.
Summary
9.4.
Altmark criterion 4
9.5.
Conclusion as regards the existence of economic advantages for the ZT
9.5.1.
Losses from the disposal of internal and external material when the incorrectly calculated epidemic reserve costs are allocated by purpose
9.5.2.
Annual contributions finance losses from the disposal of external material
9.5.2.1.
Losses on the disposal of category 3 material
Figure 1
Contribution margins for category 3 material from 2000 to 2009 (EUR)
9.5.2.2.
Losses from under-utilisation
Figure 2
Under-utilisation of the ZT’s normal capacity in 5-day 2-shift operation from 1998 to 2009
9.5.2.3.
Losses from the tendering procedure in Northern and Central Hessen
9.5.3.
Annual contributions finance losses from the disposal of internal material
9.5.3.1.
Below-cost prices for the disposal of slaughterhouse waste
9.5.3.2.
Monopoly position in the area covered by the association consolidated by direct annual contributions
9.5.4.
Summary
10.
ASSESSMENT OF ILLEGALITY UNDER ARTICLE 108(3) TFEU
11.
ASSESSMENT OF COMPATIBILITY UNDER ARTICLE 106(2) TFEU
12.
ASSESSMENT OF COMPATIBILITY AS AID TO FINANCE THE DISPOSAL COSTS OF FALLEN STOCK AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE WASTE UNDER ARTICLE 107(3)(c) TFEU
13.
ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPATIBILITY OF THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION AS ENVIRONMENTAL AID UNDER ARTICLE 107(3)(c) TFEU
14.
CONCLUSIONS
Article 1
Article 2
Article 3
Article 4
Article 5