RESOLUTION OF THE ECSC CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE on certain aspects of the financial activities of the ECSC Treaty (94/C 8/03)

(Adopted unanimously less one vote at the 311th session of 17 December 1993)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY (ECSC)

- having taken note of

- the draft ECSC operating budget for 1994 (1),

- Commission communication to the Council of 20 October 1993 on the 'Future of the ECSC Treaty - borrowing/lending Activity' (2),

- the Commission working document of 20 October 1993 updating the communication to the Council on the future of the ECSC Treaty - financial activities (3),

- having carried out a preliminary examination of these documents at the sessions of 12 November and 17 December 1993,

- having heard the explanations and comments of the Commission representatives at those sessions,

- recalling its memorandum of 20 November 1992, adopted unanimously (4);

1. unterlines that the complex nature of the financial prospects, which are decisive for the future, requires a thorough examination, which will soon result in the adoption by the Committee of a position on all the proposals submitted by the Commission,

2. draws the Commission's attention once again, however, at this juncture, to the serious crisis and the structural changes which the coal and steel industries are currently undergoing and which are generating considerable financial requirements for these two industries;

3. notes that the fall in steel demand in the European Union is one of the major causes of the current crisis in the steel industry and that this fall is exacerbated by difficulties in restructuring, imports - often at low prices - from eastern Europe, and import limitations into the United States of America.

4. points out that the drop in steel production in the European Union as a result of this crisis is having a direct effect on demand for coking coal and coke. This drop in demand, as well as the current low state of the market for steam coal, is hitting the European coal industry at a time when it, too, is undergoing a difficult period of restructuring because of the wide-ranging pressure on the energy market as a whole and certain energy policy decisions;

5. stresses its desire for the budgetary proposals to release a sufficiently high level of resources for social measures in the coal and steel sectors, and

calls, in addition, for social measures for the coal industry comparable to those for the steel industry to be defined promptly and for appropriate assistance to be organized from general Community instruments in the social field to accompany the restructuring of the coal and steel industries;

6. is aware of the seriousness of the budgetary situation of the ECSC in 1994, but cannot accept that the implementation of social measures linked to restructuring should lead to a sharp reduction in industrial and social research aid;

repeats, in this respect, that it has expressed its opinion in favour of the transfer of conversion loans with interest rate subsidies to the European Investment Bank (EIB) and that the amount of those loans is still very high. The Committee renews its previous recommendations for a reduction of these loans beyond that currently planned;

regrets the lack of information on the possibilities for the genuine inclusion of research activities in the general research programmes of the European Union;

7. calls, therefore, on the European Commission, which has so far recognized the value of ECSC social measures, swiftly to implement those announced and fulfil its social responsibility towards the two sectors concerned, in accordance with the ECSC Treaty, without, however, noticeably cutting research expenditure.

(1) Doc. SEC(93) 1762 final.

(2) Doc. COM(93) 512 final.

(3) Doc. SEC(93) 1596 final.

(4) OJ No C 14/5 of 20 January 1993.