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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘The Perspectives of European Coal and Steel Research’

(2005/C 294/03)

On 1 July 2004 the European Economic and Social Committee, acting under Rule 29(2) of its Rules of Procedure, decided to draw up an opinion on ‘The Perspectives of European Coal and Steel Research’.

The Consultative Commission on Industrial Change, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 13 June 2005. The rapporteur was Mr Lagerholm and the co-rapporteur was Mr Gibellieri.

At its 419th plenary session, held on 13 and 14 July 2005 (meeting of 13 July 2005), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 57 votes to none with 3 abstentions.

1.   Introduction

1.1   Prospects opened up by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel

1.2   Financial aspects: a temporary and noticeable reduction in grants

1.3   Monitoring and management of the programmes

2.   Steel

2.1   General situation in the steel sector

In 2004 the buoyant global economy provided a significant boost to the European economy but domestic demand failed to pick up substantially. The prospects for 2005 largely depend on the performance of the world economy, since the euro-zone is very much dependent on final demand generated elsewhere.

The key as to whether the global economy and with it the steel market will continue to expand this coming year is, China and other Asian countries. China appears to have entered a phase of controlled slowdown and its growth is becoming more sustainable.

2.2   Future prospects for steel research

2.2.1   Results of the first calls for tender following the expiry of the ECSC: a considerable fall in the number of successful proposals in the RFCS programme

With the help of a new standard contract, 49 contracts were signed in 2003 and 51 in 2004; nearly 50 should be signed in 2005. The rate of success has fallen considerably, since the number of proposals submitted has not diminished in relation to the amount of aid available — quite the reverse. For example, 116 proposals were submitted in 2002, 143 in 2003 and 173 in 2004. The rate of success of the projects is about 30 % at present, whereas it was 50-55 % at the beginning of this decade. This recent tendency has been observed at a time when the new Member States are still participating relatively little in the RFCS programme.

2.2.2   The Steel Technology Platform: the right framework for a long-term vision of steel research

The steel industry has to confront many challenges in different areas such as the need for competitiveness arising from globalisation; the rapid growth of new, large producers (at present China); environmental rules which concern both processes and products; the requirements of customers and shareholders; health and safety at work and training.

The ambition of the steel industry is to maintain and even reinforce a global leadership, which is both sustainable and competitive.

To meet this ambition, a group of personalities decided to launch a determined, long-term and structured R&D action, in the framework of a Steel Technology Platform. This platform was launched on 12 March 2004.

The CCMI is one of the platform's partners and is represented on its Steering Committee.

3.   Coal

3.1   General situation in the coal sector

3.2   Research perspectives in the coal sector

3.3   RTD in mining technology

3.4   RTD in Clean Coal Utilisation

4.   Conclusions and Recommendations

After a period of transition of three years, the RFCS research programme has proved to be efficient and effective, having substantially integrated the network of experts of the former ECSC Research programmes. The EESC recommends maintaining, for the foreseeable future, both the same consultative bodies (COSCO, SAG and CAG, Technical Groups) for the management of the programme and the same evaluation procedure. The EESC asks the Commission to consider how to increase the participation of experts in technical groups.

4.3   Steel

In the coming decades, the EESC foresees an essential need in the steel industry for collaborative research in order to maintain and even reinforce that industry's current global leadership position; a position that is both sustainable and competitive. The utilisation of steel is essential for meeting the future requirements of society — and for the creation of new market opportunities. In the future the steel industry will have to address, in particular, the need for more environment-friendly products and new steel solutions.

4.4   Coal

The EESC welcomes the new European Energy Priorities stressing the significance of clean coal technologies for climate and environmental protection and the security of energy supply in the Union and announcing its commitment to clean coal technologies as a key priority for research in the 7th RTD Framework Programme.

The programme should aim, therefore, at the improvement of efficiency in order to reduce emissions and for a sustainable use of resources as well as CO2 sequestration and storage measures. As the broader orientated European Mining Technology Platform will provide strategies and instruments for cross sectoral mining research, the complementary character of the RFCS programme should be retained and the programme should aim at specific coal mining RTD.

Brussels, 13 July 2005.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND

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(1)  Performed in 1995 by Geoffrey Walton Practice and Smith Vincent and in 1996 by the Coal Research Committee of DG XVII

(2)  The World Energy Council has predicted a rapidly growing total investment volume of EUR 3,000 billion over the next 25 years for the construction and equipping of mines.

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