NoL46/16 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 21.2.76
COMMISSION DECISION
of17December1975
approvingaidstobegrantedbytheKingdomofBelgiumforthebenefitofundertakings
inthecoalindustryinrespectof1975
(OnlytheFrenchandDutchtextsareauthentic)
(76/213/ESCS)
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
CoalandSteelCommunity ,andinparticularArticles
2,3,4and5thereof,atareducedrateofinterestunderArticle54ofthe
ECSCTreaty;
WhereastheBelgianGovernmentproposestomake
paymentsoftheorderofBfrs4054-4millionto
coveroperatinglosses,ofwhichBfrs1183-2million
isfortheCampinecoalfieldandBfrs2871-2million
isfortheSudcoalfields,therebyreducingaidsto
coveroperatinglossesof9%over1974;whereas
1975hasbeencharacterized byanimprovement in
efficiencyover1974andthusbyareductioninaids
—especiallyintheCampinefield;whereasinthis
coalfield,theproductionofcokingcoalneedstobe
maintainedinordertoassuresuppliestotheironand
steelindustry;whereastheproposedaidcan
thereforebeconsideredtocomewithinArticle9(1)
(2)ofDecision3/71/ECSC;whereasfurthermore
sincetherehasonlybeenanslightimprovement in
theeconomicandsocialconditionsintheSud
coalfieldbetween1974and1975,anditisstill
necessarytoensurethatpitclosuresproceedslowly
soasensurethere-employment ofredundantminers,
theaidcanbeconsideredtocomewithinArticle9
(1)(1)ofDecision3/71/ECSC;
Whereasfurthermoreitisimportantthataidsto
coveroperatinglossesdonotexceedthoseoperating
lossesthatareforeseeable ;whereastheyaretherefore
inaccordancewithArticle9(2)ofDecision
3/71/ECSC;
WhereastheaidsproposedbytheBelgianGovern­
mentfor1975arenotsuchastoimpairtheproper
functioningofthecommonmarket;
Whereastheseconclusionsarebasedonthefollowing
findings:
—noadverseeffectintradeincoalbetweenBelgium
andtheotherMemberStatesisexpectedfor
1975;
—intheformationofpricesforBelgiancoal,no
priceadjustmentsareexpectedtohavetobe
madein1975toequalthoseofcheapercoal
producedintheCommunity ;
—industrialconsumersofcoalwill,receiveno
indirectaidin1975asaresultofthepricesfor
Belgiancokingcoalandboilercoal;HavingregardtoCommissionDecision3/71/ECSCof
22December1970onCommunityrulesfor
interventionsbyMemberStatesforthebenefitofthe
coalindustry(1),
HavingregardtoDecision73/287/ECSCof25July
1973oncokingcoalandcoke(2),andinparticular
Article9(1)thereof,
HavingconsultedtheCouncil,
WhereastheBelgianGovernmenthasinformedthe
Commission ,pursuanttoArticle2ofDecision
3/71/ECSC,ofthefinancialmeasureswhichit
proposestoimplementdirectlyorindirectlyforthe
benefitofthecoalindustryfor1975;whereasamong
thesemeasures,theaidslistedbelowshouldbe
authorizedpursuanttotheaforementioned Decision;
WhereastheBelgianGovernmentproposestogrant
in1975aidsamountingtoBfrs260-8milliontowards
thefinancingofinvestments ;whereasthisamount
shouldpermitthefinancingofvariousschemesinthe
coalproductionandprocessingsector;whereasthis
measureisinaccordancewithArticle7(2)of
Decision3/71/ECSC;
WhereastheinformationgiventotheCommission
showsthattheundertakingsinreceiptofanaidfor
theseinvestmentprojectswillnotbenefitfromloans
0)OJNoL3,5.1.1971,p.7.
(2)OJNoL259,15.9.1973,p.36.

21.2.76 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL46/17
ThisamountshallincludeBfrs260-8millionto
financeinvestmentprojectsandBfrs4054-4million
tocoveroperatinglosses.
Article2—theclosureoftwounprofitablepitswillleadto
rationalization andtheconcentration of
productiononpitswhereproductivityishighest;
Whereasitmaythereforebeconcludedthattheaids
proposedbytheBelgianGovernmentfor1975will
notimpairtheproperfunctioningofthecommon
market;
Whereasthisalsoappliesifaccountistakenofthe
aidsgrantedtothecoalminespursuanttoDecision
73/287/ECSC;
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle11(1)ofDecision
3/71/ECSC,theCommissionmustsatisfyitselfthat
theapprovedaidsareusedforthepurposessetoutin
Articles7and9ofthatDecision;whereasinorderto
dosotheCommissionmustbeinformedinparticular
oftheamountoftheseaidsandofthemannerin
whichtheyareapportioned ,TheGovernmentoftheKingdomofBelgiumshall
notifytheCommissionby30April1976ofdetailsof
theaidsgrantedpursuanttothisDecision,in
particularasregardstheamountspaidandthe
mannerinwhichtheyareapportioned .
Article3
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheKingdomof
Belgium.
DoneatBrussels,17December1975.HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
FortheCommission
HenriSIMONET
Vice-PresidentTheGovernmentoftheKingdomofBelgiumis
herebyauthorizedtogranttotheBelgiancoal
industryaidsfor1975totallingBfrs4315-2million.