Commission Decision of 21 December 2000 on German aid to the coal industry for 2000 and 2001 (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2000) 4407)

• Articles: 7

Article 1

The changes to the plan for the modernisation, rationalisation and reduction of activity in the coal industry, as approved by the Commission in Decision 1999/270/ECSC of 2 December 1998, are compatible with the objectives and criteria laid down in Decision No 3632/93/ECSC.

Article 2

Germany is hereby authorised to take the following measures to assist the coal industry for 2000:

(a) operating aid as defined in Article 3 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 3847 million;

(b) aid for the reduction of activity as defined in Article 4 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 3138 million;

(c) aid as defined in Article 3 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 71 million to maintain an underground labour force ("Bergmannsprämie");

(d) aid as defined in Article 5 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 2124 million to cover exceptional costs.

Article 3

Germany is hereby authorised to take the following measures to assist the coal industry for 2001:

(a) operating aid as defined in Article 3 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 3433 million;

(b) aid for the reduction of activity as defined in Article 4 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 1889 million;

(c) aid as defined in Article 3 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 67 million to maintain an underground labour force ("Bergmannsprämie");

(d) aid as defined in Article 5 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC totalling DEM 2740 million to cover exceptional costs.

Article 4

In accordance with Article 86 of the ECSC Treaty, Germany undertakes to take all appropriate measures, whether general or particular, to ensure fulfiment of the obligations arising from this Decision.

It shall ensure that aid granted is used only for the specified purposes and that any unused, overestimated or misused expenditure in relation to any items referred to in this Decision repaid to Germany.

Article 5

Germany shall provide information no later than 30 September 2001 about payments actually made during the 2000 financial year and shall forward the information pursuant to Article 9 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC.

Article 6

Germany shall provide information no later than 30 September 2002 about payments actually made during the 2001 financial year and shall forward the information pursuant to Article 9 of Decision No 3632/93/ECSC.

Article 7

This Decision is addressed to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Done at Brussels, 21 December 2000.

For the Commission

Loyola De Palacio

Vice-President

(1) OJ L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 12.

(2) OJ L 109, 27.4.1999, p. 14.

(3) Tonnes of coal equivalent.

(4) The decision adopted by the Commission contains information on the production costs of Deutsche Steinkohle AG which must be treated as confidential. Solely for the purposes of this publication, it has been replaced by figures expressed as percentages.

(5) See Commission Decision 1999/299/ECSC of 22 December 1998, OJ L 117, 5.5.1999, p. 44.