RESOLUTION OF THE ECSC CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE EVALUATION BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE MEMBER STATES IN FAVOUR OF THEIR COAL MINING INDUSTRIES

(1999/C 321/08)

(adopted less five abstentions during the 347th Session of 15 October 1999)

THE ECSC CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE,

- referring to the position taken in the past regarding the situation of the coal industry in the European Union, and particularly to the Declaration adopted on 25 June 1999 on the role of coal in the 21st century,

- referring to the report from the Commission on the application of the Community Rules for State aid to the coal industry in 1996 and 1997,

AFTER THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS:

- the conclusions of the Commission report provide a biased evaluation of the situation of the European coal industry, namely by declaring "that the indigenous coal is sometimes of lower quality than imported coal", whereas the contrary could also be true,

- the biased conclusions of the report may lead into the wrong direction: the Commission should rather recognise efforts made by the European coal industry to supply high-quality coal and to promote efficient use of coal,

- the conclusions are in contradiction with the principle of a balanced energy policy based on sustainable development, such as has been explained in the above Declaration of the consultative committee,

- declaring that the aid programmes have promoted a type of "life of its own" and "habits become standard practise" is incorrect and disregards the historical evolution, particularly during the oil crises of the seventies and eighties, and the fact that the Commission itself has continuously taken an active part in implementing State aid rules, last through Commission Decision No 3632/93/ECSC, which is the framework for the coal policies of all Member States until July 2002, as well as the enormous efforts made by the industry in terms of capacity and workforce reduction which are a clear indication that such bad habits do not exist,

- the conclusions do not take account of an objective evaluation of the environmental consequences of the whole production chain both of EU and imported coal compared to other energy sources.

Therefore the ECSC consultative committee,

- cannot accept the conclusions of the report in their present form,

- requests the Commission to recognise the importance of solid fuels for a future energy policy in Europe and to take these remarks into account for the next report.