RESOLUTION OF THE ECSC CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE on the social aspects of energy and steel policies (adopted unanimously at the 244th session of 20 and 21 September 1984) (84/C 279/03)

THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE,

having heard the report of its Subcommittee for Labour Problems which met on 14 June 1984 to examine the social aspects of the items discussed at the 242nd session of 17 May 1984 concerning: - Community energy policy,

- the updating of the General Objectives for Steel,

- the progress of Community restructuring policy inthe steel industry,

- the application of the aids code,

renewing its concern already expressed previously about: - the reductions in the workforce arising from therestructuring of the steel and coal industries,

- the continued deterioration of the regionalindustrial fabric in the areas where these industriesare often predominant,

- the human dramas caused by the existence of 12million unemployed in the Community,

recognizing the efforts which the Commission has made in proposing, since 1983, a series of social and reconversion measures with the aim of lessening the social consequences of restructuring in the steel regions and of providing additional social aid for the coal sector;

recalling its resolution of 18 February 1983 (1), which was adopted unanimously, on the social aspects of the General Objectives Steel, 1985, 1. formally asks the Commission to once againrequest the European Parliament and the Councilto provide the ECSC budget annually, for theperiod 1984 to 1986, with the necessary resourcesto allow implementation of the planned andapproved amount for the second social programmefor the steel industry, namely 300 million ECU, aswell as the further 60 million ECU in both 1985and 1986 already requested by the Commission, inaddition to the 60 million ECU already agreed for1984, to provide for social aids for workers in thecoalmining industry;

2. requests the earmarking of further means for theRegional Fund and the Social Fund to ensure theoptimum use of these Community instruments,with a view to new initiatives, particularly in theregions affected by the restructuring of the steeland coal industries;

3. calls for an even more dynamic and better adaptedapproach with regard to Community loans (ECSC,EIB, NCI) for innovational and job-creatingdevelopments in the affected regions, whetherthese be direct loans or global loans, these latterbeing particularly destined for SMEs;

4. requests, in an attempt to reduce unemployment,the intensification of the social dialogue in theMixed Committees set up for this purpose, takinginto account both the concern expressed in theresolution of 18 February 1983 and all the newsocial aspects of restructuring in the steel and coalsectors;

5. asks its President to present this Resolution to theCommission of the European Communities -together with the resolution of 18 February 1983- with a request to forward it to the Presidents ofthe Council and of the European Parliament aswell as to the latter's Committee on Social Affairsand Employment. (1) OJ No C 72, 17.3.1983.