Europese Commissie: Duitsland regering mag kolenindustrie steunen met 3 miljard euro (en)
Commission has decided today not to raise any objections to the €3 billion
aid package which Germany is proposing to grant to its coal industry for 2004.
The aid is compatible with the proper functioning of the common
market.
The total amount of the proposed aid for the year 2004 is €3,040.6
million. This aid can be divided into:
- Aid for the reduction of activity : €413.9 million
- Production aid : €2,045.3 million
- Aid to cover exceptional costs : €557.4 million
- Pecuniary benefits to miners (bergmannsprämie): €24
million.
The aid for the reduction of activity is meant to cover the
difference between production costs and selling prices. The mines which benefit
from the aid for the reduction of activity form part of a closure plan.
The aid for accessing coal reserves is current production aid and must help
in the operation of the mines. The state support will target specific measures
to reduce production costs and make their coal more competitive. This aid should
be digressive.
The aid to cover exceptional costs is intended to cover the costs arising
from or having arisen from the rationalisation and restructuring of the coal
industry that are not related to current production.
The beneficiaries of the aid are the coalmining companies RAG AG
(€3,034.5 million), Dr. A. Schaefer Bergbau GmbH (€1 million) and
Bergwerksgesellschaft Merchweiler mbH (€5.1 million).
On 5 May 2003 the Commission approved a restructuring plan of the German
coalmining industry. This restructuring plan contains detailed data for the
period from 2003 to 2005 and provides for a gradual reduction of financial aid
to the German coalmining industry that will lead to a permanent decrease in
production. The aid will follow a downward trend. The proposed aid for 2004 is
in accordance with this restructuring plan and respects the maximum amounts of
aid laid down therein.
The Commission has come to the conclusion that the proposed aid measures
respect the provisions of the Council Regulation on State aid to the coal
industry[1] and are therefore
compatible with the proper functioning of the common market.
[1] Council Regulation (EC)
No 1407/2002 of 23 July 2002 on State aid to the coal industry, OJ L.205, p.1,
2.8.2002