Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Commission proposal to the Council of 25 July 2001 on State aid to the coal industry has a certain number of good qualities and one slight defect. The first of the good qualities is the fact that it is essential. The second is that it really is an important step in the right direction for the coal industry. The slight defect is that it contains a certain number of inaccuracies which have not been removed at the committee stage. This proposal is essential because the previous arrangements will expire in July 2002, hence the need for a new regulation. Above all, it is essential because of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty, which is the legal basis of the previous arrangements governing aid to the coal industry. The restructuring of the coal industry in Europe has not been entirely completed, so there can be no question of not having a new regulation on these arrangements for State aid. This proposal is also a step in the right direction insofar as it makes provision for production aid to cease in 2007. In fact, I believe that it is inevitable and desirable to make provision for the cessation of this aid, since coal and steel products will be re-integrated into the common law of the Treaty on European Union following the expiry of the ECSC Treaty. My attention and the discussions in committee were concentrated on the revision, from my point of view, of this text, an important revision, because it consists of supporting the creation of what is known as an ‘indigenous primary energy base’ in order to preserve the European Union’s independence regarding this product. This creation is slightly surprising in a text which originally had only a technical purpose. In any case, it calls, and has called, for the following comments from me and from a certain number of other Members. Is Europe threatened if this indigenous primary energy base is not created? Is there any strategic interest in creating such a base? In other words, is coal strategic, and is indigenous coal production within certain limits strategic to the European Union? My reply to these two questions is negative. I believe, and the experts agree with me, that the world coal market is characterised by both great dispersion of supply and great stability of prices in the medium and long-term. The risk of shortages is quite small. In addition, there are a number of products which could claim strategic status, and therefore the replies obtained from the Commission have led me, I regret to say, to propose that this revision be stated separately in this text in order to deal with this problem. The period of validity of this regulation is set to end in 2010. I had proposed that it should end in 2007, for the sake of consistency, because that was the year, in the Commission proposal, for ending production aid. I regret to say that the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy did not agree with me, and my report was rejected. That being the case, I invite you to vote for this report on the original version of the Commission proposal because, despite its uncertainties, inaccuracies and obscurities, the proposed regulation is a step in the right direction, towards support for the restructuring of the coal industry, albeit for a limited period of time. I believe that this is how that support should be given, because it cannot continue indefinitely. (Applause)

Political group: ELDR