10.9.75 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunitiesNoL238/31
COMMISSION DECISION
of10July1975
authorizingtheKingdomoftheNetherlandstograntaidstocoalminingunder­
takingsinrespectofthecalendaryear1974
(OnlytheDutchtextisauthentic)
(75/547/ECSC)
plansandplansforsettingupnewjobsmadeit
possibletoreducethenumberofpersonsemployedto
severalhundredby31December1974;whereasaddi­
tionalplanshavebeendrawnuptoenablethese
workersalsotobere-integratedintotheeconomy
withouthardship;
Whereasproductioncostshaverisenverysharplyas
productionhasbeenrundown;whereasinspiteof
.severalpriceincreasesrevenuehasnotrisentothe
sameextent,sothatin1974pitoperatinglosses
showedasharpincreasecomparedwiththeprevious
year;
Whereastheaidsarenotexpectedtoexceedtheprob­
ablepitoperatinglosses;
Whereas,inviewofthespecialsituationprevailingin
theNetherlands ,whichstoppeditscoalproductionat
theendof1974,andinviewofthepointssetout
above,theproposedaidstotheNetherlandscoal
industrymayberegardedascompatiblewiththeprovi­
sionsofArticle9ofDecisionNo3/71/ECSC;THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
CoalandSteelCommunity ,andinparticularArticles
2,3,4and5thereof;
HavingregardtoCommissionDecisionNo3/71/
ECSC(')of22December1970onCommunityrules
forinterventions byMemberStatesforthebenefitof
thecoalindustry;
HavingregardtoDecisionNo73/287/ECSC(2)of25
July1973concerningcokingcoalandcokeforthe
ironandsteelindustryintheCommunity ,andin
particularArticle9(2)thereof;
HavingconsultedtheCouncil;
WhereastheNetherlands Government hasinformed
theCommission underArticle2ofDecisionNo
3/71/ECSCoffinancialmeasures,bothdirectandindi­
rect,whichitintendstotakeduring1974forthe
benefitofthecoalindustry;whereasofthose
measurestheaidslistedbelowrequireauthorization
undertheabovementioned Decision ;
WhereastheNetherlandsGovernmenthasmadeprov­
isionforaidamountingtoF156-3millionforprivate­
ly-ownedpitsfor1974tocoveroperatinglosses;
whereastheNetherlands Government considersthat
thisamountshouldenablepitclosurestotakeplaceat
asuitablerate;
Whereas,furthermore ,privately-owned pitsareto
receivefor1974F15-0millionininterestondefaulted
paymentsinrespectofaidpromisedbytheNether­
landsGovernmentinpreviousyearsbutnotpaiduntil
alaterdate;whereasthispaymentwillalsohelpto
reducethedifferencebetweenthecostsandrevenue
ofthepits;
Whereastheaforementioned aidsarcinaccordance
withthecriterialaiddowninArticle9ofDecision
No3/71/ECSC;
WhereascoalproductionintheNetherlands was
stoppedattheendof1974;whereasexistingwelfareWhereastheaidproposedbytheNetherlandsGovern­
mentfor1974isnotsuchastoimpairtheproper
functioningofthecommonmarket,althoughtheaid
proposedfor1974underArticle9ofDecisionNo
3/71/ECSCamountstoF161-30(18-24unitsof
account)permetrictonproducedandisthereforeata
higherlevelthaninanyotherMemberState;
Whereastheseconclusionsarebasedonthefollowing
findings:
—suppliesofNetherlandscoaltootherCommunity
countriesfellconsiderably in1974,
—theamountofCommunitycoalpurchasedbythe
Netherlandsshowedarelativelysharpincreasein
1974;theamountofcoalimportedfromnon­
membercountriesrosein1974bymore"than
30%ascomparedwith1973.Asaresultofstop­
pingdomesticproduction ,theNetherlandsmust
nowlooktoimportsforitscoalsupplies,(')OJNoL3,5.I.1971,p.7.
(-)O)NoL259,15.9.1973,p.41.

NoL238/32 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 10.9.75
calendaryear1974aidofanamountnotexceedingF1
61-3millionforthebenefitoftheNetherlands coal
industry.
Artidc2
TheGovernmentoftheKingdomoftheNetherlands
shallnotifytheCommissionby15November1975of
detailsoftheaidsgrantedpursuanttothisDecision,
inparticularasregardstheamountspaidandthe
mannerinwhichsuchamountsareapportioned .
Article3
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheKingdomofthe
Netherlands .—nofurtherpricealignmentagreementswere
concluded ,
—theaidstothecoalindustrycannotamountto
indirectaidtoindustrialconsumers ofcoalas
domesticcoalforprivateconsumption istheonly
coalproducednow;
Whereashavingregardtotheseconsiderations itmay
generallybesaidthattheaidsproposedfor1974are
compatiblewiththeproperfunctioningofthe
commonmarket;
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle11(1)ofDecisionNo
3/71/ECSC,theCommissionmustsatisfyitselfthat
theaidsauthorizedusedforthepurposesindicatedin
Article9ofDecisionNo3/71/ECSC;whereasin
ordertodosoitmustbeinformedinparticularofthe
amountoftheseaidsandthemannerinwhichthey
areapportioned ,
HASADOPTED THISDECISION :
Article1
TheGovernmentoftheKingdomoftheNetherlands
isherebyauthorizedtograntinrespectoftheDoneatBrussels,10July1975.
FortheCommission
ThePresident
Francois-Xavier ORTOLI